The Theme of Our First Fragrance Is...

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Something exciting is happening — our very first fragrance, shaped by the community, is about to come to life. We’re bringing together fragrance lovers, storytellers and curious minds to help shape a scent from the ground up. The theme of this first creation is Reflection — a concept open to interpretation through scent, memory and emotion.

How to join: March 6th, 8 PM CET, online (1-hour call). Contribute actively by sharing scent memories and notes that embody Reflection, or simply listen in. Selected contributors receive a bottle of the final creation and credit as part of the creative team.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy: AI Perfumery, L’Oréal Shopping, and Kayali Reborn
2. Strictly Independent: Idiem Lux
3. Quiz: Botanical Doppelgängers
4. Scent MythBusters: Pheromone perfumes make you instantly irresistible

Note-Worthy 🔎🌸

#AIINPERFUMERY: As AI transforms fragrance creation, brands like Tom Ford and Givaudan embrace algorithm-driven design. Tools like Carto and Everyhuman optimise ingredient selection, sustainability and personalisation — but the human nose remains irreplaceable.

#L’ORÉALFRAGRANCEPLAY: L’Oréal continues expanding its empire, exploring a minority stake in Amouage (valuing the Omani house at over €3 billion) while its BOLD VC fund backs K-beauty disruptor Borntostandout.

#KAYALIREBORN: Huda Beauty sells Kayali to co-founder Mona Kattan and General Atlantic, marking a shift to independent ownership and positioning Kayali for global expansion.

Strictly Independent 🎨 🌟 — Idiem Lux

An artistic experiment where hand-painted bottles give fragrance a visual soul. Created by Ineta (@perfumographer), this France-based aficionado merges perfumery and painting — using sand, rust powder and algae, each bottle becomes a one-of-a-kind artwork.

Breeze — The Untamed Current. The exhilarating chill of a wave against sun-warmed skin: cold aquatic notes and sea salt, softened by driftwood and a whisper of vanilla.

Memories — A Scent That Speaks. Citrus and cinnamon apple wrapped in rosemary and wintergreen, deepened by cade wood, myrrh and incense — an olfactory time capsule.

Pura Vida — A Breath of the Ocean. Salt on the skin, ocean air and fruity brightness, a mineral touch beneath driftwood and sun-drenched cotton.

Rooted — The Heart of the Forest. Goji berry and strawberry leaves enveloped by cade wood, treemoss and birch tar, with a whisper of oud and hyraceum.

Quiz 🎲

Which two flowers, despite being botanically unrelated, share nearly identical aromatic profiles?
Gardenia & Tuberose · Snapdragon & Orchid · Lavender & Rosemary · Ylang-Ylang & Jasmine

Scent MythBusters 🎭️

“Pheromone perfumes make you instantly irresistible.”
Myth of the week

The reality check

Humans don’t have a functioning vomeronasal organ — the system animals use to detect pheromones. Androstadienone (a steroid from pig testes) can slightly influence mood, but only in small enclosed spaces. Hexadecanal, a real human pheromone, degrades within minutes in alcohol-based perfume.

How the myth took hold

The craze traces to a 1971 Time article that misinterpreted biochemist David Berliner’s research. Brands love pheromones because they’re cheap and easy to market. A 2024 study found the same perfume rated “alluring” in a dim bar but “overpowering” in an office — attraction is shaped by environment and mood. Around 78% of “pheromone success stories” are placebo: confidence, not chemistry, turns heads.

Final verdict: busted

No synthetic pheromone is doing the heavy lifting. A well-crafted scent, a bit of charisma and a perfectly timed cocktail will take you much further.