Perfume enthusiasts know the feeling when they finish their favorite perfume and they go back to get another bottle, only to be heartbroken when they realize that the newly purchased fragrance is no longer the same fragrance they knew and loved or even worse, has been discontinued and taken off the shelves for good. The former case is likely that the perfume has been the recent subject of a reformulation.
So why do these reformulations happen? What happens to a fragrance after it gets reformulated, and the big question that everyone has on their minds, does a reformulation necessarily mean that the fragrance gets worse? We will dive into each of these questions and hopefully understand why our beloved perfumes must undergo these changes.
What is Reformulation and Why Does it Happen?
Reformulation of a perfume occurs when the perfume house decides that the current formulation for a particular perfume is not satisfactory, thus the formula needs to be changed to adhere to the needs of the consumers, the company, and regulations.
Some reasons for reformulation include:
-
Change in Industry Regulations
One of the primary changes for reformulations, perfumes use a myriad of natural and synthetic ingredients that are subject to approval by IFRA, the International Fragrance Association. Recent waves in environmental consciousness and animal rights activism have resulted in a general phasing out of animal-based fragrances such as natural musk in favor of synthetic musks. However, synthetic ingredients are not entirely safe either. Some synthetic ingredients are so innovative that there is still ongoing research to fully understand their properties and effects on humans. These new molecules are often created to boost perfume performance at a low dosage, thus after passing the necessary safety checks, these ingredients are introduced to commercial products, usually in doses totaling less than 10% of the overall product. This means that while further studies continue to ensure their safety, they are already enhancing the fragrances in human products.
Hence, it is only much later when new research comes out proving that these synthetic ingredients may have harmful effects on humans or when animal rights come into question, that IFRA updates its safety regulations and implements a ban on the fragrance, forcing perfume companies to reformulate.
-
Ingredient Availability and Quality
Many fragrance houses still pride themselves and are reliant on using natural ingredients in their fragrances. Thus perfume formulations may be dependent on crop quality and harvest. If a crop harvest is bad or not up to standard, perfume houses have three options: first is to bite the bullet and buy from a more expensive source, the second is to stick to the same producer and salvage the crop, and the third is to substitute the ingredient with something that smells similar. All three options will result in the fragrance changing to some extent and in the final case, could even require reformulation.
Another factor in ingredient availability lies in unforeseen circumstances impacting the supply chain. For example, natural disasters, factory fires, or even piracy when the ingredients are being shipped across the ocean are possible incidents that would put a halt in the supply chain of these raw ingredients. Thus the ingredient becomes more scarce despite the constantly growing demand, causing ingredient prices to skyrocket and forcing perfumers to absorb the costs or reformulate.
-
Cut Costs
Sometimes, when companies try to increase their profit margins, they may turn to reformulation, swapping out expensive ingredients for cheaper substitutes to bring down the overall manufacturing cost.
-
Improve Public Reception and Quality
Reformulations may also be done due to poor feedback from the public on a fragrance. To improve public reception, fragrance houses may reformulate to improve the fragrance by improving the sillage, lasting power, or overall accord. Instead of cutting costs, some brands may even opt for ingredients that are of better quality and thus more expensive in their reformulations. This may be due to the fragrance house’s integrity and desire to select ingredients that align with its brand’s standards and values.
For example, Scent Journer’s very own ‘The Blooming Jewel’ was recently reformulated to no longer include Lilial, a synthetic aldehyde, and use more upcycled ingredients. Lilial was recently banned in 2022 following research that proved it to be harmful to fertility. This was a blow to the perfume industry as Lilial had been prized as one of the favored substitutes for the original chemical fragrance compound that mimics the scent of lily of the valley flowers, Hydroxycitronella. Lilial was inexpensive and very high-performing as a fragrance, thus it was used in large quantities in fragrances to attain that light, floral iconic lily of the valley fragrance. When news of its ban came out and reformulations were inevitable, many perfume houses had no choice but to use more costly alternatives.
Here at Scent Journer, we prioritise our fragrance’s quality, and safety above all else, thus our perfumes will always be aligned with IFRA’s standards so you can use your Scent Journer perfumes every day with peace of mind. As sustainability is another key value we pride ourselves on, we took the opportunity to reformulate ‘The Blooming Jewel’ with more sustainably sourced and upcycled ingredients and overall improve the quality of our fragrance. In the end, our final reformulated fragrance cost more than the original fragrance, however, this is not a compromiseable aspect for our brand and its fragrances and hence a needed and worthy investment.
Sustainability and Consumer Trust
In our commitment to sustainability, Scent Journer strives to be transparent about fragrance reformulation, ensuring that any changes align with our values and benefit our customers and the environment. We value your trust and aim to exceed your expectations with each reformulated perfume.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, while perfume reformulations can be disheartening, they are not the end of the world and they do not necessarily mean that the fragrance will be cheapened or become worse. In addition, understanding why these reformulations happen, due to regulatory changes, ingredient availability, and otherwise may offer some comfort. For perfume enthusiasts, it may mean keeping your mind open to these changes as the scent evolves or exploring other perfumes if the reformulations just aren’t your cup of tea. Fragrance is a journey, so be sure to keep your mind open and on the lookout for your next signature scent.
