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Insight: Fragrance creation credit: istock Innovation New approaches Is there still room for innovation in the fragrance industry? by Alissa Demorest s coming up with real innovation when have as strong a ‘personality’ as they did in the such as concrete formats and layering. Cosmo Icreating fragrances still a priority? Most past. Bertrand Duchaufour, perfumer at French International Fragrances is exploring ingredients fragrance houses will respond with a resounding fragrance house Technico Flor, regrets the loss for additional properties beyond olfaction—how yes, but critics say that tighter budgets, time of the complexity that perfumes once had. He they might be used in cosmetics, for example. constraints and regulatory pressure make adds that consumers today, especially young Delivery systems are also a focus. Robertet focusing on innovation more diffcult than ever. consumers, are now accustomed to products fragrance division president Christophe Maubert “Today, there are so many flters to innovation. that are “more ordinary”, and would be hard says his company is studying how to “optimize” The cost of launching a new ingredient is pressed to identify quality raw materials. fragrance performance. He cites household care somewhat prohibitive, so it’s very complicated products that keep laundry scented even a week regulation means perfumers have to be more “ is increasingly becoming part of fragrance after washing as an example. “Technology to pass one through the [regulatory] net,” says Eurofragances global director Laurent Mercier. Innovation in terms of new The familiar refrain is that increased houses’ offer. It’s becoming harder to only sell more technology, and we’re working on this on creative to work around the rules. “In some ingredients is not where the fragrance. We need to add value by offering cases, innovation comes through improved biggest discoveries will come all fronts: in fne fragrance, personal care and manufacturing methods to remove restricted from. We need to add value by home care.” He adds that this means asking components. Increasing regulatory restrictions offering more technology perfumers to be more creative with the raw leads to more innovation, rather than less,” says materials they can still work with. “Innovation in IFF vp global fne fragrances Bertrand Lemont. new ingredients will come drop by drop. The tap won’t shut off, but that’s not where the biggest A reduced palette Christophe Maubert ” discoveries will come from,” he concludes. Yet there is no doubt that the perfumer’s Robertet fragrance division president However, Firmenich svp fne fragrance palette is being reduced, and not only due to worldwide Olivier de Lisle argues that while regulations. Given the tough market, brands Rather than mining new ingredients, some technology has its role to play today, it is less are more aggressive on pricing, which is taking houses are working to improve the quality of prevalent in fne fragrance than in personal care: its toll on perfumers’ creations. “The price of those that already exist. In naturals, for example, “Innovation still comes from raw materials, and briefs is decreasing and the price of ingredients there is more research being done on distillation our clients show a lot of interest in innovative is increasing, so the perfumer’s envelope is being and fracturing of materials such as vetiver and notes that come from existing ingredients.” whittled away. Little by little, [brands] are taking patchouli, to “clean them up”, says Fragrance Whether through new technology or exploring out elements that are too costly because they Resources France gm Alexandrine Demachy. the different facets of ingredients, fragrance simply don’t have the budget,” Mercier explains. Solvents and alcohol-free fragrances are also houses may be forced to take a more creative These cuts also mean that fragrances do not a focus, as are scent application methods, approach to innovation itself. n 40 September-October 2014 - N°19 - BW Confidential