Nose of the house of Hermès since 2016, Christine Nagel is a big name in the world of perfumery. She is constantly inventing fragrances. Recently, Paddock, Oud Alezan and H24 Herbes vives. And there is a phrase that she is used to hearing: “My perfume doesn’t smell like it used to. » The complaint may be surprising. The bottle has not changed, nor the name. But the content? Well yes. Over time, the smell of perfumes, even the most famous, evolves. This is neither an illusion, nor the effect of a smell disorder inherited from Covid-19, much less any chemical reaction. The fragrance changes because brands modify the recipe without letting people know. And those who wear them are perfectly aware of this. “The nose of a customer who has been wearing Bel Ami for twenty years is sharper than mine when it comes to this eau de toilette,” specifies the director of creation and olfactory heritage at Hermès Parfums.
But why modify a perfume? Why transform a smell that has survived the years, has penetrated the imagination, intimate memories? Quite simply because there is no choice. Indeed, some elements are toxic. This is the case of Lilial, a molecule prized for its floral notes evoking lily of the valley, suspected of being an endocrine disruptor and therefore banned since 1er March 2022. Lilial has fortunately found a faithful substitute with Nympheal, a biodegradable molecule which required no less than four years of research in the laboratories of the Swiss perfume and flavor manufacturer Givaudan. The German competitor Symrise has also deployed treasures of ingenuity to develop Lilybelle, a molecule derived from green chemistry which also evokes the delicate scent of the small white bell flower.
“It is primarily to protect the consumer that the composition of a perfume is regularly modified, not to save money by replacing precious materials with cheap synthetic molecules, as some seem to believe,” explains Thierry Audibert, member of the board of directors of the International Society of Perfumer-Creators (SIPC). This precautionary principle is promoted by the International Perfume Association (IFRA), a self-regulatory organization of perfume players which publishes each year a list of ingredients whose use is prohibited or restricted due to their supposed toxicity. The European Commission uses this as inspiration to decide on the fate of allergenic substances.
You have 82.09% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.