Much like in colour cosmetics, fragrance companies pride themselves on staying ahead of the trend and forecasting what will be hot in the coming months and years.
According to the findings of Seven Scent’s new global trends forecast, three fragrance notes are set to take off in Spring-Summer 2016, and they have already inspired the retro scents in the new PZ Cussons’ brand line.
2016 scents
The three scents in question that have been identified are praline, sorbets, and freesia.
Praline as it continues the trend for gourmand scents, adding a soft caramel-chocolate note and creamy, nutty complexity, to pair with fresh, fruity accents.
Sorbets have been selected as a refreshing sensation of iced fruits and sugary accents to create a cooling energy in compositions.
And finally Seven Scents highlights freesia as it predicts florals to make a return, and delicate freesia is set to have a high profile, delivering a subtle, citrusy note.
“The story for next summer is playful, sassy and relaxed; reflecting a shift towards brighter days and stylish outdoor living. We expect to see gourmand notes used to add depth and sweetness to compositions, while freesia will blossom in floral accords to create a delicate yet distinctive note,” predicts Miri Scott, Insight Manager for Seven Scent.
“Our research provides valuable market insights into future fragrance directions and allows us to create our own concepts which feed into these trends.”
Sweet smell of launches
And these predictions have already been put to good use, inspiring Imperial Leather’s new Sweets range features favourite confectionery fragrances, launched in the UK in March.
“The emphasis on sugary notes – in the context of the strong consumer retro revival - is the driving trend behind a number of fragrances we have created for Imperial Leather’s new ‘Sweets’ range of shower creams,” adds Scott.
The range comes in Comforting Marshmallow, Uplifting Sherbet Lemon, Mouthwatering Fruit Salad, and Stimulating Spearmint varieties, suppoting one of three key Spring/Summer 2016 fragrance trends defined in Seven’s research as ‘Sugar Rush;’ where youth-led pop culture influences a sugary sweet, fruity fragrance direction.
The two additional fragrance stories Seven expects to see emerge next year are also:
• Linear Landscapes: aromatic, woody notes blend with leathery notes and creamy, soft cashmere to evoke a natural simplicity.
• Print Pop: vibrant and bold, fruity characteristics with accents of cool mint and gentle florals will create signature scents with a twist.