Of Hearth & Health: The Home Fragrance Market

Consumers want the places and spaces in which they spend their time to smell great and be free of what they can’t see—airborne viruses, allergens and pollution. Leaders in today’s environmental air care and home fragrance category are addressing these needs with new products that create welcoming and healthy environments.

Yet, when it comes to home fragrance, some of the bloom is off the rose. In fact, home fragrances sales last year fell for the first time in the past decade, according to Kline. Consumers pulled back on home fragrance purchases because they spent less time, well, at home. Unit sales for air fresheners and candles are down in mass, according to recent 52-week data. According to Circana, retail sales of sales of air fresheners in US multi-outlets rose 1% but unit sales dropped 11.8%. All sub-categories in this market—such as home air freshers, automobile air fresheners and potpourri/sachets—recorded unit declines. Candle dollar sales and units were also down (p.44).

Yet, there were some bright spots. Home air freshener manufacturers that recorded unit growth included Poo Pourri and Yankee Candle, as well as AB International, the Spartanburg, SC company behind the Bluntlife brand. Bluntlife tallied a 15.8% gain in unit sales and a 20.6% rise in dollars in the home air fresheners category, according to Circana.

Additionally, there is a new player in mass—Kōze Space. This home fragrance brand was created by Maesa and is exclusive to Dollar General. Kōze Place offers candles, wax melts, diffuser oils, and air and fabric refresher sprays in nine scent variations. Products—which are priced at $5 or less—are available in more than 19,000 Dollar General stores in 47 states. Kōze Place recorded sales of more than $2 million in the potpourri/sachet category, according to Circana.

Kōze was created for customers “looking for value without any sacrifice to quality, aesthetic or experience,” according to Lauren Bowers, senior buyer of home cleaning at Dollar General.

In a tight economy, value brands like Kōze resonate with cash-conscious shoppers. But consumers remain willing to spend on luxury. In fact, nearly all premium players in home fragrance registered growth during the year, according to Kline.

“Despite inflationary cycles, premium home fragrance brands have showcased their resilience, with consumers continuing to invest in higher-priced options. The success of this upscale market is multifaceted, stemming from its historical allure of products that offer gift potential and are seen as a status symbol,” noted said Dana Kreutzer, project manager in Kline’s Beauty and Wellbeing sector.

Founder stories have played a pivotal role in driving growth within the premium sector, according to Kreutzer.

“For example, Nest’s private equity firm has really put Laura Slatkin at the forefront of the brand. Similarly, Millennial-oriented brand Otherland has thrived thanks to founder Abigail Cook Stone’s engaging storytelling and active presence on social media platforms. Moreover, e-commerce has emerged as a crucial revenue stream for many of these premium brands, further solidifying their market presence,” she said.

Re-igniting the Market

After a tough year, a turnaround may be underway.

“We are forecasting retail sales growth in the US to be about 2% in 2023. While growth will be steady, candles and diffusers will continue to drive the upward trend,” said Kreutzer of Kline, which published its new Home Fragrances U.S. Market Brief in June.

Wellness has had a positive influence on the home fragrance market, giving rise to what is commonly referred to as “wellness candles,” according to Kreutzer.

“Emerging players like Nette and DedCool are incorporating wellness concepts such as sustainability, clean and mission-driven values directly into the foundation of their brand identity. Meanwhile leading brands such as Paddywax, Nest and Yankee Candle are placing a strong focus on messaging, scent selection and thoughtfully curated product collections that align with consumers’ wellness routines, holistic interior design preferences and a desire for natural ingredients,” she said.

Febreze, Procter & Gamble’s powerhouse brand, recently rolled out the new Mood Collection. These new Febreze Air varieties go beyond fragrance and into feelings, according to company officials.

Setting the Mood at Home

The Febreze Mood launch marks a different tact for this iconic product line that debuted 25 years ago with a core purpose—to quash the smell of cigarette smoke that lingered on clothing. Since then, P&G has expanded and evolved the Febreze stable with innovations mined from its deep dive into what consumers want and how they use products in their homes. 

“In a recent round of research focused on understanding the needs of our multi-cultural consumers, we heard from Black consumers that they were looking for a product that did more than just combat odors and leave behind freshness—they were looking for a product that could transform a space and create a mood. That sparked the Mood Collection, a lineup of scents that not only smells great, but helps consumers shift from considering how an air freshener can make their room smell, to how an air freshener can make their room feel emotionally,” said Angelica Matthews, vice president, Febreze brand.

The Febreze team used notes known to evoke certain moods, like citrus for energy or roses for romance, and named each bottle after the mood it evokes, rather than its fragrance profile—unlike other iconic Febreze offerings like Linen & Sky or Mediterranean Lavender, according to Matthews.

There are three varieties of Febreze Air in the Mood Collection—Refresh & Energize, Sooth & Restore and Romance & Desire. Refresh & Energize has watery notes complemented by zesty orange blossom that is said to imbue a sense of optimistic energy. Sooth & Restore has notes of whipped warm sugar and shea butter said to help ease tension and build a sanctuary of serenity and restoration. Romance & Desire mixes the aroma of rose with soft citrus notes of sparkling wine to create an intoxicating aura of beauty and elegance, building an atmosphere of both celebration and romance. 

“Every product we’ve put out throughout our history has been designed with our consumers at the forefront, so we’ve been able to truly witness first-hand how consumer trends, values and needs have evolved over the years because we follow their lead. The Mood Collection is a perfect example of our consumer investment put into action,” said Matthews.

Seasonal Arrivals

While mood and wellness are rising themes in home fragrance, seasonal launches continue at a steady pace, especially in the candle market.

Homesick this month is expanding collection with three new scents—Fall Hearth, Orchard Picnic and Sunflower Fields. The trio joins Homesick’s other seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Picking, Autumn Hayride, Bonfire Nights and Grandma’s Kitchen, which hit the market in August.

WoodWick Candles—part of the Newell Brands portfolio— released its new fall collection that includes single-scent and trilogy multi-layered candles. According to Michelle Favaloro, vice president of home fragrance at Newell Brands, the line combines natural materials, luxury craftsmanship and innovative wick design to create an “exceptional” sensory experience. Scents include Hinoki Dahlia, described as an intricate fragrance highlighting notes of hinoki wood, velvet plum and midnight dahlia; Vanilla Musk, a light and airy unique take on vanilla with notes of pink salt, white florals and coconut milk; Santal Myrrh, a sweet and woody incense-like fragrance with mahogany, lemon and golden amber notes;  and Evergreen Cashmere, which has pinyon pine, fresh air, warm cashmere, spice and sandalwood accords. Candles in the new collection are sold at WoodWick.com and retailers such as Kohl’s, Meijer and inside Yankee Candle stores.

Yankee Candle, too, released a fall fragrance offering—Daydreaming of Autumn. The collection is globally inspired and features natural fiber wicks and a premium blend of essential oils mixed into a soy-wax blend. There are five scents in the range: Autumn Daydream (clove, lavender, balsam and eucalyptus woods); Pumpkin Maple Crème Caramel; Spicy Sangria; Evening Riverwalk (cardamom, black vanilla and smoked oud); and Spice Market, a North American and Yankee Candle retail store exclusive with notes of cinnamon, cumin and ginger.
The spate of seasonal launches arrives just in time for World Candle Month (WCM) in September. This month, the National Candle Association is sharing candle “tips and tricks” as well as safe candle burning information for consumers under this year’s WCM theme: “Candle with Confidence.”

Safety is critical with candle use. In fact, last month Target recalled more than 2 million Threshold candles as the jars can crack or break during use, posing laceration and burn hazards.

New Technology

Eliminating fire sources can make for a safer environment, and new developments in flameless products continue to hit the marketplace. NPD is coming by way of raw materials and technology.

In May, ScentAir Technologies, Charlotte, NC, launched fragrance infused reeds with a patent-pending hydrophobic design that makes them well suited for smaller spaces. A proprietary mix of hydrophobic materials proactively releases fragrance faster and stronger than traditional hydrophilic pulp- or bamboo-based materials that hold fragrance within their inner fibers, according to the company. ScentAir says the new reeds give consumers a way to scent spaces too small for its larger coverage ScentAir Whisper Home fragrance diffuser.

“As the leader in our commercial industry, and growing household fragrance brand, ScentAir knows we must always listen to our customers and put their needs first. The new ScentAir infused reeds are a prime example of applying our fragrance experience and passion toward fragrance delivery innovation that will delight our customers,” noted Logan Andres, SVP-products and marketing. “We know there are a lot of small scenting products on the market for consumers, but we also know with our experience and understanding of how fragrances best diffuse into spaces, that we could make something truly beneficial for our customers.”

Candles and reed diffusers are the OGs in home fragrance. But “tech” continues to shape how consumers scent their spaces.

For example, last month Pura rolled out Pura 4, a new version of smart home scenting diffuser. Upgrades include a new sleek design and smart vial scents with Puralast technology said to “intelligently” scent a space for up to 120 hours.
Through adaptive diffusion, Pura 4 reportedly reads the room’s temperature and adjusts according to the user preferences to efficiently fill the space with a desired intensity. Additionally, the new plug-in diffuser can be operated with the Pura app and can be integrated in Alexa and Google Home for voice control. 

Salt Lake City-based Pura has also taken its technology on the road. Earlier in the year, it  entered the car fragrance category.

“Pura’s greatest strengths are at the crossroads of our innovative technology, plus its premium fragrances. Almost no other company in the fragrance industry, let alone the car space, has the marketplace that Pura offers,” Auston Tesch, product manager at Pura, told Happi.

“Many of the customers who use our home products were interested in having their favorite fragrances with them in their car and continuing to create a clean and accessible scenting experience in more of their lives. We found an opportunity to bring in new customers by entering the car market and catering to people who love this space, bringing together a new demographic and Pura fans alike.”

Pura’s car diffuser has magnetic capabilities so users can mount the device anywhere in their vehicles and it features motion detection, which the Pura team sees as a differentiator.

“Our flagship feature in the car device is its ability to automatically diffuse when motion is detected and shut off when it stops. When compared to other products on the market, the biggest complaint is wasting fragrance when you’re not in the car and fragrances not lasting. Our gel technology prevents oil spills and allows our signature fragrances to last for 30 hours. We are looking to solve home and car scenting problems that users have been facing for years by using technology to create solutions,” Tesch said.

The car model, which is Bluetooth-enabled and can be connected to an app to control intensity, retails for $34.99.

Cleaner Air

In addition to making cars and kitchens smell better and killing airborne viruses and bacteria, improving indoor air quality is also rising in importance within the environmental air care market.

Looking to leverage its long history of germ-killing expertise, Reckitt introduced Lysol Air Sanitizer in the US. According to Reckitt, while traditional air fresheners freshen the air and traditional disinfectant sprays only kill viruses on surfaces, Lysol Air Sanitizer creates a new subset of products for consumers who want to create sanitized environments in their homes.

“Lysol has been a leader in germ-kill for more than 130 years. Our purpose—to keep your loved ones illness-free—remains constant, but our portfolio evolves, to fight the spread of illness-causing pathogens on surfaces, fabrics, and now in the air,” Benoit Veryser, vice president of US marketing for Lysol at Reckitt said in a statement.

The formula is billed as the first and only air sanitizing spray approved by the EPA that kills 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria while eliminating odors in the air. Lysol Air Sanitizer helps reduce the spread of airborne, illness-causing pathogens such as cold, influenzas and coronavirus. The formula contains active molecules that are hygroscopic in nature, which allows the molecules to attach to microorganisms suspended in the air. Once attached, the molecules break down the structural membrane of the microorganism, leading to its destruction.

Veryser said covid made people more conscious of airborne transmission of germs, and the new launch delivers on “an unmet need for consumers to sanitize the air.”

Reckitt said it partnered with aerobiology experts and the US EPA to create a testing protocol to measure Lysol Air Sanitizer’s ability to reduce viruses and bacteria in the air.

Lysol Air Sanitizer, which has suggested retail price of $7.99, comes in three fragrances—Simply Fresh, White Linen and Light Breeze.

Consumer Research

While the pandemic delivered heightened consumer awareness about health and wellness, some stakeholders suggest many Americans are not making the connection between how they feel and the air inside their homes.

In a recent survey from air purification company Blueair, 81% of Americans report they suffer from “negative” symptoms when in their home, with 48% of individuals naming allergies and 41% identifying nasal congestion as the main culprits.

According to Blueair, while 80% of Americans believe that clean indoor air results in a healthier home environment, 1 in 5 Americans believe that there is no effective way to clean air in a home, and nearly 1 in 4 were uncertain if a solution existed. This awareness gap means many consumers are not taking important steps like changing HVAC filters and using air purifiers to improve air quality, according to Blueair.

When asked which factors of health are directly impacted by air quality, the most common answer was respiratory health (75%), followed by sleep quality (61%), skin health (47%) and physical health (47%).

Blueair’s survey also showed that concerns differ by generation. Overall dust or dust mites are the indoor air quality factors most concerning to Americans (64%), followed by mold or mildew odors (55%) and pollen (44%). However, younger Americans (Gen Z and Millennials) are more concerned about VOCs than their older counterparts (27% vs. 19%).

According to the Allergy and Asthma Network, the best first steps consumers can take to improve their indoor air quality are to regularly change their HVAC filters and add air purifiers to highly trafficked rooms like the living room, kitchen and bedroom.

Plant Power

With indoor air quality (IAQ) gaining traction from both covid and continued concerns about indoor allergens and VOCs, there has been more activity in the air health category than ever before. While many of the tools that help monitor and improve IAQ in residential and commercial settings are sleek devices, one has decidedly different look; in fact, it is a plant.

Paris-based Neoplants touts bio-engineered plants that fight air pollution. In fact, its Neo P1 is said to be 30 times more effective at cleaning indoor air than the most depolluting regular houseplants. Neoplants says it has tested Neo P1, which is a new variety of the Golden Pothos, against common house plants such as Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Snake Plant and E. aureum. According to the company, Neo P1 doesn’t store pollutants as a typical houseplant does. Instead, it recycles them into useful metabolites.

At press time, the first batch of Neo P1 was sold out, but consumers could join the waitlist. The next batch is expected out in Q4, according to Neoplants.

“Our long-term mission at Neoplants is to curb air pollution, starting inside the home. Traditional houseplants are natural air purifiers, and we want to enhance their ability to decontaminate indoor air from volatile organic compounds,” according to Lionel Mora, co-founder and CEO.

From bio-engineered plants to mood lifting sprays, innovation in environmental air care and home fragrance will remain focused on consumers’ health and well-being. 

National Candle Association: Still Burning at 50 The National Candle Association (NCA) is set to mark a milestone: its 50th anniversary. The organization will celebrate its golden anniversary during its 2024 Annual Conference & Expo, which is April 29-May 2, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV. The conference provides attendees with access to expert technical sessions focused on the latest trends, industry standards and best practices. The expo floor showcases suppliers of wax, fragrance, wicks, colors, containers, packaging and more. Additionally, special events are in the works this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary.  More information on the conference and expo will be available online as the date draws near, according to NCA. www.candles.org