Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Over the past weeks, I’ve been confronted with a surprisingly difficult question: where does carte blanche for a perfumer actually begin and where does it end?

While working on fragrance #2, I realised that complete freedom can also become a creative dead end. With Chester, the inspiration itself already acted as the briefing. With Dario, whose language is more technical and colour-driven, that emotional starting point was missing.

Only then did I understand something almost painfully obvious: a missing briefing does not always create more creativity. Sometimes it creates the absence of a beginning. One perfumer’s childhood memory might be another perfumer’s colour palette. Both can still feel like complete freedom.

I’ll share more reflections on this this Sunday at www.scentlyspeakinglab.com

Now onto this issue!

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: BTWMA Blog, Elevated Manifesto, Anonymous Perfumoholics

2. Niche Newcomers: Luisant Haze, Patch Absolue, Cologne One

3. Quiz: How many kg are needed for one kg of orris butter?

4. Scent MythBusters: Once you mix the formula, it’s done — maceration is marketing

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#BEFORETHEWORLDMOVEDAGAIN: Chester Gibs published a reflection on the making of Before the World Moved Again, and it reads less like a launch text and more like a quiet reconstruction of how the fragrance came into being. What stands out is not a polished concept, but the tension between intuition and structure, between raw material and restraint. He describes the process as something that revealed itself slowly, rather than being imposed from the start. It’s a reminder that even in a highly constructed industry, some of the most interesting work still happens in the space where control begins to loosen.

#ELEVATEDCLASSICS: In her two‑year anniversary manifesto, Elevated Classics founder Hulya explains why she entered fragrance journalism: not to join the perfume “machine” but to promote discernment and investigate how brands actually operate. She rejects the binary that small brands are automatically virtuous and large houses inherently soulless, praising the craft of Chanel, Hermès, Guerlain, Cartier and Serge Lutens. Her frustration lies with the “costume of authenticity”: invented heritage, vague sourcing and founder myths. Elevated Classics now uses its platform to ask uncomfortable questions about who composes, manufactures and finances perfumes, refusing to trade honesty for access.

#ANONYMOUSPERFUMOHOLICS: Valentina Nochka’s Substack piece, Anonymous Perfumoholics, reads like a stand‑up set for fragrance addicts. She riffs on Fragrantica reviews, likening perfume forums to support groups where members confess to midnight blind buys and fragrance flings. Her humour exposes the absurdity of gatekeeping and the endless search for “signature scents” while poking fun at our collective obsession. The article reminds us that behind every poetic note description is a human being with too many samples and not enough shelf space.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Luisant Haze — Neo‑Nostalgia Thomas De Monaco’s Luisant Haze is described by founder Thomas Monaco as “neo nostalgia.” Rather than following today’s dense gourmands, he and perfumer Karine Chevallier created a lighter, more transparent sweetness. Notes include tuberose, cotton candy, wild strawberry, pink pepper, musks and warm woods. The tuberose is handled with restraint, giving an airy glow rather than a syrupy bloom. Monaco says the name evokes light shining through mist; the fragrance lasts six to eight hours and leaves a soft trail.

Patch Absolue — Patchouli with Conviction Swiss house Tauer’s Patch Absolue is a richer reimagining of their Patch Flash. Perfumer Andy Tauer builds the extrait around 40 % natural patchouli oil. It opens with a boozy, spiced hit of cinnamon and clove, then settles into creamy white florals and benzoin. The base combines patchouli with vanilla, amber and sandalwood, creating a warm, resinous glow that wears close to the skin. It feels controlled and textured, never muddy

Cologne One — Controlled Freshness Escentric Molecules reinterprets the classic cologne through a sharper, more abstract lens. The opening blends bergamot, lime and mandarin with juniper and ginger, creating a crisp, almost tonic-like freshness. At the heart, iris, rose and hedione soften the composition, rounding the edges without turning it overtly floral. The base of ambroxan, Iso E Super and musk extends the scent into a clean, persistent trail. Rather than evolving dramatically, Cologne One focuses on precision and texture, a fresh structure held in quiet control.

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

Maceration takes time

The belief

In fast‑fashion perfumery, time is money. Some houses bottle as soon as the oils dissolve in alcohol and water, arguing that any ‘resting period’ is an outdated romanticism. If the juice smells right on the blotter, why wait? This logic treats perfume like a cocktail: mix, bottle, sell.

Reality

Maceration is neither romantic nor optional; it’s chemistry and biology. When fragrance oils are first blended with alcohol, the composition can be “top‑heavy”, the brightest notes dominate while deeper materials remain muted. Over days and weeks, esters and alcohols react, smoothing rough edges and enabling base notes to bloom. The Wicked Good Perfume guide explains that light citrus or floral scents may integrate within a week or two, most eau de parfums need three to six weeks, heavier blends with woods and resins often require two or three months, and artisanal fragrances may age for six months or longer. In other words, patience isn’t indulgence; it is part of the recipe.

Industry practice

High‑end houses still age their perfumes like wine. A quote from Frédéric Malle’s house notes that maceration occurs in large vats “to give [the fragrance] its full measure,” especially when using many naturals or rich base notes. Classic perfumes were traditionally macerated for four to eight weeks. Malle explains that Portrait of a Lady undergoes a two‑week maturation (aging the concentrate) followed by four weeks of maceration (aging the solution), and that fresh lab samples are less powerful, less beautiful and less stable than properly aged products. Houses such as Strangelove and Les Indemodables publish their maceration times because natural‑rich formulas continue to evolve long after mixing. Artisanal perfumers liken the process to spaghetti sauce: harsh at first, cohesive after a month or two.

Why time matters

Natural extracts are complex systems containing hundreds of molecules. In a rose absolute, for example, the proportions of citronellol, geraniol and trace indoles change with harvest and extraction. As the perfume sits, these molecules continue to react, soften and integrate. A forum post citing an updated Frederic Malle description notes that maceration must be done on a large volume before bottling; once in a bottle, the perfume no longer macerates the same way. Denaturing proteins, oxidisation and the slow dissolution of resins all contribute to the evolution. Heating is not an option because it can destroy delicate molecules; only time and mass achieve the desired body.

Judgement

Maceration isn’t a marketing trick; it’s a structural element of fine perfumery. Formulas heavy in synthetics can be bottled quickly because their molecules are uniform and predictable. But when a perfume weaves together naturals, resins and proprietary aroma‑chemicals, the blend needs weeks or months to stabilise. Skipping this step results in a scent that smells sharp and disjointed; allowing it to age produces cohesion, longevity and depth. In an era obsessed with speed and novelty, patience remains the hidden ingredient that differentiates a composition from a mix.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

I’m writing this in the middle of everything, only now realising what has actually happened over the past weeks. I met Christophe Laudamiel, we launched Before the World Moved Again, Chester presented it at Paris Perfume Week, and the first orders are coming in from across Europe. Some dream partners (🇳🇱, 🇧🇪, 🇮🇹, 🇩🇪) now have it in store, alongside the first genuinely moving reviews on Parfumo and Fragrantica.

At the same time, there have been a few painful lessons. Damaged packaging, DHL frustrations, and the quiet tension between creative freedom, expensive formulas, and building this as an industry rebel.

I’ll share more reflections on this this Sunday at www.scentlyspeakinglab.com

Now onto this issue!

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Placebo, CuriosityOverLoyalty, Akigalawood

2. Niche Newcomers: Spicy Road, Agapimu, Lovers and Strangers

3. Quiz: How long are captive molecules generally protected?

4. Scent MythBusters: The complexity of naturals versus synthetics and why some perfumes are clone‑proof

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#PLACEBO: Kolido’s Placebo is less a perfume than a controlled experiment. Developed with Nose Magazine, the same formula was presented alongside different visual cues to test how perception alters smell. Participants described completely different scents depending on what they saw. The takeaway is uncomfortable: fragrance is not just chemistry, it is context. What we smell is heavily constructed by expectation, not only by molecules.

#CURIOSITYOVERLOYALTY: Snif is building a brand on the idea that loyalty is fading and curiosity is taking over. Instead of signature scents, consumers are rotating through “experiences” driven by sampling, social discovery and low commitment formats. Their success with unconventional launches, including gourmand concepts that feel almost absurd, shows that novelty now outperforms consistency. Fragrance is shifting from identity marker to something closer to content, constantly refreshed, rarely fixed.

#AKIGALAWOOD: Akigalawood is a case study in how modern perfumery creates value. Developed by Givaudan through biotechnology from patchouli, it delivers a spicy woody profile with exceptional diffusion and longevity. More importantly, it is a captive molecule, meaning competitors cannot legally use it for years. This creates a new kind of differentiation: not storytelling, but controlled access to smell itself. Innovation in perfumery is increasingly happening at molecular level, not just creative level.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Spicy Road — Kerala’s Spice Route in a Bottle Une Nuit Nomade’s Spicy Road was developed by perfumer Fanny Bal. The fragrance celebrates the spices of western India: pepper sparkles in the opening, vanilla and incense warm the heart, and a woody base anchors the journey. Additional notes of clove, Akigalawood and cedar lend depth. The brand’s description evokes Kerala’s backwaters and pepper vines, making the scent feel like a boat ride through Malabar’s spice markets.

Agapimu — Resinous Romance Italian house Naso di Raza enlisted perfumer Patrick Bodifee to compose Agapimu. This 2025 fragrance opens with mandarin, cardamom, pink pepper, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg. A heart of frankincense, cedarwood, patchouli, oud and cypriol adds smoky warmth, while the base blends rose, caramel, amber, myrrh and white musk. Agapimu layers spice, resin and sweetness into a dusky oriental reminiscent of twilight in a Mediterranean port.

Lovers and Strangers — Boozy Seduction TOBBA’s Lovers and Strangers, composed by Maxime Exler, is billed as “romantic addiction at its most refined.” The extrait opens with rum absolute, prune and tobacco. Rich Colombian coffee Jungle Essence and rose form the heart, with Madagascar vanilla extract, sandalwood and patchouli in the base. The scent unfolds like a noir love story: boozy rum and plums give way to smoky coffee and velvety rose, finishing with creamy vanilla, amber and patchouli.

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

Same same - but different

TL;DR

Yes, most perfumes can be copied. But only a few can be reproduced.

The more a fragrance relies on linear synthetics, the easier it is to reverse-engineer. The more it leans into naturals, variation and proprietary molecules, the more a dupe becomes an approximation rather than a replica.

Misconception

The popular belief is simple: perfume is just chemistry. Analyse it, list the ingredients, rebuild it. This idea is reinforced by the rise of clone brands that promise “identical” scents at a fraction of the price. If it smells similar in the opening, it must be the same formula.

But that assumption confuses resemblance with replication.

What’s actually happening

Reverse-engineering works best on clarity. If a fragrance is built around a tight structure of well-defined synthetics, it can often be mapped and reconstructed with surprising accuracy. That is why certain modern compositions feel instantly familiar across brands.

But perfumery becomes far less predictable the moment you move away from that clarity.

Natural materials are not single ingredients, they are complex systems. A rose absolute is made up of hundreds of molecules that shift depending on origin, season and extraction. Even if you match the “idea” of the rose, you rarely match its behaviour over time. The fragrance starts to diverge where it matters most, on skin, in the drydown, in the hours no one talks about.

Then there is everything that sits outside a clean analytical read. Ageing, maceration, the use of fixatives that shape evaporation rather than announce themselves. These elements do not show up as clear signals, yet they define how a perfume breathes. Remove them, and the structure remains, but the experience flattens.

And finally, there are ingredients that are simply out of reach. Captive molecules like Akigalawood are designed to combine performance with complexity, then locked away for years. You can analyse around them, approximate them, even get close. But you cannot access the material itself.

So what you end up with is not a copy, but a translation.

Final judgement

The idea that all perfumes are equally easy to dupe is convenient, but wrong. Synthetics bring precision, but they also make a formula easier to decode. Naturals introduce variation, and proprietary molecules introduce limits. Together, they turn a fragrance into something that resists exact repetition.

A dupe can mirror the outline. But the deeper the composition, the more it reveals the gap.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

The wait is over.

Today, we’re publishing our very first fragrance: Before the World Moved Again by our perfumer, Chester Gibs.

Use code: CHAPTERONE to unlock your invitation on our shop.

As one of the first 25 to order, you’ll receive:

• A 20% discount on your edition #1 purchase (Before the World Moved Again)

• A hand-signed card from Chester with a personal dedication

• A free sample of edition #2 before its commercial release

• Automatic entry into our Community Fragrance Evaluator lottery for edition #3

This #1 edition is rooted in one of Chester’s true experiences, something he shares himself in our launch video. Spicy, floral, incense-laced... but that’s just the surface. To make this happen, we invited over 40 people to test, listened to every voice, left every door open for creative freedom and set no budget ceiling. No one asked us to go to these lengths. It was time-consuming, wildly expensive, and maybe even over the top in a world that moves so quickly. But for us, that’s what it takes to create something genuine. What’s left at the end just feels right. Whole, aligned, and honest.

Over the last few weeks, a few members of our inner circle had the chance to experience #1 before anyone else. I want to share a few of their reactions with you:

IG: @Perfumographer (Ineta)

“Waaaw… what a beautiful discovery! It’s been a long time since a scent has impressed me this much. […] I love the spicy touch in the opening, and the transition from this vibrant green–spicy start to the deeper, more meditative layers is incredibly smooth. […] It doesn't only smells, it transports me, it's what I always search in a perfume.”

Kurt by smell stories (Niche Perfumery from Brussels)

“Before the World Moved Again feels like a painting with a thoughtful composition, where every colour has its place and is put there consciously and with precision. […] It is a scent that makes my mind travel and contemplate. […] A mix of vegetation, spices and incense that feels both unknown, yet familiar.”

“I wore the fragrance for two days already. The scent is exactly what I appreciate in perfumery.”

Tomas Ric (Owner Pigmentarium)

Yanis L. (from the Scently Community)

“Before the World Moved Again feels quiet and thoughtful… a composition you keep returning to, just to follow its evolution. […] Clean yet elusive, it sits on the more understated side… perfectly in tune with the shift into spring. […] A scent that invites you to slow down, reflect, and stay with the moment a little longer.”

Thank you for being part of this journey from the very beginning. We built this for you, and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on our first chapter.

Speak soon,

Sebastian

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

In the last countdown (3/5), I shared the system we are building. A publishing house for independent perfumers. Not to change the industry, but to help people experience perfume as culture and art. Now, the moment to bring it to life has arrived.

Every great publishing house starts with a first edition. And every first edition needs its early readers.

For over a year, I have shared the intimate details of building this project with you. Because you have been here since the beginning, we want to do something incredibly special. We are opening our doors to the first 25 people who want to step inside and shape this journey with us.

This is not a marketing tactic or a simple transaction. It is an invitation to become a true part of our foundation. We want these first 25 people to be more than just owners of a bottle. We want you to be creators, evaluators, and friends of the house.

If you are one of the first 25 people to claim a bottle of our first edition, you will receive much more than just a beautiful fragrance:

• A personal dedication: Just like a signed copy of a groundbreaking book, you will receive a hand signed card from our perfumer, Chester. He will write a personal dedication just for you.

• A glimpse into the future: Before the rest of the world even knows it exists, we will send you a free sample of our second edition fragrance. You will experience our next chapter before anyone else.

• A seat at the table: You will automatically enter a lottery to become a Community Evaluator for our third fragrance. This means you could actively test, discuss, and help shape the final creation.

• A token of gratitude: To thank you for believing in us from day one or two, you will receive an exclusive 20 percent discount on this first release.

There is no pressure and no artificial clock ticking. We simply want this first edition to land in the hands of people who truly care about the craft.

In the final countdown (5/5), you will get the chance. You will be invited to not just consume part of this story, but to actively shape the future of independent perfumery by participating in the creation of future releases and receiving exclusive access before anyone else.

If you feel this invitation speaks to you (and only then!), simply check your inbox tomorrow at 6:00 PM CET. I will send you a short message with the code you need to unlock this offer and secure your place among the first 25. First come, first serve, only one per community member.

I am incredibly excited to see who will join us for this very first chapter.

Speak soon,

Sebastian

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

In the last countdown (2/5), I shared how your personal stories revealed the true soul of scent. Reading about your memories confirmed what we already knew. Scent is fundamentally about genuine human connection.

But building this community also exposed a massive injustice. Independent perfumers create incredible art. Yet they are constantly suppressed by an industry dominated by massive corporate budgets and closed doors.

We asked ourselves what a truly worthwhile alternative should look like. The answer is not just another brand. The answer is a completely new system that brings independent perfumery directly to you.

Our vision is to build a fragrance publisher - or rather, we find ourselves stumbling our way towards making it real. It operates exactly like a book publishing house. Here is exactly what we stand for and how it works:

• Perfumers are authors. They come to us with an inspiration (… or idea, image, song, material etc.), and we publish their work.

• Total creative freedom. We give creators the absolute space to explore the materials they truly love.

• Collaborative creation. Our community actively shapes the scents alongside us during the entire process.

• Fair revenue sharing. We offer success driven participation for independent perfumers. If our releases succeed, this becomes the most financially attractive model for artists in history.

When independent perfumers earn fairly, they reinvest in better materials and further professionalise their craft. It creates a perpetual cycle of quality that benefits everyone. I know that a few industry professionals reading this might not like our new approach at all.

But after 39 years, I have found my calling. We are building this with incredible people who share our drive. Chester Gibs is our first perfumer. Dario Siegel produces the precious oils. Cansu and Ivana are our brilliant visual artists. And our dedicated WhatsApp community group is already making real decisions on e.g. packaging designs or edition titles.

Think of the great publishing houses that changed the world. Every single one of them started with a first edition.

In the final countdown (5/5), a small number of you will get an exclusive chance. You will be invited to not just consume part of this story, but to actively shape the future of fragrance by participating in the creation of future releases and receiving exclusive access before anyone else.

In tomorrow’s next countdown (4/5), I will explain exactly how you can claim your seat at the table.

Speak soon,

Sebastian

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Over the past 700+ days, your emails have shown me the raw emotional power that scent holds over our lives. Welcome to Act 2 of our five part countdown. In the last countdown (1/5), I shared how the illusion of corporate fragrance shattered for me. Today, I want to talk about what replaced it: your truth.

As this community grew, it became a living archive of what moves us all. You shared the beauty, vulnerability, and heartbreak tied to scent.

Cristi wrote to me shortly after losing her husband. She described holding the almost empty bottle of his favorite cologne, searching for a way to keep his memory alive.

Aron shared how the scent of his mother's 1980s sunscreen colored his childhood summers. When it vanished from shelves, he started exploring natural ingredients himself to recapture that warmth.

Wasim told me about growing up near the Barada River in Damascus. He uses his craft to recreate the lost aromas of jasmine and ripe fruit from his homeland, preserving what time and conflict tried to erase.

These stories symbolise exactly why we are here. Scent is a deeply human connection. It anchors our highest highs and our lowest lows. It is not about polished marketing campaigns or sterile corporate briefs. It is about true human emotion.

Scently’s #1 Community Meetup in Amsterdam

We felt this magic offline, too. Last summer, more than 30 of us gathered in Amsterdam. Between laughter and thoughtful silences, we realised that what unites us is the genuine joy of human connection.

All of this made one thing incredibly clear to me. If I were ever to publish a fragrance, it had to be done differently. It needed to be shaped by genuine stories, honest craft, and a true spirit of collaboration. The foundation to bring authenticity back to this industry is already here, within this very community.

In the final email of this countdown, a small number of you will get an exclusive, once-off chance. You will be invited to not just consume part of this story, but to actively shape the future of fragrance and receive exclusive access to our creations before anyone else.

In tomorrow’s next countdown (3/5), I will reveal the exact system we built to close the gap in the industry. Same place, same time.

Speak soon,

Sebastian

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

This is the first of a countdown of five, in a story that leads to something truly special. In the final email, a small number of you will receive a unique, once-off invitation, not just to witness what’s next, but to help create it.

You’ll have the chance to actively shape future fragrances with us and get early, exclusive access to our new releases before anyone else. If you want to be an insider in this next chapter, stay tuned and don’t miss a single email.

On 9 May 2024, I hit "send" on the very first Scently Speaking newsletter. Back then, there were just 13 of you reading. Maybe you were one of them? I knew absolutely nothing about running a publication, but I had an instinct that I simply could not ignore.

The spark for this entire journey happened in a perfumery. I had just bought a bottle of Eight & Bob. The sales assistant handed me what looked like a beautifully bound book. Inside, nestled perfectly in a cut-out compartment, was the fragrance. As he opened it, he told me a captivating story: this was John F. Kennedy's favourite scent, a formula lost for decades, crafted by a mysterious perfumer, and finally rediscovered.

In that moment, I felt a profound emotional connection to the fragrance that went far beyond the scent itself. It felt like holding history.

Until I found out it was all a carefully constructed marketing script.

The illusion shattered, but it left behind a relentless need to find a greater truth in perfumery. I wanted to know who actually makes our fragrances, and why their stories are so often buried beneath corporate fiction.

So, I started writing to you. Most of the time, I wrote late at night after my children were in bed, driven by a simple desire to build a world with more authenticity. I needed to know if I was alone in feeling this way.

Through your replies and our early surveys, you showed me I was not:

• When I asked, Ever wondered how and who makes your favourite fragrances?, 66 out of 104 of you answered "All the time."

Scently Poll: Ever wondered how and who makes your favourite fragrances?

• When I asked, if the lack of recognition and pay for perfumers affected your view of the industry, the resounding answer was "Yes, significantly."

Scently Poll: Does the lack of recognition and pay for perfumers affected your view of the industry?

• And when I asked, how likely you were to support independent fragrance creators after hearing the reality, an overwhelming majority said "Yes, very likely."

Scently Poll: How likely were you to support independent fragrance creators after hearing the reality?

You validated a quiet hope. You proved that there are people who crave genuine connection and care about the true artists behind the scents. The current fragrance industry does not have the answers for us.

But we are building something that does.

In three days, I will share exactly what I have learned over the 700+ days since that very first email, and what it means for the future we are creating together.

Speak soon,

Sebastian

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

last week, I had the privilege of spending two hours with master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel in his lab, and I am still somewhat electrified by the intensity of that conversation.

Also, I came across a remark by Luca Turin: in the past, good perfumes often found their audience on their own, whereas today weaker scents are frequently carried by branding and constructed storytelling. It made me wonder whether this also reshapes the consumer over time, whether taste is still formed through exposure to quality or increasingly through signals and narratives.

If you’re curious, I’ll share more reflections on this in my weekly journal at scentlyspeakinglab.com.

Now onto this issue!

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: The Death of the Middle Market, L’Oréal x Kering x Creed, Nathalie Feisthauer on Leaving IFF & Givaudan

2. Niche Newcomers: Fables d’Orient Extrait, Tobacco Memories, B683 Extrait

3. Quiz: Who Mastered Gourmand Perfumery?

4. Scent MythBusters: Why a “finished” formula is rarely finished

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

We are facing delivery challenges if we include links (we are working hard on this, sorry!)

#TWOEXTREMES: A widely shared article argues that perfume is abandoning its safe middle. Strategist Olya Bar suggests the market now rewards either depth or daring. Heritage houses revisit complexity, modernising classics like Guerlain’s Shalimar with richer materials and sharper emotional focus, while concept brands treat fragrance as narrative, investing more in story and packaging than in the juice. The result: little room remains for “pleasant but forgettable”. Brands must choose between craftsmanship and escapism. The middle ground no longer sells. (Olya Bar on LinkedIn)

#HOUSEOFSCENTS: At the end of March, L’Oréal closed its €4 billion deal for Kering Beauté, acquiring the House of Creed. The move includes fifty-year fragrance licences for Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, with Gucci to follow once Coty’s licence expires. CEO Nicolas Hieronimus frames it as a blend of Kering’s luxury codes and L’Oréal’s distribution power. For Creed, it marks a second ownership shift in three years: family-run until 2020, sold to Kering in 2023, now absorbed into L’Oréal. The question is how “boundless luxury” survives inside a system built for scale. (Grant Osborne on Basenotes)

#PERFUMERLENS: Perfumer Nathalie Feisthauer spent decades inside corporate perfumery before stepping away. After discovering scent through Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium, she trained in Grasse and built a thirty-year career at Givaudan and IFF. Over time, layers of marketing and decision-making pushed her to found LAB Scent in Montmartre. She describes perfumery as language: structure matters, but clarity often surpasses complexity. Today she follows emotional instinct over market logic, asking not “Will it sell?” but “Does it feel right on skin?”. Her path mirrors a wider shift toward independent, craft-driven perfumery as conglomerates expand. (Elevated Classics)

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

B87.135 — Desert Rituals in London Marc‑Antoine Barrois’s latest extrait takes its name from Harrods’ address (87–135 Brompton Road) and imagines a scented bridge between Knightsbridge and distant dunes. Perfumer Quentin Bisch revisits the brand’s leathery signature with natural saffron, creamy iris butter and ambrette seed. Pink peppercorn lends sparkle, myrrh adds a mineral breath and tobacco facets deepen the leather. The result is a rich, opulent extrait (exclusive to Harrods) that evokes the splendour of Middle Eastern bazaars within a glossy green case. Perfumer: Quentin Bisch Notes: Pink peppercorn, ambrette seed, saffron, myrrh, Damask rose, iris butter, Georgian cedarwood, patchouli, Haitian vetiver, tobacco and Georgywood

Fables d’Orient L’Extrait — Myrrh Meets Milk L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Fables d’Orient debuted in 2021 as a “flower milk” eau de parfum built on heliotrope, nutmeg and creamy musk. The new extrait deepens the composition: Christophe Raynaud amplifies incense and amber, while bright aldehydes bring clarity. Frankincense, warm amber and aldehydes create a luminous yet enveloping oriental, with heliotrope adding sun-soaked softness and myrrh and nutmeg introducing peppery warmth. A limited edition in the Les Merveilles line, it leans into ritual with engraving and gift presentation. Perfumer: Christophe Raynaud Notes: Incense (Boswellia sacra), amber, aldehydes, heliotrope, nutmeg, iris, myrrh, frankincense, musk, vanilla

Tobacco Memories — Smoke & Cherry Nostalgia Chambre 52, founded by Nicolas Dewitte, frames hotel rooms as olfactory diaries. Tobacco Memories opens with saffron, powdery iris and ripe cherry, where soft suede meets juicy fruit like a faded photograph. The drydown unfolds into smoky tobacco absolute, incense, creamy vanilla and oakmoss. Composed by Domitille Michalon-Bertier, the structure balances bold contrast with intimacy. The result is a boozy, melancholic tobacco scent, like a warm evening with a glass in hand. Perfumer: Lauriane Guignon Notes: Saffron, juniper/genièvre, Morello cherry, tobacco absolute, iris, incense, oakmoss, vanilla

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

Patience pays off

TL;DR

It’s tempting to think that a perfume emerges fully formed the moment a perfumer pens the formula. In reality, what you smell in a perfumer’s lab is a rough draft. Freshly blended oils often smell harsh or unbalanced because top notes dominate, natural materials haven’t mingled and the alcohol hasn’t dissolved the compounds. Many decisions, whether to tweak an accord, increase a dosage or even scrap the idea—happen only after the concentrate has rested.

What’s actually happening

The industry term for this resting period is maceration. During maceration, the concentrate is mixed with alcohol and left undisturbed in cool, dark vats. Over weeks or months, molecules of different sizes dissolve, react and “marry”. This process deepens notes, smooths rough edges and increases longevity and projection. Sophisticated chemical reactions (like esterification and oxidation) even create new scent molecules, transforming the perfume’s character. Once maceration is complete, the liquid is chilled and filtered before bottling.

The time required depends on the formula. Citrus and light floral blends may integrate within a few weeks, while woody, resinous or oriental perfumes benefit from six to eight weeks or longer. Some artisanal houses age heavy compositions for two to three months or more. Frédéric Malle has stated that classic perfumes used to be macerated for four to eight weeks; his Portrait of a Lady rests for two weeks and macerates for four before bottling, because without sufficient aging the scent lacks power and stability. According to a perfumery blog, proper aging can improve longevity and projection by 20–40%.

Even after bottling, subtle maturation continues. Stored in a cool, dark place, perfumes may soften and deepen as volatile components evaporate and base notes bloom. Conversely, exposure to heat or light can degrade them. Some natural attars such as oud or sandalwood improve over decades.

Discussion

Because maceration takes time and money, many mass‑market companies have shortened or eliminated it since the 1980s. Bottles can reach counters within two weeks, leading consumers to judge a scent before it has settled. Niche houses, by contrast, often invest weeks or months in maceration, which partly explains the richer, longer‑lasting quality of artisanal perfume. When sampling a fragrance, ask when the batch was made and whether it has rested. If you test from a lab vial, remember that the final product will smell fuller and smoother after maceration. Perfumers often return to the formula after a few weeks to decide if adjustments are needed, because the first draft can be misleading.

Final judgement

The biggest misconception about perfume production is that the formula equals the final fragrance. In truth, maceration and maturation are integral to the creative process. Like wine in a barrel, a perfume needs time to harmonise. The next time you spray a new release, consider the invisible weeks or months it spent aging. Only then does a scent reveal its true character. And only then should we judge it!

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

This week, I spoke with an executive from one of France’s leading aroma houses. What stood out: the entire industry is currently trying to figure out how to secure its place in China, through brand investments, stronger local presence, and a renewed focus on perfumers.

That’s also why events like Notes Shanghai are becoming increasingly important.

But more interesting is what’s happening beneath the surface. China is no longer following Western fragrance logic. A distinct identity is emerging — with different rules, different channels, and a different pace. There is no clear blueprint yet.

If you’re curious, I’ll share more reflections in my weekly journal at www.scentlyspeakinglab.com

Now onto this issue!

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Digital Fragrance’s Frontiers, Paris Perfume Week, American Perfumery’s Identity

2. Niche Newcomers: Mother’s Milk, Come, Borderline

3. Quiz: Hottest Chinese Lifestyle + Perfume Brand?

4. Scent MythBusters: The biggest misconception about Chinese perfume trends

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

We are facing delivery challenges if we include links (we are working hard on this, sorry!)

#DIGITALFRAGRANCE: The way people discover scent has shifted from department‑store testers to algorithms and TikTok clips. More than half of US fragrance sales now occur online, reflecting the broader migration of beauty shopping to digital channels. Short‑form video and social media let consumers build “fragrance wardrobes” and experiment with layering. The challenge is to harness this storytelling power without reducing perfume to disposable content or mere packaging.

#SCENTDIFFUSION: Paris Perfume Week (April 2026) isn’t just another trade fair. Under director Romain Raimbault, the event places perfume within a cultural ecosystem, balancing business with craft and education. Its programme favours depth over spectacle, giving meaningful visibility to emerging perfumers and established maisons. Exhibitors, partnerships and workshops are curated to create context rather than just floor space, turning the city into an olfactory landscape.

#AMERICANPERFUMER: Tammy Kraemer of Blocki notes that American perfumery still grapples with Eurocentric expectations. Early brands imitated French names to gain credibility and department stores favoured European products. Today’s indie scene draws on local botanicals and DIY culture, aiming to democratise fragrance and forge authentic stories rather than copy Paris. The open question is whether the industry will embrace this plurality or continue to benchmark itself against Europe.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Mother’s Milk — A Cream‑Laced Reverie Eris Parfums’ Mother’s Milk explores the fantasy of the “Good” and “Bad” mother through scent. This milky floral‑animalic perfume pairs creamy vanilla with a whisper of rose and the soft‑focus blur of buttery orris; a suede accord adds animalic darkness. Vanilla, cacao, musk accord and sandalwood give depth and warmth, creating a fragrance that is simultaneously comforting and slightly feral. Perfumer: Antoine Lie Notes: Damascena rose oil, milk accord, suede accord, orris butter, vanilla, cacao, musk accord, sandalwood

Come — Smoky Forest Hymn Bogue Profumo’s Come is a dark ode to green. It opens with the green leaves of fig and its roots alongside fields of helichrysum and bergamot, then plunges into tea leaves and civet framed by smoke and labdanum. Resinous benzoin and oud add depth, while tonka bean, patchouli, honey, vanilla, jasmine, musk and ylang‑ylang create a warm, shifting landscape of greens. Perfumer: Antonio Gardoni Notes: fig, bergamot, olibanum, cade, benzoin, black tea, labdanum, oud, helichrysum, tonka bean, jasmine, vanilla, civet, patchouli, honey, musk, ylang‑ylang

Borderline — Verdant Edge Cépages’ Borderline reimagines the vintage chypre as a perfumer‑winemaker’s blend. Its explosive opening of citrus, blackcurrant bud and pink pepper recalls the nose of Syrah grapes, while a dark, earthy patchouli balances the modern chypre. Oakmoss grounds the composition, creating a verdant trail that feels both intoxicating and poised. Perfumer: Lauriane Guignon Notes: blackcurrant bud, pink pepper, patchouli, oakmoss

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

The West built the reference. China is rewriting it.

TL;DR

A common Western narrative reduces Chinese perfumery to bamboo, tea and lotus. In reality, more than 81 percent of Chinese consumers consider perfume a daily essential and over 40 percent choose their scent based on mood or occasion. Perfume isn’t a signature here; it’s an emotional tool used to regulate stress and enhance specific moments. Male shoppers are a rising segment, their market share rose from 37,1 percent in 2023 to 40,1 percent in 2024, and they look for long‑lasting freshness and even car diffusers. In addition, 86,1 percent of users extend fragrance to their homes, driving demand for cross‑category products.

Misconception

If “new” is defined by never‑before‑identified molecules, China can seem conservative. But the real shift is behavioural. Younger consumers build scent wardrobes rather than adopt a single signature, and they favour portability and personalisation. In the wider Asia‑Pacific region, packaging is shrinking and formats like pocket sprays, balm sticks and solid perfumes cater to on‑the‑go lifestyles. Multi‑use products,fragrances that double as body oils, hair mists or skin care, and wellness‑driven scents with relaxing lavender or energising citrus are gaining popularity.

Gender is becoming irrelevant: Gen Z chooses fragrance to match mood and personality rather than traditional masculine or feminine codes. Local adaptations pair regional botanicals (pandan, jasmine rice, pomelo blossom) with contemporary extraction methods; packaging and naming reference cultural stories, creating a modern form of “guochao”.

What’s actually happening

China is a leapfrog market with low fragrance penetration. Without entrenched scent habits, Gen Z is building a fragrance culture from scratch. Tech‑enabled discovery and AI‑powered platforms help consumers personalise their choices, while mood‑based and genderless profiles take precedence. The result is not a nostalgic museum but a dynamic interface for emotion and identity.

Final judgement

The biggest misconception about Chinese perfume trends is that they are traditional. In truth, China is redefining perfume as an emotional interface. The question for Western markets is whether they will follow, will the “signature scent” era give way to Spotify‑like scent playlists?

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

I’m celebrating the first 100 readers of my weekly journal on building a fragrance publishing house. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on why the term “luxury” is so often tied to perfume. Is it because fragrance isn’t considered a necessity, and therefore automatically seen as indulgent? Or is it more about how niche perfumery has positioned itself as a marker of distinction and exclusivity?

Honestly, I hate the term. Watching 12-year-old jasmine pickers in Egypt — just one glimpse of the harsh realities behind the industry — has made it feel hollow, even hypocritical. Luxury, at what cost?

If you like to check-in more with me on that topic: Please subscribe to www.scentlyspeakinglab.com 

Now onto this issue!

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Sandalwood’s Shadow Economy, Beauty’s Corporate Chessboard, The Art of Scent Diffusion

2. Niche Newcomers: Debaser in Bloom, Spring 26, Yuma

3. Quiz: Fig trend?

4. Scent MythBusters: The Myth of Regional Fragrance Preferences

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#BEAUTYCHESSBOARD: The beauty world is in flux. Puig’s acquisition of Byredo and Estée Lauder’s purchase of Tom Ford signal a consolidation of power among conglomerates. But what does this mean for creativity? While these moves bring financial muscle and global reach, they also risk homogenising brands even further. Yet, some argue that corporate backing can amplify artistry, providing resources for innovation. The challenge lies in balance: preserving the soul of a brand while scaling its presence.

#SCENTDIFFUSION: Les Parfumables, a French company specialising in scent diffusion, is redefining how we experience fragrance. Their work transforms spaces into olfactory landscapes, from luxury hotels to retail environments. Unlike personal perfumes, these scents are designed to linger in the air, creating moods rather than memories. The technology behind diffusion — microencapsulation, cold diffusion — ensures precision and longevity. It’s a reminder that fragrance isn’t just worn; it’s lived.

#SAN-DAL-WOOD: Indian sandalwood, once a cornerstone of perfumery, now exists in a precarious balance between reverence and exploitation. Smuggling networks thrive as demand outpaces legal supply, with the wood’s creamy, sacred aroma fetching astronomical prices. The scarcity has driven innovation: synthetic sandalwood molecules like Javanol and Ebanol now mimic its warmth, while Australian plantations attempt to fill the gap. Yet, the allure of the original persists, tied to its cultural and spiritual significance.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Debaser in Bloom — A Pastoral Refrain D.S. & Durga revisits their cult classic Debaser with a springtime twist. The composition opens with fig leaf and green almond, evoking the tender bitterness of new growth. Iris and narcissus add a floral haze, softening the edges without losing the green clarity. The base of coconut milk and tonka bean feels like sunlight filtered through leaves — warm, creamy, yet never heavy. It’s a pastoral daydream, both familiar and fleeting. Perfumer: David Seth Moltz Notes: Fig Leaf, Green Almond, Iris, Narcissus, Coconut Milk, Tonka Bean

Spring 26 — A Seasonal Symphony Ffern’s Spring 26 captures the fleeting beauty of the season. Bergamot and petitgrain provide a citrusy brightness, while elderflower and hawthorn evoke the delicate sweetness of spring blossoms. A base of vetiver and oakmoss anchors the composition, adding an earthy depth that balances the airy florals. The result is a fragrance that feels both grounded and ephemeral, like the season itself. Perfumer: Elodie Durande Notes: Bergamot, Petitgrain, Elderflower, Hawthorn, Vetiver, Oakmoss

Yuma — Desert Bloom Pérnoire’s Yuma is a study in contrasts. The fragrance opens with the dry heat of saffron and pink pepper, tempered by the cool sweetness of cactus flower. Jasmine and tuberose add a lush, almost tropical heart, while a base of amber and cedar evokes the warmth of sunbaked wood. It’s a desert in bloom — stark, vibrant, and alive with tension. Perfumer: Andreas Wilhelm Notes: Saffron, Pink Pepper, Cactus Flower, Jasmine, Tuberose, Amber, Cedar

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

A romantic notion of a pandan discoverer

TL;DR

The idea that perfumery has already mapped the natural world is quietly accepted. Jasmine, rose, patchouli, vetiver — the classics are industrialised, the staples refined. What feels “new” today often comes from the lab: (captive) molecules designed for precision, safety, or cost. This view isn’t entirely wrong. But it’s incomplete.

Misconception

If “new” means a never-before-identified molecule, then yes, true breakthroughs are rare. But perfumery doesn’t only move forward through invention. It moves forward through access. Through extraction methods, sourcing, and which materials are considered relevant in the first place.

For decades, the industry has relied on a narrow palette of naturals. Not because the world lacks plants, but because only certain materials scaled globally, fit Western taste structures, and could be standardised. Everything else stayed local.

What’s actually happening

The frontier of naturals hasn’t disappeared; it’s shifted. Smaller producers and extraction labs are introducing region-specific botanicals that have always existed but were never translated into perfumery.

Think pandan, with its rice-like sweetness, or pomelo flower, a brighter, more diffusive cousin to neroli. Lotus, often a fantasy accord, is now being sourced as a real material tied to ritual and place.

Companies like LOSIAM in Thailand are working with culturally embedded plants like chalood bark (soft spice, almond powder) or fresh pandan, while linking their work to biodiversity conservation. Larger suppliers like Biolandes and dsm-firmenich still depend on local ecosystems, from Madagascan vanilla to Indian jasmine. The difference isn’t that these materials suddenly exist. It’s that they’re finally being seen.

Final judgement

The idea that there are no new natural ingredients left is only true if “new” is defined chemically. But perfumery’s future lies elsewhere. It lies in rediscovering overlooked botanicals, in treating local smell cultures as perfumery-worthy, and in expanding what the industry considers visible.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Last week we had another session with our ScentlySpeaking Evaluator Circle, sitting together with the perfumer to analyse the fragrance in depth. While we realised that we still need to go back into modification, something else clicked for me.

For the first time, the group articulated very clearly what they believe a New Niche fragrance should be. Contemporary. Potentially polarising. Courageous. With the chance of becoming a game changer. But still highly wearable. And never abstract.

I had never framed it like that myself. Does this sound like what you would expect from New Niche? Curious to hear your take.

If you want to follow these learnings more closely, I share them weekly at scentlyspeakinglab.com.

Now, onto this issue.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Fake Luxury, Trade Fair Overload, Lost Patience

2. Niche Newcomers: Crème Ébène, Karmacoma, Vanilla Baby

3. Quiz: The name that almost became New Niche

4. Scent MythBusters: When perfume starts behaving like an asset

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#FakeLuxuryCrisis: The fragrance boom is bending under its own weight. Elevated Classics notes that while the 1990s saw a few hundred launches per year, the mid‑2020s have exploded into thousands. Festivals have multiplied, turning once‑quiet trade fairs into pop‑culture events. A thriving decant market reflects consumers’ desire for travel sizes, travel fragrances are forecast to grow from US$1.5 bn in 2023 to about US$2.3 bn by 2031. As AI and easy access to raw materials lower the barrier to entry, more people can call themselves perfumers. The upside is diversity; the downside is noise and imitation.

#TRADEFAIROVERLOAD: There are 43 perfume-related events scheduled for 2026. Paris Perfume Week, launched in 2024, drew over 4 000 visitors in its 2025 edition and hosted 60 exhibitors representing 50 brands. Art Niche Expo in Timisoara provided a rare Eastern European platform for independent brands and showcased strong enthusiasm among younger attendees. Meanwhile, mega-events like Esxence attracted 13 500 visitors and 400 brands from 38 countries.

#PatienceLost: In 2025 the industry launched about 6 000 new fragrances. Perfumes increasingly come from large houses working under competitive briefs and tight deadlines. Budgets leave perfumers with just a handful of inexpensive ingredients while most investment goes into packaging and marketing. Development timelines measured in weeks mean little room for risk or exploration. Consumer testing and benchmarking funnel creativity into safe, familiar accords. As one perfumer observes, 95 % of launches are minor tweaks of existing formulas.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Crème Ébène — Dark Woods, Soft Light Crème Ébène unfolds like polished wood warmed by skin. It opens with a subtle spice and a slightly smoky dryness that immediately feels composed rather than loud. Very quickly, the texture turns creamy, almost milky, but never sweet, more like sandalwood dust suspended in warm air. In the heart, woods become smoother and rounder, with a quiet balsamic depth that gives the scent its name. The dry down is intimate, soft and persistent, the kind of fragrance that feels less worn and more absorbed into the skin. Perfumer: Patricia de Nicolaï Notes: Spices; dry woods; sandalwood; balsamic notes; soft musks

Karmacoma — Vanilla as Phoenix Anomalia Paris describes Karmacoma as a rebirth on blank paper. Inspired by a sheet of white paper, it pairs Bourbon vanilla absolute with saffron‑inflected leather, powdery musk and a rare cedar fraction. The top notes evoke a clean slate, while the heart feels like leather‑bound parchment. In the dry‑down, Madagascar vanilla draped over soft leather creates a narcotic gourmand–leather hybrid. Reach for it on formal evenings when you want to feel both polished and unconventional. Perfumer: Sidonie Lancesseur Notes: White paper accord; powder; cedar fraction; Greek saffron; Bourbon vanilla; leather

Vanilla Baby — Innocence Revisited Stéphanie de Bruijn’s Vanilla Baby delivers a grown‑up comfort scent. It opens with the spicy bitterness of green cardamom and coffee wrapped in balsamic warmth. The heart blooms into a creamy milk accord with white flowers and sweet notes reminiscent of childhood treats. Its finish layers vanilla with cashmere wood, sandalwood and airy white musk, creating a cocoon of softness. It’s a hug in a bottle, perfect for rainy days or quiet mornings. Perfumer: Stéphanie de Bruijn. Notes: Green cardamom; coffee; balsamic notes; milk accord; white flowers; vanilla; cashmere wood; sandalwood; white musk.

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

When a handful of collectors resell discontinued bottles at eye‑watering prices, it’s tempting to see perfume as the new wine. Vintage bottle auctions indeed fetch thousands of dollars – a 1934 Obelisk Egyptian Revival bottle sold for about $60 000 and a limited‑edition Dior figural bottle realised $66 000. There is, however, no price guide for perfume bottles, and they’re worth whatever someone is willing to pay on the day. This volatility indicates collecting rather than investing.

Fragrant Assets

A liquid that works against time

Perfume itself is a volatile liquid. Most compositions begin to change after opening, driven by oxidation and shifts in ingredient balance. Stored carefully, they can last, but they do not improve in the way wine does. Once opened, the trajectory is almost always decline rather than development. That alone challenges the idea of perfume as a store of value.

No market, no infrastructure

Collectors may pay high premiums for limited editions, but there is no organised exchange behind it. Transactions happen in forums, private groups or auction platforms, often without authentication or clear provenance. Unlike wine, there is no shared pricing index, no professional storage ecosystem and no standardised grading. Without infrastructure, there is no reliable market, only fragmented demand.

The consumption paradox

A fragrance is designed to be worn. Time dulls top notes, shifts balance and can eventually turn a composition sour. The more valuable a bottle becomes, the less it gets used, which contradicts its purpose. Add storage costs, uncertainty around conditions and the risk of spoilage, and the economics start to resemble a hobby rather than an investment thesis.

Final judgement

Perfume can absolutely be collectible, especially when scarcity, storytelling and design come together. But between perishability, the absence of a structured secondary market and unpredictable demand, it does not meet the criteria of an asset class. If anything, trying to treat it as one misses the point. Perfume is not meant to be stored away. It is meant to disappear on skin.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

It is probably the question I get asked most about New Niche. How do you make sure that fragrances released under New Niche share something recognisable. A common thread? A signature?

And honestly, I am still thinking about that. Is this something I have not communicated clearly yet. Or is it simply the market expecting a type of brand coherence that belongs to the old perfume model. It feels a bit like the classic innovator’s dilemma. Am I being naïve, or is the market still thinking in established patterns?

If you want to follow these small frictions and discoveries more closely, I write about them weekly at scentlyspeakinglab.com.

Now, onto this issue

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Future50 Forecast, Digital Fragrance Currents, Game Changers

2. Niche Newcomers: Vanilla CO₂ & Oud, Gauguin, Lifted

3. Quiz: Which flower shows you are taken …. or not?

4. Scent MythBusters: Do only the big aroma houses feed the scent world?

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#FUTURE50FORECAST: BeautyMatter’s annual Future50 list returns to New York City on 18–19 March 2026. It curates fifty emerging brands that investors have been whispering about for months. Among them are BORNTOSTANDOUT and Nishane—houses whose daring compositions could soon be owned by private equity. The list is a reminder that money moves faster than creativity: as soon as a brand resonates with an audience, acquisition talk begins. For those who cherish perfume as culture, watching the Future50 feels like observing a cohort of promising saplings in a forest scheduled for logging. The event invites us to consider which of these saplings might remain wild, and which will be cut down for profit.

#FRAGRANCECURRENTS: According to Spate’s popularity index, fragrance remains the most active beauty topic online. Digital chatter about perfume rose 18.4 percent in 2025 and is expected to grow another 31 percent next year. Interest in hair perfumes and luxury extraits has more than doubled, while masculine, white floral and woody accords are rising fastest. Vanilla continues to dominate social media, with TikTok driving nearly 70 percent of related searches. Meanwhile marshmallow, pistachio and matcha have entered the fragrance conversation, showing how quickly scent trends now travel online.

#GAMECHANGERSCENTS: Michel Gutsatz, MD of Le Jardin Retrouvé, recently argued that the €4.8 billion niche perfume market rests on two very different stories. From 1975 to 2000, perfumer-founded houses such as L’Artisan Parfumeur and Serge Lutens created true game changers like Mûre et Musc. After 2000, entrepreneur-led brands such as Creed and Byredo proved that niche could scale commercially, though few of their hits were genuinely innovative. As investors increasingly acquire niche brands, Gutsatz reminds us that the real breakthroughs in perfumery usually start at the margins, not with incumbents.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Vanilla CO₂ & Oud — Dark Vanilla Resplendent Dark without being brooding, Vanilla CO₂ & Oud opens with the translucent spice of elemi and pink pepper cut with rum CO₂, suggesting warmth without sugar. The heart moves into a dense chocolate accord—cocoa absolute, cocoa butter and benzoin—tempered by opoponax and a surprisingly airy vanilla CO₂. In the dry‑down, a buttery vanilla absolute drapes itself over Cambodian oud, sandalwood and tonka bean, then settles into amber, labdanum and musk. The composition is limited to 300 bottles and feels contemplative rather than loud. It invites slow wear, like sipping a black coffee by candlelight. Perfumer: Joschka Klee Notes: Elemi resin; Pink pepper; Rum CO₂; Cocoa absolute; Benzoin; Opoponax; Vanilla CO₂; Cocoa butter; Vanilla absolute; Cambodian oud; Sandalwood; Tonka bean; Amber; Labdanum; Musk

Gauguin — Tropical Reverie Francesca Bianchi’s limited edition is a dream of Polynesia drawn through a painterly lens. Gauguin opens with a burst of bergamot and aldehydes, evoking bright light on water. Very quickly the scent turns milky: a Monoï accord built from tiare soaked in coconut oil is supported by ylang‑ylang, tuberose and geranium. At the base, amber, vanilla and vetiver create a velvet softness that feels both carnal and ceremonial. Bianchi, an art historian by training, says she wanted to translate Gauguin’s decadent colours into scent; wearing it feels like slipping into a painting. Perfumer: Francesca Bianchi Notes: Bergamot; Aldehydes;  Monoï accord; Tiaré; Ylang‑ylang; Geranium; Tuberose; Amber; Vanilla; Vetiver; Musk

Lifted — Morning Uplift Designed initially for a charity fundraiser, Lifted is a tonic for days when optimism feels far away. It greets the wearer with bright bergamot and elderflower, a sparkling yet soft pairing. The heart is a generous bouquet of linden blossom and jasmine laced with a whisper of allspice. Amber woods, musk and vanilla provide a smooth base that hums in the background. The overall effect recalls breathing in the aroma of lime blossom tea: calm and quietly energising. 4160 Tuesdays’ founder, Sarah McCartney, keeps the mood uplifting without veering into saccharine territory. Perfumer: Sarah McCartney Notes: Bergamot; Elderflower; Linden blossom; Jasmine; Allspice; Amber woods; Musk; Vanilla

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

It is often claimed that only large aroma‑chemical manufacturers such as Givaudan, IFF, Firmenich and Symrise can supply the perfume world. According to this view, the research budgets, compliance staff and distribution networks needed to produce safe, IFRA‑compliant materials are so costly that small producers have no role.

Small scale aroma producers

TL;DR

This claim is partly false. While a handful of multinationals dominate the volume market and their laboratories create many of the notes used in both designer and niche perfumery, there is a vibrant ecosystem of small and medium‑sized suppliers. These artisans contribute distinctive materials and often collaborate with larger partners for certification and scale.

Misconception 

The myth rests on the assumption that compliance costs, IFRA restrictions and global logistics are barriers too high for anyone but multinationals. It conflates two separate questions: who can produce a synthetic musk at industrial scale, and who can distil a botanical oil of exceptional quality? It also ignores the role of co‑operatives and networks that pool resources to meet regulatory standards.

Contextual reality

Major conglomerates do indeed control much of the supply chain. When luxury houses launched exclusive “niche” collections in the 2000s, they often used the same industrial suppliers as their mainstream lines. These companies have the capital to invest in new molecules and to navigate IFRA’s evolving rules. Yet this concentration has sparked a counter‑movement: independent distillers and farmers are organising themselves to keep heritage materials alive. They may not register on market‑share charts, but they widen the palette for perfumers seeking authenticity.

Examples

In Bulgaria’s Rose Valley, a modern distillery partners with numerous individual pickers and small‑scale distillers. The larger facility obtains organic certification and handles exports, while artisans contribute hand‑picked roses and wild plants. Some of the oils used by Wild As The Wind come from hand‑selected producers in Thailand and Peru. These arrangements prove that small producers can thrive when they share infrastructure. Meanwhile, consultants such as Alpha Aromatics advise perfume houses to diversify their supplier base and build relationships with local growers, underscoring that resilience comes from plurality, not monopoly.

Final judgement

Large aroma companies are indispensable for high‑volume and highly regulated ingredients, but they are not the only source of quality materials. The perfume world relies on a tapestry of actors: global chemical firms, regional co‑operatives, small distilleries and experimental labs. If we ignore the latter, we risk losing the very character that niche perfumery claims to celebrate. Consumers and brands alike can support this diversity by asking about provenance and by valuing materials whose stories extend beyond the factory gate.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

This week I found myself thinking about gatekeepers. I was approached by a growing number of perfume content creators. Alongside retailers, they have become some of the most powerful gatekeepers in our industry. On social media, their impact can outweigh that of many shops. What struck me is the range. Some think in terms of long-term value and cultural contribution. Others frame it as a simple exchange: send a bottle, receive a review. I am beginning to understand that reach alone is not value. If the net effect is not positive for perfumery as a field, it is not an exchange I am willing to make.

If you want to follow these reflections more closely as I build New Niche, the frictions, recalibrations and small realisations along the way, you’ll find them at scentlyspeakinglab.com.

Now, onto this issue.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Ingredient Insights, Niche Anniversary, Smell Test Revolution

2. Niche Newcomers: Molecule 01 Champaca, Egocentrique, Eau d’Éclat

3. Quiz: What does black mean in perfumery?

4. Scent MythBusters: Does educating customers about perfumery matter?

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#INGREDIENTINSIGHTS: The complexity behind “natural” and “clean”. A recent e‑book chapter by master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel reminds us that perfumery has always been a conversation between chemistry, art and ethics. Regulatory bodies like IFRA and RIFM operate quietly behind the scenes, yet marketing often reduces the story to soundbites. Labels such as natural, clean or free from are frequently used without context, creating myths and mistrust. Laudamiel argues that transparency and education are essential: consumers deserve to understand why certain molecules are used and why others are restricted. It is not about choosing sides but about respecting perfumery’s complexity and reclaiming language from misuse.

#NICHEANNIVERSARY: 50 Years of niche and the value of DNA. On LinkedIn, the perfume industry veteran Nathalie Pichard marked fifty shades of niche by reflecting on five decades of independent perfumery. She notes that many young brands have matured, but only those that stay true to their creators’ DNA endure the leap into the deep end. Commercial success inevitably brings the risk of dilution; the challenge is to grow without losing conviction. Her words read as both a celebration and a warning: authenticity is fragile, and the history of niche perfumery is littered with examples of brands that sacrificed identity for scale.

#SMELLTESTREVOLUTION: Smell as a measure of health. Blueme’s Smell Test is a simple kit with serious intent. The project highlights research showing how smell loss can foreshadow neurodegenerative diseases. By inviting people to assess their own olfactory acuity and contribute data, the initiative seeks to raise awareness and support future studies. It reframes scent from a luxury into a vital sense linked to memory and wellbeing. The call to action is humble: become aware of your own smell health and participate in research.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Molecule 01 Champaca — One note, many faces The latest entry in the Molecule series marries Iso E Super to a natural extract of champaca, a magnolia relative with a tea‑like sweetness. On skin it reads as an illusion: at first you may not smell much at all, then a sheer, woody aura unfurls. The champaca brings hints of green tea and ripe fruit, while Iso E Super adds a velvety, enveloping drydown. Rather than a story with a beginning and an end, this fragrance functions like a mood: subtle, radiant, almost translucent. Perfumer: Geza Schoen Notes: Iso E Super, Champaca Absolute, Green Tea Nuances, Soft Woods

Egocentrique — Inner dialogue in scent Coreterno’s Egocentrique opens with a bright splash of citrus, bergamot, green mandarin and yuzu, followed by a woody floral heart. Akigalawood, a patchouli‑derived molecule, adds spicy texture, while amyris and heliotrope soften the edges. In the base, labdanum and vanilla create warmth without tipping into sweetness; musk lends clarity. It feels like a monologue turned outward: intimate, slightly eccentric, rewarding to those who listen closely. Perfumer: Ashley Santiago Notes: Obsidial® (mineral accord), Grisalva (balsamic musk), Rose, Sequoia/Redwood

Eau d’Éclat — New light from an old house Gravel has been crafting perfumes since 1957. Eau d’Éclat continues the Transcendence Collection by perfumer Mark Buxton. The top is juicy: davana, freesia, pomegranate and blackcurrant blossom. A floral heart follows, magnolia, lily of the valley, ylang‑ylang and centifolia rose. Beneath, amber, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla and incense provide warmth and depth. The result is a glistening contrast of brightness and resinous heat, a fragrance that feels both modern and steeped in tradition. Perfumer: Mark Buxton Notes: Davana, Freesia, Pomegranate, Blackcurrant Blossom; Magnolia, Lily of the Valley, Ylang‑ylang, Centifolia Rose; Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Incense

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

A recent LinkedIn post from an ex-IFF industry professional (25+ years experience) suggested that educating consumers about perfumery is pointless because the sector is dominated by a handful of conglomerates. True art, it argued, is not scalable. Once a niche brand is acquired, formulas are optimised and marketing takes over; nothing can be preserved. If this is so, why bother teaching anyone about accords, raw materials or the history of scent?

Perfumery Education

TL;DR

Education may not stop acquisitions, but it changes the conversation. It enables consumers to ask better questions, challenges superficial marketing and creates space for independent voices. Perfumery is more than a product category; it is culture shaped by knowledge.

Misconception

The argument assumes perfume is a uniform commodity controlled by a few corporations. Consumers are framed as passive and education as futile. This ignores both the fragmentation of the market and the agency of fragrance enthusiasts. It also confuses marketing education, the simplified diagram on a shop counter, with critical education that examines materials, regulation, sourcing and authorship. The two are not the same.

Contextual reality

Christophe Laudamiel’s work on ingredient transparency highlights how easily language around fragrance becomes distorted. Terms such as natural, clean or free from are deployed without precision. Regulatory frameworks such as IFRA and RIFM restrict materials for defined safety reasons, yet commercial narratives often reduce the discussion to synthetic versus natural. Without literacy, these simplifications remain unchallenged.

Understanding how raw materials are produced, how formulas are structured and how regulatory limits function alters perception. It does not eliminate scale. It does not prevent acquisition. But it shifts the balance of power slightly back towards the informed consumer. Mystery remains part of perfumery. Obfuscation does not need to be.

Examples

Brands that foreground materials and construction have cultivated unusually engaged audiences. Escentric Molecules placed Iso E Super at the centre of its narrative. Hiram Green discusses the limits and trade-offs of natural perfumery openly. Independent retailers (like Smell Stories, Belgium) have become informal classrooms, explaining oud distillation, fragrance terminology, vintage reformulations or the economics of concentration. Education did not halt consolidation. It did deepen discourse.

Final judgment

The claim that education does not make sense underestimates how markets evolve. Knowledge rarely overturns systems overnight, but it changes expectations gradually. When consumers understand composition, sourcing and regulation, marketing shorthand loses force. Education matters, but only when it moves beyond the simplified chart on the sales floor and into structural understanding. That shift does not end commercial reality. It reframes it.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

This week I learned that retail is not universal. In Germany, niche perfumery often follows a clear separation. Independent stores remain pure. Major brands stay outside. I assumed this logic applied everywhere. It does not. Looking at Italy changed that. There, the mix is intentional. Prestige and niche sit side by side without tension. Brand classification shifts with culture and customer psychology. What feels diluted in one market feels curated in another. There is no single formula for legitimacy.

If you want to follow these reflections more closely as I build New Niche, the frictions, recalibrations and small realisations along the way, you’ll find them at scentlyspeakinglab (DOT) com.

Now, onto this issue.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Perfume Clubs and Urban Loneliness, Discount Drama and Dupe Wars, Amouage’s Record Year

2. Niche Newcomers: Tonka Kumaru, 13.2 Métarosme, Koala Joey Edition

3. Quiz: How Do You Decide on a Perfume?

4. Scent MythBusters: The Myth of Fantasy Accords

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#PERFUMECLUBS: From Loneliness to Community. In Lisbon, New York and London perfume clubs are multiplying. They respond to a documented rise in loneliness among younger adults. At the Lisbon Perfume Club Miguel Matos and Olle Eriksson share stories and pass blotters, turning fragrance into a social glue. Arabelle Sicardi’s Perfumed Pages pushes this further by making scent accessible and building a friendship‑driven community. These gatherings encourage swapping rather than buying and show that perfume can be collective rather than solitary.

#DISCOUNTDRAMA: Unprecedented discounts are eroding trust in niche perfumery. Grey‑market retailers slash prices by more than sixty per cent, undermining the provenance and value of creative work. Prestige fragrances grew by five per cent in 2025 while mass scents climbed fifteen per cent, yet these gains mask unpaid invoices and counterfeit lawsuits. Germany’s VKE responded with #IAmNotACopy to defend originality and remind consumers that perfumes are protected far less than music or film. New EU rules mandating recyclable packaging by 2030 mean heavy caps and ornate glass may soon be history.

#AMOUAGERESULTS: Amouage delivered the strongest results in its 42‑year history in 2025: sales grew 66 % to US$430 million. The Exceptional Extraits collection tripled its share and now represents over a quarter of sales. The Odyssey Collection doubled, while the Essences line honours Omani sandalwood through double infusion and barrel ageing. Expansion included 16 new boutiques, digital investment and travel‑retail revenue up 94 %. Hand bottling in Muscat, renewable energy and sustainable harvesting in Wadi Dawkah underpin the growth. Amouage shows that luxury, craft and transparency can coexist.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Tonka Kumaru — Transparent Warmth Warmth without weight. That is the tension here. A bright opening of bergamot and cardamom meets the dry bitterness of kumaru. The almond facet feels faintly nostalgic, almost adhesive in memory. Grain and hay create texture rather than sweetness. Cedar keeps the composition upright. The base settles into roasted tonka, vanilla and soft amber. The warmth remains luminous, never dense. Smoke and cream stay in quiet opposition. A gourmand reduced to outline. Comfort without excess. Perfumer: Céline Bourdoncle Perdriel Notes: Bergamot Essence, Bitter Almond Extract, Cardamom Essence; Roasted Barley Extract, Hay Absolute, Cedar Leaf; Roasted Tonka Bean Extract, Vanilla Resinoid, Amber, Musks

13.2 Métarosme — Mineral Rose Meteor A rose stripped of romance. Pierre Guillaume stages transformation rather than bloom. Obsidial® and Grisalva create a mineral, almost geological surface. The rose reads as dust suspended in stone. Smoke, balsamic warmth and a redwood undertone add density without softness. The composition feels angular yet polished. Less flower than matter. A meteor trail of rose embedded in rock. Perfumer: Pierre Guillaume Notes: Obsidial® (mineral accord), Grisalva (balsamic musk), Rose, Sequoia/Redwood

Koala Joey Edition — Eucalyptus Bliss Green, but not sharp. Eucalyptus, basil and grapefruit introduce lift and movement. The heart softens the structure with mint, mimosa and geranium. Sweetness appears as light, not sugar. In the base, musk and Australian sandalwood create warmth beneath the foliage. The wood note grounds the freshness without muting it. The effect is balanced: invigorating yet gentle. Bush air filtered through fur. Perfumer: George Tedder Notes: Basil, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Clary Sage; Galbanum, Green Mint, Mimosa, Rose Geranium; Animalic Musk, Australian Sandalwood, Eucalyptus Wood

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Quiz 🎲 

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

The term “fantasy accord” suggests fiction, leading many to assume these notes are gimmicks rather than scents.

Fantasy accord: Mineral stone accord

TL;DR

Fantasy accords are deliberate constructions that allow perfumers to represent scents that cannot be extracted from nature – lily‑of‑the‑valley, amber, poppy or petrichor are just examples. They are fundamental to modern perfumery.

The misconception

Consumers often believe that every note listed on a perfume corresponds to a natural ingredient. Marketing language about “natural” and “authentic” reinforces this expectation. As a result, fantasy accords are dismissed as tricks or evidence of lower quality instead of being recognised as creative solutions.

Analysis & structure

A fantasy accord is an imagined olfactory idea built from a mix of natural and synthetic materials. The Perfume Society explains that perfumers have to “conjure up fragrant fantasies” for flowers that cannot be extracted, such as lily‑of‑the‑valley and poppy. Amber illustrates this: the warm, sweet note comes not from fossil resin but from labdanum, benzoin and vanillin. Even the smell of rain – petrichor – was named by scientists in 1964 and arises when oils and microorganisms are released from dry earth; perfumers recreate it using ozonic and earthy molecules. Fantasy accords expand the palette beyond what nature provides and allow perfumers to express abstract ideas like “wet stone”, “burnt sugar” or “cosmic rose”. Without them, fragrance would be limited to a narrow set of extractable materials.

Historical examples

Fantasy accords have been part of perfumery for more than a century. L’Origan by François Coty (1905) featured an imagined carnation; Guerlain’s Mitsouko (1919) blended peach lactones with oakmoss to invent a non‑existent fruit accord. Alberto Morillas created a poppy accord for Kenzo Flower, and contemporary niche brands use constructions like “wet asphalt”, “graphite” and “ozone”. Amber has inspired dozens of styles, from the resinous warmth of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan to the musky clarity of Juliette Has A Gun Not a Perfume. These examples show that fantasy accords are not deception but vital components of the craft.

Verdict

The belief that fantasy accords are mere marketing tricks ignores the artistry and necessity behind them. They enable perfumers to translate ideas, emotions and intangible experiences into smell. Far from undermining authenticity, fantasy accords demonstrate that perfumery blends material and imagination. Consumers should appreciate these constructions as part of the craft rather than dismiss them as fake.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

This week I learned that asking for help does not diminish your autonomy. It clarifies it. I have a habit of retreating into a do‑it‑yourself mode. It feels like focus; often it is just a way of avoiding discomfort. Inviting trusted friends to offer a perspective on my work reminded me that collaboration is not indulgence. Psychologists call it the helper’s high: when people share knowledge, they benefit, too. Next time I hesitate to reach out for an opinion, I’ll remember that reciprocity.

If you want more of these candid reflections about building New Niche, the wins, the failures, the pivots, the joy and the frustration, you’ll find them at: scentlyspeakinglab (DOT) com.

Now, onto this issue.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Perfumer Power, Niche Fatigue, The Economics of Creative Freedom

2. Niche Newcomers: La Nuit Tombée, Chameleon – Tropical Blooms Edition, Contre Jour

3. Quiz: The First Tom Ford Fragrance

4. Scent MythBusters: The Myth of the Eternal Signature Scent

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#PERFUMERPOWER: Christoph Laudamiel’s behind-the-scenes reflections do not romanticise perfumery. They expose its architecture. Talent is rarely the bottleneck. Ownership is. When contracts obscure authorship and brands absorb identity, creativity becomes a commodity. The discussion shifts from ingredients to governance. Who decides? Who owns? Who is credited? Transparency in perfumery is not about ego. It is about economic agency.

#NICHEFATIGUE: The rise of niche once signified risk, authorship and deviation from mass aesthetics. Today, it often signals price tier. Saturation did not reduce quality; it diluted perspective. When every brand claims individuality, the word loses precision. What began as rebellion has hardened into formula. The issue is not volume. It is clarity. Without a defined point of view, “niche” becomes packaging language.

#FREEPERFUMERS: Antoine Lie’s call for a Free Perfumers Society sounds idealistic until you examine the economics. Independence without supply chains, distribution and capital is symbolic. Creative freedom must be structurally protected. Otherwise, it dissolves under market pressure. The future of perfumery may depend less on new raw materials and more on how perfumers organise themselves.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

La Nuit Tombée — Descent Without Drama La Nuit Tombée treats darkness as a slow absorption rather than a curtain drop. Dry incense and wood give an austere first impression, then warmth seeps in as amber and resin soften the edges. Nothing here blooms into a floral crescendo; everything folds inward. The descent feels like a long exhale – day drains away, not in theatrics but in gradations. The result is contemplative without being somber, a nightfall that encourages stillness rather than sleep. Perfumer: Unknown Notes: Incense, Woods, Amber, Soft Resins

Chameleon – Tropical Blooms Edition — Instability as Identity True to its name, this edition of Chameleon refuses to settle. It opens in saturated tropical colour – overripe fruits and indolic ylang‑ylang – but flickers into green facets that interrupt the sweetness. Coconut lends creaminess, yet a vegetal edge keeps the fragrance taut. Florals expand and retract. The scent behaves like a living animal: never fixed, always adjusting. Tropical here is not a vacation fantasy but a destabilising climate. The tension between lushness and instability becomes its signature. Perfumer: Antoine Lie Notes: Tropical Fruits, Ylang‑Ylang, Coconut, Green Notes, Florals

Contre Jour — Light From the Wrong Side Contre Jour frames its subject in silhouette. Orange blossom and neroli appear diffused, almost bleached by backlight, while jasmine whispers from behind a curtain of musk. There is brightness but little glare. The composition plays with negative space: what you don’t smell is as important as what you do. It stays close to the skin and holds its posture. Instead of radiating outward, it creates a halo around the wearer, like light that reveals form without detail. Perfumer: Annick Ménardo Notes: Orange Blossom, Neroli, Jasmine, Musks, Woods

Quiz 🎲 

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

TL;DR

The idea that serious perfume enthusiasts adhere to one “signature scent” is out of step with how fragrance is used today. While a favourite fragrance can hold emotional value, taste is fluid. Changing weather, age, and context all influence what we enjoy. The industry itself is moving away from the signature concept toward wardrobes and cycles. Having one great love is possible, but expecting it to remain your sole companion ignores the dynamics of smell and society.

Still life: The eternal scent

Misconception

The myth rests on nostalgia and identity. Many grew up with the notion that a signature scent signals sophistication, a liquid calling card that announces you before you speak. Older advertising reinforced this by framing fragrance as a hallmark of maturity: Chanel No. 5 for elegance, Fahrenheit for masculinity. This narrative persists because scent is tied to memory; we anchor ourselves to aromas that recall people and places. It is comforting to imagine that a bottle can encapsulate who you are, forever. In a culture obsessed with personal branding, the signature scent fits the story.

The Dynamics of Taste

Reality is messier. Sensory preferences are contextual and evolve. Skin chemistry changes with age; dryness, diet and hormones alter how materials develop on the body. Emotional states and environments shape what feels appropriate – fresh citrus on a humid afternoon versus resinous amber in winter. Market data reflects this fluidity: many brands now sell discovery sets because consumers “build wardrobes” rather than commit to a single bottle. The Beauty Independent round‑table notes that the signature scent concept is fading as people treat fragrance like clothing – chosen for mood, identity or occasion. The rise of sampling services and travel sprays further normalises rotation. In parallel, fragrance houses themselves reissue and reinterpret old formulas when trends change; CPL Aromas notes how brands revive past launches to match current tastes. This cyclical behaviour underscores that there is no fixed canon; what was ignored yesterday can become desirable tomorrow.

Case Studies and Homage

Perfume history offers tangible examples. Chypre structures, once pioneering, fell out of fashion, returned in the 1940s with Femme and Ma Griffe, resurged in the 1980s with Aromatics Elixir, and are being rediscovered again post‑pandemic. This pattern isn’t about fleeting novelty but about cultural rhythms. Recent years saw Kilian’s Sunkissed Goddess and Maison Crivelli’s Safran Secret rebranded from earlier formulations, finding success when cultural moods aligned. Even individual favourites evolve: many of us have a formative fragrance that taught us how to smell, maybe a parent’s Shalimar or a first bottle of Angel. Such scents remain landmarks in our autobiographies. They deserve tribute because they mark an initiation into fragrance. But they rarely remain the only scent we wear. People who once swore allegiance to one bottle often discover something new as their world changes. A single perfume can still be a totem, but it is joined by others over time.

Final Reflection

A favourite fragrance is like a beloved song. It can anchor your sense of self and recall who you were when you first discovered it. But insisting on wearing only one scent forever ignores the very nature of smell: it is relational, responsive and temporal. Our preferences shift with seasons, moods and milestones. The industry’s move toward fragrance wardrobes and the revival of archived compositions illustrate that change is intrinsic to perfumery. Rather than clinging to a single olfactory identity, embracing evolution allows perfume to mirror the complexities of life. Love your favourite bottle. Let it be your anchor. But let yourself drift, too.

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

last December we quietly said we would return. Today, we finally do. The pause was not empty. It was filled with building New Niche, our fragrance publishing house, and with thinking carefully about what Scently Speaking should remain.

One small change has emerged from that period. Alongside this newsletter, Scently Speaking Lab now exists as a separate space. The Lab is my personal journal, documenting the weekly highs and lows of building a fragrance publisher from the inside. This newsletter stays exactly where it belongs: independent, opinionated, and calm.

Thank you for waiting. Thank you for staying. It feels good to write to you again.

If you want to follow that journey more closely, you can read Scently Speaking LAB here: scentlyspeakinglab (DOT) com 

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Packaging Revolution, Slow Perfumery, Digital Olfaction

2. Niche Newcomers: Milky Mango Wood, Meant to Be Seen, Fleur Danger

3. Quiz: Launch Count for 2025

4. Scent MythBusters: Perfume trends that have been never come back

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#PACKAGINGREVOLUTION: It’s Not About Bottles Anymore. Innovation is shifting away from scent alone. Precision applicators turn perfume from a sprayed aura into an intentional, tactile act. Refillable formats make packaging part of the experience, not waste. Water-based systems question alcohol’s dominance, skin analysis questions subjective testing. The real change isn’t a new ingredient. It’s a redefinition of how perfume meets skin. Packaging is no longer secondary. It shapes the perfume itself.

#SLOWPERFUMERY: The Bifurcation of 2026. Fragrance is splitting in two directions: fast and cheap, or slow and considered. Sampling is questioned, sweetness matures, identity replaces mood. Time returns as a value — in maceration, in storytelling, in restraint. The signature scent fades; wardrobes take its place. This is not decline. It’s a market correcting itself. Less output, more intent. Brands must decide what they are willing to stand for.

#DIGITALOLFACTION: Capital Wants to Smell. Osmo’s $70 million Series B is not about novelty, but acceleration. The funding is meant to scale digital olfaction from experiment to infrastructure: faster formulation, lower costs, broader access. Investors are betting that scent can be modelled, stored and deployed like data. The promise is efficiency and reach, not artistry. Osmo doesn’t replace perfumers; it reorganises power around speed, scale and capital. That shift matters more than the technology itself.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟 

Milky Mango Wood — Domestic Memory Milky Mango Wood is built like a half-remembered afternoon. Rather than staging tropical escapism, it focuses on comfort: ripe fruit softened by milk, warmth absorbed by worn materials. The opening hints at mango, but quickly shifts into something creamier and more tactile. A milky accord settles in, supported by soft woods and faint smoke. Sweetness is present but restrained, almost nostalgic. The effect is intimate and slightly uncanny, like returning to a familiar room long after the moment that gave it meaning. Perfumer: Joschka Klee Notes: Mango, Milk Accord, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Leather, Woods

Meant to Be Seen — Quiet Presence Meant to Be Seen unfolds without urgency. It does not project; it reveals itself slowly. The opening feels clear and luminous, followed by a soft, powdery heart that stays close to the skin. Florals are muted, musks are smooth, and the overall structure feels balanced rather than dramatic. Nothing here seeks attention. Instead, the fragrance builds quiet confidence through restraint. It suggests presence without insistence, rewarding closeness and patience rather than volume. Perfumer: Dominique Ropion Notes: Bergamot, Violet, Iris Butter, Musk, Sesame, Sandalwood

Fleur Danger — Controlled Tension Fleur Danger approaches florality through resistance. It opens with a sharp, metallic brightness that feels cold and deliberate, before warmth begins to seep through. Soft, suede-like textures appear, but never fully relax. The composition oscillates between polish and friction, maintaining tension throughout. Rather than blooming outward, the scent holds itself together. Fleur Danger feels less decorative than intentional: a flower shaped by pressure, desire kept deliberately unresolved. Perfumer: Ugo Charron Character: Aldehydes, Pink Pepper, Rum, Saffron, Raspberry, Suede, Sandalwood

Quiz 🎲 

A brief disclosure.

Scently Speaking runs without ads and without paid placements.
It exists because New Niche exists.

New Niche is the fragrance publishing house we’re building in parallel.
Obtaining one of its perfumes is not merchandise.
It’s how this work stays independent.

Scent MythBusters 🎭️ 

TL;DR

Fragrance trends are cyclical rather than terminal. Styles that fade from view often return when cultural moods shift. The industry’s archives and the revival of heritage houses show that the past continually resurfaces.

Frequency comparison: Vanilla vs. Aldehydes (taken from parfumo.com)

Misconception

There is a persistent belief that when a perfume style falls out of fashion it disappears forever. Minimalist skin scents, fruity gourmands or aquatic notes seem to dominate at different times, leading some to conclude that oakmoss chypres or aldehydic florals are dead. The rapid turnover of releases and the relentless chase for novelty reinforce this illusion. But perfume, like fashion and music, operates in cycles. To think otherwise is to ignore the gravitational pull of history.

Reality Check

Fragrance does not move in a straight line. While social media accelerates micro-trends, many brands are now looking backward as much as forward. Recent years have seen a wave of revivals: The 7 Virtues brought back Blackberry Lily when jammy berries returned to favour; Jo Malone reissued Bronze Wood & Leather from its archive; Byredo reframed its 2016 release Rodeo to align with the cowboy aesthetic. Kilian’s Sunkissed Goddess began life under a different name and found wider relevance years later. Maison Crivelli’s Safran Secret originated as an earlier, limited formula. These cases show that perfumes often precede their moment, waiting quietly until culture catches up.

Historical fragrance families follow similar arcs. Chypres emerged in the early twentieth century, resurfaced after the Second World War when society craved assertive green scents, reappeared in the 1980s alongside women entering corporate spaces, and are once again relevant today as consumers seek rich, empowering compositions. Heritage houses mirror this cycle. Centuries-old brands are being revived because authenticity now carries cultural and economic weight. Relaunching an archive scent makes financial sense: the formula exists, the story resonates, and memory does the marketing. Fragrance rewards emotion more than novelty. It speaks to feeling rather than rational need.

Final Judgment

Perfume trends do not disappear. They pause. They wait. Consumer taste shifts with economics, culture and nostalgia, and when conditions align, old styles return, sometimes unchanged, sometimes reinterpreted. The idea that trends never come back ignores both the industry’s archive and the human impulse to revisit what once moved us. In fragrance, as in music or fashion, the past is never finished. It simply waits for the right moment to be heard again.