The days of excess gifting are making a comeback after a 6 year hiatus as influencer unboxing videos show the extravagant lengths brands go to for attention. Over the top packaging that goes to waste is contrary to the eco-friendly/sustainability movements. And how does it all resonate with the public?

Historically fragrances were gender-neutral until 20th century marketing labelled some scents “male” and others “female”. Now it seems that what everyone wants is to find a fragrance that evokes emotion and imparts a sense of happiness and well-being.

Male fragrance influencers are holding sway over teenage boys, driving them towards pricey, luxurious fragrances that allegedly will make them irresistible and confident. When it comes to online content, the videos that go viral still push old-school thinking to attract the opposite sex.

An undercover BBC operation has discovered that children are frequently enlisted to pick jasmine in several farms in Egypt. Once processed and sold to international fragrance houses, the oil finds its way into perfumes made by big brands. So much for ethical sourcing, but how to resolve this horrendous practice?

The legendary British perfumery house has poured over their archives and formula books to create a collection of nine scents. With some dating back to the beginning of the 19th century, each scent has been restored while remaining true to the original roots. The range, which covers all fragrance families, has recently launched.

Fragrance houses are pushing the envelop with fragrances featuring this love-hate ingredient which can be a bit of a chameleon when blended with other notes. Perhaps a bit naughty and cheeky, cannabis scents are trending with consumers looking for something less ordinary and adventurous.

While young women in China are falling into the trend of “smelling rich”, the guys are more apt to consider value for money who aren’t adverse to dupes and lower priced options. However, the tide is turning with the social media spreading the word on niche fragrance while putting the pressure to be a “decent boyfriend”.

Luxury fragrance sales continue to perform well worldwide, led by premiumization, personalization and the strong interest coming from Gen Z. Other factors are key drivers as well including e-commerce, duty free shopping and social media. Check out the article for more details.