At a time where North American department stores are shuttering, where Asia and Europe are cautious markets, the Gulf is thriving – and will open 7 new luxury malls by 2027. Prestige Beauty enjoys a 12% growth rate and Fragrance, appreciated and worn enthusiastically by the luxury consumer, accounts for nearly 50% of total sales. It’s a region to watch and where niche brands should be present.

For the past few years more and more extrait, intense and absolute versions of existing fragrances have been hitting the market. Is it based on consumer demand for greater projection? Is it coming from brands who want to justify higher price points? In this article several industry insiders give their take and the reason behind the trend.

In a world of unbridled competition and rising prices, customer service is more valuable than ever before. An apathetic attitude, mediocre engagement and memorized conversation will turn off a consumer who won’t complain but won’t come back. A very interesting essay that for retailers and brands will make you take stock of your selling ritual.

Did you know Spain is the world’s second supplier of fragrance, after France? Its growing importance is evident and was highlighted in the recent Barcelona Perfumery Congress. The two day event blends a traditional tradeshow with educational workshops and conferences where topics ran the gamut from olfactory creation to innovation in perfumery.

It has always been a challenge to sell fragrance online since we still can’t smell through our computers. Nevertheless, E-commerce contributes roughly one third of beauty sales, and not all purchases are replenishment. In this article a consumer psychologist gives insight on the emotional triggers that encourage blind buys.

Industry veteran Vesa Kalho is set to steer the Fragrance Shop’s new niche concept, Fraegra. Currently under development, it marks the clear recognition of the growing importance of niche perfumery in the fragrance sector. Kalho recently participated at Esxence where he shared his expertise on how brands can appeal to retailers.

The prevalence of fruit notes is a trend that was spotted earlier this year at the 2025 edition of Esxence where mango, guava, passion fruit and even banana made the scene. In this article four perfumers and fragrance industry leaders comment on technical, historic and contemporary aspects of fruit notes in perfumery.