2026 . 03 . 30
In a year defined by industry upheaval, let’s trade the chaos for wild rosemary fields, olive groves, and a 360° olfactory immersion at Mas Flaquer.
A journey from Paris to rural Catalonia led to Mas Flaquer, where perfumer Ernesto Collado invites guests to experience scent at its source: wild harvesting, distillation, and the living landscape that shapes fragrance long before it reaches a bottle.
This experience is a powerful reminder: before fragrance becomes a product, it begins as a place.
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2026 . 03 . 30
As Essencional goes to press, no formal agreement has been signed in what could be the biggest beauty deal of the year. While speculation continues to circulate, this article dives into how the deal could benefit the players along with examining the drawbacks that could arise if greater scale and accelerated growth erode brand appeal.
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2026 . 03 . 30
The niche fragrance sector has undergone tremendous change over the past two decades, amplified by M&A activity and the countless, soulless brand launches. Consumers are savvy to the changes. “They want to feel that the scent, the story, the price, and the brand identity belong together.” An interesting opinion piece.
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2026 . 03 . 30
Brands are increasing their budgets for influencer marketing with specific priorities in mind: building trust between the content creator and their audience, producing great content and increasing reach. While Instagram and TikTok remain the favored platforms, Substack is gaining popularity for high quality content.
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2026 . 03 . 30
Shanghai sets its cap on being the crossroads between Eastern and Western fragrance culture at Notes Shanghai in April. In addition to 200 exhibiting international and domestic brands, the event will include brand presentations, educational programmes and curated exhibits including one from L’Osmothèque and another in tribute to perfumer Dominique Ropion.
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2026 . 03 . 25
At Maison de L’Asie in Singapore, the lady of the house leads the visit inside her stunning interiors inspired by Asian cultural stories. In Thailand, Prin takes us through its sophisticated and rich concept. In China, One Day sticks to minimalism to give room for imagination while Maison Dixsept welcomes us into its house full of dreams, and Documents magnetically pulls us into its dark home.
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2026 . 03 . 23
Latin America isn’t the next fragrance frontier - it’s happening right now.
Across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and beyond, a new wave of creativity is emerging. Local niche brands are growing alongside global players, consumers are highly informed, and tastes vary dramatically from country to country - proving Latin America is anything but homogeneous.
Since moving to Colombia, our contributing editor Simon French has seen firsthand how fragrance culture across the region is evolving fast: informed consumers, rising local niche brands, and powerful new influences from social media and Middle Eastern perfumery.
Niche fragrance here feels like Europe in 2010 - full of opportunity, experimentation, and bold storytelling - yet evolving in its own unique way.
This is only the beginning.
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2026 . 03 . 23
How does fragrance evolve? Is it through technological breakthroughs and developments? Is it through trends? Or is it a “gradual reshaping of olfactory ideas” where elements that gave structure to scent – perhaps the architecture - and the people who shaped the landscape – the architects, have played a role in today’s scent culture.
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2026 . 03 . 23
Fragrance is still booming as a beauty category, but are there actually warning signs behind the rosy picture? From the glut of launches to the dubious content creators, from the proliferation of trade fairs to the accessibility to decants, this article unpacks the multiple issues facing the industry today.
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