Melissa Meisel, Senior Editor04.03.23
It just makes scents that for Spring 2023, consumers are seeking novel, unique fragrances as a way to refresh beauty routines.
Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation, New York, told Happi that beauty consumers right now are very interested in what is new and “spring-like.”
“This year, there are many fruity, sweet and intense fragrances,” she noted.
US prestige beauty industry sales jumped 15%, year-over-year, to reach $27.1 billion in 2022, according to Circana (formerly The NPD Group, which recently announced its new company name following its merger with IRI). Fragrance sales increased 11% to $7.3 billion in 2022.
According to Circana, fragrance was a standout category in its own right. Building on “stellar performance” as the industry’s fastest-growing category in 2021, the fine fragrance market maintained its double-digit growth rate, led by both higher fragrance concentrations such as eau de parfums and parfums, and higher-end artisanal fragrance juices.
“Looking at the industry holistically, inclusive of the prestige and mass markets, the future outlook for overall beauty is a positive one,” said Larissa Jensen, vice president and industry advisor, beauty at Circana. “In an industry steeped in emotion, consumers have demonstrated they are willing to continue to spend on beauty products. Beauty brings joy, which is a universal aspiration and will drive our industry’s resiliency in 2023.”
However, sales are mixed right now in the mass marketplace where women’s fragrance product sales rose and men’s scent sales slipped. According to Circana, mass market women’s fragrance sales rose 4.6% to $672.1 million while men’s fragrance/shaving lotion dipped 4.4% to $655.5 million for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Jan. 29, 2023. For a deeper look into the categories, check out the chart here.
Coy also told Happi that the fragrance category has a distinct link to wellness and self-care. Ulta Beauty clientele are changing up their scents to reflect their current mood or to transport to a special memory or destination.
“At Ulta Beauty, we continue to see strong engagement across our fragrance category, with guests showing a particular interest in our luxury and prestige fragrance offerings, including YSL Beauty, Dior, Gucci, Viktor & Rolf, Givenchy and more. Luxury and designer fragrances serve as an entry point to luxury beauty for some guests and are also preferred by those willing to pay more for higher concentration formulas and eau de parfums designed to last longer on the skin,” according to Coy.
Sustainability and genderless scents are two aspects of product development that fragrance marketers should consider for their next product, according to industry insiders.
Myiesha Sewell, a beauty director at Sephora, told Happi that while refillables aren’t new in the world of fragrance, she’s seeing many more options available of late.
“Armani Beauty My Way Eau de Parfum, Killian Love, Don’t Be Shy eau de parfum and Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace eau de toilette all offer refills,” Sewell told Happi. “Refills are an incredible value as well as another facet of sustainability.”
Sewell added, “I think we’re also moving toward genderless fragrances, giving the client the freedom to wear whatever they’re drawn to. Phlur Somebody Wood and Tom
Ford Bitter Peach are both fragrances I find it difficult to designate gender to, I just know I love wearing them and that’s all it should be about.”
In the genderless category, Coty’s new CK One Reflections eau de toilette is a reiteration of the original CK One fragrance, said the company. The unisex fragrance, which is exclusive to Macy’s, opens with natural ginger and frozen zesty lemon; at the heart, a fresh sparkling iced green tea note links the new juice to the original composition. A warm, woody base of musk harmonizes the fragrance to a sophisticated completion, according to Coty.
Florals are also trending right now for Spring 2023, of course, as flowers are central to the season itself.
Estée Lauder extended its Beautiful Magnolia fragrance portfolio with Beautiful Magnolia L’Eau. The new floral scent is billed as “an intoxicating blend with signature notes of lush magnolia and lavender, creamy amber and luminous musk,” according to the company.
Global Brand Ambassador Ana de Armas is the face of the Beautiful Magnolia Dare to Love campaign created by Matthew Parr, senior vice president, global creative, Estée Lauder. The hero film was directed by Gordon von Steiner and the print campaign was shot by Cass Bird in Los Angeles.
Also new at Estée Lauder is a limited-edition fragrance from Aerin, Mediterranean Honeysuckle Clementina eau de parfum. Corsican clementine, Italian bergamot and orange are arranged around a vibrant, sun-warmed heart of honeysuckle, jasmine sambac and verdant bourgeon cassis. The fragrance finishes with a base of glowing ambrox, creamy musk and the earthy purity of moss, according to the company.
Coty’s fragrance portfolio is also brimming with new launches for Spring 2023. Leading the way is Chloé Rose Naturelle Intense eau de parfum. In the quest to lower environmental impact and use natural ingredients wherever possible, Chloé Rose Naturelle Intense is vegan and formulated with 100% natural-origin fragrance, alcohol and water. A sweet, fresh bergamot makes its debut in the composition. In its wake comes a pure and light neroli with hints of petals; followed by a noble and refined essence of organic rose; a distinctive note tinted with a slightly smoky and vanilla-tinged oak wood. A base of creamy sandalwood lends fullness, while a touch of cedar steeps the fragrance in a “timeless elegance,” according to the company. The scent is sold at Sephora.
Calvin Klein is also bulking up its fragrance roster with Eternity Reflections for Women eau de parfum, a vibrant fruity floral that opens with luscious pear and sparkling citrus notes of blood orange.
Jasmine absolute adds an intensely floral and warm facet at the heart that blends seamlessly with sandalwood for an “energetic yet delicate” dry down. Eternity Reflections for Men eau de toilette is billed as an aromatic woody fougere, opening with a green fairy absinthe. At the heart, a chocolate note adds an unexpected center. Oak moss swirled with sandalwood provides a substantive structure, a key signature of the Eternity fragrance line, according to Coty. Both Eternity Reflections are sold exclusively at Macy’s.
Three is the magic number when it comes to new fragrances for Spring 2023 at Gucci: Gucci Bloom Eau de Parfum Intense, Gucci A Floral Verse Acqua Profumata and Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden Where My Heart Beats.
Interparfums rolled out a slew of new scent options for Spring 2023. It plans to release a duo for the Hollister brand, its first men’s scent for MCM, plus flankers for the most popular DKNY Be Delicious, Ferragamo, Guess, Oscar de la Renta, Abercrombie & Fitch and Anna Sui collections. In February, Interparfums brass rang the Nasdaq stock market closing bell in the heart of Times Square, New York City, to celebrate its listing on the Nasdaq exchange for 35 years. Interparfums is also celebrating its 40th anniversary as a leading fragrance force in the global beauty industry. It also plans to take over the Lacoste fragrance business in January 2024.
However, until then, leading the way for Interparfums launch news for the season is the line expansion for its popular Guess fragrance. Guess Seductive Blue is touted as a daring new fruity floral fragrance that opens with vibrant notes of fresh pear, a feminine heart of velvety flower petals and an earthy trail of musk and patchouli.
“My inspiration was to create a fresh and modern interpretation of a musky rose. The addition of juicy pear, velvet dewy flower petals and a drop of natural patchouli revealed the ultra-sexy Guess Seductive Blue for Women,” said perfumer Christian Alori of IFF.
L’Oréal is also adding on to a few popular fragrance brands. Within the top-selling Maison Margiela Replica collection, the latest creation is called On A Date, which is available as both an eau de toilette and scented candle. On A Date is billed as a warm floral scent inspired by a “magical date at golden hour overlooking the magnificent vineyards of Provence,” according to the company. The latest Replica fragrance is the result of a “creative exploration” between the world of perfume and wine—a collaboration between Master Perfumer Carlos Benaim and Master Sommelier Manuel Peyrondet. The color of the EDT fragrance juice and candle wax is a light pink shade reminiscent of rosé wine. As for the juice, it is touted for its sparkling fruitiness containing black currant and delicate Isparta roses atop patchouli.
New for Spring 2023 at L’Oréal is Valentino Fragrance’s newest launch, Born In Roma Intense available in both Donna Born In Roma Intense and Uomo Born In Roma Intense. Both contain top notes of vanilla while the women’s fragrance includes jasmine and benzoin resin; the men’s fragrance also has lavandin and smoked vetiver. The bottles are crafted with a rockstud texture.
After selling out its limited stock for the holidays, Fenty Eau de Parfum at LVMH will now become a core fixture on Sephora store gondolas worldwide. Rihanna’s first luxury perfume, Fenty Eau de Parfum, is a warm floral scent designed “for everyone and every occasion,” according to the company, with key notes of magnolia, musk, tangerine and Bulgarian rose.
Bath and Body Works is taking shoppers Among the Clouds for Spring 2023. Promoted as “an optimistic fragrance that blends sweetness and light, airy joy,” the scent contains wild berry and whipped vanilla notes. BBW is adding seven new scents to its popular body care collection—think aloe and palm, citrus and cedar and mahogany coconut, to name a new—with a new cologne mist designed to layer with complementary Bath & Body Works personal care products.
Puig is celebrating the distribution expansion of its Dries Van Noten line. The fragrance and beauty brand is entering Bergdorf Goodman and BergdorfGoodman.com. In celebration of the launch, the company will also have an accompanying window display at Bergdorf’s in New York City showcasing the “magical world” of Dries Van Noten. Previously only available at Saks Fifth Avenue, this entrance marks an exciting extension of sales for the brand.
And, the newest addition to the Victoria’s Secret Bombshell fragrance line is Bombshell Isle. It is promoted as an “escape to crystal blue waters” with coconut and sea-sprayed florals.
Armani Beauty has tapped actress and producer Sydney Sweeney as the new face of My Way fragrances. Sweeney is featured in the new My Way campaign introducing the new fragrance, which is out now.
In tandem with Sweeney personifying the fragrance’s “contemporary and elegant femininity,” Armani’s My Way Parfum is a new facet of the May Way fragrances. This floral woody powdery fragrance is defined by its contrast between the bright, solar tuberose note and the majestic blue iris pallida. The new bottle is refillable, and reflects the fragrance’s distinction between intensity and radiance, as it is dressed in tones that graduate from inky blue at its base to radiant pink at its neck.
Paco Rabanne’s new feminine fragrance, Fame, is now available from Happi Top 30 company Puig. It marks the brand’s first major feminine launch in the US. Capturing the “irresistible Parisian spirit of the Rabanne woman,” Fame perfume is a blend of jasmine, mango and incense. It is also created with 90% natural origin ingredients and crafted in Grasse, France.
To bring Fame to life, Paco Rabanne partnered with actress Elle Fanning as the ambassador of the new fragrance.
The launch coincided with the death of Paco Rabanne, who passed away on Feb. 3 at the age of 88, as reported in Happi.
Hunter Schafer is the new face of Mugler’s Angel starting with Angel Elixir—the newest Mugler feminine fragrance. The L’Oréal-owned brand said Schafer’s “strength, modern image, and sharp vision of the world make her a star to watch.”
“For years, I have dreamt of her being our Angel,” said Casey Cadwallader, Mugler Fashion creative director. “She is beautiful both inside and out. She is full of energy and creativity. She brings positivity to everyone she touches, and that’s why she is so perfect for Mugler.”
Gucci Beauty recently announced the debut of Grammy Award-nominated musician A$AP Rocky, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actress Julia Garner and Oscar-nominated actor, director and producer Elliot Page as the new faces of Gucci Guilty fragrances. In the new Gucci Guilty campaign, which was shot by Glen Luchford, the trio personifies an ode to self-acceptance, friendship and love in all its forms through a story of tenderness, imagination and curiosity, according to the company. Both Rocky and Garner attended the Gucci Fall Winter 2023 show at Milan Fashion Week to represent the fragrances.
“Scientific research by fragrance houses as well as brands are connecting scent to emotions,” she told Happi. “This connection is leading fragrance creation and resonating with consumers.”
Trends of wellness will continue in many fragrance forms such as candles, diffusers, fragrances, cleaning products and more, added Levy.
New York City-based trend tracker Spate, the market research firm, has noticed a trend toward bold new pheromone perfumes and classic vanilla. The increasing popularity of pheromone perfumes is likely due to the belief that these fragrances can enhance one’s attractiveness to potential partners or boost their confidence in social situations — a kind of love potion, said Spate. As the efficacy of these perfumes remains a subject of debate within the scientific community, there’s an opportunity for brands to dive in and prove or disprove it.
While vanilla is a familiar scent, the fact that consumers are still searching for “best vanilla perfume” suggests that there is an opportunity for brands to capitalize on this fragrance trend. One way for brands to do this is by encouraging consumers to provide product reviews, which can be done through product discovery platforms like Influenster.
On average, there are 16.4K searches every month in the US for pheromone oil, which is medium volume relative to other searches for perfume products. It’s grown 20.4% in searches since last year with medium competition and Pure Instinct as the only market leader, according to Spate.
A recent viral TikTok video about pheromone oil claims to blend with a person’s natural smell, initiating an aromatic reaction from those around them. The search for “what is,” and “what does” alongside “pheromone oil” reveals a desire to understand this trend. Spate encourages brands to use this opportunity to educate consumers on pheromones, as it’s a new concept and can feel gimmicky without proper education, according to the trend experts.
Searches for “women” and “unisex” alongside “pheromone oil” give insight into the audience searching for pheromone oil. This information is valuable for brands looking to enter the space when formulating scents and working on branding.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also a space to watch when it comes to fragrance development. Tmall and Puig are introducing China’s shoppers to the vast and fascinating world of perfume with the Scent Visualizer, an innovative digital technology developed by Puig which enables fragrance newcomers to discover, recognize and even visualize the scents of perfumes. The Scent Visualizer displays the main olfactive ingredients in a perfume which allows the user to picture, literally, how the perfume smells. It is powered by a visual library of more than 1,400 unique ingredients and a database of 21,500 perfumes, according to the companies.
Twenty-five international brands participated in a Scent Visualizer pilot on Tmall over a seven-week period, which delivered promising results: just by adding a simple picture for each perfume, brands’ online gross merchandize volume (GMV) increased 5% on average, according to the retailer. Both conversion rate and average transaction value (ATV) were improved, as consumers made purchase decisions more quickly when they could “read” the scent and were willing to pay more to appreciate the precious ingredients when those were displayed in a clear and coherent way across brands they like, according to Tmall.
The Scent Visualizer is a collaboration with Fragrances of the World, an extensive source of information supplied by perfume brands to the industry. In the near future, Tmall plans to launch the Fragrance Finder, a tool powered by the Scent Visualizer that generates personalized recommendations for specific perfume brands and products, based on users’ preferences in terms of ingredients, perfumers and even mood.
Check out the textboxes below for more fragrance news.
Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation, New York, told Happi that beauty consumers right now are very interested in what is new and “spring-like.”
“This year, there are many fruity, sweet and intense fragrances,” she noted.
US prestige beauty industry sales jumped 15%, year-over-year, to reach $27.1 billion in 2022, according to Circana (formerly The NPD Group, which recently announced its new company name following its merger with IRI). Fragrance sales increased 11% to $7.3 billion in 2022.
According to Circana, fragrance was a standout category in its own right. Building on “stellar performance” as the industry’s fastest-growing category in 2021, the fine fragrance market maintained its double-digit growth rate, led by both higher fragrance concentrations such as eau de parfums and parfums, and higher-end artisanal fragrance juices.
“Looking at the industry holistically, inclusive of the prestige and mass markets, the future outlook for overall beauty is a positive one,” said Larissa Jensen, vice president and industry advisor, beauty at Circana. “In an industry steeped in emotion, consumers have demonstrated they are willing to continue to spend on beauty products. Beauty brings joy, which is a universal aspiration and will drive our industry’s resiliency in 2023.”
However, sales are mixed right now in the mass marketplace where women’s fragrance product sales rose and men’s scent sales slipped. According to Circana, mass market women’s fragrance sales rose 4.6% to $672.1 million while men’s fragrance/shaving lotion dipped 4.4% to $655.5 million for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Jan. 29, 2023. For a deeper look into the categories, check out the chart here.
Leading Scents for Spring 2023
The “fragrance wardrobe” idea is here to stay. According to Penny Coy, vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, Wheaton, IL, “It’s no longer about finding one signature scent; rather, one scent for every day of the week. We are even seeing our guests layer their favorite fragrances together to create their own custom fragrance blends.“Coy also told Happi that the fragrance category has a distinct link to wellness and self-care. Ulta Beauty clientele are changing up their scents to reflect their current mood or to transport to a special memory or destination.
“At Ulta Beauty, we continue to see strong engagement across our fragrance category, with guests showing a particular interest in our luxury and prestige fragrance offerings, including YSL Beauty, Dior, Gucci, Viktor & Rolf, Givenchy and more. Luxury and designer fragrances serve as an entry point to luxury beauty for some guests and are also preferred by those willing to pay more for higher concentration formulas and eau de parfums designed to last longer on the skin,” according to Coy.
Sustainability and genderless scents are two aspects of product development that fragrance marketers should consider for their next product, according to industry insiders.
Myiesha Sewell, a beauty director at Sephora, told Happi that while refillables aren’t new in the world of fragrance, she’s seeing many more options available of late.
“Armani Beauty My Way Eau de Parfum, Killian Love, Don’t Be Shy eau de parfum and Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace eau de toilette all offer refills,” Sewell told Happi. “Refills are an incredible value as well as another facet of sustainability.”
Sewell added, “I think we’re also moving toward genderless fragrances, giving the client the freedom to wear whatever they’re drawn to. Phlur Somebody Wood and Tom
Ford Bitter Peach are both fragrances I find it difficult to designate gender to, I just know I love wearing them and that’s all it should be about.”
In the genderless category, Coty’s new CK One Reflections eau de toilette is a reiteration of the original CK One fragrance, said the company. The unisex fragrance, which is exclusive to Macy’s, opens with natural ginger and frozen zesty lemon; at the heart, a fresh sparkling iced green tea note links the new juice to the original composition. A warm, woody base of musk harmonizes the fragrance to a sophisticated completion, according to Coty.
Florals are also trending right now for Spring 2023, of course, as flowers are central to the season itself.
Estée Lauder extended its Beautiful Magnolia fragrance portfolio with Beautiful Magnolia L’Eau. The new floral scent is billed as “an intoxicating blend with signature notes of lush magnolia and lavender, creamy amber and luminous musk,” according to the company.
Global Brand Ambassador Ana de Armas is the face of the Beautiful Magnolia Dare to Love campaign created by Matthew Parr, senior vice president, global creative, Estée Lauder. The hero film was directed by Gordon von Steiner and the print campaign was shot by Cass Bird in Los Angeles.
Also new at Estée Lauder is a limited-edition fragrance from Aerin, Mediterranean Honeysuckle Clementina eau de parfum. Corsican clementine, Italian bergamot and orange are arranged around a vibrant, sun-warmed heart of honeysuckle, jasmine sambac and verdant bourgeon cassis. The fragrance finishes with a base of glowing ambrox, creamy musk and the earthy purity of moss, according to the company.
Coty’s fragrance portfolio is also brimming with new launches for Spring 2023. Leading the way is Chloé Rose Naturelle Intense eau de parfum. In the quest to lower environmental impact and use natural ingredients wherever possible, Chloé Rose Naturelle Intense is vegan and formulated with 100% natural-origin fragrance, alcohol and water. A sweet, fresh bergamot makes its debut in the composition. In its wake comes a pure and light neroli with hints of petals; followed by a noble and refined essence of organic rose; a distinctive note tinted with a slightly smoky and vanilla-tinged oak wood. A base of creamy sandalwood lends fullness, while a touch of cedar steeps the fragrance in a “timeless elegance,” according to the company. The scent is sold at Sephora.
Calvin Klein is also bulking up its fragrance roster with Eternity Reflections for Women eau de parfum, a vibrant fruity floral that opens with luscious pear and sparkling citrus notes of blood orange.
Jasmine absolute adds an intensely floral and warm facet at the heart that blends seamlessly with sandalwood for an “energetic yet delicate” dry down. Eternity Reflections for Men eau de toilette is billed as an aromatic woody fougere, opening with a green fairy absinthe. At the heart, a chocolate note adds an unexpected center. Oak moss swirled with sandalwood provides a substantive structure, a key signature of the Eternity fragrance line, according to Coty. Both Eternity Reflections are sold exclusively at Macy’s.
Three is the magic number when it comes to new fragrances for Spring 2023 at Gucci: Gucci Bloom Eau de Parfum Intense, Gucci A Floral Verse Acqua Profumata and Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden Where My Heart Beats.
Interparfums rolled out a slew of new scent options for Spring 2023. It plans to release a duo for the Hollister brand, its first men’s scent for MCM, plus flankers for the most popular DKNY Be Delicious, Ferragamo, Guess, Oscar de la Renta, Abercrombie & Fitch and Anna Sui collections. In February, Interparfums brass rang the Nasdaq stock market closing bell in the heart of Times Square, New York City, to celebrate its listing on the Nasdaq exchange for 35 years. Interparfums is also celebrating its 40th anniversary as a leading fragrance force in the global beauty industry. It also plans to take over the Lacoste fragrance business in January 2024.
However, until then, leading the way for Interparfums launch news for the season is the line expansion for its popular Guess fragrance. Guess Seductive Blue is touted as a daring new fruity floral fragrance that opens with vibrant notes of fresh pear, a feminine heart of velvety flower petals and an earthy trail of musk and patchouli.
“My inspiration was to create a fresh and modern interpretation of a musky rose. The addition of juicy pear, velvet dewy flower petals and a drop of natural patchouli revealed the ultra-sexy Guess Seductive Blue for Women,” said perfumer Christian Alori of IFF.
L’Oréal is also adding on to a few popular fragrance brands. Within the top-selling Maison Margiela Replica collection, the latest creation is called On A Date, which is available as both an eau de toilette and scented candle. On A Date is billed as a warm floral scent inspired by a “magical date at golden hour overlooking the magnificent vineyards of Provence,” according to the company. The latest Replica fragrance is the result of a “creative exploration” between the world of perfume and wine—a collaboration between Master Perfumer Carlos Benaim and Master Sommelier Manuel Peyrondet. The color of the EDT fragrance juice and candle wax is a light pink shade reminiscent of rosé wine. As for the juice, it is touted for its sparkling fruitiness containing black currant and delicate Isparta roses atop patchouli.
New for Spring 2023 at L’Oréal is Valentino Fragrance’s newest launch, Born In Roma Intense available in both Donna Born In Roma Intense and Uomo Born In Roma Intense. Both contain top notes of vanilla while the women’s fragrance includes jasmine and benzoin resin; the men’s fragrance also has lavandin and smoked vetiver. The bottles are crafted with a rockstud texture.
After selling out its limited stock for the holidays, Fenty Eau de Parfum at LVMH will now become a core fixture on Sephora store gondolas worldwide. Rihanna’s first luxury perfume, Fenty Eau de Parfum, is a warm floral scent designed “for everyone and every occasion,” according to the company, with key notes of magnolia, musk, tangerine and Bulgarian rose.
Bath and Body Works is taking shoppers Among the Clouds for Spring 2023. Promoted as “an optimistic fragrance that blends sweetness and light, airy joy,” the scent contains wild berry and whipped vanilla notes. BBW is adding seven new scents to its popular body care collection—think aloe and palm, citrus and cedar and mahogany coconut, to name a new—with a new cologne mist designed to layer with complementary Bath & Body Works personal care products.
Puig is celebrating the distribution expansion of its Dries Van Noten line. The fragrance and beauty brand is entering Bergdorf Goodman and BergdorfGoodman.com. In celebration of the launch, the company will also have an accompanying window display at Bergdorf’s in New York City showcasing the “magical world” of Dries Van Noten. Previously only available at Saks Fifth Avenue, this entrance marks an exciting extension of sales for the brand.
And, the newest addition to the Victoria’s Secret Bombshell fragrance line is Bombshell Isle. It is promoted as an “escape to crystal blue waters” with coconut and sea-sprayed florals.
Celebrity Faces
The power of the celebrity continues in the fragrance category—but less by way of juices and more as influencers in marketing campaigns.Armani Beauty has tapped actress and producer Sydney Sweeney as the new face of My Way fragrances. Sweeney is featured in the new My Way campaign introducing the new fragrance, which is out now.
In tandem with Sweeney personifying the fragrance’s “contemporary and elegant femininity,” Armani’s My Way Parfum is a new facet of the May Way fragrances. This floral woody powdery fragrance is defined by its contrast between the bright, solar tuberose note and the majestic blue iris pallida. The new bottle is refillable, and reflects the fragrance’s distinction between intensity and radiance, as it is dressed in tones that graduate from inky blue at its base to radiant pink at its neck.
Paco Rabanne’s new feminine fragrance, Fame, is now available from Happi Top 30 company Puig. It marks the brand’s first major feminine launch in the US. Capturing the “irresistible Parisian spirit of the Rabanne woman,” Fame perfume is a blend of jasmine, mango and incense. It is also created with 90% natural origin ingredients and crafted in Grasse, France.
To bring Fame to life, Paco Rabanne partnered with actress Elle Fanning as the ambassador of the new fragrance.
The launch coincided with the death of Paco Rabanne, who passed away on Feb. 3 at the age of 88, as reported in Happi.
Hunter Schafer is the new face of Mugler’s Angel starting with Angel Elixir—the newest Mugler feminine fragrance. The L’Oréal-owned brand said Schafer’s “strength, modern image, and sharp vision of the world make her a star to watch.”
“For years, I have dreamt of her being our Angel,” said Casey Cadwallader, Mugler Fashion creative director. “She is beautiful both inside and out. She is full of energy and creativity. She brings positivity to everyone she touches, and that’s why she is so perfect for Mugler.”
Gucci Beauty recently announced the debut of Grammy Award-nominated musician A$AP Rocky, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actress Julia Garner and Oscar-nominated actor, director and producer Elliot Page as the new faces of Gucci Guilty fragrances. In the new Gucci Guilty campaign, which was shot by Glen Luchford, the trio personifies an ode to self-acceptance, friendship and love in all its forms through a story of tenderness, imagination and curiosity, according to the company. Both Rocky and Garner attended the Gucci Fall Winter 2023 show at Milan Fashion Week to represent the fragrances.
The Future of Fragrances
Emotional connection to fragrance will continue to drive the category, noted Levy of The Fragrance Foundation.“Scientific research by fragrance houses as well as brands are connecting scent to emotions,” she told Happi. “This connection is leading fragrance creation and resonating with consumers.”
Trends of wellness will continue in many fragrance forms such as candles, diffusers, fragrances, cleaning products and more, added Levy.
New York City-based trend tracker Spate, the market research firm, has noticed a trend toward bold new pheromone perfumes and classic vanilla. The increasing popularity of pheromone perfumes is likely due to the belief that these fragrances can enhance one’s attractiveness to potential partners or boost their confidence in social situations — a kind of love potion, said Spate. As the efficacy of these perfumes remains a subject of debate within the scientific community, there’s an opportunity for brands to dive in and prove or disprove it.
While vanilla is a familiar scent, the fact that consumers are still searching for “best vanilla perfume” suggests that there is an opportunity for brands to capitalize on this fragrance trend. One way for brands to do this is by encouraging consumers to provide product reviews, which can be done through product discovery platforms like Influenster.
On average, there are 16.4K searches every month in the US for pheromone oil, which is medium volume relative to other searches for perfume products. It’s grown 20.4% in searches since last year with medium competition and Pure Instinct as the only market leader, according to Spate.
A recent viral TikTok video about pheromone oil claims to blend with a person’s natural smell, initiating an aromatic reaction from those around them. The search for “what is,” and “what does” alongside “pheromone oil” reveals a desire to understand this trend. Spate encourages brands to use this opportunity to educate consumers on pheromones, as it’s a new concept and can feel gimmicky without proper education, according to the trend experts.
Searches for “women” and “unisex” alongside “pheromone oil” give insight into the audience searching for pheromone oil. This information is valuable for brands looking to enter the space when formulating scents and working on branding.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also a space to watch when it comes to fragrance development. Tmall and Puig are introducing China’s shoppers to the vast and fascinating world of perfume with the Scent Visualizer, an innovative digital technology developed by Puig which enables fragrance newcomers to discover, recognize and even visualize the scents of perfumes. The Scent Visualizer displays the main olfactive ingredients in a perfume which allows the user to picture, literally, how the perfume smells. It is powered by a visual library of more than 1,400 unique ingredients and a database of 21,500 perfumes, according to the companies.
Twenty-five international brands participated in a Scent Visualizer pilot on Tmall over a seven-week period, which delivered promising results: just by adding a simple picture for each perfume, brands’ online gross merchandize volume (GMV) increased 5% on average, according to the retailer. Both conversion rate and average transaction value (ATV) were improved, as consumers made purchase decisions more quickly when they could “read” the scent and were willing to pay more to appreciate the precious ingredients when those were displayed in a clear and coherent way across brands they like, according to Tmall.
The Scent Visualizer is a collaboration with Fragrances of the World, an extensive source of information supplied by perfume brands to the industry. In the near future, Tmall plans to launch the Fragrance Finder, a tool powered by the Scent Visualizer that generates personalized recommendations for specific perfume brands and products, based on users’ preferences in terms of ingredients, perfumers and even mood.
Check out the textboxes below for more fragrance news.
The Fragrance Foundation will honor L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus with its Hall of Fame Award at the 2023 Fragrance Foundation Awards on June 15 at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, in New York City. The Fragrance Foundation Awards recognize innovation, creativity and achievement in the fragrance industry. Through the 2023 Hall of Fame Award, the Fragrance Foundation seeks to honor the contribution of Hieronimus, only the sixth CEO of the L’Oréal Groupe in its 113-year history, to the world of fragrance. “On behalf of the L’Oréal Group, I am very honored to receive the prestigious Hall of Fame Award from The Fragrance Foundation, which is a recognition of the passion, dedication and fine fragrance know-how of our teams,” said Hieronimus. “Fragrance plays an enormously important role in fostering individual wellbeing and contributing positively to society and culture. Over the centuries, perfume has had the power to stimulate our senses, our memories and our emotions. And we are seeing today that fragrance is more relevant than ever because it helps us connect with ourselves and with others.” Hieronimus has been a major player in the fragrance industry for more than a decade. Beginning in 2011 as president of the L’Oréal Luxe Division, Hieronimus’ vision paved the way for L’Oréal to become the world’s fine fragrance leader. Under his leadership, the company launched iconic fragrances such as Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle, Yves Saint Laurent’s Black Opium and Libre, and Si by Armani. |
While fine fragrance development often leans toward human application, there are alternative targets. For example, indie personal care company Esker—best known for its bath and body products—is expanding with a towel spray. The Esker Bath & Towel Spray is described as a luxury room spray that can be used on towels, robes, bedding or as a room refresher. The eucalyptus herbal scent is formulated using clean essential oils and other natural ingredients like lavender and palo santo. The packaging is recyclable and certified Plastic Neutral. |
French design house Lolita Lempicka is bringing two of its core fragrances to JCPenney, where they will make their debut as the retailer launches JCPenney Beauty across the country. Lolita Lempicka Mon Premier launched in Europe and South America in 2017 and quickly found success with the under-35 demographic, who were reportedly enchanted by its bewitching blend of cherry, licorice, violet, praline, vanilla and tonka bean. The second fragrance, So Sweet, targets a similar demographic with its blend of cherry, mandarin orange, raspberry leaf, iris and rose. Both fragrances are held in a faceted apple-shaped bottle, alluding to the whimsical design aesthetic that permeates every collection bearing the designer’s name. The fragrances feature a composition that is vegan and without coloring agents, fixatives, filters or endocrine disruptors. Lolita Lempicka products also proudly flaunt the One Voice label to indicate that no animal testing took place during production. All production decisions are based upon the principles of smart and sustainable consumption for the protection of consumers and the planet. “I am very excited to bring these fragrances to the American market,” said brand creator Lolita Lempicka, in a statement. “They are essential pieces of our brand story and reveal an unabashedly female scent perspective, exuding confidence, strength and sensuality.” The distribution is in alignment with the new JCPenney Beauty concept, which aims to bring greater visibility to new and less broadly-distributed brands through its extensive coast-to-coast footprint. The Lolita Lempicka product range, available at 100 select JCPenney locations, will include both fragrances in 1.7oz sizes as well as the Mon Premier body lotion, supported by gift-with-purchase incentives as part of a pop-up program. The full line of Lolita Lempicka will be available online at www.jcpenney.com, which will also carry the brand’s gift sets. |