Vegan, gender-less and perfumes with added benefits, this is what 2018 is going to smell like

Scooch over celebrity perfumes as the hottest new trend in fragrances for 2018 is vegan scents.

According to new research, perfumes that are entirely devoid of animal products are predicted to sweep the fragrance market this year, with scents infused with vegetable notes also expected to see a spike in popularity.

Experts at online marketplace OnBuy.com analysed current market data together with their own survey of 2.400 perfume consumers to uncover 2018’s hottest fragrance trends.

A recent survey revealed that the number of vegans in the UK has risen by more than 36 percent in the past decade and this seems to have infused into the perfume market with 64% of fragrance consumers looking for vegan perfumes over the next six months.

A spokesperson for OnBuy told Yahoo Style UK: “The cruelty-free trend can be seen across the cosmetics industry, and perfume is no exception.”

“Society has without a doubt welcomed veganism with open arms, and people are now looking for fragrances that fit in with that lifestyle.”

“This means that they are not tested on animals, but also contain no animal-derived substances (such as amber or civet).”

Something to bear in mind is that, usually, if the product is sold in China, it has been tested on animals. “For perfume shoppers looking to avoid this, it is a good idea to buy from brands such as Le Labo and Penhaligon’s, or fragrances from Lush and The Body Shop.”

And veganism isn’t the only craze seeping into the perfume market. From genderless fragrances, to perfumes with extra benefits, here’s how 2018 is likely to smell…

Unisex scents

According to the perfume purveyors, the biggest trend to invade the perfume scene in 2017 was genderless perfume. Research by bath and shower company Showerstoyou.co.uk discovered that in 2017, 70% of women’s top-voted perfumes contained masculine woody or spicy notes. Many women are wearing gender neutral scents such as Tom Ford’s uber-popular Black Orchid, with others opting to wear traditionally male scents such as Viktor and Rolf’s Spicebomb. Onbuy.com’s survey revealed that 72% would like to try a unisex perfume in 2018.

High street fragrances

Spendthrift shoppers could be shifting from premium scents to high-street brands in 2018, according to research. Roshida Khanom, Associate Director for Mintel’s Beauty and Personal Care department (BPC) has stated that “consumers remain price-savvy and high-end fashion brands increasingly face competition from beauty and high street fashion brands.” Indeed, over 60% of respondents to the Onbuy.com survey that they would buy a high-street fragrance.

Luxury fragrances

Just because high street fragrances are on the up, doesn’t mean consumers are ready to turn their back on the likes of Chanel, Dior or YSL just yet. Survey results revealed that a whopping 80% of consumers still preferred high-end to high-street. John Lewis has witnessed a 35% year-on-year increase in bottles of perfume with a hefty price tag- namely over £100.

Minimalist bottles

With the likes of Jo Malone, Diptyque and beauty blogger’s cult brand Byredo leading the way in minimalist bottle design, it appears this is a trend set to stay put in 2018. According to survey research 48% of perfume-lovers said they preferred a simple bottle design over something more extravagant, with 67% of respondents claiming it made the perfume feel more ‘high-end’.

Vegetable notes

Perhaps a more surprising addition to the 2018 perfume hotlist is the possibility of seeing vegetable notes in scents. Rhubarb seems to be the scent du jour, being a big hit in both Thierry Mugler’s 2017 fragrance Aura and Hermes’ Eau de Rhubarbe, where the fruit takes centre stage. This could well take-off in 2018 as, according to a Mintel report, “women are more experimental” with their perfumes than ever, with 1 in 5 survey participants admitting they would try a vegetable-based fragrance in 2018.

Perfume with added benefits

Roshida Khanom states in her Mintel report on the fragrance industry that there is a high interest in “fragrances with added benefits”. For example, scents that have skincare benefits or even fragrances that help enhance your mood. According to the perfume-lover’s survey, the most popular added benefit for a perfume was one that was suitable for sensitive skin, with 30% of respondents showing an interest in this.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

What KKW fragrances really smell like

The game-changing fragrances set to shake up your signature scent

Kim Kardashian’s new fragrances make £10.5m in under a week