At the dawn of the health crisis, a turning point in perfumery was beginning. Far from the flashy fragrances that saturate the market, a quest for transparency and intimacy was emerging among consumers. A nascent aspiration that COVID-19 has only confirmed.  

Fragrance moves away from the field of seduction to that of well-being. The sweet accords give way to a more subtle addiction through the play of texture. If the caramelized notes are still present, the greediness is redrawn. The softness of milky nuances that draw their creamy accents from sandalwood, like Oh Là Là by Téo Cabanel (2020).

White musks, with their sensual evocations of skin or reassuringly clean scents, are a hit. For Her Pure Musc by Narciso Rodriguez or Idôle by Lancôme (2019) are evidence of a trend that flourished during the pandemic. Other examples include Musc Outreblanc by Guerlain (2022) or Sun Bleached by Une Nuit Nomade (2020).

Radiant, white flowers bring light into our lives. Among them, orange blossom, very much in vogue, whose freshness and sensuality hide a soothing feel-good side. A vision of “perfume care” is emerging, celebrating its positive power on emotions, around “aromachological” houses, like Ajnalogie.

Antidote to the sinister, the queen of flowers invites itself this year to the brands to make us see life in pink: Eau Rose by Diptyque, Mémoire de Roses by L’Artisan Parfumeur, La Petite Robe Noire Rose Rose Rose by Guerlain or the trio of three new roses by Tom Ford.

In keeping with the desire for nature that has blossomed during the confinements, perfumes are going green. L’Artisan Parfumeur sublimates vegetables with its “Le Potager” range, while Roos & Roos launches “Les Simples,” a collection with a bucolic feel.

As if to invite us to cultivate our garden in the shadow of oppressive current events.

                                                                                                                                   Sophie Normand