Perfume Trends: 62 posts

This spring is promising to be rose scented. Every other flanker, a sequel to the original big launch, seems to be reinvented in rose tinted prettiness.  From Kenzo to Cartier, every house has been thinking pink. Flankers are not known for being daring, and when I dutifully smelled through the whole lot, I felt that I was smelling the same perfume over and over again. Fruity, sparkling, instantly forgettable. In the end, I picked six fragrances that stood out, although you will see that in some cases this is an underhanded compliment.

Why bother then? Most of these fragrances will not appeal to perfume lovers used to the opulence of florals or the tinge of animalic notes hidden among the fleshy petals. By contrast, all six rose perfumes I’ve selected are clean and dewy. Some of them are better than others, but overall, this selection contains nice options for anyone who prefers their florals fresh and sparkling, without the cloying sweetness that’s a common theme in most feminine new launches. Simple and pretty are not negative qualities, and occasionally, this is exactly what hits the spot.

Today, I’m reviewing three fragrances that pair rose with white florals: Valentino Valentina Acqua Floreale; Kenzo Amour I Love You; and Juicy Couture La La. The white florals, be it tuberose or gardenia, have a creamy sweetness that contrast well with a sheer, citrusy rose accord.

Valentino Valentina Acqua Floreale

Valentina Acqua Floreale follows in the footsteps of its older sister, Valentina. The bubble gum tuberose of the original is sheered out, made less cloying and thick. It reminded me of a milder Juicy Couture. The vibrant start of citrus and orange blossom fades to a soft, musky drydown that goes by the “sexy clean” moniker in fragrance houses. On the other hand, Valentina Acqua Floreale is so perfectly well-behaved and inoffensive that I doubt one can have a strong opinion about it. It’s radiant, sheer and coy. It would make a sophisticated fragrance for a teenage girl. While it’s not a drama queen, it’s a good quality perfume, with smooth development and decent longevity.  Continue reading →

Edit February 13, 2014:  the EU proposal  has been significantly modified in comparison to the original SCCS document released to public in December 2012. The summary of the amended proposal can be found at ec.europa.eu.  Apart from three bans (Lyral, atranol and chloroatranol), the rest of the restrictions match the current IFRA standards. For the time being, there are no new bans or significant new restrictions on other materials, including naturals. As new information becomes available, this article will be updated.

“If this law goes ahead I am finished, as my perfumes are all filled with these ingredients [to be restricted],” said Frédéric Malle, who owns high-end perfume company Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle. The impact on luxury perfume brands as a whole would, he said, be “like an atomic explosion and we would not have the means to rebuild ourselves.”

The recent Reuters article, EU threat spotlights perfume makers’ secrets, continues to explore the topic of raw material regulations and reformulations. Not again, you might think, since there was much talk about it already, but the issue of further restrictions on the usage of raw materials is sending so many waves through the industry that it’s hard to avoid. To summarize, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), an advisory body for the European Commission, has proposed to ban several key perfumery materials such oakmoss and Lilial and to extend the existing list of 26 allergens to more than 100. The regulations haven’t yet been adopted, and the final decision will be made next year.

I talked about the issues with escalating regulations in Is Chanel No 5 Being Banned?, and my post generated so many questions and emails that I decided to compile my answers here. The main impact from regulations is on the industry, but as fragrance consumers, we also lose out as our favorite fragrances are reformulated beyond recognition or discontinued. Also, I question the wisdom of replacing materials with a long history of usage with newly developed ingredients, the side effects of which may not become clear until decades down the road. These are good reasons to stay informed about the current situation.

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When I was growing up in Ukraine, I don’t remember hearing women discuss perfume brands. They would simply refer to high-quality perfume as “French perfume,” and these two words conveyed all of the glamour, beauty and elegance that one sought inside a crystal bottle.  Even today, after having smelled no shortage of boring and uninspired French perfume, I still feel the allure of these words. Naturally, I’m curious as to what French women themselves wear.

The ranking is based on my calculations of published marketing data so please be kind enough to site the source if you choose to republish the information.

Top Selling Perfumes USA : Popular Fragrances Spring 2012

Top Selling Feminine Fragrances 2011 USA

Top Selling Feminine Fragrances for 2010 USA

Top Selling Feminine Fragrances for 2010 France

Top Selling Masculine Fragrances 2010 USA

And they wear plenty of scent–Paris metro is filled with a melange of perfume, which on occasion can be less than pleasant. On a recent trip, I took an anthropological approach and jotted down a few notes when I recognized a particular fragrance. My notebook was filled with mentions of Coco Mademoiselle, Angel, Miss Dior Chérie, and most surprisingly, Hypnotic Poison. I even smelled Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb on a girl dressed up as a fairy, complete with sparkles on her face and stars in her hair (and a classical Burberry trench).

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Perfumer and Flavorist Magazine published an interesting overview of the autumn-winter  fragrance trends. Analyzed by  Seven Scent Ltd, a trend agency based in Manchester, United Kingdom), this biannual fine fragrance forecast looks at what might influence the launches a year ahead–the 2013/14 autumn-winter collections.

• “Tea accords: a move away from the classic or traditional green tea accords, towards a more unusual, sophisticated and rich fragrance
• Wood accords: the rich spice of oud is softened in a partnership with rose; a classic marriage of materials from middle eastern perfumery
• Leathers and suede: evoking a timeless elegance and quality in masculine scents
• Spices: such as cardamom, cumin and saffron inspired by the Middle East
• Amber: versatile and popular, it adds warmth and blends with oriental spices as well as soft musky notes
• Red berries: rich and dark notes will deliver an autumnal feel”

Nevertheless, it’s easy enough to find new perfumes that fit many of these categories: Tom Ford Jardin Noir series, Diptyque Volutes, Serge Lutens Une Voix Noire, Chanel Coco Noir, to name a few.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

A consequence of the popularity of Middle Eastern style fragrances and the need to understand the local market is that the big companies are seeking to hire perfumers of Middle Eastern origin. Firmenich is currently looking:

“We are thinking of recruiting a perfumer from the GCC countries: an Emirati perfumer, a Saudi perfumer or an Omani perfumer,” said Firmenich general manager Louis Lecoeur. “We want someone with the culture of oils and fragrances who we could train to follow the practices of perfumers today.”

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