Consumers Finding Fragrance Outside of Fine Fragrance

Nine out of ten women in the U.S. use a scented personal product, and the majority of fine fragrance users also use some type of scented body product, according to the 2014 Women’s FragranceTrack Report from The NPD Group.

Very few women use only fine fragrances. Nearly 60% of women, age 16 and up, currently use a fine fragrance juice as well as a scented body product. This is a true statement for most women, regardless of their age or race. However, about one-third of women, across all demographic groups, only use a scented body product.

“The wide usage of scented products in the U.S. is an outstanding opportunity for the fragrance industry; the fact that so many women are using more than one type of scented product indicates that the fragrance industry’s audience has a variety of scent needs and desires that they are looking to fulfill,” said Karen Grant, vice president and global beauty industry analyst, The NPD Group. “The scent preferences of yesterday are not the same today. Understanding how fine fragrance now coexist with, and complement, personal ancillaries will help create new and exciting ways to engage the consumer.”

Among personal ancillaries, scented body lotions are most commonly worn at the same time as fine fragrance juices, followed by scented hair mists and body sprays. Almost 20% of women who use body spray or scented hair mist report they’d be willing to pay more than $16 for the product. While this may sound like a relatively small segment of the market, women who also use a fine fragrance are willing to pay more on average for their ancillary products. Interestingly, the demographic profiles of fine fragrance users and scented body product users are almost identical. These statements suggest a growth opportunity that exists for the fine fragrance industry among their existing target market.

“Understanding the dynamics behind the desired scent experiences of today’s female fragrance consumer, and their related purchase behaviors, is necessary for the business to evolve and grow as the consumer does,” added Grant. “The fine fragrance market can expand their loyal customer base through new, complementary products and messaging.”

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