Loungewear fragrances will cater for new at-home lifestyles

Just as the fashion loungewear and nightwear categories thrived during lockdown amidst a sharp drop in apparel sales, creating loungewear fragrances – scented products to wear at home – will help fragrance brands cushion a sales drop. While a portion of consumers use less fragrance or turn to more affordable products while at home, Mintel’s data shows that in Italy and Spain, around half of adults disagree that fragrances are only necessary when around others. This unlocks new innovation paths for brands to branch out, diversify and develop new types of products that will increase consumers’ reasons to use fragrance when staying at home. 

Branch out and create aspirational hybrid products

While consumers are lounging, there is opportunity to help them feel more at home by harmonising their personal scent with their home fragrance – an emerging concept that would entice nearly a third of US aircare users aged 18-24 who are interested in air fresheners that complement their personal fragrance.

Source: Diptyque

During European lockdowns, Diptyque launched Fleur de Peau Multi-Use Fragrance, a multi-functional fine fragrance product that can be sprayed on body, bed linen, clothes or used as a room spray. Its adaptation from the brand’s Eau de Parfum elevates the product to a premium level.

Increase scent usage with nighttime fragrances

With anxiety levels accelerating as a result of the pandemic, consumers are increasingly looking to beauty rituals to relax; a significant proportion – of adults in Spain who conducted more BPC activities since the COVID-19 outbreak did so to reduce stress and anxiety. Fragrance can play an integral part in these rituals – particularly as part of bedtime beauty regimes to help counter the detrimental impact of excess stress on sleep.

Source: Xyrena

Xyrena Cloud No.9 is a ‘parfum de sommeil’ (sleep perfume) designed to be applied before bedtime to create a pampering ritual and promote sleep.

Source: Benu Blanc

Benu Blanc Care Mist Chamomile Almond is a pillow mist that uses micro-encapsulation to release scent, skin and haircare benefits throughout the night, encouraging relaxation. 

Integrate into consumers’ lifestyles with new wellness purposes

Social distancing and lockdown measures have accelerated the ‘crisis of touch’, with digital interactions now commonplace. As analysed in Mintel’s 2030 BPC Trend Identity Traders – now accelerated to 2025 due to the pandemic – consumers are craving authentic, real-life connections. As a result, intimacy has emerged as a new element of the wellness halo. As scent is highly emotive, fine fragrance and scented products have all the legitimacy to reconnect consumers through touch and intimacy. Fragrance brands that harness this potential will be at the forefront of a new intake on seduction stories with wellness at their core.

Source: This Works

This Works launched the Love Sleep Collection, a range of scented products to ‘reclaim the bedroom’, and help partners connect and improve intimacy and sleep.