Petrichor Perfumes Go Mainstream as Brands Bottle Rain
Petrichor, the 1961-coined term for the scent of rain on dry earth, is the fragrance accord of the season. Loewe, Uni and Future Society lead a new wave of rain-inspired perfumes.
Updated
The takeaway
- Petrichor was coined by scientists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas in 1961 to describe the scent after rainfall: damp soil, dew and humid moisture.
- Harper's BAZAAR's top picks: Future Society Wandering Rain Eau de Parfum (under $100), Loewe Smoky Rain Eau de Parfum (best smoky) and Maison Margiela Paris Replica When the Rain Stops Eau de Toilette.
- Le Labo's Baie 19 launched in 2019; D.S. & Durga turned its popular Big Sur After Rain candle into the Big Sur Eucalyptus eau de parfum three years ago.
- Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro ties the trend to a desire for nature in 'our A.I.-influenced world.'
Petrichor — the scent of earth after rain — is the fragrance accord to know this fall and winter, as perfumers move beyond coastal aquatic notes and take inspiration from the weather forecast.
The term itself dates back to 1961, coined by scientists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas. It describes the smell that fills the atmosphere after a shower: damp soil, glistening dew, humid moisture. It is hard to place, an olfactory phenomenon, and it makes for a curiously evocative fragrance, Harper's BAZAAR reports in its roundup of the season's best rain scents.
Aquatic notes are nothing new in perfumery. For years, brands have bottled the bracing freshness of salty sea spray and balmy, citrus-framed coastlines. This season, the focus has shifted from the shoreline to the storm cloud.
The niche pioneers
To dedicated perfume enthusiasts, petrichor perfumes are old news. Le Labo's insider favorite Baie 19 launched in 2019. D.S. & Durga's misty, herbal Big Sur After Rain scented candle proved so popular that the brand reworked it into the eau de parfum Big Sur Eucalyptus three years ago.
What has changed is scale. This season, an influx of new releases is set to push petrichor to the forefront of the fragrance industry, according to BAZAAR's editors.
The new wave
The launches span price points and interpretations. Harper's BAZAAR's top picks include:
- Best Under $100: Future Society Wandering Rain Eau de Parfum
- Best Smoky: Loewe Smoky Rain Eau de Parfum
- Best Eau de Toilette: Maison Margiela Paris Replica When the Rain Stops Eau de Toilette
Uni's water-based perfume Rain aims to capture what the brand describes as "the break in a storm when cool air meets warm skin." Loewe's new Smoky Rain takes a warmer direction, layering bergamot over lingering incense.
Why now
Bee Shapiro, founder of fragrance brand Ellis Brooklyn, links the rise of petrichor scents to a collective desire to log off and head outside.
"In our A.I.-influenced world, I think there's this desire to reconnect with nature. Petrichor, or rainy or wet pavement-type scents, have a cool effect in that they immediately connect you with a natural moment," Shapiro says.
David Seth Moltz of D.S. & Durga agrees, and points to the comfort of wearing a scent recognizable from everyday life.
"The scent of the rain is familiar, comforting, and surprising—realism in perfume always is," Moltz says.
The so-what
Harper's BAZAAR's experts say these niche scents are everywhere right now — and more wearable than buyers might expect. For retailers and perfume counters, that means a scent category once confined to cult favorites like Baie 19 now has mainstream shelf space, with new petrichor launches likely to keep arriving as the trend gains traction.
Original: go.redirectingat.com
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Market editor covering media and advertising at Eurasian Beauty Journal.
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