Transportive scents and fragrance trends inspired by the Mediterranean

With consumers looking for uplifting sensory experiences from their beauty products, 2021 fragrance trends are embracing all that is wonderful and pleasurable. We spoke to Adam Owen of o6 Agencies to find out more about their take on this year’s trends and how the company is managing distribution challenges brought about by COVID-19.

Fragrance trends for 2021 will see a comeback of vintage plants with age-old virtues. More than ever, the world is focused on living a life of being real. Enjoying the pleasures of family and friends, eating healthy and connecting with the amazing nature around us, as all these influence our wellbeing and beauty.

Consumers are looking for products that embrace natural vitality, sensual earthiness and authentic age-old traditions. Fragrances that communicate an easy-going, healthy and passionate lifestyle, which connect with a joyful mood and positive energy.

Fragrance ingredients from o6 Agencies are positioned to translate attraction, with vibrant, lush tropical ingredients and seductive scents that enhance the sensual side of products. It is all about reconnecting with your body through rich embracing creams, tingling gels and reactive product formulas that respond to the senses when applied. To make the skin care regime a wonderful and pleasurable experience, o6 Agencies offers fragrances that fit product concepts aimed at giving consumers an unrivalled sensory experience.

"We have re-worked our ‘staple’ scent offering to include bolder, more pronounced and refined notes"

SUB-TROPICAL SCENTS

“We have drawn inspiration from the Mediterranean,” says Adam Owen of o6 Agencies. “Under the warm sun and crisp ocean breeze, Mediterranean nature offers a fantastic choice of natural and healthy ingredients. Sundried vegetables, mouth-watering fruits, natural oils and a beautiful selection of herbs and spices drive the desire to lead a healthier way of life, inspired by the revival of age-old ingredients known for their specific virtues.”

Revitalising citrus aromatics, Spanish lime, olive leaf, thyme, mint and fennel are key areas of Mediterranean nature where the fragrances are focused. Other elements include caper extract, carob bean and Sicilian blood orange. These ingredients conjure up memories of a Mediterranean summer of days gone by.

Bright floral blends of orange blossom and jasmine, combined with creamy nuances of coconut and milky sandalwood, soft vanilla and hints of dry woody notes, allow consumers to escape to sundrenched destinations.

Superior home fragrances

As more people are working remotely and no longer in massive office buildings, Owen anticipates the demand for sophisticated air care scents will increase.

“Smell can motivate us, stimulate our minds, invigorate us and help us to relax. Working from home in a more relaxed and comfortable environment will call for the need to separate the work space from our living and family spaces,” he explains. “Having fragrance diffusers with notes of vibrant spearmint, lime and citrus blends in our work spaces will help to keep focused and inspired. In family areas, homely scent diffusers fragranced with notes of dried coconut, milky fruity tones of sliced pear and sparkling peachy notes will be effective, while calming lavender, sage and chamomile fragrances diffusing in the bedroom will contribute to better separating work life from family life in the home space.”

Supply chain and stock improvements

Global shipping constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have and are continuing to cause unforeseen delays both at the ports of dispatch, as well as when shipments arrive at local ports of entry.

Now more than ever, o6 Agencies is working more closely with its customers’ planning and forecasting teams. Holding larger quantities of customer-specific fragrance stocks locally, better ensures that shipping delays do not affect the ability of its customers to manufacture their products timeously.

“This has driven us to increase the number of general wash-off and leave on standard fragrance variants we can offer ad-hoc. Fragrances such as apple, peach, strawberry and lavender are staples used by almost all manufacturers. However, to differentiate ourselves, apart from expanding on these ‘general’ fragrances to include more sophisticated and product specific locally-stocked options, we have re-worked our ‘staple’ scent offering to include bolder, more pronounced and refined notes,” says Owen. “Because we want our general-use fragrances to still offer body and modern fusions.”

o6 Agencies has also expanded its distribution network with a warehousing facility in Durban, KZN, which will include a fine fragrance small pack division of Ross & Foxwell. Being fully operational and holding customers stock out of Johannesburg, Cape Town and now Durban means the company is better equipped to ensure seamless and speedy supply of all orders. It is also in a better position to cater to its customers’ needs and demands. •

o6 Agencies – www.o6southafrica.com