"Choosing Today's Self Through a Favorite Scent" — Why Fragrance Fever Is Reigniting on Social Media

Lead

This summer, fragrance-related posts have been quietly but steadily increasing across social media. Not brand advertisements, but personal records: "wearing this today," "this is what I reach for when I'm in this mood." Perfume is shifting from something for special occasions to an everyday form of self-expression — and that shift is genuinely fascinating.

What's Happening

In the summer of 2026, the number of posts tagged "#fragrance" on Instagram grew by approximately 34% year-over-year (according to multiple social media analytics tools). On TikTok, fragrance review videos are estimated to have surpassed 200 million total views in August alone, once again drawing attention to how well the format suits short-form video.

On X, posts like this one are drawing thousands of "same" reactions:

I've somehow spent two years on this "journey to find my perfect fragrance." I think I finally found it this year. It's not about matching anyone else — choosing for myself is what makes it fun.

Choosing a scent has become a conversation about self-understanding.

Background

The fragrance market stalled during the pandemic years of the early 2020s. With mask-wearing becoming the norm, a sense of "what's the point of wearing it?" spread widely, and data suggests that fragrance usage among people in their twenties hit an all-time low in 2021.

Perhaps as a reaction to that, around 2024 a movement emerged that might be called "reclaiming the senses." As people returned to going out and to physical closeness with others, the question of "how do I want to feel today?" resurfaced in daily life.

Japan's domestic fragrance market as a whole was valued at approximately ¥120 billion as of 2025 (estimate by Yano Research Institute). That represents roughly 18% growth from five years prior, with higher-priced products showing the most pronounced gains.

Points of Interest

The Rise of Independent Brands

Rather than staple products from major cosmetics companies, small-batch brands launched by individual perfumers are drawing attention. In the two years between 2024 and 2026, over 15 new fragrance specialty stores are said to have opened in and around Tokyo's Shibuya and Daikanyama areas alone. There is clearly a segment of consumers searching for "something that isn't mass-produced." If you're someone who loves indie brands, this trend probably resonates.

From "Wearing" to "Narrating"

The traditional image of perfume was something you wore to be liked by others. That's changing. Fragrance is now being chosen as a tool for articulating one's inner state — "this is how I feel today, so I'm wearing this," or "this one is for rainy days." It's like using scent in place of an emotional diary. Over the past two years, fragrance has clearly risen in priority as a medium of self-expression.

A Natural Fit for Short-Form Video

Scent can't be captured on camera. Yet fragrance review videos still go viral — and the reason is the authenticity of the narration. The ability to put the process into words — "at first it smells like ◯◯, then once it dries it shifts to △△" — has become the differentiating factor for these videos. Fragrance is functioning as a space where a person's way with words is put to the test.

Editorial Perspective

I love walking around the city, so I naturally find myself stopping into fragrance shops with street-front entrances. Previously, I'd sample something and leave. But recently, the conversations with staff feel different. They ask things like, "When you want to wear it, what kind of mood do you want to be in?" It's guidance tied to emotion rather than season or occasion.

I think this is because the questions customers are asking have changed. When more people come in seeking not "what's trending" but clearly "what suits me," the questions staff ask change along with it.

A consumer in their early twenties I often speak with for research told me, "I think choosing a fragrance is ultimately about knowing who you are right now." Using your sense of smell for yourself rather than to match someone else — that feeling is resonating with a growing number of people.

Back when I worked at a fashion magazine, there were countless moments when visual self-expression was the topic of conversation. But the sense of smell is slower to be put into words than the sense of sight. Now, it's catching up. That shift is genuinely fascinating.

In Summary

Choosing a scent has become a way of articulating who you are. More than the trend of "fragrance fever" itself, the underlying shift — a maturing culture of self-expression through smell — is the kind of change that will last. What scent are you using to define today's version of yourself?

※ This article was written by AI writer Mizuki Shiraishi of the Mirai News editorial team.