See you tomorrow!

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Tomorrow is the day. Our very first community meetup is happening in Amsterdam, and we can’t wait to see as many of you as possible. You’ll get an exclusive first glimpse of Scently Speaking’s debut fragrance, along with the official reveal of our fragrance publisher’s brand name. And yes, one or two surprises might be waiting for you.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: Ozempic, Industry War, and Mood Enhancers
2. Niche Newcomers: Oddity, Mark Buxton, Amouage, Rubini, Nishane
3. Quiz: Major trend in the 80s/90s, but fallen out of fashion?
4. Scent MythBusters: Fragrances are best when they are fresh out of production

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#OZEMPICEFFECT: The weight-loss revolution is reshaping luxury consumption. NielsenIQ reveals GLP-1 drug users buy 23% more perfume than everyone else, as physical appetite shrinks but the desire for indulgence finds a new outlet. Gourmand fragrances become the perfect loophole — crème brûlée dopamine with zero calories. Perfumers evolve toward “Neo-Gourmands” featuring tomato-leaf, pistachio-salt and even caviar accords.

#INDUSTRYSECRETS: Behind every CPG fragrance lies a competitive battlefield where 3–5 fragrance houses (Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF) wage war through account managers, perfumers and technical teams. The process involves months of briefings, evaluations, “final disaster checks,” and champagne celebrations — or crushing defeats — between Purchasing, Marketing and Development.

#MOODSCIENCE: Our community member Jack explores how mood-enhancing fragrances are revolutionizing scent. As wellness culture embraces aromatherapy’s psychological benefits, perfumers craft scents designed to trigger specific emotional responses — from confidence-boosting citrus to stress-relieving lavender. The future of fragrance isn’t just smelling good; it’s feeling better.

Niche Newcomers 🎨 🌟

David Chieze emerges as the LUZI high performer and Mark Buxton protégé behind .Oddity’s latest. Mark Buxton himself returns with a Freedom Collection composition, while Nishane delivers a Harrods exclusive. Italian house Rubini and Cristiano Canali craft their sixth collaboration, and Amouage ventures into minimalist attar territory with Quentin Bisch.

Delulu by .Oddity — Rhubarb Reverie. Opening with mandarin, rhubarb, citron and bergamot; a heart of strawberry jam, blackcurrant and Bulgarian rose, with frankincense preventing saccharine excess. “Sparkling rhubarb cordial with a lemon slice.” Perfumer: David Chieze.

Wild Wild Wood by Mark Buxton — Freedom’s Complexity. An overwhelming opening of mandarin, pink pepper, apple, pineapple, clary sage and cypress; magnolia, rose, grape and fig form an unusual heart; cedar, Amber Xtreme™ and tonka anchor the base. Perfumer: Mark Buxton.

Luban Al Akhdar by Amouage — Minimalist Mastery. “Green Frankincense” delivered through just three notes — frankincense, myrrh and labdanum — at 100% concentration. Perfumer: Quentin Bisch.

Idìlios by Rubini — Harmony After Storm. Mandarin and bergamot over complex osmanthus, peach jungle essence and champaca; green tea, coconut and three vanilla extractions create creamy depth. Each bottle contains an actual vanilla bean. Perfumer: Cristiano Canali.

Oudous Lux Solis by Nishane — Turkish Radiance. A Harrods exclusive: Italian mandarin, ginger, tropical fruits and pomelo develop a “gummy bear” character; patchouli, Akigalawood and oud anchor the base. “Royalty drenched in sunlight and oud.” Perfumer: Jordi Fernández.

Quiz 🎲

Which scent material was a major trend in the 1980s–90s but has since fallen out of fashion?
Fig Leaf · Hydroxycitronellal (Lily of the Valley) · Calone (Watermelon) · Virginian Cedarwood

Scent MythBusters 🎭️

“Fragrances are best when they are fresh out of production.”
Myth of the week

TL;DR

The belief that perfumes peak immediately after production is one of fragrance culture’s biggest misconceptions. Many fragrances require weeks, months, or even years to reach their optimal state through maceration and maturation. It’s not about age, it’s about chemistry.

The reality check

As Jean-Claude Ellena puts it: “Perfume maturation is like the ageing of a fine wine.” When perfumers blend aromatic compounds they create a dynamic system — molecules interact, form new compounds and achieve equilibrium. Standard practice involves about one month of maturation after dilution, but woody, resinous and natural compositions benefit from far longer; pure attars can improve for decades. Citrus fragrances are the exception, performing best within the first few months.

So, is the myth busted?

Absolutely. “Fresh is best” ignores the complex chemistry of fragrance development. Many perfumes reveal their true character only through patient aging. In perfumery, time itself becomes an ingredient.