In recent years, scent has taken over from skin care to be the all-star beauty category.
The global market data specialists Statista has forecast that the category will generate a global revenue of €56.44bn in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 2.68% between 2025 and 2029.
Here are some of the happenings that are currently driving new product development in the booming fragrance sector...
People love the smell of yuzu
Inspired by K-beauty, more scents are featuring yuzu as a star ingredient.
According to Barcelona-based fragrance company Scentmate by dsm-firmenich, the citrus note is in demand for its vibrant, fresh, and captivating character. It dubbed it “a note that has taken the perfumery world by storm.”
Yuzu, which is a citrus fruit that grows in Japan and South Korea, has increasingly been used in skin care formulations in recent years, due to its high vitamin C content.
The fruit has a fresh and citrus aroma and according to Scentmate by dsm-firmenich, “the smell of yuzu is commonly associated with feeling energetic, strong, hopeful, and inspired.”
The firm noted its growing presence in both prestige and mass-market products “due to its fresh and bright notes” and declared that it’s “perfect for a gender-neutral fragrance.”
Several scents launched in the past year that have featured the new ingredient, which include: Jo Malone’s Yuzu Zest Cologne Classique Pride by J.P. Gaultier, Monotheme’s Yuzu, and Karl Lagerfeld’s Bois de Yuzu, which has experienced a 450% increase in Google search volume over the past five years.
Polarised spending on scent: either ultra-luxe or body sprays
Beauty industry data specialists Circana noted that sales of fragrances costing €150 or more were up 32% in 2024 to €653 million (compared to +8% growth for total fragrance).
In 2024, the body sprays market doubled in Europe – growing by 107% to a value of €265m – with Sol de Janeiro as the top-selling brand.
Director of beauty, Europe at Circana, Mathilde Lion said that younger generations have changed the way they use of fragrance. “There are new types of applications of scent, such as body sprays but also body oils, solid perfumes and alcohol-free perfume,” she shared.
Neuroscience is aiding fragrance formulation
Neuroscience is gaining a larger place across numerous beauty categories, and is set to shape the future of beauty, but it is perhaps in fragrance that it could have the most impact. One company that has been using more neuroscience-based technology is Swiss fragrance company Givaudan, with its extensive range of neuroscience-based technology including ChériScentz™,MoodScentz+™, VivaScentz™ and DreamScentz™. Aligning with Givaudan’s commitment to enhance emotional connections through perfume, ChériScentz™ will allow consumers to embrace their sensuality in day-to-day life.
Speaking about the newest tool, ChériScentz™, Givaudan’s global head of science and technology fragrances, Jeremy Compton, said it “harnesses advanced research derived from global consumer studies and is evaluated using G-Evocations – a specialised method that assesses fragrance sensuality through visual stimuli. This approach guarantees high discrimination, quality results, and consumer relevance across diverse markets.”
Cigarettes and alcohol are unlikely inspiration for luxury scents
We’re not joking! Whether it’s being driven by a backlash to Gen Z’s healthy lifestyle habits, or consumers seeking out quirky new notes more scents are featuring notes of Cognac, whisky and rum, as well as tobacco.
For example, Kilian Paris’ Old Fashioned is even housed in a bottle that looks like a whiskey glass and the formula is inspired by the taste structure of an 18-year-aged single malt; Givenchy’s Gentleman Reserve Privée Eau de Parfum has a top note of whisky absolute Scotland; while Fifty-Four from JusBox contains a piña colada accord and rum.
Meanwhile, the rich and divisive scent of tobacco is another ingredient being used by more perfumers. From Diptyque’s Volutes, which mixes tobacco with cinnamon, iris and honey, to Tom Ford’s smoky, mysterious and masculine Tobacco Oud.
More demand for multitasking scent products
Based on the popularity of body sprays, more brands are now launching hair and body mists as a lighter version of their usual fragrance.
L’Occitane Group’s Sol de Janeiro brand led the way in making body sprays fashionable again and, seeing its success, numerous brands have taken this concept further and released top-to-toe scents that are designed to be liberally spritzed across skin and hair.
Examples of brands that have recently innovated in this space are Nuxe, Byredo, Diptyque and By/RosieJane.
