INFLUENCER MARKETING AND CURRENT BIAS ISSUE

In the world of beauty (fragrances in particular), influencers occupy a unique space. Whether it’s a YouTube video, Instagram reel or short review on TikTok showcasing the perfect scent for a night out, fragrance influencers shape perceptions of audience, sway opinions of fans, and potentially impact sales. But as with many things in life, content you get served on a daily basis it’s not always clear-cut.

On one side, we have content creators who seem driven by genuine passion. These influencers are often the ones who dive deep into the olfactory nuances, educating their followers about fragrance houses, pyramids, raw materials and the stories behind the scents. They give more than just surface-level recommendations, offering expertise, personal experience, and a sense of authenticity that resonates with the viewer. It feels like you’re following a friend who has dedicated themselves to the art of scent discovery.

Then, there are those who create the content just to leverage their influence with one goal in mind: personal financial gain, often at cost of pushing any recommendations out to the world, as long as the money keeps flowing. As we all know, the fragrance industry is a multi-billion-dollar behemoth, where brands are extremely eager to partner with influencers for exposure. Yet, with sponsored posts, affiliate links, and paid partnerships, how can audience  be sure that creator’s recommendations are genuine? It’s not that there’s anything wrong with earning a living through one’s craft, but when the scent of business overwhelms the scent of passion, people do start to question the authenticity of the reviews.

A key factor to consider when evaluating a fragrance influencer is transparency. Are they upfront about their partnerships and sponsorships, or do they slip in subtle endorsements without disclosing financial ties? Many influencers still strive to balance passion with the business side of things, but the lines can blur quickly. When someone is sent a free bottle or paid to promote a fragrance, are they truly sharing their personal favorite, or are they pushing a product because they’re contractually obliged?

In the best cases, influencers maintain integrity by balancing both sides of the spectrum. They understand that they have an audience that values honesty but also see the value in working with brands. These creators are careful to disclose partnerships while giving thoughtful, unbiased opinions. They’ll even highlight the flaws of a fragrance in a review, ensuring their audience knows that the sponsorship didn’t cloud their judgment.

Sadly, in many corners of the digital space nowadays, the focus of content creators is more on the paychecks rather than the perfume. Fast, flashy, and formulaic content may rack up the views, but does it truly deliver value of any sorts? Can it convert into sales when the details given to the audience are a copy-paste of the notes from Fragrantica. You often see these influencers prioritize engagement metrics and brand collaborations over meaningful connections with their audience. They become walking billboards with blue ticks and hundreds of thousands of followers, whilst english-speaking fragrance community active across social media platforms is about 25K people large, at best.  So where do the crazy 100 K + followers numbers come from? Another tabu topic – purchasing followers. Which leads to further confusing audience and brands. As these ghost accounts are merely there to inflate numbers of success that is simply not there.

It’s undeniable that influencers have changed the sales for many brands. Niche perfume brands, previously gone unnoticed are now actively seeking collaborators  who can introduce them to a broader audience. Why? Because creators within a specific niche automatically target the most desired audience, giving them a direct access to target consumer in a way that traditional advertising may never reach in full in 21st century. But at what cost? 

While some fragrance influencers elevate the art of perfumery, others dilute it, making every fragrance in their review seem like the best thing ever. What I observe in the community now, is that passionate fragrance enthusiasts are tremendously frustrated leaving platforms, leaving us exposed to the more commercial landscape than ever before.