Trends Dominating Spring & Onward this Year
Earlier this week I read an article from Vogue written by Calin Van Paris. I felt surprised at some trends and others made perfect sense. Let’s dive into the 6 mentioned!
1. Scent Layering
Not to sound like a snob (here I go anyway), but this is a trend that I believe has been around for quite some time. To me, scent layering is not really a trend but a method to combine different scents for a customized signature and to boost a scent’s impact. However, I try to remind myself that two opposing opinions can be true simultaneously. Scent layering is when you use different scented products on top of each other. For example, using a scented body wash, followed by a scented body oil, body moisturizer, perfume, and then hair oil. You can stick to the same scent if it is offered in these different carrying methods or switch it up with different scents that complement each other. The article brought up a strong point in which many fragrance designers and brands are expanding their product lines into home care, such as with laundry detergent. Bringing the world of perfumery and home care together is another great way to layer scent. Similarly, Diptyque has been a forefront leader in merging home care and perfumery in other means, as seen with their La Droguerie Collection. The collection includes a scented multi-surface cleaner, scented leather and wood care lotion, and scented dishwashing liquid to name a few star products. Although I feel scent layering is a helpful tip over a trend, it is helpful to know the possibilities scent layering offers.
2. Solar Notes
First, what is a solar note? A solar note can refer to notes such as heavy and heady florals alike neroli, jasmine, mimosa, frangipani, and the tropical ylang-ylang. Think of blooms that have a sunny charm to them. Solar notes can also refer to citrus notes — when paired with marine notes and/or the mentioned floral examples, citruses such as mandarin or bergamot assist to create a solar, sunny offering. Solar fragrances can also include but ae not limited to accords alike coconut. I feel mentioning this trend makes sense for the season, as spring welcomes the warmth of summer — the prime time I believe sporting fragrances featuring bright solar notes truly shines. Think of your favorite tanning oil spray, flowers baking in a sunlit field during a summer dusk, or a perfume that reminds you of a tropical getaway. These could be inspirations that start the creation of a solar accord. One of my favorite examples of a summer fragrance focused on promoting solar notes includes Vacation’s eponymous eau de toilette fragrance, which I have reviewed, here. I will say, the fragrance focuses less on boasting floral notes in my opinion than with its nostalgic, stereotypical summer contributions.
3. Smokey Ouds
This trend excites me as alike mentioned in the article, fragrances spotlighting notes of oud are praised and prized in the Middle East. Thanks to TikTok and social platforms, notoriety for oud fragrances has provided grand exposure, generating interest towards these oud-forward scents in American consumers. Oud provides character to a fragrance through its magnetic warmth, yet can be forceful, which is typically why people may be turned off by oud incorporations. Oud is a wood note derived from agarwood that is sourced from tree species of the Aquilaria and Gyrinops families. Interestingly, the article mentioned a launch for a new edition of Tom Ford’s Oud Wood is to arrive this spring. I thought this launch timing was interesting as both the USA and the Middle East regions have similar timelines for the spring season. I curiously wondered the reasoning for selecting a spring launch for this scent. Perhaps the brand thought generating familiarity with the new edition longggggg before the holiday season would help create a fondness for it and develop a strong urgency to purchase once the holidays arrive in full swing. I’m not sure. I have sampled the original formulation and found it outstanding, as I am very selective when it comes to oud. As guessed with its title, the fragrance is all about oud in every sense of its nature. I feel it is a great unisex scent, however, this would be something I would layer underneath a sophisticated, sunny floral fragrance in the warm months, and would probably gravitate more toward in the cold months.
4. New Fruits
This trend I feel is a repeat customer — it always comes back every year. This trend refers to some fruit “of the moment”. Fruits for this year will be keenly selected to give into the desire of consumers’ need for milky, lactonic finales. The article shares mango and banana will be this years’ “it girls”, while candied flairs and touches of ginger are expected to play with citrus notes in upcoming releases. Lychee and rhubarb are also anticipated to make an appearance to provide a twist to fresh scents. Personally, I am not a gal who gravitates towards a milky or buttery-focused fragrance. Of course, there are fragrances that cleverly utilize notes alike these into formulations that I do like, such as the milky, creamy banana in Vacation mentioned earlier that I wear for specific moments. I think one of the most unique examples of a lactonic note launched semi-recently includes the rice steam accord from Diptyque’s 2023 launch, L’Eau Papier. As for mango and banana, unless it is disguised so sneakily in a formula, I do not see myself looking out for its incorporations.
5. Milky Textures
Touching on the previous trend, I appreciate the creativity for reimagining the olfactive experience through heightening a luxurious moment by means of creating a sensorial experience through texture. The article states fragrances will focus on creating a congenial and luxurious experience for its wearer by playing with lactonic notes and counterparts, such as wood notes, to create mellow skin scents. I do like the example of almond milk shared to be on the radar for this year as I am fond of touches of sweet almond. I remember years back when working for a beauty retailer, I absolutely adored this Ambre Vanille Honey Bath body moisturizer from Laura Mercier — I found it delectably comforting, soft, and delicious with its notes of delicate almond, gentle touches of tangerine, and flairs of brown sugar, sandalwood, and tantalizing tiger orchid. Currently, Laura Mercier does not have this exact SKU on their website, but I have found a similar product called Ambre Vanille Aromatic Bath & Body Oil — the notes differ with its inclusions of Starflower oil, etc., but may be a good substitute to try if you can’t find the original bath moisturizer available online.
6. Savory Gourmands
Here comes my trigger word, gourmand. Typically, gourmand fragrances, such as the infamous gourmand pioneer Angel by Thierry Mugler, center around sensual and sweet notes, such as cocoa, caramel, hazelnut, etc. In certain concentrations, I am willing to explore formulations but do not drift towards gourmands. The article shares a new twist on the category, boasting that these typically sweet notes will be paired with solar, savory, and airy notes to develop a salty affair for a contradicting balance. Savory gourmands will be on the rise coupled with notes of liquor, roasted nuts like pistachio, coffee blends and more. Interesting to look into, I’ll see if the implementation of this new twist changes my feeling towards the gourmand category…but I’m not holding my breath.
What do you think of Vogue’s 6 current fragrance trends? Are there any you are interested in to help make your scent purchase for the season? The article features words and thoughts from the industry’s leading figures, such as Givaudan’s head of global marketing, Arnaud Guggenbuhl. Check out the link below to read the full piece.