A perfume. Fragrances can be the best presents ever. By engaging our senses, festive fragrances magically take us to a festive world. Happy Scent Celebration!

This is a gift-scent alert. Perfume, I want you.

Yes, scent is one of the most popular gifts during the end of year festivities. Yet some say it cannot be right as perfume is too personal. One is bound to choose the wrong one, the one that does not fit. I say there are plenty of ways to get it right. I will even tell you that perfumes are the best presents ever. By engaging our senses, they magically take us to a festive world. The lovely vibe feels tangible. Festive fragrances give us the right spirit. You simply must focus on finding your gift inspiration and getting hold of your dreams. You will figure it out. The best fragrances to offer. The one to wear. Happy Scent Celebration!

I will not tell you which one. I mean perfume.

I promise. You will find no brands or perfumes suggestions. No best fragrances list of recommendations*. I also will not release the brands that are behind some of the points I make. That way, your imagination will run free. You will not be influenced at all in your purchases. My end of year gift to you is an unbiased article. From a brand standpoint that is. You only get my point of view. It is full of scent joy to be shared.

*Google does the job perfectly

Festive Fragrances. What an enjoyable time.

We are in this lovely time of the year, full of festivities and magic. In the air, one already feels the anticipation, the joy of sharing time with loved ones and of celebrations to be prepared. Don’t we all love it? I enjoy behaving like a kid, hanging my sock, decorating the house, making cookies, listening to silly songs, wrapping up presents, preparing menus, and of course figuring out which presents to buy. Every year we go through the same process, and yet every year feels different. Different ideas pop out. Different tastes too. One can decide which style to pick, finesse and classicism or the opposite, extravaganza, going wild… One thing remains, a special effort is made to celebrate the end of year festivities. Our fantasy world full of creativity and joy certainly includes fragrances fitting.

We carefully choose which fragrance to wear during the festivities but also which one to offer. The vibe is tangible, the spirit is here, I am already wearing my silly hat and snapping my happy Xmas cracker, bang! What is more, limited holiday collections enchant us with a beautiful selection of sensational gifts or if I may say so scent-sational gifts. Scents become precious treasures in their magic gift sets. Small luxuries or larger ones, all engage our senses. Advent calendars go one step further with their everyday surprise and indulgence. Technology also comes handy as we can even discover the brand bewitching universe with interactive games or gift finders. Plugging in our ‘gift’ profiling is also possible to have instant recommendations options. Lastly, to create engagement, retail brands run video seasonal advertising campaigns. Those who can afford it turn to TV while social networks remain accessible to all. We can enjoy a variety of mesmerizing and entertaining videos such as merry go rounds, home interiors, faraway destinations, nostalgic memories, sweet temptations, even funny adventures including the most adorable dogs ... There is no limit to the imagination of the scent economy.

Fantasy collides with the seriousness of choosing a scent. Or not.

I am sorry to say that no matter how much I like to dream, I do take my scents seriously. How can I play the perilous game of simply being influenced by a magnificent creative world? I need to study well in advance and know impeccably my topic which is twofold: one, the person I am offering the perfume to and two, the perfume and the brand chosen. See, I want to come across as a perfume sommelier who can pick the exact signature scent. Extensive knowledge, years of research and studying are required to get it right. But the real game happens in seconds, the expert sommelier must produce the right wine recommendations in a moment. It certainly should not prevent him from smiling, engaging with the clients, enjoying the spirit of the moment. What I am saying is do enjoy as much as you wish the glow, the beautiful pleasures, the festive excitement! Simply do not lose your focus on the preparation and serious studies and do trust your retail expert fragrances specialists. The end-results will be mind blowing, trust me, you will hear ‘darling, how on earth did you manage to pick exactly what I wished for!’ or ‘how did you know I wanted to immerse myself in a quiet garden atmosphere?’

Anyway, the Festive Shopping is Pure Excess and Waste.

Facts cannot be opposed: for many brands 30% of the yearly sales is concentrated in the last two months of the year. For some, it is even more extreme, and it amounts to 50%. There are multiple challenges: the creative department must produce great ideas and product appeal, sourcing & logistics must deliver on time and the right product quality, sales must make the right forecast to avoid both stock leftovers and out of stock situations… The financial risk at stake is unquestionably high. Brands would therefore be happy to even-out throughout the year their sales numbers. Yet the festive shopping spree seems unstoppable. When visiting a major specialty store on December 10, I could not help being surprised by the sheer number of clients queuing in front a perfume luxury stand-alone corner. It looked like they were simply buying a commodity, or a baguette at the bakery to put it into a French perspective… Could we buy less? Could we restrain our lust for more? I am happy to see that the debate is out this year, a possible positive impact of COP 26. An advent calendar has backlashed on a brand, too ‘extremely’ expensive. Discovery sets provide the perfect solution of testing and exploring before committing to one major purchase. The gift sets have also significantly improved with no plastic, recycled paper and more. Improving the negative carbon footprint has become a prime objective in most companies. CSR programs from sourcing, production, transport, and waste recycling are at play. To be friendly with our planet is happening. I am positive minded, not a doom and gloom person, and for me the air is full of hopefulness but also everyday commitment. I look around and see many positive initiatives.

Let’s Share the Scent of Joy

Enjoying scents is a universal experience. Scents are bringing comfort and style to our homes as well as expressing our personalities. Some of us -more than what you think- will be extremely pleased to receive a carefully chosen perfume. I turn to China* where the younger generation is catching on the perfume being a vital component of one’s individuality. Local brands are blossoming tapping into the cultural heritage and the full understanding of their personas. The digital experience is adding another dimension. Who knows what 2022 will bring on that front?

Cheers! Happy Scent Greetings

*The Chinese 15 days Lunar Year celebration kicks off January 31st, 2022. Sign of the Tiger.

Sign of the Tiger. ‘It’s the Eye of the Tiger’.

The song lyrics from Survivor ring so true: ‘So many times it happens too fast, you change your passion for glory, don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive’.

For search terms ideas ‘what are the best Christmas scents,’ Top fragrances for Xmas’ https://answerthepublic.com and then google it! www.google.com

COP26: Together for our planet: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop26

Check out the upcoming art perfumery trade event https://www.esxence.com/

To know more about Essencional: https://www.essencional.com/en/as-i-see-it-silvio-levi/ @silviolevi @laurencearrigoklove

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/festivals/when-chinese-new-year.htm

The Eye of the Tiger song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRHzWrWIXog, Survivor https://survivorband.com/discography/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_(band)