Personal Care

The origins of skincare

It’s a well-known fact that Egyptians were among the first to use perfumes. Many studies reveal that Cleopatra used to bathe in a milk and honey concoction, and used flowers and other aromatic ingredients as a way of applying perfume. According to many sources, Egyptians were also among the first people to have a skincare routine. They exfoliated their skin using small stones, sand, or salt. Both men and women used oils and ointments to hydrate, clean, and soften their skin.

In the 2010s, skincare took centre stage, boosted by international trends such as K-Beauty and J-Beauty, and the influence of social media platforms. Hundreds of new brands were introduced to the market, each one offering tailored solutions for both men and women and all different skin types.

While their main purpose remains, cleansers, exfoliants, moisturising creams, and serums are now enhanced with additives such as vitamins, and specialty ingredients such as retinol, peptides, and ceramides. For many, their skincare routine has become a weekly or even daily ritual, as important as haircare or body care.

The importance of fragrances in cosmetics and skincare products

Although the fragrance content in cosmetics and skin care products is relatively low compared to other applications, their role remains important. Fragrances can provide a specific sensation such as freshness or prestige, or simply make the whole experience memorable. By adding neuroscience techniques such as Iberchem’s Wavemotion program, they can even be used to provoke specific positive emotions.

Fragrances can also help mask any unpleasant smells coming from other ingredients, making the product more enjoyable to use. This is even more true with natural cosmetics and skincare products. Over time, the integrity of natural ingredients tends to degrade, especially when the packaging isn’t hermetically sealed (in jars, bottles, etc.)  or when it’s transparent and let light in. Such conditions can result in a change in the product’s natural smell, which might become rather unpleasant. Therefore, you can use fragrances to mask these odours and make your product enjoyable for the consumer.

Why it’s important to choose the right fragrance for body care products

According to Mintel, 67% of consumers ranked scent as the most important attribute when buying a liquid body wash. As for hair care, 42% of US consumers choose a shampoo or conditioner because of its fragrance. This is why it’s important to carefully select scents that are appropriate for your market and audience.

Choosing the right fragrance for your body care product is more than just a matter of adding a scent; it can help deliver different sensations such as freshness or cleanliness. Thanks to our neuroscience scent research program Wavemotion®, you can also add scientifically valid emotion-centred claims to your product. In today’s fast-paced world, customers are paying more and more attention to claims regarding wellness and well-being. According to Mintel, wellness has become one of the most decisive influences in the beauty industry, and their research shows that “40% of consumers believe in the ability of fragrances to enhance emotional well-being.”

At Iberchem, thanks to the insights of our marketing team, our team of perfumers and fragrance experts have a broad knowledge of the different olfactory preferences in over 120 countries. We rely on an extensive range of global business intelligence, market research data, and analysis tools to collect the latest trends and information. No matter if your interests are global, regional, or local, our teams can offer targeted insights and understanding regarding industries, applications, and consumers.

Fragrances for beauty care products around the world

Just like with flavours and cuisines, tastes in fragrances vary greatly depending on the country and even from one region to another. For instance, in Latin America, consumers tend to prefer fruity fragrances with citric top notes, as feeling fresh is key in these countries where heat and humidity can take their toll.

Choosing the right fragrance for your hair care product

There are so many factors to take into account when choosing a fragrance for a new hair care product. From market trends to performance sensation, it can be easy to get lost in the infinite array of scent combinations on the market. In a world where only your imagination is the limit, you can count on the expertise of our teams of experts to create a new scent for your shampoo, conditioner, or leave-in conditioner, or even for your hair mask and hair serum.

Many different factors need to be taken into account to create the perfect fragrance for hair care products such as shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, hair masks, or even a hair mist. This is why, here at Iberchem, we offer our customers the chance to work closely with our perfumers and marketing and fragrance application experts to create tailor-made solutions adapted to your needs and your targeted audience.

Whether you have an idea in mind, or you’d prefer our selection specialists to guide you through our extensive fragrance library, we’ll be delighted to help you find the right scent, from fruity to floral, or from herbal to fantasy.

A short history of shampoos and fragrances

Although people used to scent their hair with infusions and incense, fragranced shampoo as we now know it first appeared at the very end of the 19^th century. In 1889, a Berlin chemist named Hans Schwarzkopf opened a perfume store where he also sold different types of hair care products, including a water-soluble dry shampoo. Thirty years later, Schwarzkopf finally created the first liquid shampoo. Since then, fragrances have remained important in shampoos and hair care products as they contribute to the consumer experience and represent a unique way for brands to set themselves apart from their competitors.

These days, with all the advances in chemistry, it’s possible to find a shampoo for every hair type, and with targeted benefits. Even though fruity and floral scents remain highly popular, new fragrances with different and unique profiles are gaining in popularity. Brands now also feature premium scents, reflecting fine perfumery trends for those looking for a more high-end experience. Many niche fragrance brands also adapt the scents of their perfumes to new applications such as shampoos, conditioners, candles, and hand soap.