With youngsters and young at heart increasingly being exposed to body beautiful imagery the tilt towards accessorised grooming is growing. The supply side has kept pace with the changing trends and perfumery has become economical and widespread.
Historically, perfumes were only for the royals, because their extraction and distillation are extremely expensive. From being a royal indulgence to now being ubiquitous enough to be available in tiny bottles as ittar, deodorants and other value for money fragrances, the Indian perfume tradition has come a long way.
The online perfume shopping pie takes only 7 per cent share currently as experimentation oriented usage needs actual interaction.
How does one capture the scent of India
Despite India’s aromatic heritage, developing a fragrance for retail is a complex, long-drawn and expensive process
How does one capture the scent of India? What does a city smell like, and how different is the smell of Delhi from Goa? How does one capture memories in a bottle? These are the preoccupations of a new breed of Indian perfumers, who are breaking stereotypes and trying to raise the bar for Indian fragrances.
Considering this landscape, perception and scale are two of the biggest challenges a new perfume house faces in India. Being an independent perfumery also means developing strong persuasion skills to convince retail outlets to stand up to market leaders and share shelf space. Limited marketing budgets are a further obstacle, as extra efforts are needed to find the right consumer and make them aware of the product.
Tips on how to choose the right perfume and right ways to wear perfume
- Always keep in mind the scent that makes you happy
- Know your skin type
- Don’t confuse your nose
- Learn the lingo
- Decide on a price point.
- Don’t wear scents when going shopping
- Only test six fragrances each trip
