Got Milk? Perhaps it’s in reaction to the challenging times we live in, but fragrances that are comforting, nurturing and emotionally soothing are having a moment. These easy to understand and simple to wear scents are taking the market by storm, offering a more sophisticated alternative to the saccharine sweetness we’ve come to expect.

In what could be considered a case study, this article shows how Chinese brands are strategizing to enter new markets. Rather than seek distribution first, they are creating demand and building awareness through cultural activities, activations, airports and collaborations as a first step.

East and West will meet in Dubai next January for the first edition of a new Notes fair. Two days will be devoted to the industry and the final day will welcome the general public. The Middle East is a strategic market for fragrance, making this location a natural choice. A full program of conferences and activities dedicated to olfactory culture will round out the event.

The World Perfumery Congress was held in Monterey, California June 23-25. Honors go to exhibitors Mane, Givaudan and Pura who were recognized for innovation in fragrance ingredients, technology and sustainability, all of which will shape the future of perfumery.

Will we finally see movement in getting perfumers credit for their work? Indie Perfumer Michael Nordstrand is not the first to want to bring change to the industry. Proposing the implementation of a development fee is just one of the tenets which will be detailed on the group’s website coming in September.

One man’s obsession with fragrance bottles led to establishing the world’s largest museum of factices, fragrance bottles used in the recent past for display purposes. In this article he talks about his passion for flacons and why he feels it’s important to preserve this element of fragrance history.

Innovation in fragrance creation, personalization and even training were on show at VivaTech, Europe’s largest annual startup and technology event. From creating your own fragrance to custom layering to creating a scent from environmental cues, olfactory innovations were numerous at this year’s fair.

We often say one of the challenges in describing a fragrance to the public is trying to use common language shared by all brands, all sources, all users. Jo Malone is testing a new system that puts the words aside to focus visuals instead. It will be very interesting to learn how successful the tool is: does it convert? Are people more comfortable with photos vs descriptions? Time will tell.