To celebrate International Creativity and Innovation Day, we are thrilled to share one of our core areas of expertise with you, fragrance design. It combines creativity and innovation, and plays a fundamental role in achieving our objective of perfuming the world. Our in-house team of experts conduct extensive research and analysis, in
Creativity + Innovation: Two Fundamental Ingredients in Fragrance Design
novate using applied technology and perfumer expertise, and leverage our wide range of quality olfactory ingredients.
This all comes together in Eurofragance’s Sensolab, a laboratory where fragrances come to life through textures application and renewed formulations. Smell Me Founder Melina Napolitano sat down with Eurofragance’s Applications Manager Myriam Terés to discuss the work that takes place in the SensoLab.
Melina Napolitano: How does a liquid fragrance become an innovative product?
Myriam Terés: This is the objective of Sensolab – to propose and apply new textures for the perfume market; formats where the consumer can explore the fragrance with the senses. The purpose is to be able to make the invisible tangible, to make fragrances a lively feature in the product, and thus, become a source of inspiration for our customers.
We know that perfume is a source of pleasure and wellbeing, and that the choice of a fragrance is our olfactory code compared to others. Fragrance is a sensorial experience in itself, as it gives us the ability to transport our mind to any place, at any time. This type of experience sometimes requires all the senses to make it happen.
Sensolab tries to find new textures in which to present the perfume; solid textures, foams etc. This allows us to experience fragrances in different formats, that’s what we call innovation.
MN: What is the process of creating a fragrance?
MT: The first step is the design of the fragrance. The choice of the right ingredients, along with creativity, is in the hands of the perfumers. They know in depth which raw materials should be used for each type of application, and they also have great expertise in the broad olfactory palette.
Then, the fragrance designed by the perfumer, goes through the application area where a physical-chemical evaluation of the composition is conducted and the behavior of the application itself is studied (shower gel, body lotion, etc.).
Once these steps have been carried out, the evaluators sit with the fragrances and check that the fragrance application in the product continues to be successful. This is what is called a zero-time validated fragrance. Then, stability studies are carried out to check that the stability of the fragrance does not change over time until the final fragrance is reached.
MN: A fragrance could be in multiple formats, right?
MT: Yes! Have you ever experienced a powdered perfume? Well, fragrance in this format has a double function: one is to give off a scent and the other is to moisturize. This format for a fragrance makes it easy to carry with the added benefit of nourishing the skin.
But there are many more types of textures in fragrances…
Solid perfume is a perfumed balm that can be applied by fingertip. Not only does it require less water in its chemical composition and formulation, but it also weighs less as a finished product. This implies a more sustainable product life cycle. The solid perfume can be converted into a gel shampoo, bath, body lotion, and deodorant in stick format.
These textures arise from a new trend called waterless perfumes, which arises from the movement to protect our most important natural resource: water. Here, innovation manifests in the need to respond to a global crisis, and calls for improved sustainability.
Foam fragrances, one of the most popular formats, are presented in an airy, voluptuous texture that also serves a moisturizing function.
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Innovation is more than just a buzzword; Sensolab has no limits in its mission to exceed expectations. The goal is to continue inspiring customers and working on the creation of new ways to enjoy fragrances!
