Perfume ingredients and essential oils in synergistic combinations improve well-being by down-regulating arousal. This could lead to enhanced quality of life and reduced stress. The perfume compositions of the invention comprise one or more materials from each of the following groups: Group A: the essential oils lavender, lavandin, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage; Group B: 2-phenoxyethanol, 1-(2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone, benzophenone, cyclopentadecanolide, alpha-ionone, beta-ionone, para-methylacetophenone, [4-isopropylcyclohexyl]methanol. The ratio of the weight percentage based on the composition of group A materials to Group B materials lies within the range 1:9 to 9:1.