It’s been a month since Esxence 2026 and the press just keeps coming! This article takes a look at some of the top trends seen at the show and features specific launches from a handful of the international exhibiting brands. There’s also an overview of one workshop on how to enter the Chinese market.

It stands to reason that, just as the taste of wine varies from year to year due to the quality of the harvest, fragrances made from natural ingredients such as rose and jasmine may not smell the same every year, especially when the planet suffers weather extremes. With synthetic molecules, perfumers can continue to create beautiful scents without depleting the environment.

Olfaction company Osmo is disrupting the norm: using AI they can discover new molecules about 10 times faster than the traditional lab process. During World Perfumery Congress last month they auctioned ten of their captives for perpetual licenses to the industry. The four year old company seeks to accelerate innovation in fragrance.

Essential Parfums, a niche fragrance brand launched by Géraldine and Stanislaus Archambault in 2018, has formed a strategic partnership with Milan-based private equity firm Style Capital. The alliance will give the brand the support needed to expand and develop while maintaining the creative independence it’s had from day one.

East and West will meet in Dubai next January for the first edition of a new Notes fair. Two days will be devoted to the industry and the final day will welcome the general public. The Middle East is a strategic market for fragrance, making this location a natural choice. A full program of conferences and activities dedicated to olfactory culture will round out the event.

The World Perfumery Congress was held in Monterey, California June 23-25. Honors go to exhibitors Mane, Givaudan and Pura who were recognized for innovation in fragrance ingredients, technology and sustainability, all of which will shape the future of perfumery.

Got Milk? Perhaps it’s in reaction to the challenging times we live in, but fragrances that are comforting, nurturing and emotionally soothing are having a moment. These easy to understand and simple to wear scents are taking the market by storm, offering a more sophisticated alternative to the saccharine sweetness we’ve come to expect.

In what could be considered a case study, this article shows how Chinese brands are strategizing to enter new markets. Rather than seek distribution first, they are creating demand and building awareness through cultural activities, activations, airports and collaborations as a first step.