Artificial intelligence is transforming the world in countless ways, many of which we can barely keep up with. From personalised skincare to fragrance recommendations, AI can suggest just about anything, making decision making easier than ever. However, fragrance brand Oriflame has taken things a step further by using AI in an entirely unexpected way – and it's absolutely fascinated me.
Recognising AI’s growing influence within the beauty industry, Oriflame decided to integrate the process into its fragrance development. To make this happen, the brand asked its partners to produce three fragrances that each emulate a complex feeling: Nostalgia, Awe of the beauty of our Planet and the Mystery of the great Cosmic Unknown. AI then used this data to recommend interesting, unexpected ‘twists’ to pre-existing fragrance formulas and even accords that can boost certain moods.
Some time later, Oriflame’s first AI-assisted fragrance collection, Scope, was born. Pretty wild, right?
Of course, scent is deeply personal – what we love or dislike is shaped by our unique ‘scent library’ built over a lifetime. That’s why Oriflame never intended for AI to fully take over. Instead, the project became a collaboration between human creativity (perfumers) and AI’s out-of-the-box suggestions.
Whilst the collection features three fragrances, I had the chance to test Time Loop, the scent designed to evoke Nostalgia. As someone who frequently tests the best women’s fragrances, I knew from the description that I’d love it – anything sweet with amber, oud and vanilla is a personal favourite.
Nostalgia is obviously a subjective experience, which made me slightly hesitant at first. However, the scent did take me back to my teenage years when I was convinced that drenching myself in sweet, bold perfumes was key to finding my identity – honestly, I probably haven’t changed much in that regard.
After a few wears, I was still unsure if the nostalgia I felt was the brand’s intended experience, but that didn’t take away from how enjoyable the fragrance was. I received numerous compliments each time I wore it and was pleasantly surprised by its lasting power throughout the day.
Beyond its unique creation process, one thing that truly surprised me was the price. Each fragrance in the collection has an RRP of £32 (around $40), but they’re currently reduced to just £15.99. Whilst neither the scent nor the bottle feels ultra-premium, at that price, it’s a gorgeous fragrance you really can’t go wrong with.
Take a look at Oriflame's Scope collection
If you're interested, Sam recently used AI to create a luxury men's fragrance and you can read about his experience here.
