The women’s fragrance market continues to face challenges despite prolific new product launches, and celebrity licenses. Prestige products that were formerly available only through department stores are now widely distributed through specialty stores and even mass merchandisers, which have increased the opportunity for fragrance purchases without actually increasing demand. The FDM market segment is experiencing progressive sales erosion as specialty channels and discount stores converge on increasingly cautious consumer dollars.

Mintel explores the hypothesis that a heavily congested and competitive marketplace will perpetuate a flat market for women’s fragrances in the U.S. Nevertheless, targeted growth opportunities do exist among burgeoning ethnic populations, teenagers (aged 12 to 17) and the Millennial generation (born between 1977 and 1994). Retiring Baby Boomers are also a promising market.

Mintel’s exclusive research brings you closer to the women’s fragrance consumer, revealing important trends in indulgence purchasing. Every important driver in the women’s fragrance market is explored in depth, including market size and trends. The supply structure is broken down by manufacturer, with analysis of each important player in the market. A five-year market forecast helps you prepare for the tight competition ahead.

This report covers the U.S. market for female fragrances in all forms, including spray, pour, solid, and oil. The market can also be broadly segmented according to a product's strength (the grade of alcohol denotes the % of alcohol to water):

-- Toilet water or an eau de toilette (EDT) is a 6-15% solution of fragrance oil in an 80% grade of alcohol.

-- Cologne is a 3-6% solution of fragrance oil in a 70% grade alcohol.

-- Perfume or an eau de parfum usually contains 15-25% fragrance oil in pure ethyl alcohol.