Coty files patent for personalised perfumes to plug ‘significant unmet need’

Writing in its international patent​,​ Coty outlined its concept to provide consumers the opportunity to add to or enhance fragrances of existing perfumes or create customised perfumes using a starting formulation. The beauty major said the invention could be used to personalise perfumes, colognes, eau de toilettes and fragrance mists, blended through an automated dispenser. This could include customised blends of its own branded perfumes, including Burberry England, Chloé and Calvin Klein, among others.

Importantly, Coty said it addressed a clear gap in the market. “There is a significant unmet need for new fragrances that can be customised by the individual to reflect the individual’s personal preferences,” ​the company wrote in its patent filing.

Centred around a ‘fragrance diamond’​

Perfumes with different fragrances had been used for “thousands of years”, ​Coty said, but with the onset of industrial production they had now become a mass product. And with this, consumers increasingly wanted different options and ways to “rapidly change”​ a fragrance, it said.

“Up to now, the only possibility for the user to do so consists in taking along several different perfumes and using them according to his/her wishes.”​

The current invention, Coty said, provided a simple alternative to fulfilling the desire to customise perfumes.

The offering centred around a ‘fragrance diamond’ – a formulation that included top, middle and base perfume ingredients but a “substantially greater amount of the perfume raw materials of a moderate volatility”.​ Consumers were then able to enhance notes within this formulation by selecting scent additives.

Coty said the starting fragrance formulation could either be this ‘fragrance diamond’; a “classic product”​ – built from scents widely accepted and appreciated for a minimum of ten years; or an existing commercial product.

Adding a sensory ‘effect’ to fragranced beauty products​

Coty said the invention could also be used to personalise other fragranced beauty and personal care products, including body lotions, deodorants, shower gels, shampoos and soaps.

In addition to personalising the fragrances within these formulations, it said the invention offered an “optional effect additive”​ allowing consumers to enhance or add sensory aspects to a product, like cooling, warming or sparkle.

WIPO International Patent No. WO/2020/097181​​
Published on: May 14, 2020. Filed on: November 6, 2019.
Title: “Fragrance blends and methods for preparation thereof”​
Inventor: Coty Inc – N. Al-Rifai, W. Hoffmann and S. Solinas