I’m always looking to get the most bang for my buck out of my purchases. I want to get the full value out of what I’ve bought, whether it’s a body wash with a delicious smell and hydrating ingredients or a new coffee flavor with added caffeine and a caramel flavor. Sometimes more is more, and we want our products to give us more of an experience.
WIth every trend report I’ve read this year, the term “sensorial experience” appears. Consumers want all five of their senses to be activated with their purchases. Aspects like scent, texture and sound are becoming more and more appealing. We’re in an era of maximalism; why can’t I have a candle with a gourmand scent that also helps me relax at the end of a long day?
Flavor and fragrance developers have embraced this more-is-more mentality, and we’re seeing so many new product launches that reflect the demand for sensory stimulation. They are finding ways to get more value out of these products and create functional formulations. For this month’s issue, I did a deep-dive into neuroscience-informed fragrance tech and learned about how to use scent as a way to regulate emotion. Perfumers are using neuroscientific research to make intentional formulations that not only smell good but provide an added functional benefit.
Consumers are asking their products to do more for them because, let’s face it, value is still a key concern. Disposable income is limited, and they don’t want to spend money on anything too superfluous. Several major companies have seen dips in their sales this year for this exact reason. So that’s why it’s important to look at this concept of value and maximize what can be packed into that product.
And it’s not just limited to the fragrance category. Flavorists are working on incorporating functional ingredients and adaptogens into their formulations as well. Specifically, the beverage category is seeing constant innovation and new product releases with functional claims. I’ll be curious to see how other categories will come up to speed with this trend. Maybe we’ll see potato chips that help with sleep or ice cream to reduce stress.
I’m certainly not immune to the functional ingredient trend; I will try a perfume mist that claims to boost mood or a new beverage with calming properties. If I can kill two birds with one stone, that seems like a good deal to me.
