Fragrance Market Sales in 2024

The flame of the U.S. fragrance market sales continues to glow. However, the increased cost of living means consumers have less money to allocate for disposable household goods.

Fragrance marketers cater to audiences beyond businesses, home decorators and decor influencers. And advertisers must know where to reach their target markets.

For example, younger generations are beginning to account for more luxury market sales. However, they are also more suspicious about where their products come from.

Read more to find out how fragrance marketers can reach customers.

Trends in the Fragrance Market

Packaging plays a strong role in product presentation. All types of eye-​catching candles and perfume oil containers exist. Minimalist designs and reusable, sustainable packaging like glass containers may also appeal to those looking for quality products. 

However, the driving force behind the fragrance market category growth, by a nose, is scent. Consumers may use fragrances for leisure, such as to improve moods or for personal scent.

Besides using fragrances for leisure, consumers use these products in the home to mask unpleasant odors and more. Examples of fragrance combinations and their effects:

• Relaxing scents to unwind. Scents like chamomile and lavender promote a sense of serenity and calm.
• Vibrant fragrances that may energize and uplift. Ideal for consumers that want a sense of energy and productivity.
• Masculine scents often feature a rustic, textured finish, often used for leisure or perfume/​cologne.

Wellness collections are also popular among those buying fragrance items for leisure. Other collections that are popular with consumers include natural scents and ingredients. 

Popular Types of Fragrance Products

Add-​on items for these businesses include tech-​savvy devices like diffusers, wall plug-​ins and wax melting instruments, as well as:

• Room sprays
• Reed diffusers
• Fragrance sachets or potpourri
• Essential oils

In addition, consumers use wax melts inside or outside of the home. Wax melts left inside vehicles freshen interiors as the product continuously warms and cools.

The switch to wax melts from simmering oils is primarily driven by safety issues and the increase in consumer demand. 

Product Safety Concerns

Humans are regularly exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are found in cleaning products, paints, etc. 

However, there is increasing consumer concern regarding specific candle-​making ingredients like paraffin wax and fragrance materials due to VOCs. Therefore, consumers may use a variety of fragrance products other than candles due to health concerns.

Audiences for Fragrance Market Sales

Nearly all consumers have purchased these produces for obtain a desired scent. Therefore, producers must think about the target market each product is designed for. For example, advertisements for rustic fragrances often portray a masculine mood.

Younger consumers research their personal care products, such as fragrances. Note that Gen Z's usage of fragrances increased from 5% to 83% in 2022. 

End Uses for Fragrance Products

In addition to their aesthetic appeal or scent, candles and packaging have a practical purpose in home decor. Candles can also serve as a backup light source during power outages, ensuring a reliable source of illumination. 

Some brands are pitching do-​it-​yourself candle-​making to hobbyists, as well as those looking for relatively low-​effort crafts. For those interested in traditional candles, smaller formats appeal to consumers with less disposable income.

Advertising Ideas for Fragrance Market Sales

According to AudienceSCAN, home decorators are 11% more likely than the average U.S. adult to respond to CTAs from the sponsorships of events.

According to AdMall’s Event Marketing Intelligence, September is World Candle Month. The National Candle Association (NCA) uses the event to bring awareness to how candles enrich consumers’ daily lives. This is also an opportunity for businesses to educate consumers on product safety concerns.

Business collaborations are another way that the fragrance market increases brand awareness, Luke Nadolny, writing for the Kline, reports. These partnerships help fragrance marketers work with entities outside of their space.

Where Fragrance Consumers Shop

From a distribution standpoint, online sales continue to heat up as candle consumers forego the mall. Mintel reports that 39% of U.S. fragrance users purchased these products without smelling it, if it is advertised to be long-lasting.

Both mass and luxury marketers are educating consumers about fragrance with a variety of digital media like brand website tools.

Examples of potential media:

• PerfumeTok – Short-​form video content helps consumers optimize the use of their candles ("Learn to Burn" videos for candles)
• Interactive virtual website tool that assists consumers by finding the ideal fragrance and color based on their choices or customization
• Videos advertising or showing how to use a new, innovative or alternative aroma product

Remember the importance of advertising on consumer-​specific social media platforms. For example, Gen Z and millennials found TikTok to be the second-​most popular platform influencing purchases in 2022.

Find out about what motivates home decorators and related audiences to make fragrance market sales by using AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel.

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