Mak has asked “Is the scent really that bad with...

Mak has asked “Is the scent really that bad with BodyShaper?”

Personally, I don’t think so – I find it neither strong nor offensive. However… it certainly doesn’t have a strongly “girly” scent, for want of a better description, such as you’ll find in most typical female body lotions (which usually have a strong musk or floral scent).

Elixia sells its Naturals skincare range as being “free from synthetic fragrance”. The High Performance lines are said to be also free from synthetic fragrance or fragrance free. The listed ingredients of some of the skincare products include orange oil and sandalwood so, if there is a scent, it is likely to be derived from these products.

BodyShaper however, neither claims to be free from synthetic fragrance, nor fragrance free, nor does it seem to contain orange oil or sandalwood.

Interestingly, one Elixia product reviewer didn’t like the smell because she found it to be “medicinal.”

So if they get rid of the “medicinal smell” and replace it with a distinctly “girly scent” the problem is solved and we are ready to launch into Asia? Well, no! It seems that the Chinese don’t really like strong scents, they have their own opinions as to why we Westerners do and smelling “medicinal ” can actually be a selling point.

“There is a distinct preference in China towards cosmetic products using natural ingredients. Chinese consumers fear the risks of chemical products and are strongly convinced that natural products are more efficient that chemical ones. For example, a 22-year-old male named Yan, said “I would like a natural product made from fruits and vegetables that would use few chemicals that would be safer and give better results on skin”. Chinese consumers tend to rely on the smell to judge how natural a product is. Li, a 27-year-old woman, says “I’ve used l’Occitane, it’s good, but the products smell really strong, so I’m worried they put some chemical perfume inside. Sisley products smell like medicines and are made from plants which is natural, I like it.” “
http://www.greenbook.org/marketing-research.cfm/high-end-cosmetics-trends-in-china


“Westerners like strong perfumes… because the bold scents can mask their body odor caused by their dietary habits.”
http://red-luxury.com/2011/08/29/why-chinese-dont-fancy-fragrance-yet/

So what scents do Chinese women prefer? According to one Chinese fashion site, the most popular perfume among Chinese women is Davidoff Cool Water for Woman which, among other ingredients, has “notes of citrus and sandalwood.”

How to make scents of all this? If Elixia does indeed smell of either oranges or sandalwood or “medicinal”, perhaps this just means that we’re going to be a big olfactory hit when we launch in China this year. Provided, of course, they don’t decide to reformulate the products to please Western female noses first….