Scent minimalism: Understated is the new signature fragrance
Move over, signature scent – minimalism has been a major trend in beauty, and now it’s extending to fragrance. Here’s what you’ll want to know.
For decades, the importance of having a powerful signature scent – that heady fragrance that defines who we are – was instilled in us.
Recently, however, there’s been a shift that has inspired people to step away from overpowering scents in favour of more subtle aromas.
After years of striving to stand out, fragrance shoppers are looking to blend in, so what’s behind the switch-up.
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Building a fragrance wardrobe
There’s no longer a compelling reason to cling to a signature scent.
Building a “fragrance wardrobe” of more understated scents means you don’t have to commit for a lifetime – you’re free to choose a fragrance to match your mood or the season, or have fun layering different scents for unique creations.
According to perfumer and fragrance journalist Ainslee Walker, who has specific fragrances designated for different occasions, minimalist scents have a place in everyone’s fragrance wardrobe.
“We don’t always wear the same outfits to express ourselves; instead, we wear different things for different occasions, so why would we wear the same fragrance daily?” Ainslee says.
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The elusive nature of minimalist scents
Some people don’t gravitate to minimalist scents because they wear fragrance to get noticed but often, it’s the more subtle scents that tend to get compliments.
“I wore one of the first minimalist fragrances to hit the market, Molecule 01, for a decade and I still love it,” Ainslee says.
“Not A Perfume is also a favourite of mine, and it’s a bestseller in Australia because it works well in hot conditions.”
According to the perfumer, a minimalist scent tends to be a modern fragrance featuring one to very few ingredients, usually modern aroma chemicals.
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Seek out the experts when fragrance shopping
“If you’re unsure of what is considered a minimalist scent, I would seek out a trusted fragrance specialty store,” Ainslee says.
“Living in a hot country like Australia means it’s really important to buy from stores you can trust to not to be selling old stock because a warmer climate can cause the fragrance to expire more quickly.”
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Consider clean, green scents
Ainslee predicts that in addition to the growing popularity of understated fragrance, demand for sustainably created fragrance is also on the rise in the Australian fragrance market.
“I’m also seeing a shift to more natural brands in fragrance and this stems from green, clean and traceable scents starting to trend.”
Read more on fragrance:
- The fine art of fragrance layering
- 7 classic men’s fragrances that are still going strong
- JLo fragrance One hits the right note
Written by Charlotte Brundrett.
