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Tag: perfume design

Top 10 UAE perfume brands at Beautyworld

Top UAE Fragrances Visual

Who were the top 10 UAE perfume brands at Beautyworld Dubai this year? Fierce competition to be the stand out perfume brand The competition was intense at this year’s Beautyworld Dubai.  Many UAE perfume brands fought to stand out as the biggest and the best. But which brands truly made their mark? Here’s a look at the top 10 UAE perfume brands that dominated the exhibition. With significant investments in marketing, product innovation, and impressive exhibition stands, only the most ambitious brands earned a place on this list. As Dubai’s luxury fragrance industry continues to grow, the stakes get higher every year. This proves that bold strategies and big spending set the leaders apart in this market. What does the market need? The Middle Eastern market is highly demanding, always seeking the next big thing. A typical customer in Saudi Arabia or Dubai will ask, “What’s new?”—year after year. Loyalty to brands is less important than the excitement of fresh releases. Brands like Lattafa, Sterling, and Fragrance World have mastered this demand, consistently delivering new and innovative fragrances to keep up with ever-changing trends. Longstanding giants of the perfume industry—Rasasi, Swiss Arabian, Ajmal, and Al Haramain—all secured a spot at this year’s Beautyworld Dubai exhibition. Before COVID, they didn’t see the need to participate. However with competition in the fragrance market intensifying, having a presence is now essential to stay relevant and avoid being overlooked. 1. Sterling Perfumes Sterling Perfumes made a powerful impact at Beautyworld Dubai, not just with their massive exhibition stands but also with an aggressive marketing strategy. As the title sponsor, they went all out—hosting two grand stands: one for Hamidi and another for their popular Armaf range. To maximize visibility, they flew in top perfume influencers from around the world, offering them a VIP Dubai experience. Sterling is also heavily investing in new product development, with the Club de Nuit range soaring in popularity. Now, they’re innovating with fresh packaging designs for Flavia and launching exciting new products to stay ahead in the competitive fragrance market. 2. Lattafa Perfumes A UAE top performing brand also well known overseas Lattafa had an enormous stand and had invested heavily in producing at least twenty new bottle moulds and packaging designs. Their style definitely caters mostly to the middle Eastern maximalist style perfume design market they had spent an eye watering amount on new product development. At the moment their combination of competitive pricing and the emphasis on new product development is keeping them at in the top 10 local perfume brands. No. 3. out of the top 10 UAE brands Fragrance World Lattafa had an enormous stand and had invested heavily in producing at least twenty new bottle moulds and packaging designs. Their style definitely caters mostly to the middle Eastern maximalist style perfume design market they had spent an eye watering amount on new product development. 4. My Perfumes My Perfumes is currently focusing on its luxury oriental range Arabiyat Prestige. It has launched a small range of new moulds which have the right level of simplicity and oriental design. The company doesn’t launch so many new products each year, but each one that it launches is thoughtfully designed and has a good quality long lasting perfume inside. It also has a range of luxury perfumes in the My perfumes select range. 5. Afnan Afnan is a relative newcomer to the industry considering the sales volume it has achieved during that period. It invests heavily in its own product development. Afnan doesn’t rely on the manufacture of copycat products to boost its sales, unlike many of the other perfume companies. They prefer to build collections of perfumes and add to the range rather than creating special bottles and caps for every new perfume launched. This helps them to build brands rather than just unusual packaging. In the future we expect Afnan to rank higher up the list of the top 10 UAE perfume brands. 6. Emper This mass market brand used to be the performing UAE perfume brand Emper used to be number one on the list of the top 10 UAE perfume brands.  Prior to that it was Nabeel with its Chris Adams range, but they have both lost their place at the top. Emper still continues to launch new products and is still popular in the MENA region, but is not ‘the main brand to follow’ any more. 7. Al Rayhaan Al Rayhaan is a new perfume company owned by the Rasasi family. Rasasi company has a long perfume heritage in the MENA region. They have  modern packaging combined with good quality perfumes. They align this simple approach with modern decorative trends to make desirable products . Al Rayhaan always has a big kiosk at the exhibition near to the main entrance which is very effective for brand awareness. No. 8. of the top 10 UAE brands Shaikh Mohammed Saeed Est Shaikh Mohammed Saeed Est is the oldest distribution company for perfumes in Dubai. They started seling and distributing mass market French perfumes in the 1960s when Dubai was still a sleepy backwater. But the second generation of the family Mohammed Ali has launched his own ranges of perfumes. First  the Giovanni Bacci range was launched, followed by more luxurious fragrances. As a retailer of luxury oils at his Deira stores, the company knows a quality perfume when it sees it. Shaikh Mohammed Saeed deserves its place in the top 10 UAE perfume brands even if we only consider how long it has been operating in the UAE. 9. Swiss Arabian Perfumes Swiss Arabian perfumes is one of the oldest and best known brands of the UAE. It has distribution of its products anywhere from petrol stations through to kiosks in malls and luxury boutiques. The recent launches are mostly collections of high quality and high price perfumes. 10. Ajmal An old player, still competing to be in the list of top 10 UAE brands Although Ajmal has been well known in UAE […]

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How to Design a Perfume

various ingredient for perfumery

The Ultimate Perfume Creation Guide Are you in the process of designing your own new perfume? Or maybe looking to brush up on your perfume design skills ? Our ultimate guide on how to design a perfume will cover the main areas of perfume selection, formulation, packaging design, filling and marketing your perfume. Perfume Ingredients Perfume ingredients fall into two categories: natural and synthetic. Natural ingredients can vary with each harvest. This means that fragrances with a high percentage of natural essences may vary from batch to batch. These natural extracts come from plants, spices, barks, grasses, mosses, and even animal-derived sources. Their uniqueness and complexity make them highly valued in perfumery, offering depth and richness which synthetic alternatives cannot  fully replicate. How to design a perfume : Choosing between Synthetic or Natural ingredients Should you use Synthetic or Natural Ingredients in Perfume Design? Let’s dive in to some key points: Firstly, it is a common misunderstanding that synthetic ingredients are always cheaper than natural ones – this in fact is not always the case. Some synthetic ingredients are highly sophisticated and can be just as expensive as natural extracts. In fact, synthetics allow perfumers to create unique scent profiles that closely mimic natural aromas. They also offer a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. They reduce the reliance on rare or endangered natural resources in fragrance production. Without synthetics, perfume houses could not create such a wide range of quality perfume nowadays. See the explanation of the importance of synthetics  ingredients here. Natural perfume ingredients – citrus and floral notes Many people say that synthetic ingredients are ‘endocrine disruptors’. IFRA – the International Fragrance Association – strictly regulates the quantity of the allergenic ingredients which can be used in each formulation. An allergen is a chemical which has been proven to cause an irritation when applied to the skin. It tests ingredients and sets guidelines on the quantity of certain ingredients allowed in a formula. You must write all allergens on the outer packaging of perfumes in most regulated countries. Essential oils (natural perfumes) can also cause allergic reactions. IFRA is currently considering adding some essential oils to the list of known allergens. Your perfume supplier can provide an allergen list for the fragrances you select. How to design a perfume – selecting the right formulation When we plan how to design a perfume what is better – a perfume formulation with or without alcohol? In ancient times people made perfumes without alcohol using waxes or oils to hold the perfume. Nowadays we mostly make perfumes with a combination of distilled water, ethanol alcohol and perfume oil. The decision of which formulation depends on the market you operate in and your target audience. In countries with a predominantly muslim population,  non-alcoholic perfume may perform better. You can also use alternative carriers such as water, oil, wax or resin  to dilute and mix the perfume oils. In markets where alcoholic perfumes have been traditionally used, changing consumer behaviour can be challenging. Formulations with alcohol allow the top notes of a perfume to open up quickly, which  can create a performance challenge for non alcoholic perfumes. Consumers often base their buying decisions on the first impression, preferring powerful or strong top notes. Fragrance concentration How much perfume should I put in my formulation? Fragrance concentration should align with market preferences . For example,  Saudi Arabia favours a very high concentration of up to 25 or 30% fragrance oil, while the UK market usually prefers a lower concentration of maximum 15% fragrance. In markets unaccustomed to heavy fragrances, a very high concentration can be irritating. Pricing of the oil will also influence how much you add. In high-end fragrances, increasing  fragrance oil by just one or two percent will significantly impact the product cost. How much fragrance oil does my perfume contain? Eau fraiche has 3% or less fragrance oil. Eau de cologne has 2 to 5% fragrance oil. Eau de toilette contains 10% usually. Eau de parfum has 8 to 15% fragrance oil. Soie de parfum has 15 to 18% fragrance oil. Parfum has between 15 to 30% fragrance oil. How to design a perfume and fragrance notes A perfume will undergo different phases after being sprayed onto your skin.  Most perfumes consists of different ‘notes’ which open up at different times after application. Each phase will last for different lengths of time. TOP NOTES are the first notes which give a burst of smell right after spraying the perfume and typically last for 10-15 minutes. These notes are usually more volatile and they are often citrus, fruity or floral. MIDDLE NOTES are also called heart notes and these take 15 to 30 minutes to fully develop on the skin. They usually contain florals and aromatic plant notes and are the notes by which the fragrance is classified. BASE NOTES last the longest and help to slow down the evaporation of the more volatile molecules. Typical ingredients for a base note are woody, vanilla, musk, cedar and sandalwood. A perfume which does not change from initial spray to its final dry down is a linear perfume.  It does not contain top, middle or base notes. The most popular linear fragrance at the moment is Baccarat rouge by Francis Kurkidjan. There is a recognised classification system of perfumes which was developed by Michael Edwards. The main types are floral/ amber/ Woody and fresh with sub classifications for each type. Check out the Michael Edwards fragrance wheel online and our other blog, Fragrance Notes Explained, if you wish to know more. Perfume Market Knowledge Understanding the dynamics of the wholesale and retail trade for perfumery in your country is essential. A detailed retail survey of the market place gives you an idea of market size and what is selling. It is vitally important to understand the wholesale and retail margins. From this you can calculate the price to sell your product in the market in order to make a profit. To dive deeper […]

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Top 5 sustainable perfume brands

Swarovski aura perfume

Refill packaging – a sustainable option? Sustainable perfumes are on the rise, all consumer research points to this. What options do we have if we are looking for sustainable perfume options? Is there a better alternative to refill packaging? Unfortunately refill packaging also requires additional packaging – new bottles, boxes and closures. . Swarovski designed their new perfume to be refillable. Back to the factory Eden Perfumes in the UK offer a refill option for their perfume. Though you have to post the empty bottle back to their factory to be refilled and then sent back out to you. A luxury option for sustainable perfumes Other big brands have limited refill stations in select outlets and cities, largely in Europe. Such as Guerlain in their flagship store in Paris. Also Roja Dove offers a refill option in Harrods using Daum crystal dispensers. This makes buying a sustainable perfume into an occasion! Le Labo offers refilling in France primarily and selected European outlets. Caron offers a refill station at Fortnum and Mason in London. Eco friendly perfume dispensers Thierry Mugler has dispensers in store where consumers can refill their perfume bottles at a lower cost. Chic Shaik in the Middle East has had perfumery refill bars in its larger distribution outlets since their launch. They also offer a lifetime refill service for their bottles. Additionally they  will refurbish their beautiful sustainable perfume bottles (at a cost) to ensure that they last a lifetime. How to encourage sustainable perfumes? Hopefully this is the way forward and more companies will start to buy into this new way of working.   However, this requires not only investment from brand owners, but also cooperation from retail outlets. We need more pressure from consumers or penalties imposed by governments to encourage more recycling. Tthis approach is unlikely to become available in your local perfume retail outlet. Probably pressure from younger consumers will have an effect on brands to increase the availability sustainable perfume brands. Let us hope for the sake of the planet that this time comes sooner rather than later. Challenges of recycling and sustainability The threat of global warming has meant that many of us are rethinking the way we shop and what we buy. However, for cosmetics and perfumery brands how feasible is it to recycle perfume packaging? Which perfume brands are truly environmentally friendly? Few materials are mono materials : often glass will have a metal badge glued on it or have special colour lacquer. A crimp pump is a complicated combination of aluminium, plastic and metal. Most caps are made up of more than one material, as they need a pp inner inside to offer flexibility and good fit. Nearly all perfume bottles sold have crimp pumps on them which has made it impossible in the past to refill them. Most consumers cannot remove the crimp pump, it is too tight and difficult to remove. So who is doing well in terms of sustainable perfumes? Swarovski (Aura perfume) Atelier Cologne (all perfumes) Designer Shaikh (all perfumes can be refurbished and refilled) Thierry Mugler (in store dispensers) Eden Perfumes (send back to factory for refill) Since first writing this article, a lot has changed. The European Union has recently introduced new legislation to require 100% recyclable packaging by 2030. Though we still have a long way to go to achieve these goals. You may find our other article about sustainable perfumery interesting, please click the link for more details. […]

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How do we design perfumes?

Creating a new perfume with anisha international

How are new perfumes created and what are the stages in the design process? Establish the target market Establish the concept Sketch the concept Make 3D model of the bottle Make 3D printing mock up Final animation render presentation to show how it looks Make moulds ready for plastics and bottle Make pre production samples The process of creating a new perfume design is a combination of artistry and technical precision. From conceptualization to final production, every step plays a crucial role in crafting a unique and marketable perfume. This intricate process involves not only creativity but also a deep understanding of consumer psychology, branding, and industry trends. Below, we break down the key stages in perfume design, giving you an insight into how designers and manufacturers bring a fragrance to life. The short video above demonstrates the stages of perfume design and development. It highlights the creative process and the technical challenges our team at Anisha overcomes to bring a fragrance to market. From brainstorming the concept to manufacturing the final product, our journey is a meticulous blend of art and science. For a deeper understanding of perfume design and creation, explore our comprehensive article. We delve into all considerations, from fragrance formulation to filling, pricing, and distribution, helping you navigate the intricate world of perfume design. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a perfume enthusiast, understanding these processes can enhance your appreciation of the craftsmanship behind every bottle.  Watch Our Perfume Design Process in Action The short video above demonstrates the stages of perfume design and development. It highlights the creative process and the technical challenges our team at Anisha overcomes to bring a fragrance to market. For a deeper understanding of perfume design and creation, explore our comprehensive article. We delve into all considerations, from fragrance formulation to filling, pricing, and distribution, helping you navigate the intricate world of perfume design. 1. Establish the Target Market Before beginning the perfume design process, it is essential to define the target market. This involves researching consumer preferences, demographics, and trends. Understanding the target audience helps in shaping the fragrance, packaging, and overall brand identity. 2. Establish the Concept A strong concept is the foundation of every successful perfume design. This stage involves brainstorming ideas, developing a theme, and selecting key fragrance notes that align with the brand’s vision. The concept should resonate with the emotions and desires of the intended audience. 3. Sketch the Concept Once the concept is defined, designers create initial sketches of the perfume bottle and packaging. These sketches provide a visual representation of the perfume design process, outlining the aesthetics and structural elements that will be developed further. 4. Create a 3D Model of the Bottle Using specialized software, designers transform sketches into detailed 3D models. This step allows for a realistic visualization of the perfume bottle, ensuring that the shape, proportions, and materials align with the design concept. 5. Produce a 3D Printed Mock-Up To validate the perfume design, our team creates a 3D-printed mock-up. This physical prototype helps assess the ergonomics, aesthetics, and functionality of the bottle before committing to full-scale production. 6. Final Animation Render Presentation Next, we produce a high-quality animation render to showcase the bottle from multiple angles. This step is essential for presentations to stakeholders, helping them visualize how the final product will look and function. 7. Prepare Molds for Plastic and Glass Bottles Once the design is approved, we create molds for both plastic and glass bottle components. These molds serve as templates for mass production, ensuring consistency in the final products. 8. Develop Pre-Production Samples Before full-scale production of the perfume design, we manufacture pre-production samples to test quality, durability, and visual appeal. These samples undergo rigorous testing to identify and resolve any issues before the final manufacturing run. To see more on how to design a perfume, check out our blog post: How to Design a Perfume, or for more on fragrance design, click here. […]

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How can we afford product innovation in a recession?

can we afford to innovate in a recession?

The advantage of innovating in a recession A savvy company will focus on product innovation to create new products to  satisfy new consumer needs even during downturns. Many successful companies use the recession as a chance to get ahead of the competition. This will position the company as a leader instead of a follower. According to EY Parthenon group innovation during a downturn makes a company stronger and leaner. As a good example of this strategy you can take the Apple iPod. Apple launched this in 2001 – the same year that the Nasdaq 100 took a 30% hit. Operating costs are usually cheaper in a recession and talent is easier to find due to layoffs by other companies. Competition is less fierce during a recession because so many other players are laying low. They  choose to wait until the recession is over to fund their own innovation. Whatever product innovations are created during a recession, they will stand out strongly due to the decreased level of competition. Consumers don’t stop buying goods altogether in a recession. But they do become more discriminatory and more selective in their approach. They buy products which resonate with them and have meaningful additions which somehow change their lives. Or products which meet an unfulfilled need. To achieve the best results you should conduct detailed market research. If you also have a product innovation team with deep understanding of product use you have the key to success.  Outsourcing of product innovation Sometimes it is better to outsource product innovation to other companies if you cannot afford to hire your own team of innovators. Our company Anisha perfumes offers design resources to our regular perfumery clients free of charge. We include the product innovation development charges in the cost of the final packaging supply. This model works well for smaller factories who do not have the time and expertise to pay for their own team of product and graphic designers. Or maybe they don’t have the time to fly around the world finding the right supply partners. We need strong leadership for product innovation It takes a strong leader to focus on product  innovation in a recession. It’s too easy to prune resources which are not going to give an immediate return.  But lack of product innovation means that you will lose your long term differentiation and competitive advantage. Therefore your company will lose out on long term sales to your competition. It has been historically shown that a period of economic boom three times as long as the recession itself usually follows a downturn. For this reason it makes more sense to prepare for the upturn. If you found this article interesting and you are interested to innovate in your own range of perfumes, you may enjoy our article “How to Design a perfume”. […]

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How to judge a design as a non designer

a benetton ad showing three different cultures

Why do people struggle to judge designs? Many non designers may lack confidence in their ability to judge a design. Consequently they feel shy to give their own honest feedback to experienced professionals in design meetings. They may find it difficult to explain in detail what is wrong and how to improve the design. Also they hold back from saying anything in design meetings due to lack of creative confidence. Because they feel that the professional designers have the monopoly on creativity and design understanding. Who pays the bills of the designer? It is true to say that most non designers are the people who judge designs on a daily basis. They make up 99% of the population who are buying the designs. Also they can understand when things don’t look aesthetically pleasing or have a great user experience. However they often lack the ability to pinpoint exactly why the design isn’t working out well. The rules of design Many say that design preferences are subjective, like art. But this is not true because graphic and product design must generally follow rules in order to be effective. And one can only truly judge a design’s effectiveness if we know what was the original brief.  What were the creative problems which the design has to solve? If there is no clear brief, then we can only judge a design on aesthetics. We cannot judge its ability to communicate a message clearly in this situation. How to Judge a Design What is a good design? Here are some points to help non designers to be confident when they judge a design. We want to help people to analyse better why some designs don’t seem to work: Does the design fix the problem which it set out to resolve? If it doesn’t do this then it’s best to go back to the drawing board and not go any further.  Can we say that it is appropriate for the target audience? Does it set the right tone and does it give the right image to position the brand correctly? Are all the graphical elements and fonts all communicating the same image and message or are they conflicting? Does the text have easy to read text? No point having a beautiful design with text you can’t read it properly. Is the focal point of the design clear or do you find your eye is looking in two conflicting directions? Is the product appropriate for the market in which it is going to be shown? Cultural considerations can be important for design. Does it look attractive? This is the area where most non designers might struggle most to articulate themselves. The key elements to help you judge a design are as follows : Layout – are the elements within the layout having balance and harmony? Sometimes a designer might deliberately put design elements in unusual positions in a design to disrupt and avoid predictability. However it still achieves an overall harmonious composition. Is there a clear focal point hierarchy of design to show what is the most important information? Colors – did the designer use the appropriate colors to communicate the emotion you wanted. Will this appeal to the required audience? Don’t forget cultural differences for colors here and that different colors appeal to different age groups. Style – are the fonts and other graphical elements consistently communicating the same style appropriate to the target audience? Are these elements solving the problem set out in the client brief? Spacing and positioning. Sometimes changing the spacing between elements can have a dramatic effect. Fonts – how many fonts did they use and do they contrast well and work in harmony? When we judge a design we generally  say that 2 to three fonts maximum work best. More than this creates confusion. Industry norms – certain design norms exist in some industries, We must judge a design based on these norms to see if the design will fit in. Is the product recognizable as a product within a certain product and price sector and, if it differs greatly, is there a good reason for it to break out of the norms? Was this the requirement of the client brief? For some ideas on design norms in some industries you can check out websites like thedieline.com. Understanding is key to judging a design… Non designers – don’t be afraid to speak out when you don’t agree with a creative concept. But also don’t forget to think about what the design brief was and which problems it is trying to solve. You must try to judge a design on whether they have managed to do this in a clear and appropriate way. If people understand what the design communicates, then the design has done its job, even if you don’t like it. If you liked this article, you might enjoy reading our article ‘Same, same but different’ . In this article we discusses the subject of whether we should be ‘inspired’ by other perfume designs. […]

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