Scenting for identity
Fragrance will increasingly be centred around identity, becoming an olfactory storytelling tool to express individual emotions, style, values and culture.
WGSN highlighted that during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, 'scenting for self' saw people begin to wear perfume for their own enjoyment rather than that of others.
This approach has continued to evolve, with Gen Z in particular experimenting with scent layering and contemporary notes to express who they are, how they feel and where they are from.
The trend forecaster highlighted #PerfumeTok, which has over 11bn views, and has become a place of scent discovery, introducing contemporary fragrance brands, culture-led ingredients and trends such as ‘scent hacking’ to boost mood.
“The concept of the signature scent will take on new meaning as fragrance choices become more personalised, using neuroscience to guide choices based on individual mood and emotional responses,” said Varga.
Fragrance will increasingly be centred around identity, becoming an olfactory storytelling tool to express individual emotions, style, values and culture.
WGSN highlighted that during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, 'scenting for self' saw people begin to wear perfume for their own enjoyment rather than that of others.
This approach has continued to evolve, with Gen Z in particular experimenting with scent layering and contemporary notes to express who they are, how they feel and where they are from.
The trend forecaster highlighted #PerfumeTok, which has over 11bn views, and has become a place of scent discovery, introducing contemporary fragrance brands, culture-led ingredients and trends such as ‘scent hacking’ to boost mood.
“The concept of the signature scent will take on new meaning as fragrance choices become more personalised, using neuroscience to guide choices based on individual mood and emotional responses,” said Varga.
According to WGSN, the need for alternative ingredient sourcing will drive a revolution in sustainable beauty and plant milking is set to emerge as one solution to this.
The environmentally friendly and non-destructive method will involve ‘milking’ the same plants several times a year. The alternative cultivation method uses aeroponic cultivation and the extraction of active ingredients from the plant's roots. It’s also 100% traceable, which will allow beauty consumers to follow their product origins throughout the entire supply chain.
“Appealing to our ‘Protopian’ beauty consumer persona, this sustainable method makes more with less, maximising yields and minimising land and water use,” said WGSN Beauty Director, Clare Varga.
Led by the Boomer and Gen X generations, this is a rejection of outdated anti-ageing narratives and the toxic obsession with youth.
Age-agnostic beauty will see more people refusing to conform to demographic expectations and embracing ageing well over age reversal.
A WGSN survey has found that 74% of Gen X women worry about ageing, and on average, women start experiencing age anxiety as early as 29.
“Age-agnostic beauty will see brands shift to meet consumers where they are with beauty products and language that serves the need, not the number,” said Varga.
“From skincare and haircare to cosmetics, age-agnostic beauty will enable everyone to age as appropriately or as inappropriately as they like.”
The ‘hangover beauty’ trend references a more forgiving and honest approach to self-care that accepts that everyone overindulges at times.
For this trend, WGSN says that stressed-out beauty consumers will prioritise joy and pleasure in their wellness routines and push back against strict regimes that don't factor in fun or take real life into account.
“Fuelled by Gen Z's growing anti-wellness attitude, a new wave of brands is emerging that promotes indulgence and rejects the notion of sacrifice,” said Varga.
Low-maintenance ‘hangover’ beauty products are designed to address the effects of late nights and partying without judgment or hassle, and even include cosmetics that are formulated in a way that means you can fall asleep in your make-up without feeling guilty.
As sustainability shifts focus to preservation, soil will be recognised as a vital resource to be protected and replenished.
Sustainable beauty brands will encourage caring for soil as we would our skin, implementing circular systems and regenerative farming and making use of ‘soil saviours’ such as microbes and worms.
“Soil and insects will be embraced as alternative and abundant sources of beauty ingredients, rich in skin-beneficial actives,” said Varga.
WGSN also highlighted that in terms of packaging, active compostable materials that release soil-beneficial elements such as nitrogen and potassium when composted will gain traction.
