RIP celebrity skincare: the celebrity fragrance revival is upon us
So what have we learned since its hey-day? I have notes
It was only a matter of time, really. Now that we’ve grown weary of celebrity skincare, makeup and haircare lines, anyone with an audience to leverage for financial gain has begun eyeing off the booming fragrance category.
As reported by The Washington Post, fragrance is now the fastest-growing category in the prestige beauty sector, with sales up 13 percent in the first quarter of this year. According to market research firm Circana, annual sales in the US alone are projected to hit US$9 billion by 2026.
In a cost of living crisis, it seems we’re spending more on luxury fragrances than ever before – so naturally, a lot of celebrities want in. Some recent olfactory entrants include Sabrina Carpenter, Troye Sivan with Tsu Lange Yor, Bella Hadid with Orebella, and Beyoncé with Cé Noir.
Of course it’s not as if the concept of a celebrity fragrances is entirely new – particularly not to the likes of Beyoncé, who holds the title of the highest-selling celebrity perfume of all time with 2010’s Heat – but the context has completely changed.
Stars have been promoting perfume for decades, but the celebrity fragrance trend really kicked off when Elizabeth Taylor collaborated with Elizabeth Arden on White Diamonds in 1991.
Back then, supermodels lent their faces to the biggest designer scents – hello, any CK scent ever – but partnerships such as Taylor’s marketed the fragrance itself as an extension of the celebrity; a signature scent rather than just paid campaign participation.
The mid-to-late 00s was really the peak period for the stardom-to-fragrance-purveyor pipeline, and I have vivid memories from that era. It was a given that I’d get a new celebrity perfume for Xmas, which usually timed well with each ‘remix’ release (got Britney Spears’ Fantasy? You’ll love Midnight Fantasy! At least until next year, when you’ll love Hidden Fantasy!).
Such a time was also synonymous with glossy magazines, which ran full-page pull-out ads where you could peel the paper back to preview M by Mariah Carey (are those ads still around?). It also wasn’t uncommon to see celebrities make the trek to Australia in their off-season, touring with a retailer to spruik their scents in suburban shopping centres.
The nostalgia that hits with a single inhale of Katy Perry’s Purr is powerful enough to send me right back to that time; I can immediately see the sales assistant unlocking the perfume cabinet at Chemist Warehouse, where I would revel in the crackle of fresh plastic-wrap from a heavily-discounted assault on the nostrils.
I know, I’m judging me too. But we had far less access to celebrities at the time, so buying a perfume that purports to be worn by your current fave popstar felt like an affordable gateway into their lifestyle. Essentially, it was the beauty version of merch, a way to both seek and symbolise connection with an A-lister and what they represented.
Quick side quest re: the merch concept – did you know that one of the most memorable celebrity scents of all-time, Glow by J.Lo, was actually a promotional afterthought? Jennifer Lopez launched the scent in 1998 to accompany her ill-fated (but extremely iconic) clothing line, JLo by Jennifer Lopez. It would go on to generate sales upwards of US$300 million in its first year alone. The fashion range, on the other hand, flopped almost immediately.
Celebrity perfumes tended to come about via licensing deals, where a company would create a fragrance that someone with star-power would willingly slap their name on. Realistically, their first encounter with the actual scent could’ve been the same day that they posed for the (historically indelible) ad campaign.
Then there was the weird moment when teen male pop sensations like Justin Bieber and One Direction also got in on the action and started capitalising on their young female fanbases by releasing fragrances positioned as what they’d ‘want their dream girl to smell like’. Hmmm…
It wasn’t always convincing, but it was extremely lucrative for a significant chunk of Hollywood. For some, that initial interest has been sustained over two decades – Paris Hilton is on to her 30th fragrance (Love Rush) while Sarah Jessica Parker hit her 21st this year (A Lovely Summer). With only a few tweaks to the OG blends, it sounds like some simply discovered a great grift gift for churning out olfactory hits.
In general, however, the landscape for a licensed celebrity fragrance line has shifted in 2024. Interest in such perfumes remains, but its much more modest compared to its hey-day. The ones that do well tend to involve celebs with a young, extremely dedicated fanbase that enjoy pocket-money-friendly fragrance.
Ariana Grande is an interesting example. The singer has achieved insane success through her fragrance deal with Luxe Brands, which describes its duties as “understanding the DNA of each celebrity, designer or lifestyle brand to develop authentic products that inspire consumers” (a premise that definitely sounds both authentic and inspiring lol).
But hey, it’s definitely worked for them! According to Vogue, Grande’s fragrances are now a billion-dollar empire. It’s not crazy to suggest that Grande makes more money from her licensed fragrance than the makeup brand that she actually owns, r.e.m. beauty.
Her fanbase is definitely a source of support, but her affordably priced and widely accessible scents are also appealing to those who love luxury scents, but don’t have the budget. Several of her fragrances have gone viral on #ScentTok as ‘dupes’ for high-end fragrance houses, which invites a broader customer base that wouldn’t necessarily identify as Ariana Grande stans.
These days though, celebrities are also now far less monolithic in pop culture and their sense of mystique has been significantly dissolved by social media. We’ve become sceptical about lifestyle products that are peddled by celebrities, and as such we’re less inclined to spend our money on a perfume that looks suspiciously like an ill-conceived cash-grab.
Perceived authenticity is absolutely vital for a celeb-led brand to take off, which is why most of them tend to hold at least part-ownership of their companies. In an extremely oversaturated space with a lot of contenders, it’s become about building out a brand, rather than a singular flash-in-the-pan product.
Niche fragrance houses are starting to beat out the bigger beauty companies that have long led the category (at least until they acquire them ie. Le Labo, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Byredo). We’ve got a better appreciation for the quiet luxury that comes with a high-quality scent, opting for compositions with interesting ingredients created by master noses.
The affordable price point of a celeb scent is also less enticing, as we’ve now got the likes of Sol de Janeiro and Who Is Elijah to cater to the more cost-conscious. We now seek individuality, at least in a performative sense. Do we all still want to smell like a celebrity? I’m far more likely to pick up a perfume recommended by a stylish random from my FYP.
I’m interested to see whose fragrance endeavours are *ahem* long-lasting, but we’ve officially gone full-circle on celebrity beauty. There’s little doubt that seeking enduring success in the current climate will require more than an olfactory image exercise, and as with any celebrity beauty brand, there will be those that do it better than others.
Bella Hadid’s Orebella? I’m unconvinced. While I adore her style, her vibe and her well-documented cowgirl pivot, the branding and formulation strategy has felt a little confused thus far (for further on this, I loved Eyewitness Beauty’s discussion around the launch.) Do we need ‘skin-hydrating’ scents for our wrists? TBC.
I do feel that Tsu Lange Yor (a Yiddish toast meaning “to long years”) is one to watch, which is a joint venture between Troye Sivan and his brother Steele. The singer is wielding his celeb status with tact, and the pair look to be taking a considered approach to the lifestyle category with their retail partnerships both here and overseas. Plus, the range of fragrances, candles and home accessories are actually really elevated and covetable.
And on that note…
Good Gets: Fragrances Edit
Tsu Lange Yor Sassafras Candle, $105 at MECCA
Outing my inherent bias on this one because I actually grew up in the Dandenong Ranges, beneath the same lush rainforest canopy that houses the tiny township of Sassafras – the scent’s namesake. Taking a match to this hand-poured blend of woods, warm spice and leather stokes core memories from my childhood, traipsing through wet ferns that swept dampness through my every layer, which were then stripped off in front of a blazing fire. Jesus, that reads like an obnoxious fragrance description if I’ve ever heard one, but it’s just… really, really nice (and yes, nostalgic for me).
Dries Van Noten Santal Greenery Eau de Parfum, $485 for 100ml at MECCA
Dries Van Noten’s beauty line landed at MECCA today, and I swear you’ll be catching a waft of these fragrances on all your most stylish friends come summer. The bottles are achingly chic, but the explorative range of scents is even better. This is my pick because I’m a sucker for both santal and fig, but Rock The Myrhh and Raving Rose are close behind. It’s a high price, but apparently a lot of us are down to part with that kinda cash. If that’s you, get in store to spritz them all before #PerfumeTok cottons on.
Also, this: Le Labo’s City Exclusives are back
The cult fragrance purveyor is renowned for its special edition line which features scents inspired by different international cities. Most of the time, the City Exclusives are quite literally exclusive to each city and can only be shopped at its local Le Labo store. The brand is incredibly strict about this being a unique experience, with each fragrance only available in the city it was created for, with no phone orders or online sales permitted.
It’s made purchasing a City Exclusive scent a momentous occasion for travellers, who can take a spritz of the city home with them in their suitcase. It’s only available globally for one month every year in select retailers, so head to a Le Labo store in September to find your new favourite. I think I’m gonna be basic and get the viral Gaiac 10 (Tokyo) this time, but I also love and always get compliments when I wear Mousse De Chene 30 (Amsterdam) and Tabac 28 (Miami).
Love this, and obsessed with catching wafts of my new Raving Rose scent 🫶