The global perfume market is undergoing a technological revolution. IBM's Philyra has analyzed over two million fragrance formulas. Tom Ford’s 2025 Fragrance of the Year was AI-assisted. From Google → Osmo's neural networks mapping molecular structure to scent, to EEG headsets predicting fragrance preferences, to deep learning models optimizing how perfumes evolve through space and time. This piece explores how advanced technologies are reshaping perfumery while preserving its artistry.

Long before formal math, Tapputi of Mesopotamia was already experimenting with scent. Around 1200 BCE, she distilled flowers, adjusted ingredients, and tested how perfumes evolved on skin and made people feel over time. What she understood intuitively is what we now call the three acts of perfume: the first impression, the heart you live in, and the memory that lingers. We still experiment the same way today, through layering and building scent wardrobes for different moods and moments. Perfumery was one of our earliest systems: input ingredients, test combinations, optimize for feeling.

Pistachio perfumes were everywhere in 2025. But the sweet, dessert-style scent trend is starting to change. Perfumers are looking to experiment more with fresher, more savory smells. It feels a lot like what’s happening in food right now. There’s also an interesting angle on the reduction in appetite and turning to food-smelling perfumes. This piece looks at how food trends turn into fragrance trends, and what that means for what we’ll be smelling in 2026.