2024 is a Solid Perfume Vibe

Are you ready to do yourself a solid and explore the world of contemporary solid perfumes? We take a closer look at this industry trend and find out what makes a solid perfume, well, solid, and why fragrance houses are in a rush to get their solid perfume versions out in market.

 

The Solid Gold Perfume Market

First things first - let's talk numbers. You might be surprised to learn that global research agencies have valued the solid perfume market at USD 1.42 billion in 2024.

But hold onto your noses, those same experts project the solid perfume market will almost double by 2031 to USD 2.56 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 11.3%. Woah! Who the hell knows what CAGR is but that's faster than a shaken-up bottle of body spray bursting out of its atomiser!

Why the sudden surge in solid scents? Well, there's a perfect storm of factors brewing. From sustainability concerns to a desire for more portable and travel-friendly options, consumers are increasingly turning to solid perfumes as their go-to fragrance fix.

But let's break it right down and take a closer look at all the reasons why more people are choosing to go solid.

 

Why Is Everyone Falling Hard for Solid Perfumes

1. Portability: Let's face it, we're all busy rushing from one place to the next now that the working from home bubble has well and truly burst. Solid perfumes are the superhero sidekicks you can throw in your bag, desk drawer or car - always there when you need them, never leaking or causing a mess. 

2. Longevity: Solid perfumes can last longer on the skin than their liquid counterparts. Slow and steady always wins the race, my friend.

3. Precision Application: With solid perfumes, you can apply your scent exactly where you want it. No more accidental crop-dusting events for your partner or your office to be on the alert for!

4. Skin Benefits: Many solid perfumes (like Wicked Fumes) are formulated with nourishing ingredients that can benefit your skin. It's like a two-for-one deal - smell great and look great too! Spray perfumes can't make these claims as they contain the sorts of harsh chemicals that break down your skin's barrier and speed up the aging process. But be careful, some solid perfumes are petroleum-based (not great for skin) or can contain beeswax (not vegan or great for bees apparently).

5. Sustainability: Solid perfumes often come in more eco-friendly packaging and require less packaging and processing making them a hit with the rise of the eco-friendly consumer.

6. Travel-Friendly: As people get back to traveling more post-pandemic, the demand for travel-friendly, no-spill fragrances you can take on a plane is increasing. Much to the dismay of many perfume lovers, spray perfumes are classified as a dangerous goods because their flashpoint (the temperature where they ignite and catch fire) is so low (sometimes even as low as 65 degrees Celsius). Solid perfumes don't suffer from this problem.   

7. Customisation: The ability to layer and mix different perfume scents appeals to people who want a unique, personalized scent experience and solid perfumes blend brilliantly without destroying the respective individual scent profiles. They don't go 'muddy' which can happen when mixing perfume sprays.

 

The Secret Sauce in Solid Perfumes

Solid perfumes are typically made with a base of waxes and oils, which gives them their, well, solid consistency. Many solid perfume brands use essential oils for their fragrances, but that has left many a consumer wanting a broader fragrance profile. Not everyone wants to smell like lavender or frankincense.

Some innovative companies (like yours truly, Wicked Fumes) are shaking things up by using a careful mix of natural and specially formulated ingredients. We want people to have the best of both worlds. Natural ingredients that deliver vitamins, antioxidants and omegas to your skin but still smell like caramel, vanilla, grape and strawberry (just to name a few of our fruitilicious and decadent solid scents).

Let's look at some common ingredients you might find in a solid perfume:

1. Waxes: Beeswax, candelilla wax or paraffin provide a solid base for perfume.
2. Carrier Oils: Jojoba oil, coconut oil, or sweet almond oil help dissolve and carry the fragrance.
3. Essential Oils: Natural fragrances derived from plants.
4. Synthetic Fragrance Oils: Sustainable lab-created scents that can mimic natural scents or entirely new ones.
5. Butters: Shea butter or other vegetable butters which are used to help make a solid base from hard beeswax, easier to apply on the skin. 

Remember that old trick of spraying perfume onto Vaseline to make it last longer on your skin? (Not that we recommend this because Vaseline is petroleum-based). It works because of the natural fixatives in the petroleum jelly that encase the fragrance molecules and keep them stable. Switch out petroleum jelly for something like candelilla wax and all of a sudden you get longevity AND the skin-boosting properties of this super ingredient. Read more about what we have to say about solid perfume here.

 

Skin-Safe and Stress-Free

One of the coolest things about our binge-worthy solid perfumes is that they are formulated to meet skin-safe standards outlined by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).

This means you can swipe on as much as you like, guilt-free and stress-free. It's like an all-you-can-smell buffet for your skin!

But just because a perfume is solid doesn't mean it is skin-safe and meets these international standards. So what exactly does "skin-safe" mean? Let's break it down:

1. Hypoallergenic: Perfume that has been formulated in such a way that it is relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. Both natural and lab ingredients have the potential to create reactions in those allergic but IFRA has mandated that certain ingredients in perfume cannot exceed a certain level. But fragrance houses are under no obligation to adhere to these standards, so always check. 

2. Non-Irritating: The absence of alcohol means less chance of skin irritation as alcohol has been found to damage the skin's natural barrier. Check out the article by Paula's Choice, who don't mince their words when they saying alcohol in cosmetics are pro-aging, harmful and not even helpful for people with oily skin. Phew, now we've been schooled by Paula!

3. Moisturizing: The oils and waxes in solid perfumes contain vitamins, antioxidants and omegas that will hydrate and repair your skin (and hair if you are smart enough to use it that way).

4. Non-Photosensitizing: Unlike some liquid perfumes, many solid perfumes won't make your skin more sensitive to sunlight or stain your skin and clothes.

 

The Perfume Playground

We touched on this before, but here's where solid perfumes really shine - they're perfect for blending and creating your own unique scent cocktails. Unlike spray perfumes that can sometimes clash when layered, solid perfumes play well with each other and other types of perfume.

You can mix and match them to your heart's content. Create a signature scent that's as unique as you or change it up everyday and throughout the day. You can mix florals and woody notes. Citrus and vanilla to make creamy gourmand scents. Or add a bit of a peppery spice to a sweet fruit like strawberry for an unexpectedly sweet and spicy fragrance pairing. There are no rules.

 

The Solid Perfume Scene: Who's Who in the Zoo

Let's take a quick tour of some of the major players in the contemporary solid perfume game:

1. Lush: Known for their eco-friendly ethos, Lush has been rocking the solid perfume world for years with their unique and often quirky scents. Their formula is a mix of skin-friendly natural and synthetic ingredients.  

2. Glossier: The millennial-favourite beauty brand jumped on the solid perfume bandwagon with their "You" solid perfume, designed to enhance your natural scent. It's like the olfactory equivalent of "no-makeup makeup" - subtle, personal, and cool. Glossier does use petroleum-based ingredients and reformulated the formula recently to comply with regulations. However since the reformulation many have complained about its lack of longevity.  

3. Miss Dior: Even luxury brands are getting in on the solid action. Dior released a solid version of their iconic Miss Dior fragrance, proving that their mix of natural and lab-formulated ingredients can be just as luxe as their liquid counterparts. It's like carrying a little piece of pretty Paris in your pocket!

5. Diptyque: a luxury fragrance brand founded by an interior designer who began selling candles. Their solid perfumes do contain paraffin - another word for petroleum - which is what gives their solid perfumes a white appearance.

5. Wicked Fumes: Of course, we can't forget about the wickedly binge-worthy and skin-friendly sweet solid perfumes from us. We choose our ingredients very carefully to ensure our perfumes not only smell good enough to eat but actually nourish the skin with omegas, antioxidants, vitamins A, D and E. They are also non-comedogenic, so they don't clog pores. Plus they're vegan and cruelty-free. No alcohol. No phthalates. No petroleum. Total game changers!

 

The Solid Truth: Some Disadvantages with Solid Perfumes

Even though we said that the solid perfume market was worth almost USD$1.5b, this is still only ~3% of the global perfume market. Now, you might be wondering, "If solid perfumes are so great, why do they only make up such a small percentage of the market?" Good question.

Time to address a number of solid elephants in the room. Here are a few common concerns:

1. Scent Strength: Some worry that solid perfumes might not be as potent as their liquid counterparts. But here's the thing - while the initial blast might not be as strong, solid perfumes very often have better staying power. Plus you won't ever become nose-blind to them. You'll always smell them as you move around. 

2. Limited Options: Historically, there have been fewer options in the solid perfume world compared to traditional fragrances. But that's changing fast, with more brands jumping on the solid bandwagon every day! It's like watching a garden bloom - new scents are popping up all the time.

3. Application Learning Curve: Some folks find the application of solid perfumes a bit unfamiliar at first. But trust us, once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with sprays! 

4. Perception of Value: Because solid perfumes come in smaller packages, some consumers worry they're not getting as much bang for their buck. But a little goes a long way with these concentrated gems! 10 grams of a solid perfume is the equivalent of a 65 ml bottle of spray perfume. It's like the difference between a shot of espresso and a grande latte - smaller package, but packs a punch.

5. Lack of Familiarity: Many are simply not used to the idea of solid perfumes. It's like when smartphones first came out - people were sceptical at first, but now we can't imagine life without them!

 

Why Fragrance Houses Are Solidifying Their Offerings

So, why are fragrance houses, from indie brands to luxury labels, dipping their toes and noses into the solid perfume market? Here are some of main reasons:

1. Sustainability: With consumers becoming increasingly eco-conscious, solid perfumes offer a more sustainable option so perfume brands can align themselves with this type of movement relatively easily. Solid perfumes are like the fragrance world's answer to the reusable straws!

2. Innovation: In a crowded market, solid perfumes offer a point of differentiation. It's a way for brands to show they're on the cutting edge of fragrance trends. Think of it as the fragrance equivalent of being an early adopter of a cool new tech gadget.

3. Travel-Friendly: As people start traveling more post-pandemic, the demand for airplane-friendly, no-spill fragrances is on the rise. Solid perfumes are like the Swiss Army knife of the fragrance world - compact, versatile, and always ready for action.

4. Personalization: The ability to layer and mix solid perfumes is easy and appeals to consumers who want a unique, personalized scent experience. So fragrance houses are building out their solid perfume offers and other fragrance layering options like moisturisers and body lotions that create many types of mix and match options.

5. Skin Benefits: Many solid perfumes offer skincare benefits in addition to fragrance, appealing to the growing "skinification" trend in beauty. It's like hitting two birds with one stone - or should we say, two senses with one swipe? More on this below.

6. Niche Market Appeal: Solid perfumes can attract consumers looking for something different from mainstream fragrances. It's like being part of an exclusive fragrance club.

7. Cost-Effective Production: Solid perfumes tend to be more cost-effective to produce, package and ship than liquid fragrances, given their smaller size. Provided fragrance houses pass on these savings that's a win-win for everyone, especially Mother Nature and perfume lovers!

 

The Future is Solid: Innovations and Trends

What does the future hold for solid perfumes?:

1. Smart Packaging: Some brands are experimenting with innovative packaging designs for solid perfumes, like recyclable twist-up tubes. 

2. Multifunctional Formulas: Expect to see more products blurring the line between skincare and perfume, reducing the number of products consumers need to buy. Or perfumes behaving as body decorations, like shimmers and glitters.

3. Temperature-Reactive Formulas: Picture a solid perfume that changes scent based on your body temperature. A real personalised scent experience.

4. Edible Fragrances: While we don't recommend snacking on your perfume, some brands might be able to crack food-grade ingredients that smell amazing in order to create truly gourmand scents. Totally lickable!

 

 

How to Make the Most of Your Solid Perfume

Here are some pro tips to maximize your solid scent game:

1. Warm It Up: Gently warm the surface of the perfume with your finger before applying. This action will help release the fragrance oils.

2. Target Pulse Points: Apply to areas where blood vessels are close to the skin - wrists, neck, behind ears, inner elbows, behind the knee. Your body heat helps to diffuse the scent all through the day. Rubbing some into the ends of your hair will also power up your scent bubble and repair your split ends at the same time. 

3. Layer Up: Use different solid perfumes on different pulse points or layer them to create something truly irresistible and suited to your mood. You can even put a spray perfume down over a solid perfume and the spray perfume will co-mingle and last a lot longer. 

4. Reapply as Needed: One of the beauties of solid perfumes is how easy they are to touch up throughout the day.

6. Store Properly: Keep your solid perfumes in a cool, dry place to preserve their scent and texture.

We have more instructions on how to be a hot spotting hottie here.

 

The Solid Conclusion

There's the lowdown on why solid perfumes are making waves in the fragrance world. From their skin-friendly formulas and portability to their mix-and-match potential and eco-friendly appeal, solid perfumes prove good things come in small packages.

Whether you're a fragrance newbie or a scent savant, there's never been a better time to explore the world of solid perfumes. 

Now, if you'll excuse us, all this perfume talk has got us craving some wickedly sweet treats.

Till next time, stay solid and sweet!