I love your perfume, is it Lemon Haze or Purple Passion?

Once considered unattractive, the scent of cannabis is now being embraced by beauty influencers as they explore high-end fragrances. One such scent is Dirty Grass, a $185 premium fragrance infused with 500 milligrams of hemp-derived CBD oil and created by Douglas Little of Heretic Parfum, the mastermind behind Goop’s all-natural fragrances. Another option is Chronic, a $175 scent from Swedish brand 19-69 that combines notes of grapefruit and moss. Both fragrances are available from Barneys, New York.

They join an elite group of fragrances like Maison Margielas Replica, a $126 fragrance that pays homage to the Woodstock music festival with its distinct aroma of “fresh bud and patchouli,” and Malin + Goetz’s Cannabis Eau De Parfum, a $165 fragrance that pays homage to the Woodstock music festival blends white floral notes with spicy herbs.

As cannabis gains more mainstream acceptance, fragrance manufacturers are breaking with negative stereotypes and exploring new ways to incorporate fragrance into their products. Furthermore, the incorporation of CBD oil, a popular trend in various consumer industries such as personal care products, beauty products, and even pet treats, is also being used in the fragrance industry.

Experts predict that demand for CBD could reach a staggering $24 billion by 2023 in the United States alone. Meanwhile, the perfume industry is also booming, with a market value of $52.7 billion in 2018 and an expected growth of $72.3 billion by 2024, per the Mordor intelligence agency.

Malin + Goetz co-founder Andrew Goetz shared that naming their cannabis eau de parfum five years ago was a bold move when recreational marijuana was still mostly illegal at the time. However, as perceptions of marijuana shift and become more accepted, he notes that many companies are now trying to find ways to incorporate it into their products. The candle version of the fragrance, priced at $55, continues to be a bestseller.

According to the President of the Fragrance Foundation, Linda Levy, cannabis-inspired fragrances are currently booming in popularity and are considered very trendy. The Fragrance Foundation includes notable members such as Macy’s, Sephora and LVMH.

While major players in the industry like Estée Lauder, L’Oreal, and Chanel have yet to launch cannabis-themed products, it’s not a question of if, but when. According to Linda Levy, cannabis has become one of those authentic talking points in the beauty category over the past two years.

Skunky but subtle scent

The Demeter Fragrance Library was one of the pioneers in the cannabis fragrance industry with the release of Cannabis Flower in 2006. Mark Crames, CEO of Demeter Fragrance Library, designed it to evoke the essence of a “skunky cannabis smell” in a more subtle way.

According to Mark Crames, the scent of cannabis flowers has been “modified enough to be wearable” and poses no risk of being pulled over for drunk driving. Although the fragrance is particularly popular with women under the age of 35, it is now one of Demeter’s bestsellers and is available in around 100 stores. It is more versatile and can be worn by both men and women. According to Linda Levy, in contrast to the cannabis flower, newer fragrances emphasize woody and smoky notes like sandalwood and cedar.

In May, Heretic perfumer Douglas Little, who also formulated candles for Lady Gaga and fragrances for Dita von Teese, released the unisex fragrance Dirty Grass. The scent features notes of lemon peel and pink pepper, and the 50 milliliter bottle contains 500 milligrams of CBD oil. This gives it a slightly sweet and herbaceous aroma. Although the extent of CBD’s calming effect on scent is uncertain, Little claims that inhaling the scent can release it directly into the bloodstream.

Lily, a Brooklyn-based CBD producer, offers a convenient travel and on-the-go roll-on option for $65. The roll-on features a blend of smoky oud wood notes, with an added benefit of 200 milligrams of its premium full-spectrum CBD.

Both Lily and Little are targeting a more discerning clientele by using sleek glass bottles for their packaging, a departure from how marijuana products were packaged in the past. Little points out that these customers may not smoke cannabis on their lunch break, but enjoy having a bottle of cannabis scent in their bathroom.

Johan Bergelin, the creator of 19-69’s Chronic, emphasizes that his main priority was to create a perfume, not just a scent that smells like weed. He describes it as a vibrant green leafy scent that eventually morphs into a scent of cashmere wood. He also mentions that this can be an excellent opportunity to incorporate cannabis into your scent as cannabis is currently a part of the counter culture and society.

Chandler Burr, founder of the Olfactory art department at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, recommends the Cannabis Santal fragrance, which costs $50. He praises the perfume for its flawless construction and technical and textural precision, calling it “ridiculously well constructed and perfectly calibrated”. The fragrance offers a unique blend of bergamot, black plum notes and Brazilian orange.

The conversation about the fragrance industry

A professor of bioengineering at Harvard University, David Edwards, who has researched the digitization of scents, commented on the appeal of cannabis-scented perfumes. David explained that the appeal of cannabis-scented perfumes may be due to their ability to evoke nostalgia and fond memories of the past.

The professor explains that the olfactory nerves are directly connected to the brain near the hippocampus. As a result, we perceive smells in a similar way to memories, which remain in our heads like a memory. Linda Levy, President of the Fragrance Foundation, adds that brands are capitalizing on the interest in CBD by incorporating it into their products.

Conclusion

As the world continues to evolve and cannabis becomes more accepted, the fragrance industry is also adapting and embracing the unique scent of marijuana. From the earthy and herbaceous scent of Dirty Grass to the woody and smoky notes of Chronic, these fragrances break negative stereotypes and target a more discerning clientele.

The incorporation of CBD oil into these fragrances reflects the trend in various consumer industries and adds an extra layer of benefits to these fragrances. As the CBD and fragrance market continues to grow, it will be exciting to see how the industry innovates and incorporates cannabis into their products.

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