This Works Own Time Perfume Review: Does It Help You Sleep?

*Links marked with asterisks are affiliate links, these help Ree with running costs of the blog

Priced at

This Works Own Time Perfume immediately caught my attention because it sits at the intersection of fragrance, wellbeing and sleep, an area I’m increasingly interested in. I also trust the This Works brand when it comes to sleep, having used their Deep Sleep Pillow Spray on and off for years.

This is a first impressions review, but after using Own Time a few times, I wanted to share my early thoughts for anyone looking for an honest review of this interesting new launch.

This Works Own Time Perfume is a calming, functional fragrance designed to support relaxation rather than force sleep. From my first impressions, it works best as part of an intentional evening wind-down ritual, helping the nervous system settle and encouraging better habits around switching off.

What Is This Works Own Time Perfume?

Own Time isn’t marketed as a traditional perfume. According to This Works, it’s crafted with specific aromatic molecules inspired by neuroscience that may help signal to the brain that it’s time to shift into rest mode.

Where many scent products for evening use come as pillow sprays or pure aromatherapy, This Works Own Time Perfume is an eau de parfum you wear on your skin and it’s meant to be part of a wind-down ritual, not a one-off sleep trick.

I was drawn to it because I’m curious about products that go beyond surface beauty and actually support wellbeing, especially sleep. After trying it post-workout, during evening TV sessions and noticing how it felt during night waking, I thought it was worth writing about early.

How I’ve Been Using This Works Own Time Perfume

Rather than keeping Own Time in the bedroom, I’ve actually placed the bottle in my living room, the space where we usually sit and watch TV after dinner. I like using it as a clear signal that the day is winding down.

In the evening, I’ve been spritzing it on my wrists and in a halo over my head and shoulders, then I’ve been making a conscious effort to stay off my phone a little more. This is something I usually try to do and often fail at, but I’ve found that the active step of using the fragrance seems to help. It feels like a small but intentional pause, a moment that encourages me to be more present and a bit less reactive.

I’m not suddenly phone-free (far from it), but I do think the scent helps me disconnect more easily in the evenings. There’s something about the ritual of applying it, combined with the calming nature of the fragrance itself, that makes it easier to put the phone down for longer stretches. It feels like the kind of habit that could become more effective over time, rather than something that needs to work perfectly straight away.

For me, this has become just as much about creating space to unwind as it is about the fragrance itself.

My Review of This Works Own Time Perfume

The first time I used This Works Own Time Perfume was after a late gym session. My body was physically tired but my nervous system was still buzzing. Spraying the fragrance felt like setting a new tone, as if it helped me mentally mark the shift from activity to rest. It didn’t suddenly make me sleepy, but it did help me feel more settled.

During Night Waking

Even when I wake in the middle of the night (which I usually do, even on good nights), the scent was comforting rather than distracting. I could still softly smell it on my wrist, and it felt familiar, almost reassuring, rather than pulling me into thoughts or alertness.

Does It Actually Help With Sleep?

This is obviously the big question.

This Works Own Time Perfume isn’t a supplement or a sleep aid in the traditional sense, and I wouldn’t describe it as something that puts you to sleep. What it seems to do, at least for me, is support relaxation and help my nervous system feel more settled in the evening.

One thing I did find particularly interesting was what happened on the third night I used it. According to my Oura Ring, I achieved 1 hour and 42 minutes of deep sleep, which is significantly higher than my usual 14-day average of 58 minutes. I’m very conscious that sleep is influenced by lots of factors, and I wouldn’t attribute that result solely to a fragrance, but it was notable enough to mention.

For me, Own Time works best as part of an evening wind-down routine, rather than as a standalone solution. It feels like a gentle signal to slow down, something that pairs well with other calming habits and, if you use them, sleep-support supplements. I’ve linked a couple of those below for context.

Related Sleep Support I’ve Tried

If you’re interested in gentle, non-medicated support for sleep and relaxation, beyond fragrance, here are two products I’ve reviewed that many readers find helpful as part of an evening wind-down routine:

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Encourages deeper relaxation, which for me coincided with significantly more deep sleep (1h 42m on Oura vs usual 58m)
• A nuanced, layered fragrance – more than a standard herbal sleep spray
• Works as both a fragrance and a mindful wind-down cue
• Subtle but reassuring presence during night waking

Cons

• Premium price point
• Won’t replace clinical sleep solutions for those with major sleep disorders
• Might feel too complex if you prefer ultra-simple calming scents

Who This Is Best For

This Works Own Time Perfume is a great fit if you:

• Want a beauty product that supports wellbeing and evening calm
• Like ritual and intention in your evening routine
• Are curious about nervous system-focused fragrances
• Prefer a subtle, grounded scent over strong herbal sleep sprays

Final Thoughts

From these first impressions, This Works Own Time Perfume feels less like a fragrance you wear for effect and more like one you use with intention. What’s stood out to me most isn’t just how it smells, but how it’s encouraged me to slow down in the evenings, putting my phone down a little more, being more present, and creating clearer boundaries between day and night. I’m still picking up my phone more than I’d like, but the ritual of applying the scent feels like a helpful nudge in the right direction, and I can see that becoming more effective over time.

I also can’t ignore the sleep data. On the third night I used Own Time, my Oura Ring recorded 1 hour and 42 minutes of deep sleep, compared to my usual 14-day average of 58 minutes. I’m very aware that sleep is influenced by many variables, and I wouldn’t attribute that result to one product alone, but it felt significant enough to mention, especially in the context of feeling calmer and more settled in the evening.

This Works Own Time Perfume doesn’t promise instant sleep, and it doesn’t feel gimmicky. Instead, it offers something quieter: a way to support relaxation, encourage better habits, and signal to your nervous system that it’s safe to unwind. For me, it works best when it becomes part of a broader wind-down routine, one that prioritises calm, presence, and rest.

Overall, it feels elegant, subtle, and genuinely reassuring, especially during the quiet hours of the night.

I’ll continue using it and update my thoughts over time, but so far it feels like a lovely ritual fragrance with real potential for supporting calm and rest.