Jamie Matusow, Editor-in-Chief11.05.15
Lisa Hoffman traveled to Hawaii to capture the essence of the Big Island’s most recognizable and fragrant bloom, in her new fragrance, Hawaiian Plumeria. The sweet, warm fragrance of the flower, often used in traditional leis, has a fleeting, delicate scent.
Here she tells Beauty Packaging about her love of fragrances and her passion for scents and packaging—including those for her latest inspiration launched this season.
Beauty Packaging: How did you become so enveloped in creating fragrances?
Lisa Hoffman
Lisa Hoffman: I’ve been fascinated with fragrance since childhood, and over time, it has developed into my medium for personal expression. I love that I can create and share an artful experience through the nuances of scent.
BP: What was your first fragrance—and how have your scents evolved over the years?
LH: When I was very young, my uncle gave me a perfume making kit. I went straight to my grandmother’s bathroom to recreate her favorite perfume—Chanel No 5. At the time, I thought it was a success, but thankfully my olfactive understanding has improved immensely. Japanese Agarwood and Madagascar Orchid were my first fragrances to launch in the marketplace, and unlike my Chanel No. 5 knock-off, both were FiFi finalists, one indication that I’m moving in the right direction.
BP: What was the inspiration for your latest fragrance?
LH: My latest fragrance was inspired by memories of Hawaiian vacations with my family. I blended the tranquil notes of balmy island air, sweet plumeria blooms with hints of salt from the ocean breeze, mingled in shaved coconut, and the smell that can only be found when you are surrounded by lush green foliage after a light rain.
Paradise isn’t just a beautiful landscape; paradise is the calm, tranquil feeling found from reflecting on the beauty in our lives. When I breathe in the scent of my new perfume it takes me back there instantly.
BP: How did you go about creating the packaging for this scent?
LH: I like a clean, elegant aesthetic in all my packaging and tend to focus more on the scent itself. Each of my perfumes has its own unique icon that integrates the look and feel of the notes; I also choose a special color for each that visually represents the scent experience. Hawaiian Plumeria’s packaging bears a plumeria icon, and is visualized in a beautiful aqua tone that reminds me of the balmy yet zesty Hawaiian air.
BP: What design elements are important to you as far as the bottle and the carton?
LH: The bottle and carton are the first step in the path of scent experience and should speak to the mood of the fragrance. Since I prefer clean designs, I communicate the feeling and emotions of scent through the icon design and color.
BP: Why the two sizes?
LH: One for home and one for travel, of course!
BP: What about naming your fragrances?
LH: My fragrance names are based on the destinations that inspire them and the heart of the fragrance. So, when you are discovering any of my fragrances, you can visualize the location and understand the soul of the fragrance before even smelling.
BP: Is there a fragrance that you are imagining for the future?
LH: Too many—I have to rein myself in. I have developed many future collections already that haven’t gone to market yet. Stay tuned.
BP: What is your view on the fragrance industry?
LH: This is truly an exciting time for the fragrance industry. I’m finding that perfumes are becoming more about the fragrances themselves and less about over-designed packaging and celebrity endorsements. I am happy to see the trend of new artisan perfumers and niche brands creating unique scent experiences. In addition to craving more artful scents, consumers expect innovation—products that do more and enhance our lives. I believe one of the reasons for the success of my fragrance jewelry is that it offers the consumer a solution-based product and an entirely new way to wear her perfume.
About the Author
Here she tells Beauty Packaging about her love of fragrances and her passion for scents and packaging—including those for her latest inspiration launched this season.
Beauty Packaging: How did you become so enveloped in creating fragrances?
Lisa Hoffman
BP: What was your first fragrance—and how have your scents evolved over the years?
LH: When I was very young, my uncle gave me a perfume making kit. I went straight to my grandmother’s bathroom to recreate her favorite perfume—Chanel No 5. At the time, I thought it was a success, but thankfully my olfactive understanding has improved immensely. Japanese Agarwood and Madagascar Orchid were my first fragrances to launch in the marketplace, and unlike my Chanel No. 5 knock-off, both were FiFi finalists, one indication that I’m moving in the right direction.
BP: What was the inspiration for your latest fragrance?
LH: My latest fragrance was inspired by memories of Hawaiian vacations with my family. I blended the tranquil notes of balmy island air, sweet plumeria blooms with hints of salt from the ocean breeze, mingled in shaved coconut, and the smell that can only be found when you are surrounded by lush green foliage after a light rain.
Paradise isn’t just a beautiful landscape; paradise is the calm, tranquil feeling found from reflecting on the beauty in our lives. When I breathe in the scent of my new perfume it takes me back there instantly.
BP: How did you go about creating the packaging for this scent?
LH: I like a clean, elegant aesthetic in all my packaging and tend to focus more on the scent itself. Each of my perfumes has its own unique icon that integrates the look and feel of the notes; I also choose a special color for each that visually represents the scent experience. Hawaiian Plumeria’s packaging bears a plumeria icon, and is visualized in a beautiful aqua tone that reminds me of the balmy yet zesty Hawaiian air.
BP: What design elements are important to you as far as the bottle and the carton?
LH: The bottle and carton are the first step in the path of scent experience and should speak to the mood of the fragrance. Since I prefer clean designs, I communicate the feeling and emotions of scent through the icon design and color.
BP: Why the two sizes?
LH: One for home and one for travel, of course!
BP: What about naming your fragrances?
LH: My fragrance names are based on the destinations that inspire them and the heart of the fragrance. So, when you are discovering any of my fragrances, you can visualize the location and understand the soul of the fragrance before even smelling.
BP: Is there a fragrance that you are imagining for the future?
LH: Too many—I have to rein myself in. I have developed many future collections already that haven’t gone to market yet. Stay tuned.
BP: What is your view on the fragrance industry?
LH: This is truly an exciting time for the fragrance industry. I’m finding that perfumes are becoming more about the fragrances themselves and less about over-designed packaging and celebrity endorsements. I am happy to see the trend of new artisan perfumers and niche brands creating unique scent experiences. In addition to craving more artful scents, consumers expect innovation—products that do more and enhance our lives. I believe one of the reasons for the success of my fragrance jewelry is that it offers the consumer a solution-based product and an entirely new way to wear her perfume.
