Beauty products offering unexpected additional benefits such as skin creams that claim to deliver health and wellness are proving popular with consumers.

Now the perfume industry is catching on to the trend.

While celebrity endorsed perfumes continue to sell by the bucket load cosmetic chemists are eager to develop concoctions that will secure future sales growth.

Aimed at the discerning consumer, perfume that is beneficial to the skin is an emerging trend in the cosmetics industry, said Euromonitor analyst Diana Dodson.

Dodson said perfumes with aromatherapy benefits are expected to hit the mass market with Procter & Gamble currently exploring the niche.

Among the companies currently exploiting the trend for skin enhancing perfume is House of Rose, which produces alcohol free perfumes that claim to be good for the skin.

Its pink grapefruit perfume is even associated with anti-ageing effects.

The advertising literature refers perfume consumers to the work of Alan Hirsch from the US-based Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation

In a study entitled "Effects of Odor on Perception of Age" he claimed the smell of pink grapefruit decreased the perceived age of women by as much as five years.

He told CosmeticsDesign.com that certain smells can produce specific effects on exposed subjects that were of interest to the cosmetics and perfume industries.

By way of explanation the scientist said: "This rejuvenating effect of the pink grapefruit aroma can be explained by considering the impact of odours on visual perception, sexual arousal and congruency effects."

Another unusual niche product to hit the market in recent times is Smiley by France-based Arthes, which is marketed as an anti-depressant perfume.

A pair of ingredients, phenylethylamine and theobromine, work together to set off feelings of joy, excitement and euphoria while blocking chemicals that trigger stress, claimed the manufacturers.