IFF taps water-based perfume trend with Aquascent fine fragrance carrier
Key takeaways
- IFF has launched Aquascent, a vegan, water-based carrier for fine fragrance.
- The technology supports fragrance loads of up to 25% while keeping formulas visually clear.
- Its concentrate format lets brands add water at final production, cutting shipping weight and emissions.
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has introduced Aquascent, a vegan, water-based carrier for fine fragrance. The new solution is made from a proprietary formula made with biodegradable materials.
Aquascent is said to deliver enhanced olfactive performance and visual clarity in fragrances. IFF also touts a more sustainable shipment approach for the product.
“Aquascent approaches water-based fragrance as a complete fine fragrance system, balancing olfactive performance and visual clarity and a concentrated format designed for efficient transportation,” says Fatimata Dembele-Kuntzmann, senior technical manager for IFF Scent.
“For brands, that means the opportunity to embrace a growing fragrance format without compromising the qualities that define the fine fragrance experience.”
Aquascent is part of IFF’s Science of Performance platform, which focuses on solutions that enhance fragrance performance by shaping how scent is delivered and experienced over time.
According to the flavors and fragrances company, the market for water-based fragrance continues to grow as leading brands launch new water-based products and consumers embrace new scent formats and experiences. IFF web-listening data shows that worldwide Google searches for “water-based perfumes” increased 18% year-to-date, while related TikTok content has generated more than 15 million views.
Clear water-based fragrance
Aquascent is said to support fragrance loads from 10% to up to 25%, compared with up to 15% for most comparable systems. IFF reports that achieving this level of fragrance concentration in water-based formulations can be challenging, as fragrance oils can cause products to become cloudy when mixed with water.
However, Aquascent overcomes this issue while maintaining transparency, enabling brands to create “high-performance, visually clear fragrances.” This allows fragrance brands to deliver “lastingness and visual elegance,” which IFF says consumers associate with fine fragrance products.
Aquascent keeps water-based fragrances visually clear.
The technology is formulated without intentionally added ethanol, preservatives, or silicone. It features a non-sticky formulation with skin-hydrating properties for a comfortable skin feel.
Sabrya Meflah, president of Fine Fragrance for IFF Scent, says: “This technology illustrates our ambition to set a new standard for how fragrance is created, delivered, and experienced.”
Concentrate cuts shipping weight
Aquascent also offers a more resource-efficient approach to transportation.
The carrier technology can be supplied as a concentrate alone, allowing fragrance brands to add water during final production rather than transporting it as part of the formula. By reducing the volume and weight of material shipped, the compact format can help lower CO2 emissions from shipping.
“Aquascent reflects our continued investment in new scent technologies and formats that create compelling fragrance experiences while supporting the industry’s growing focus on sustainability,” adds Meflah.
IFF sharpens scent focus
Personal Care Insights has been following IFF’s recent scent innovations, research, and business focus. 
Searches for water-based perfumes are up 18% this year, IFF says.
We sat down with Christian Fontanive, VP of Consumer Insights and Consumer Fragrances at IFF, to discuss how deodorant is no longer positioned solely for the underarms. For the wider deodorant category, the company predicts a rise in “whole body formats” that not only change how products are used, but also how they are experienced between specific moments and places.
The company also recently launched Sensora, a patent-pending pro-fragrance technology touted to make scents last longer and evolve over time. The technology works by using light to trigger the controlled release of fragrance, with its first application in liquid detergents.
These moves followed IFF agreeing to sell its Food Ingredients business to private markets manager CVC Capital Partners in June. The sale sharpened the ingredient supplier’s focus on scent, health, and biosciences. The divestiture is one of the largest ingredients-sector transactions in recent years.
