The perfume industry is undergoing a shift away from mass market fragrances towards niche designer scents. Spearheading this move is the Hermès Perfume Library, offering visitors an exclusive look into the brand’s luxurious collection. Are experiential boutiques the future of luxury?

From the ‘50s-style branding of Benefit to the 140-year success of Vaseline, the beauty industry is steeped in nostalgia – both authentic and artificial. Techniques, products and entire brands are built on days gone by, but why are beauty brand fans looking at the past with rose-tinted specs?

The perfume industry is set to be worth $38.8 billion by 2017. But sometimes it feels like half that money pays for fancy packaging and expensive adverts. A new perfumer in Milan is attempting to cut through all the noise and put the focus back on the products.

Today's consumers are eschewing the latest Beyoncé or Taylor Swift fragrance in favour of perfume with a bit more personality. Artisan perfumers have become big business, illustrated by the recent acquisition of independent retailer Le Labo by cosmetics giant Estée Lauder.