Fragrant pregnancy

Pregnant women notice changes in their bodies as well as their skin. Their sense of smell may become more sensitive. Because of hormonal changes, some women can no longer take the smell of their usual perfume, or they may simply wish to find a new fragrance to accompany this turning point in their lives. "Morning sickness can trigger a longing for freshness and lightness," explains gynecologist Anne Baude-Main.

by Bettina Aykroyd

Every pregnant woman has cravings. One of them may well be for a new perfume. How are they supposed to choose it, considering the changes in their skin and their sense of smell, which can become much more sensitive for nine months? A perfumer looked into the question and came up with "En attendant" (Expecting), the first fragrance line for pregnant women.

A Team of Experts

French perfumer Hervé Mathieu came up with the idea of creating three fragrances for women waiting for the stork to arrive. This professional (seven years at Chanel, then at BPI), who was trained by Monique Schlienger, founder of Forward, realized that his pregnant friends couldn't find a perfume that they liked and that met their needs in terms of both quality and safety. So he gathered a team of experts to create his juice. Mélanie Leroux, a young perfumer with Floressence, Anne Baude-Main, gynecologist, and Nathalie Gueyne, the director of BF International Laboratories, appointed for the development of hypoallergenic versions, worked together on the project. A survey was conducted among approximately 250 pregnant women. The results showed that 23% of them changed perfumes and 33% either stopped or reduced their use od fragrances.

Safe Ingredients

The ingredients selected for Hervé Mathieu's fragrances are commonly used in perfumery, but the proportions were carefully measured. Green tea and citrus fruit characterize "En Attendant Intensément" (Expecting... Intensely); lilac, lily-of-the-valley and fruity accents are found in "En Attendant Tendrement" (Expecting... Sweetly); vanilla and tiare flower in "En Attendant Autrement" (Expecting... Differently). The primary focus of the team (Floresence, a company based in Grasse, France) was to provide a safe product. "Our perfume formulas are flawless. Their common denominators are purity, softness and an unagressive freshness," explains the creator. "A perfume's alcohol base can cause allergies or dry skin, and it is also known for its photosensitivity," explains Nathalie Gueyne. Those features can constitute a danger for some pregnant women. Hence the decision to avoid alcoholic components altogether.

Fragrances babies can identify

All three fragrances are already available in France and should be introduced in other European countries and the United States soon. In hopes that once "adopted" by future mothers, these fragrances will have found a long-term home. "It's no laughing matter," explains Hervé Mathieu. "Doctors say that hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can last for as long as five months to a year after the birth. Moreover, infants recognize their mothers by their smell, so it's important to keep the same fragrance for a while."