Insight: The power of gender-neutral perfumes

Ever loved the smell of a perfume but been put off by its intense male or female-orientated marketing campaign? Well you’ll absolutely love what 2020 has to offer.

We’ve come to a point in society where gender is no longer a black and white concept. There are more ways than ever to express yourself and perfume is no exception. The borders between traditional male and female perfumes are blurring – opening up a world of opportunity for fragrance. 

Traditional Ingredients 

Fragrance families such as floral and fruity have traditionally be used in female fragrances. Apple, lavender, orange blossom and rose as well as more exotic scents like mango, papaya and Tahitian gardenia are all popular top notes in some of the most iconic perfumes. Many of our own classic scents including Colour Me Pink and No 12 Emilie feature these fragrant top and middle notes, creating beautifully light, sweet perfumes. 

However, we’re no longer bound by typical gender constraints and perfumers are starting to see the potential of stereotypical ingredients. In 2020, we’re starting to see many floral and fruity notes make their way into a range of men’s perfumes. One of our most popular men’s fragrances, No 9 Victor infuses juicy pineapple top notes on a heart of jasmine and rose to finely complement more traditional woody base notes. 

Wonderfully Neutral

In addition to the fluidity of the ingredients used in perfumes, 2020 will see a rise in gender-neutral perfumes, specifically blended to conform to neither male nor female ideals. We believe perfume should be enjoyed by everyone, no matter who they are, and so we’re extremely excited at the potential of this market. 

Blending together subtle fragrances from complementary families, we’ll see perfumes such as The Look take centre stage. By removing the gender label, perfumers can begin to focus solely on new fragrance combinations that uplift any wearer. Similar to trends of the fashion and beauty industries, the next generation are removing the boundaries placed upon them by gendered fragrances, pushing for perfumes that put the power of scent first, and marketing second. 

As Francis Kurkdijan once said: “Perfume is the art that makes memory speak.” It’s about creating an identity for yourself, not just conforming to one given to you.