5 Spring Scent Trends

Spring 2021 is bringing some fascinating global trends in the world of perfumery. It’s been one of the beauty categories that has remained strong throughout the worldwide pandemic with consistent sales unlike beauty that has seen a 30% decline. Scent enthusiasts are experimenting with new perfumes and colognes in the privacy of their homes. Discovery kits are hugely popular with Gen Z who love trying a wide range of scents. Here are five spring scent trends we’re seeing.

1. New Textures

When you think of fragrance, texture isn’t a word that springs to mind. But fragrance chemists are experimenting with new ways to enjoy scent that have a sensorial component. Take new scented body gels for example. These ultra-light, hydrating products are an alternative to the traditional creamy body lotions that accompany a designer fragrance launch. Perfumed body gels contain the same concentration of essential oils and body lotions, but they feel lighter on skin. They are particularly popular in hotter, humid climates where lotions can feel a little heavy. The gel textures appeal to younger consumers in general who like how the product glides onto skin and has a refreshing sensation.

You’ll also find the next-generation of scented hair mists arriving online and instore this season. The mist molecules are much lighter and smaller – so they don’t weigh down hair at all. And they adhere to the keratin in your hair follicles giving you a much longer-lasting scent.

Looking forward, expect to see new advances in solid perfume science and new ultra-concentrated parfum editions.

2. Star Perfumers

Perfumers have long been the unseen stars of the fragrance world. These artistic chemists spend anywhere from 12 to 24 months blending, testing and perfecting a designer scent. Yet, they often take second billing to the designer whose name goes on the bottle. This is changing thanks to social media where the perfumers have the ability now to tell the stories behind the perfumes.

Renowned perfumers such as Alberto Morillas, Dora Bagriche, Olivier Cresp and Nathalie Lorson are becoming household names thanks to blogger profiles, Youtube reviews, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter posts. Enjoying a beautiful fragrance takes on even greater meaning when you hear the work, passion and inspiration that went into it. These artists pour their hearts into their creations and you appreciate this expertise when you hear their stories.

3. Tea Notes Reimagined

Locked down and working from home, consumers are rediscovering the simple pleasures of a really good cup of tea thanks to niche online sites who are reinventing classics.  You can now find new variations and blends that are truly delicious and have incredible aromas. Canadian brand David’s Teas has a fascinating twist on classic earl grey with its Chocolate Earl Grey. It contains a surprise ingredient: Rose blooms. Amid the rich black tea, bergamot, you’ll spot tiny dried rose flowers. The floral ingredient adds a rosy character to the dark chocolate and the fresh citrus. Unexpected and tasty.

Perfumers are riding this tea trend by reimaging the note in perfumes. Tea features a soothing and calming aroma that blends well with other ingredients. Fragrance trends reflect our culture and lifestyles so it isn’t surprising to see the need for calming notes. The stress of the past 12 months have been unprecedented and perfumers understand the need to help consumer relax through scent. This is why you see more notes of lavender, vanilla, pear and tea (black, green and white varieties).

Picking tea is a very skilled profession as you can see from this photo. Women and men gently pick the tender leaves at precise times of the day and year. The leaves are carefully sorted, dried and processed before being exported around the world.

4. Miniature Sets/Discovery Kits

Sales of deluxe miniature fragrance sets and discovery kits continue to grow at an impressive rate. Originally created for holiday gift-giving, these sets of two, three or four mini fragrance bottles have taken on new meaning during the pandemic. Priced from $20 to $50, these sets allow you to try different scents at home from your favourite designer brand.

The miniature bottles are adorable and look so cute on a dresser or vanity table. And each 5 ml bottle will give you up to two weeks-worth of scent. Many consumers experiment with a different fragrance each day. This is a clever approach to modern perfumery as it allows you to live with a scent for a full day. Fragrances evolve on our skin over time so a first impression can be very different from the scent an hour later. And it breaks of the days. When every day begins to look the same, a different fragrance can break them up.

5. Citrus Florals – sunny escapes

With dozens of new fragrances arriving online this spring season, what will we see? Perfumers and fragrance houses are offering uplifting, sunny escapes in the form of fresh citrus-florals. Many of these are beach-inspired that offer an olfactory escape to sun-drenched beaches, blooming gardens and seaside patios. Tart Italian lemon and mandarin feature predominantly in the top notes with softer peony, rose and smooth sandalwood rounding out the compositions. The tuberose white floral trend seems to be diminishing as jasmine and gardenia emerge. What’s interesting about the new generation of jasmine is that it is used with a very light hand. This is a powerhouse ingredient and it can make a bold statement. During Victorian times, a couple sprigs of jasmine could scent an entire room. Today’s jasmine is sheer and soft which blends with the citrus. It’s as refreshing as any icy summer cocktail on a hot day.

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