As the curtain falls on 2025, the worlds of fragrance and nutrition are both gearing up for seismic shifts in the coming year. Industry insiders, trend forecasters, and market researchers have all pointed to a fascinating convergence: 2026 will be defined by a thirst for novelty, a hunger for authenticity, and a demand for products that deliver real benefits—whether that’s a scent that transports you or a meal that keeps you full and healthy. From the rise of Asian perfume houses to the mainstreaming of high-fiber diets, the trends shaping the new year are as diverse as they are compelling.
According to Glossy, the fragrance market is undergoing a transformation that’s impossible to ignore. Asian brands—particularly those from Vietnam—are making waves across the globe. Venue, a niche perfume brand launched in September 2025 and based between the U.S. and Vietnam, has quickly secured partnerships with Paris’s Dover Street Parfums Market and New York’s Stéle. Its co-founder, Daphne Pham, shared, “Our goal is to have our own customer experience, [our own] store at some point. From now until then, we really want to have a curator-first distribution strategy, meaning working with a very small group of retailers who share our values and sensibility.” Pham and her team, all VSCO alumni, have chosen to focus on cultural storytelling—drawing from Vietnamese history—over chasing fleeting trends.
Venue isn’t alone in this surge. Vietnamese perfume brands like D’Annam, which debuted in 2023, have won over American consumers with inventive scents such as Matcha Soft Serve and White Rice. Perfumer Sy Truong, who nabbed a 2024 Art & Olfaction award for his Molotov Cocktail fragrance for Sylhouette Parfums, is also credited with signature scents for Toouch, another Vietnamese brand that recently landed on the shelves of U.S. niche retailer Luckyscent. “I think what might surprise a lot of people is how sophisticated the local fragrance culture is,” Pham told Glossy. “Many young people nowadays in Vietnam skip the prestige [category] entirely and move to a niche.”
Major conglomerates have taken note. L’Oréal has invested in Korea’s Borntostandout and China’s To Summer, while Estée Lauder took a minority stake in Mexican brand Xinú. Steven Wildenberg, CEO of creative agency Golden Meteors, predicts, “I’d be very surprised if D’Annam doesn’t take in a huge amount of money. Because this brand is like the niche brand of ‘25 and is selling out at all the perfume stores—they can’t keep it in stock.”
But it’s not just about new brands flooding the market. There’s a parallel boom in indie retailers, especially in U.S. cities like Denver, Nashville, and Las Vegas. Carlos Huber, founder of Arquiste, noted, “You have no idea how many emails we get from people that are opening stores and want the brand.” These independent boutiques are capturing the attention of “fragheads”—enthusiasts who crave unique, experiential fragrances far removed from the department store mainstream. Huber observed, “The department store is no longer where you launch a fragrance at all.”
Staying ahead in this crowded landscape means doubling down on quality, value, and innovation. Chloé Prigent, manager at Parisian perfume house D’Orsay, explained that her brand is narrowing its focus to its top 10 best-sellers and launching region-specific exclusives. “You have to be the best to survive. And being the best means you have to elevate yourself,” she said. “Limited edition, creative collaborations and regional exclusives also help us to stand out and create more targeted, more experience-driven moments for the consumer.”
One of the most intriguing shifts for 2026 is the evolution of fragrance notes themselves. For years, sweet, gourmand scents—think vanilla and marshmallow—dominated the market, especially among younger consumers. Now, both Arquiste and D’Orsay are experimenting with savory, umami-inspired aromas. Huber revealed, “We’re doing that rice vapor, which I’ve seen other people using before. We’re doing shitake mushrooms. We’re doing soba buckwheat. We’re using soy sauce. It’s all umami notes. It’s like looking for the new gourmand.”
Meanwhile, the beauty business is in flux. Coty, the conglomerate behind designer fragrance licenses like Marc Jacobs and Burberry, is consolidating its operations. CEO Sue Nabi has stepped down, with Markus Strobel stepping in as interim CEO. Coty has also sold its 25.8% stake in Wella to KKR for $750 million and is reportedly considering selling off its makeup brands to focus on its profitable fragrance division. Pat McGrath Labs, once the darling of viral beauty, is up for sale with bids due by January 26, 2026. On the marketing front, Dior has tapped Anya Taylor-Joy, Jisoo, and Willow Smith as the new faces of its Addict perfume line, with launches slated for January.
But it’s not just the fragrance world that’s evolving. According to State Journal-Register, the nutrition landscape for 2026 is set to be dominated by two power players: protein and fiber. The popularity of GLP-1 weight loss medications has turbocharged interest in foods that maximize satiety and support gut health. “Fibermaxxing”—the practice of maximizing fiber intake through whole foods—is now a buzzword, with experts recommending 25 to 35 grams per day for optimal gut health and fullness. The best way to achieve this? Skip the ultra-processed bars and powders; instead, fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans.
Protein is also having a moment, especially among those using GLP-1 medications. High-protein products are being tailored to keep people full without spiking blood sugar. A report from Datassential, cited by State Journal-Register, found that animal proteins like beef, poultry, and pork are regaining favor, with 67% of surveyed consumers preferring animal meat to plant-based alternatives. Cleveland Clinic even notes that beef can be a valuable part of a GLP-1 diet, provided it’s balanced with other nutrient-dense foods.
That’s not to say plant-based proteins are out. Instead, the focus is shifting from ultra-processed meat substitutes to whole-food options like lentils, chickpeas, edamame, hemp, and quinoa. Hybrid products blending animal and plant proteins are also on the rise, according to the International Food Information Council. Their survey found that protein is the number one diet trend, followed by mindful eating, calorie counting, and intermittent fasting. Wendy Reinhart Kapsak with IFIC explained, “Consumers also want benefits from the food they eat…energy, weight loss, healthy aging and digestive or gut health, in that order.”
Other nutrition trends to watch include the rise of collagen-infused foods and drinks, the return of beef tallow for cooking (a nod to ancestral eating patterns), and new research touting the benefits of creatine for muscle performance and energy. Restaurants and healthcare providers are taking notice, introducing high-protein menu options designed for those on GLP-1 medications.
Social media is amplifying these trends. According to Virlo.ai, TikTok Shop now drives 55.4% of social commerce videos—far outpacing Amazon’s 31.7%. Micro creators are fueling this boom, achieving up to 95 times their follower reach on the platform. This digital word-of-mouth is helping both niche fragrance brands and nutrition trends reach wider audiences faster than ever before.
As 2026 approaches, one thing’s clear: consumers want products that are not just new, but meaningful—whether that means a perfume that tells a story or a meal that nourishes body and mind. Both the fragrance and nutrition industries are rising to the challenge, promising a year full of innovation, surprise, and, perhaps, a little bit of magic.
