Farewell, Sprays

Over the centuries, practices have evolved but the oldest act of scenting the body exists to this day. But, there is a new wave sweeping the fragrance world .

Brands are renewing the art of wearing perfumes with easy-to-use packaging, tapping into the younger generation. We are not even talking about body oils and solid perfumes that have been there for a while. There are hair perfumes, scent inhalers and the likes doing the rounds.

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Even established brands are toying with the idea, and also incorporating, taking into account the generation that lives out of a suitcase. Thus, smaller, travel versions are found on the shelf. Heard of the smelfies? Yes, it is a legit trend on social media.

It’s so solid

An echo of solid perfumes of the olden days is being heard now. A classic Diptyque solid perfume has been a part of our travel bag for as long as we can remember that felt almost like scented play dough.

Deliciously fragrant balms kept inside a black coloured box, they represented iconic creations in a nomadic format: Philosykos, Do Son, L’Ombre dans l’Eau and Eau Rose.

Sabé Masson has launched therapeutic Soft Perfume with a solid version, as part of its retro collection based on the universe of the Countess of Ségur.

Old bottles, new rituals

So, what can be done if you don’t feel like wearing your perfume the way you are used to? Let it surround you, simple. Spray in the air and walk through the cloud of fragrance, letting it become a part of you.

Byredo has renewed the elegance of this technique used by the Japanese theatre with their version named Kabuki. Inside a black lacquered box, is a retractable makeup brush, fine powder with which a cloud of perfume is created (Bal d’Afrique, Gypsy Water or Blanche).

The milky emulsion of La Vie est Belle by Lancôme adds a care aspect with its hydrating properties.

Dior pearls of perfume are very different, even fun, with its gentle marbles that roll and leave a soft fragrance. Dior also has a playful, travel-sized Miss Dior (Blooming Bouquet and Absolutely Blooming) and the pleasure of rose for Poison Girl Unexpected.

Hair to stay

Adding a slight amount of perfume to your hair ensures that whenever you swish or moves, the perfume is diffused into the air. And if this sounds like your kind of idea, there are options in Guerlain’s Petite Robe Noire.

Its composition includes cherry, blackcurrant, flowers and green notes. Byredo also has versions with flowers and wood.

Frédéric Malle hair perfumes, Portrait of a Lady or Carnal Flower, envelop a person with a halo of fragrance. And then there is Tom Ford Brume Black Orchid that also gives hair smoothness and shine, and protects it from UVA and UVB rays.

Harmony is everything

In the world of perfumery, the knowledge of layering the fragrances is important. Jo Malone uses a technique called Fragrance Combining to develop its signature scents. Touche de Parfum for J’adore for Dior is a marriage of different versions of the same name.

Maison Margiela imagined for Replica, Glow and Blur, perfumed bases with an oil texture that combines with all other notes. While Glow adds a certain sunlit freshness with its neroli, bergamot and iris notes, Blur with its idea of blurring memory, plays with a mix of aldehydes, jasmine and musk.

Cushion of the future

Taking a cue from the famous cushion that revolutionised makeup, perfume brands have also adopted it. Using a technology developed by Capsum, Chanel has set out on an adventure with limited edition, Chance. This new, tender water contains invisible micro-bubbles suspended in a jelly like substance. By simply pushing, it gives out just the right amount needed for a touch of perfume. In a round box, decorated with poppy and a mirror for a lid, Flower by Kenzo has created a gel-based perfume that comes with a little powder puff. A new fragrant story has begun.

Photography: Julia Andreone.

From the June–July 2018 issue of L’Officiel India.