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Regional trends Insight: Fragrance creation credit: istock n n n Southeast Asia: complex scents China: from personal care to fne fragrance In certain markets in Southeast Asia fragrance usage is in the early China still remains a small market for fne fragrances. Although stages of development, with personal-care products such as body sprays industry players say that consumers are beginning to take more of the main type of scent vehicle used. While diffcult to generalize, on an interest in prestige fragrance beyond just the brand name, others the whole Southeast Asian consumers favor stronger notes than their see little evolution on the horizon. Chinese counterparts. Cosmo International’s Bell points to jasmine Givaudan’s Guillaumat says that the lack of a traditional fragrance and sandalwood, for example, which recall local religious and cultural culture in China explains why the country’s consumers have a traditions. She adds that the market has evolved from “singular low level of interest in perfume, compared to other markets direction” fragrances to more complex and sophisticated notes. “We such as India. “The juice only ranks fourth in Chinese consumers’ are also seeing an acceptance of fresh scents in the region, such as fresh fragrance priorities. The brand, the bottle and the advertisement aquatic, green, citrus and fruity notes,” she explains. come frst,” Guillaumat explains. Mane perfumer Serge Majoullier agrees: “In China, most of the time, the brand’s name prevails over Europe & US: oriental infuences the scent.” The Middle East has had a major impact on fragrance creation in Europe An additional challenge is that China has very low deodorant and and the US over the past fve years. Market research group NPD’s body spray usage, categories which, in most developing markets, fgures show that woody oriental fragrances represented 19% of the US are the building blocks for fne fragrance usage. prestige fragrance market last year. Symrise data shows that western Technico Flor managing director Patrice Rouan believes that brands are launching more fragrances, for both women and men, with market growth will come in time. “It’s a market that is developing clear notes of oud, to which they are adding leather and patchouli. A locally, and we hope that the young generation will help China mix of oud and woody notes is also coming to the fore. Sales of woody become an important market in the years to come. We are seeing fragrances in the US grew 11% last year, according to NPD. “As local Chinese brands that are interested in creating fragrances women’s fragrances become more masculine, there has been a recent featuring packaging with local, Chinese-inspired design,” he interest in warmer, fuller, animalistic and raw fragrance directions. comments. Younger consumers are set to be the main drivers Perfumers are borrowing the rich, raw and even smoky ingredients we for fne fragrance usage in the country in future. In 2013, 47% see in men’s fragrances and interpretations are ranging from oriental of fragrance consumers in China were between the ages of 17 to woody to leather. Oud is still a star but other woods—cedarwood, and 23, according to industry sources, and more are now buying sandalwood and vetiver—are starting to share the stage,” explains fragrance for their personal use, rather than simply buying for Cosmo International’s Bell. gifting purposes. Symrise also notes the return of rose, previously thought of as In terms of fragrance tastes, scents need to be adapted to Chinese old-fashioned, in the US. Last year, three of the top-selling women’s culture beyond just providing ‘lighter’ versions of Western perfumes. fragrances in the market were forals. The trend for fruity fragrances China is principally an eau de toilette and foral water market. continues in the US—sales grew 138% last year according to NPD. Sheer forals, like violet, are popular in the country, as are aquatic Tender green notes such as melon and cucumber are also popular and marine notes. today, says Symrise. Symrise points out that most young fragrance users look for fruity In Europe, gourmand notes including praline, hot milk, and almond notes that are as close to natural scents as possible, while shunning are going strong. French consumers continue to be attracted to forals those that are rich or heavy. Data from Cosmo International like tuberose, jasmine, violet and rose combined with woody or musky confrms this, with the company noting that Chinese consumers accords says Cosmo International’s Bell. Floral-oriental scents are also have an “aversion to complex fragrances, such as heavy forals, on the rise. Modern rose notes that are fresh, fruity and even spicy, are animalic notes, rich woods and powdery notes, which are seen as coming to the fore, mainly in the UK, according to Cosmo International. chemical, harsh, heady or too sweet.” n 36 September-October 2014 - N°19 - BW Confidential