MORE THAN A NICE SCENT!
Newsletter No.43
13.03.25
Welcome Video:
Welcome to the 43rd edition of the More Than A Nice Scent
Hello fragrance buddy!
Let’s talk about what comes next in perfumery.
Just like clarity replaces chaos, Emotional Fragrance Design is quickly emerging as the new standard, and this mini-trend report proves it.
Ready to discover how this emotional approach is reshaping fragrance and your experience of scent? Read this edition’s featured essay to find out. Enjoy!
Warm Regards,
Scott
Listen here for the audio version of this edition's sneak peek:
This edition's feature essay:
Mini-Trend Report: Why Perfume’s Rules Just Changed
The fragrance industry has been stuck in the past - until now.
For the past two years, I’ve been writing my book on Emotional Fragrance Design (EFD). What started as a jumble of ideas is finally taking shape. And as I near the finish line, I’m noticing something remarkable.
The industry is shifting.
When I started, I was stuck in the same routine as everyone else. Mixing scents based on vague fragrance briefs. Make it fresh. Make it sporty. Make it mass-appeal. So I did. But, something felt... missing. I remember staring a another bottle I'd just created. Yes, it smelled good. But would it matter? Would anyone remember it tomorrow?
I didn’t have the words for it then, but I felt them. The frustration. The disconnect. The sense that fragrance had more potential than just smelling nice.
Then, one day, it clicked: Fragrance isn’t about notes. It’s about emotions.
That realization started as a quiet shift in my own work. But now, I see it everywhere. Brands are rethinking their approach. Brands are changing how they think. Consumers want more. Perfume isn’t just a luxury anymore—it’s a way to express yourself, build confidence, and even heal.
This shift isn't just happening. As you'll see clearly in this mini-trend report, it's accelerating - quickly.
And what comes next might surprise you even more.
Emotions Over Ingredients
Some of the latest fragrances prove the core idea of EFD: we don’t fall in love with notes. We fall in love with how they make us feel.
Case in point? The viral explosion of Phlur’s Missing Person. Soft musk, sheer florals, and a touch of warmth. Nothing groundbreaking on paper. But a single emotional TikTok review “It smells like someone you love and miss” triggered a waitlist of more than 200,000 people.
Why? Because this fragrance tapped directly into a powerful emotional truth: we crave scents that connect with our deepest feelings - like comfort and nostalgia, or even longing. This emotional approach is what sets EFD apart. It turns perfume into something much more valuable: a personal experience, not just another pretty smell.
Fun Exercise: Find Your Emotional Fingerprint
Inspired by IFF’s insightful Mood Mapping technique, here’s a quick exercise you can do right now:
Grab a sheet of paper and sketch four quadrants labeled:
- Energizing – Scents that wake you up and keep you sharp.
- Uplifting – Scents that boost your mood and make you smile.
- Calming – Scents that relax you and ease tension.
- Sensual – Scents that spark intimacy and connection.
Next, place your favorite perfumes into these quadrants based purely on how they make you feel. Maybe your go-to work scent goes in "energizing," while your nighttime favorite feels deeply calming. Or maybe you’re surprised by how many scents cluster around comfort or confidence.
Congratulations! You've just discovered a simplified version of your Emotional Fingerprint, a powerful EFD tool that reveals why certain fragrances resonate deeply with you while others fade quickly.
Give it a try, and let me know your results in the comments below.
And here’s where it gets even more interesting: This is just scratching the surface.
Sneak Preview: In my upcoming book, More Than A Nice Scent, I’ll share an even simpler, more powerful exercise. No charts required. A method that’ll completely transform how you think, talk about, and even design fragrances.
From Marketing Stories to Emotional Truths
Why do some perfumes go viral while others flop?
For years, brands sold perfumes like they were selling a fantasy, “Be sexy. Be powerful. Be effortlessly cool, just like this Hollywood star.” But consumers are tired of the illusion. We don’t want a fantasy. We want a fragrance that feels like us.
That’s exactly why Marc Jacobs’ Perfect became such a hit. Instead of selling an unrealistic ideal, it delivered a simple but powerful message: “You’re already perfect as you are.” People connected with that instantly.
TRY THIS: Reframe a Fragrance You Love
Grab a scent you adore and write two descriptions:
- The traditional marketing version (e.g., “A blend of jasmine and vanilla for the confident woman.”)
- The emotional truth (e.g., “This feels like a hug from my best friend.”)
Which one speaks to you more?
That’s the power of authenticity in fragrance. When a scent resonates with who we are. Not just who we’re told to be, it becomes more than just perfume. It becomes personal.
Decoding a Viral Fragrance
Not every fragrance that goes viral is a gimmick. Sometimes, a scent catches fire because it taps into something deeper - a collective emotional need we didn’t even know we had.
That’s exactly what happened with Matcha Meditation by Maison Margiela. When it launched, it didn’t just sell well - it connected. Suddenly, TikTok was full of people describing how it made them feel: calm, centered, like a peaceful pause in the middle of a crazy day.
If we break it down using EFD, we can see exactly why this fragrance touched peoples's hearts.
The EFD Analysis:
Every successful fragrance connects with its wearer on an emotional level. The strongest ones do it with intention.
- Persona – This scent speaks to the mindful individual. Someone who values self-care, small rituals, and moments of stillness in a busy world.
- Motivation – Matcha Meditation isn’t designed to turn heads or make a bold statement. Instead, it’s a fragrance for yourself. A personal sanctuary in a bottle.
- Emotional State – The goal isn’t to escape reality but to feel fully present. It creates a sense of peaceful clarity. Alert, calm, engaged, and at ease.
- Scent Architecture – Every note plays a role in shaping this emotional experience:
- Matcha’s slightly bitter, earthy green tones sharpen focus without feeling harsh.
- Creamy white chocolate adds comfort, like a warm cup of tea in your hands.
- Cedarwood grounds the scent, keeping it from becoming too light or fleeting.
No wonder this fragrance caught on so fast. It wasn’t just another nice scent. It was an invitation to pause, breathe, and be present.
How to Apply This to Any Fragrance You Love
Try this with your own favorite fragrance. Instead of just thinking I like it or I don’t, ask yourself:
- Who is this fragrance speaking to?
- Why do I wan this perfume?
- How does it make me feel? (Emotional State)
- How do the notes work together to create that effect?
Once you start seeing fragrance this way, everything changes. Suddenly, perfume isn’t just about smelling nice - it’s about crafting an emotional experience. And when you understand that, you can start designing scents that truly matter.
Why This Matters - And What’s Next
Here’s why this matters so much to me - and why I believe it should matter to you, too.
Fragrance isn’t just something you wear - it’s something you feel.
Whether you're a fragrance lover with dozens of scents on your shelf, an aspiring perfumer trying to craft something truly special, or a professional who’s been in the industry for years, EFD offers something that’s been missing for far too long: meaning.
When fragrance becomes about emotions instead of just ingredients, something powerful happens. It stops being just another luxury product or a status symbol. It becomes personal. It becomes a trusted friend. Boosting your confidence, comforting you in stressful moments, and helping you express who you truly are. In other words, fragrance stops being just a scent and becomes something deeply personal.
- If you’re an lover, EFD helps you build a fragrance wardrobe that reflects your emotions, not just trends.
- If you’re a perfumer, it gives you a better way to create fragrances that aren’t just nice but meaningful.
- If you’re in the industry, embracing EFD means making perfumes that truly connect - fragrances people buy again and again, because they feel like them.
This is the future of fragrance. And it’s exactly what my upcoming book, More Than A Nice Scent, is all about.
Inside, you’ll get the full framework. Practical tools, simple mindset shifts, and a method so obvious, you’ll wonder how you ever thought about fragrance any other way.
Because perfume isn’t about smelling nice. It’s about feeling like you.
And once you see and feel fragrance this way, you’ll never go back.
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Let me know what's on your mind below:
This is a great exercise. I fall in love with how a fragrance makes me feel and it creates a lovely fantasy. I am so looking forward to the book. Will it be a digital book or printed option as well?