March 28, 2024
As with all beauty, perfumery moves with trends too. A decade ago you couldn’t walk a fragrance aisle without smelling the trail of white florals, followed by more mysterious resiny scents like oud and amber. But in recent years the perfume industry has been met with many disruptors, traditional fragrance houses challenged by niche brands mixing unusual combinations to unexpectedly delight the nose. So, as we move further into 2024 it tracks that the big “note” trends are expected, and err on the quirky too. Meet the new notes to know.
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Once reserved for the fanciest fragrances (and dishes too, let's be honest), saffron has surged in popularity, captivating our noses with its warm, honeyed spiciness. Its rise can be traced back to iconic scents that have showcased its versatility and rich appeal, while being just the right level of quirky and can't-really- place-it to pique curiosity. It also plays well with notes like amber and leather to create balanced, earthy scents.
Try: Demeter Fragrance Library Cologne in Saffron, $32.95; The Perfume Oil Company Rouge Perfume Oil, $34.95
Not so long ago, vanilla was relegated to the likes of Impulse and similar tween fragrances, because of its tendency to be too OTT on the sweet front. But actually, vanilla is a classic that has been used in perfumery since the beginning — it’s just what you do with it. We can thank Tom Ford for the reinvention of vanilla, who, with his latest drop, Vanilla Sex, manages to capture the new vanilla zeitgeist: is rich, earthy, creamy and luxurious — not the syrupy synthetic sweetness of yore. This also comes down to its note pairings with other rich smells to balance the sweetness and instead making for an opulent “quiet luxury” vibe.
Try: Library of Flowers True Vanilla EDP, $89; Tokyo Milk Dark Tainted Love No.62 EDP, $89
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The usual fruit suspects in fragrances are citruses, but this year, we’re breaking with tradition. Enter: cherry, with a twist. Forget the sweetness, because cherry has embraced its darker, more mysterious side. Influential fragrances (again, look to Mr Ford) have reimagined cherry, marrying it with smoky notes and woods, thus setting a new trend for fruity fragrances with a grunge twist.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is peach: juicy, fun, flamboyant! It’s smooth, it’s sweet, it’s a little playful and adds a carefree feeling to your fragrance wardrobe.
Try: The Perfume Oil Company Ripe Perfume Oil, $34.95; Demeter Fragrance Library Peach Cologne Spray, $32.95
Not a new note, but certainly one that has lost its stigma in recent years, Cannabis notes represent the pinnacle of niche innovation. While still embracing the essence of its rogue past, scent wise it adds an unexpected surprise to the note profile. As you can imagine it’s herbaceous and “green” adding a complex layer of earthiness to fragrances.
Try: Demeter Fragrance Library Cannabis Flower Cologne, $32.95
What does paper smell like? Good question. Because it’s less about a smell and more about a feeling. The “note” of paper doesn’t exist, but the smell of a musty bookshop does and the smell of freshly printed ink on a new book does too. So this one is all about the niche and the nostalgia, hitting on the feelings rather than the big ingredients, which in our opinion is precisely how a star is born.
Try: Demeter Fragrance Library Paperback Cologne, $32.95
In 2024, it's clear the current fragrance sentiment echoes the larger trends around it: boundary-pushing, the search for meaning and authenticity, and carving your own path. The traditional lines between mainstream and niche are blurring, with these once-understated notes now leading the charge. It's an exciting time for the future of fragrance. We’re ready to be wowed.
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