Fragrance Moves Upstream as a Key Formulation Strategy

in-cosmetics Global 2026 will take place from 14-16 April at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France. Not yet registered? Sign up here. 

Fragrance has long been associated with emotion, memory and sensory pleasure. Yet in today’s personal care landscape, its role extends beyond simply “smelling good." As scent becomes an increasingly influential factor in personal care, consumer expectations are evolving. Mintel reports that 88% of U.K. consumers say scent itself matters more than the brand name, highlighting the critical role of fragrance quality, performance and experience.

Embedded within everyday formats such as foams, creams and serums, fragrance plays a critical role: masking raw material smells, shaping consumer perception of quality and contributing to the overall performance and credibility of a formulation.

As cosmetic formulations increasingly incorporate high-performing actives, bio-based ingredients and cleaner-label components, the need for effective odor masking has become more prominent. At the same time, fragrance must work alongside skin feel and formulation behavior—a balance that requires system-level thinking.

Fragrance Moves Upstream as Formulation Strategy

Rather than treating fragrance as a final touch, many suppliers advocate for considering scent earlier in formulation design. According to Thomas Cresswell, chief business officer at Melt&Marble, fragrance should be viewed as part of a broader formulation ecosystem.

He explains, “We see fragrance as part of a system rather than a standalone ingredient; the lipid phase plays a major role in how scent is released, perceived and experienced on skin.”

This system-level approach is particularly relevant as brands look to align fragrance performance with skin comfort and barrier support. Cresswell adds that certain lipid structures can support skin comfort and barrier function, “opening opportunities to align fragrance delivery with skin benefits rather than treating them separately.”

Texture Shapes Scent Performance Across Formats

Fragrance release and perception vary significantly across product textures. Foams, for example, tend to amplify top notes due to rapid air exposure and immediate sensory impact. While this can deliver an instant freshness cue, it also presents challenges in maintaining scent balance and longevity. 

Meanwhile, creams offer a richer lipid environment that can slow fragrance release and create a more lasting sensory experience. However, uneven release or scent “flattening” can happen if fragrance and carrier systems are not aligned.

Lightweight serums present a different challenge altogether. With low oil content and high amounts of sensitive actives, fragrance must be carefully controlled to avoid instability or interference with performance.

From a formulation perspective, these challenges are particularly evident in water-based systems. Daniel Coelho, global marketing manager for cosmetic solutions at Evonik, explains that solubilizing fragrance oils while maintaining clarity and stability is a recurring issue.

“In water-based systems, solubilizing fragrance oils can be challenging, especially when formulations need to remain both clear and stable,” he says. “Fragrances and the solubilizers used to incorporate them can also shift key parameters such as viscosity and, in some cases, the color of the formulation.”

Fragrance Shapes How Consumers Read Product Performance

Research and industry experience consistently show that fragrance strongly influences how consumers understand texture, quality and even product efficacy. Cresswell explains: “When scent, skin feel and formulation performance are aligned, the product experience feels more coherent and credible. The carrier system is key here, as it influences both sensory delivery and how the product behaves on skin.”

However, achieving this balance in a stable, scalable product remains a challenge. Coelho says that changes in fragrance dosage can influence multiple aspects of formulation at once. He explains: “One common hurdle is that fragrance can change the character of the formulation chassis; it may affect several physicochemical parameters at once, such as viscosity, foaming performance and overall stability.”

As a result, changing a fragrance is rarely a simple one-to-one substitution. Instead, it often requires greater formulation adjustments to maintain the intended sensory and performance profile.

In addition to technical difficulty, sustainability has also become a growing pressure shaping fragrance development. Clean label expectations, ingredient transparency and responsible sourcing are driving brands to rethink how fragrance is delivered in products, and how it interacts with skin.

Fragrance Moves Toward Functional Measurable Benefits

Precision technologies such as fermentation-designed lipids can offer new possibilities. By allowing more control over material design, as they enable formulators to adapt sensory performance while supporting more sustainable and skin-compatible formulations.

Cresswell highlights that “fragrance is becoming more intentional, there are stronger links to well-being, routine and skin compatibility. At the same time, sustainability and transparency are pushing brands to rethink not just what fragrance smells like, but how it’s delivered and how it interacts with skin.”

Looking ahead, Coelho expects fragrance to become more functional and evidence-led. He anticipates fragrance being positioned “almost like an active,” linked to measurable outcomes such as “stress reduction cues, relaxation routines and perceived skin comfort,” supported by stronger testing methods and clearer claims frameworks.

Fragrance Innovation Demands Cross Industry Collaboration: in-cosmetics Global 2026

As fragrance formulation becomes more complex, it is increasingly clear that no single part of the supply chain can solve these challenges alone. Progress lies in collaboration between ingredient suppliers, fragrance and flavor houses, and brands.

For Evonik, this means helping customers build more resilient formulation “chassis” that can withstand fragrance-driven stress on clarity, viscosity and stability. For Melt&Marble, the focus is on dialogue and partnerships at in-cosmetics Global 2026, engaging with formulators and fragrance experts to explore how next-generation lipids can support improved sensorial performance and better skin compatibility, as well as more sustainable formulations.

Spotlighting these conversations and connecting expertise across the supply chain is how in-cosmetics Global continues to shape how fragrance is designed, delivered and experienced.

New for 2026, the show’s Scent Bar, located within the Fragrance Zone, will transform fragrance into a multi-sensory, interactive experience connecting fragrance specialists and cosmetic formulators. Through immersive storytelling, sound and hands-on displays, it will demonstrate how fragrance can elevate consumer rituals, enhance product perception and support premiumization.

Ingredient innovators such as Melt&Marble, Evonik and 34 other exhibitors will join leading fragrance houses and suppliers in the Fragrance Zone and Scent Bar to explore how scent can be designed, delivered and optimized across formats, from foams and creams to advanced serums, with additional exhibitors located throughout the wider show floor.

To find out more about the new Scent Bar and the Fragrance Zone, visit the website here.