Predicted Trends for 2024
During a browse yesterday, I came across a Refinery29 article revealing several trends for the future of fragrance in the new year, as shared by fragrance experts. Some of the trends did not shock me, while others did take me by surprise.
As many are aware, wellness has become intertwined with beauty across all different categories. From the risen demand of Gua-Shas to the gradual uptick of multi-use facial sprays that double as aromatherapy bedding spritzs, the beauty and wellness world has become more tight-knit, largely due to the global COVID-19 pandemic that hit 4 years ago. Consumers are valuing more than just pretty packaging and product aesthetics — although these facets still boldly remain prominent. Consumers want to purchase products that treat both their body, mind, and spirit. Wellness, as explained by a fragrance specialist in the article, remains a growing category and is expected to continue to increase in fragrance categories. The pathway to get there? Connecting the world of fragrance and therapy. I have previously worked for a luxury, botanically-rooted beauty brand and one of the hero products was indeed, a rose powered facial mist that often was suggested to use as an aromatherapy companion, as the aroma of rose is known to soothe and calm the mind. The article also shared Edeniste, a fragrance brand, providing customers with online olfactive therapies with their Feel Good Program. Inspecting the initiative further, the program connects customers to specialists in olfactive therapy, connecting individually to asses each clients sense of smell. Numerous therapy sessions are available, offering assistance for memory troubles to helping manage emotions through the brands scents. Edentiste’s motto across their page is, “fragrances driven by neuroscience”. This is the first fragrance brand I have seen to bring the wellness and fragrance worlds together in such a manner, an interesting feat opening new space in the market.
A more surprising trend shared was the rise of Neon Florals. I was not sure what this meant — weren’t neon colors out for the season? However, the article shared that neon florals referred to modernizing traditional floral notes, giving a different spin than seen historically. Sweets and florals meet an unexpected twist. Classic floral notes of rose, violet, and white florals such as jasmine plus more are to be dazzled with contemporary fruit notes and modern, bazaar notes, such as pistachio we have seen on trend for a year or so, and even aromatic eucalyptus, tying in to the previous mentioned trend of wellness. I am interested to see what brands birth concoctions as an ode for the traditional floral notes, while dressing them up in new flair.
The discussion also concluded that cool, bright, and fresh scents will be a trend for the winter, instead of the typical warm and cozy scents that showcase woody, sweet, musky, or even nutty notes. I can see this forecast coming to fruition, as the latest launch inspired by winter I received from organic UK perfumery, Ffern Co, featured cool, tingly notes of peppermint and citrus with green, woody notes of vetiver root and Red cedar. I am looking to see if a fragrance that goes viral in the coming months features components of this prediction.
The increase in iris utilization was a surprising trend. I personally feel the floral can be a hit or miss depending on the person, as it can come across powdery in most iterations for some. The article argues a strong point for this forecast, sharing the flanker for Guerlain’s iconic Shalimar — a fragrance formulated by Jacques Guerlain in 1921 that still is beloved today — utilized iris in the recent flanker debut. Selecting key ingredients to update yet keep the essence of the original parfum alive must have been a feat. To uphold such an industry icon’s legacy, the ingredients selected for the new flanker, Millésime Iris, were distinctively chosen with immense purpose, spotlighting iris. I wonder if the expected rise in iris will be seen in the new year with other major launches.
If you are interesting in checking out the article, see the link below.