Skip to main content

Fragrance Creation 101 With New AXE YOU

fragrance
Image used with permission by copyright holder
You might be surprised to know just how much goes into making your favorite fragrances.

Similar to crafting fine wines, the process entails bringing together carefully selected, fragile ingredients. The goal is to create just the right balance of good taste and in the case of scents, a good smell. When AXE set out to formulate their new AXE YOU fragrance they went straight back to olfactory master, and expert perfumer, Ann Gottlieb. You may not recognize her on sight, but you surely know her blockbuster fragrance, Calvin Klein Obsession, as well as her other AXE classics. We caught up with Ann for a behind-the-scenes look on how the magic happens.

We would love a cheat sheet on how a fragrance is made. How does it all start? 

We start with an olfactive vision based on the concept and then translate the images into scent. The fragrance vision is shared with perfumers and they then interpret it how they perceive it. Several fragrance ideas are then shown to us. Until we find the signature that achieves the brief and meets our expectations from an olfactive standpoint, we could go through anywhere from five hundred to a thousand iterations before finalizing the scent that ultimately goes into the bottle.

About how long does the whole process of creating a fragrance take?

4-6 months.

You are the olfactory force behind the evolution of the AXE guy. Is there a common ingredient or creative thread that runs through all of the scents? The secret here is a touch of vanilla, sometimes greater and sometimes more reduced but always present. It gives the fragrance an easy, approachable character that guys seem to love.

We’ve been watching the AXE guy grow up and become more sophisticated. Now AXE YOU is here appealing to Gen Z. From a fragrance perspective, how is this guy different from the AXE guy of the 80’s? 

In the 80’s, the fragrances were created without regard for a specific target audience. Now so much more is known about who the consumer is and therefore fragrances are specifically targeted.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Are there specific notes that can make a fragrance smell more youthful? 

Generally, fresher notes such as citruses and fruits tend to have a youthful impact on a fragrance. In the case of YOU, it is the freshness, which comes from the coriander leaves and black basil. The inclusion of vanilla is also very meaningful to this target.

What was your inspiration for this fragrance? Which parts of the brief were you most excited to bring to life?

We took our inspiration from the woody, amber-y fragrances from the premium end of the fragrance market and Axe-ified it to be appropriate to our target audience. The concept behind YOU is that it would be a fragrance that adapts to each person’s body chemistry. Watching that come to life was very exciting.

What is the best way, wear and how much body spray should be applied for it to smell its best?

Moderation is always recommended when using a body spray – say AXE when you spray AXE. It can always be layered to achieve greater strength, but if too much is applied at once it can become quite overpowering.

I have to ask, do you have a favorite? 

My favorite Axe fragrance is probably the most recent one on which I worked because I really like them all. If you are asking in regards to my personal fragrance, I would say it was Obsession because it was my first one and always has a special place in my heart.

Jennifer Ryan Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer Ryan Jones is a fashion and grooming expert who contributed regularly to The Manual and AskMen.com. Her past…
How to maintain stubble year-round
A man putting on face cream while looking in the mirror.

For a classic and casual look for your facial hair, stubble is a great option for all sorts of face shapes and ages. It's also, rather handily, one of the easiest looks to maintain. But easy maintenance doesn't mean no maintenance, and if you want to look your best then you shouldn't skip on taking care of your stubble and your skin.

Stubble is a good choice if you're impatient for your beard to grow or if regular shaving is causing havoc to your skin. And with a little work to keep it neat and tidy, stubble can be an attractive and fresh look. We've rounded up a handful of tips to have your stubble looking its best.
Cleanse and exfoliate

Read more
How to straighten your beard at home safely and comfortably
Man with a straightened beard

Want to find out how to straighten that wild clump of hair on your face? You've come to the right place! In this article, we'll walk you through the easiest ways to straighten your beard, with and without heat.

If you've gone searching for answers yourself, you probably already know that there's an overwhelming number of guides and videos on the web purporting to explain how to straighten your beard. Unfortunately, few of them actually break down the different straightening options step-by-step, which is what we've tried to do it our guide. That way, you can have a clear sense of which beard straightening method best integrates into your daily routine.

Read more
How to shave with a straight razor without hurting yourself
Straight razor shave

Learning how to shave with a straight razor is a delicate art form of its own that requires practice and patience in learning how to master it. It's a ritual that can become a meditative discipline for those who hone its craft, almost transporting you back in time -- a suave experience. But don't just take our advice on it. Look no further than the epitome of sophistication -- 007 himself.

When Moneypenny helps James Bond finish shaving with a straight razor in the 2012 classic Skyfall, she says -- knowingly -- that "Sometimes, the old ways are the best." It's an adage to live by and one that holds true when it comes to men's grooming routines.

Read more