Elixir (perfume)

Last updated
Elixir
Shakira Elixir Fragrance.jpg
Fragrance by Shakira
ReleasedJuly 2013
LabelPuig
Tagline The new fragrance
Predecessor S by Shakira Eau Florale
SuccessorWild Elixir
Website Official website

Elixir is a women's fragrance by Colombian singer songwriter Shakira, developed in a collaboration with international fashion company Puig. After the release of her first two fragrances, Puig enlisted several perfumers to work on Shakira's third fragrance, which she claimed would capture her "most sensual and exotic side." [1] The final product was Elixir, an amber perfume based on various spicy and woody sources. The flacon of the perfume is inspired by apothecary bottles and is made to resemble a magical potion, featuring a light golden colour scheme.

Contents

Shakira launched the fragrance at a press release in São Paulo, Brazil, in July 2012. Additionally, Jaume de Laiguana directed a commercial for the fragrance, which was filmed in the Sahara desert in Morocco. In August 2013, Wild Elixir was released as a flanker fragrance to Elixir. The floral amber perfume is similar to the original one in appearance but features a variation in the colour scheme. It was promoted through a commercial which features Shakira encountering two cheetahs in an arid landscape.

Development

Background

In 2008, international fashion and fragrance company Puig announced that it had formed a partnership with Shakira and had signed an agreement "to develop a line of signature products produced with and inspired by the artist". [2] The first product to appear was S by Shakira, which was released in September 2010, followed by S by Shakira Eau Florale. [3]

After developing her first two fragrances, Puig began working on Shakira's third perfume and enlisted Alexandra Kosinski and Sonia Constant, perfumers from Swiss fragrance manufacturer Givaudan, to collaborate with Elisabeth Vidal, a perfumer from Puig. [1] Vidal had previously worked with Shakira on S by Shakira Eau Florale. [4] The perfumers came up with the concept of a "second skin", described by Shakira as a "fragrance that becomes a part of you". [1] In an interview with Women's Wear Daily , the singer claimed that the scent would display her "most sensual and exotic side" and had seemingly been inspired by the deserts of Morocco. [1] [5]

Scent and packaging

Elixir belongs to the amber olfactive family, [6] which is known to contain intense and long lasting fragrances. [7] The top notes of the perfume were described by Shakira as "floral and spicy" and include neroli, white pepper, and white flower; the heart notes were said to be "velvety and fruity" and are based on the scents of flowers like freesia and paeonia, and apricot; the base notes contain amber, benzoin, musk, sugar cane and white cedar wood. [8] [9] The ingredients of the perfume are mostly based on spicy and woody elements which overbear the sweeter floral elements. [10] Shakira herself stated that the "sweetness" in Elixir was kept to a limited amount. [8]

German packaging company Gerresheimer was hired to produce the flacon of Elixir. [11] It is made of clear moulded glass and has a slender gold-tinted neck. [1] [11] According to Jose Manuel Albesa, chief brand officer of Puig, it is inspired by the bottles used in the historic medical practice of apothecary. [1] In an interview with Latina , Shakira revealed that she wanted to "depict the kind of bottle that was used in ancient times, but that looked modern and chic as well" and come up with a design similar to a magical potion, which is the definition of the word 'elixir'. [12] As the scent is inspired by the desert, she chose the tint of the bottle to be golden so that it can "evoke the memories of sands and sunsets". [12] The packaging of the fragrance was designed by Colombian artist Catalina Estrada and features colourful illustrations of various birds and leaves printed on a pale background. [1]

Release

Released in late-July 2012, Elixir was made available for purchase exclusively in American department store chains Kohl's and Sears. [1] The two stores served as exclusive retailers of the fragrance for two months, after which it was released to mass market stores like CVS Caremark and Walgreens. [1] Elixir was released in approximately 19,000 stores in the United States alone. [1] Elsewhere, Elixir was released in Eastern Europe, Italy, and Latin America. [1] The perfume was aimed at a younger demographic, according to Albesa. [1] Elixir was made available as an eau de toilette, and its prices ranged from US $17.50 to US $36 with respect to the size. [1]

Shakira launched Elixir at a press release in São Paulo, Brazil, on 17 July 2012, where she discussed her inspiration behind the fragrance and its development process. [13] The commercial for the fragrance was shot in the Sahara desert in Morocco by Jaume de Laiguana, who had previously directed music videos for various songs by Shakira, like "Loca" and "Rabiosa". [1] The advertisement features Shakira in the middle of the desert wearing a long skirt; she opens a bottle of Elixir and performs a dance routine, attracting an eagle towards her which perches on her arm. A competition was held on the official website of the perfume to determine a winner who would be rewarded the long skirt Shakira wore in the commercial. [10]

Products

Elixir was produced in the following range: [1]

Reception

Samantha Lea from Latina praised the perfume's versatility, saying it is suitable for use "whether you prefer fruity to floral scents or want your scent to transport you to a tropical beach". [16] She chose the usage of freesia and peony as the highlight of Elixir and included the perfume in her list of "Five Amazing Summer Scents and Perfumes". [16] Miranda Noland, an editor of the magazine, opined the Elixir gift set would "please any Shakira lover." [17] At the 2011 Academia Del Perfume Award ceremony sponsored by the Fragrance Foundation, Elixir won the award for "Best Female Perfume General Public Category". [18]

Industry analysts predicted that the perfume would make $14 million through global retail sales in its first year. [1] Twenty percent of this amount was credited to sales in the United States. [1] In April 2013, Puig released a press statement mentioning that Elixir had performed well commercially. [19]

Wild Elixir

Wild Elixir
Fragrance by Shakira
ReleasedAugust 2013
LabelPuig
Tagline Discover the new fragrance
Predecessor S by Shakira Aquamarine
Website Official website

Background and scent

Wild Elixir was released as a flanker fragrance to Elixir on 25 August 2013. [20] Categorised as a floral oriental perfume, Wild Elixir features top notes of cassis and mandarin; heart notes of honeysuckle flower, orange blossom, and peach fruit accord; the base notes consist of benzoin resin, patchouli, and sandalwood. [21] The flacon of the perfume is similar to the original one, but instead features a contrasting colour scheme of golden and black. [22] The packaging was again designed by Estrada and features illustrations of flowers and wild cats set on a brownish orange background and is similar to the look of the African savannah. [23]

The Russian edition of Cosmopolitan gave Wild Elixir a positive review, praising its packaging and the choice of ingredients in the notes. [24]

Promotion

On 23 June 2013, Shakira released a teaser of the commercial for the fragrance along with a photo of her posing with two cheetahs. [25] A full version of the commercial was released later. It begins with Shakira, dressed in a dark burgundy gown, coming across a pair of cheetahs in an arid desert region. The two animals, alarmed, commence running towards her in an effort to attack her. Shakira responds by raising her hand, which prompts the cheetahs to abruptly stop in their tracks. They are later seen prowling around her while she is standing atop a rock and a bottle of Wild Elixir is then shown placed on a log of wood. [26] The official website of the perfume also features a game made to promote the fragrance and Shakira's Barefoot Foundation. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Perfumes can be defined as substances that emit and diffuse a pleasant and fragrant odor. They consist of manmade mixtures of aromatic chemicals and essential oils. The 1939 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, Leopold Ružička stated in 1945 that "right from the earliest days of scientific chemistry up to the present time, perfumes have substantially contributed to the development of organic chemistry as regards methods, systematic classification, and theory."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Patou</span> French fashion designer (1887–1936)

Jean Patou was a French fashion designer, and founder of the Jean Patou brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanel No. 19</span> Chanel perfume

Chanel No. 19 perfume was first marketed in 1971. The number 19 was chosen to commemorate Coco Chanel's birthday, 19 August. The perfume was launched a year before she died. The scent was created by Henri Robert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eau de toilette</span> Lightly scented perfume

Eau de toilette is a lightly scented perfume. It is also referred to as aromatic waters and has a high alcohol content. It is usually applied directly to the skin after bathing or shaving. It is traditionally composed of alcohol and various volatile oils. Traditionally these products were named after a principal ingredient; some being geranium water, lavender water, lilac water, violet water, spirit of myrcia and 'eau de Bretfeld'. Because of this, eau de toilette was sometimes referred to as "toilet water".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glow by JLo</span> 1998 perfume endorsed by Jennifer Lopez

Glow by JLo is a women's fragrance endorsed by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez, and released through Coty, Inc. It was conceived as far back as 1998 when Lopez announced a lifestyle line that would include a fragrance. Contradictory to assumptions that it would be unsuccessful, it performed extremely well, becoming America's top-selling fragrance. Glow Industries filed a lawsuit against Lopez and Coty to not use the term "Glow", however, a judge denied their request. Along with products from Lopez's fashion and lifestyle line, it brought in over $300 million by 2004. Subsequently, Glow became a successful woman's fragrance line.

Heat is a perfume endorsed by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was created by her alongside Claude Dir and Olivier Gillotin of the company Givaudan. The product, which was released on February 3, 2010, uses the tagline "catch the fever". The release was promoted with a cover version of "Fever" recorded by Beyoncé and a limited edition extended play (EP) also titled Heat. She also appeared at Macy's Herald Square to launch the perfume and on The Today Show where she discussed about Heat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creed (perfume house)</span> Anglo-French multi-national niche perfume house

Creed Fragrances is an Anglo-French multi-national niche perfume house, based in Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Because of You...</span> Perfume endorsed by Jordin Sparks

Because of You... is a perfume endorsed by American singer, songwriter Jordin Sparks, which she created alongside Belmay Fragrances. The product was released exclusively to Dots Department Stores on October 6, 2010. Because of You... was followed by two additional releases. Fascinate was intended to be more of a daytime fragrance, and Ambition. Each scent was followed with its own Eau De Parfum release and multiple gift sets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S by Shakira</span> Perfume by Shakira

S by Shakira is the first woman's fragrance by Colombian singer songwriter Shakira. Developing an interest in perfumery and scents, Shakira signed an agreement with international fashion company Puig to create a line of beauty and personal care products. S by Shakira is an amber perfume which combines scents of various exotic sources like sambac jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla. The bottle of the perfume is made of treated glass which reflects light at different angles; it does not have a cap and instead utilises a key-like mechanism to stop the flow of the perfume. Shakira launched S by Shakira at a press release in Madrid, Spain, in June 2010, and it was sent to retail stores in September 2010. Critics praised the scent of S by Shakira, but there was criticism regarding the design of the bottle. It was nominated for a FiFi Award in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still Jennifer Lopez</span> Fragrance

Still Jennifer Lopez is a women's fragrance endorsed by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez, released by Coty, Inc. in September 2003. The fragrance contains notes of sake, mandarin, earl grey, pink freesia, honeysuckle, orange flower, sandalwood, amber and orris. Still Jennifer Lopez followed in the footsteps of Glow by JLo, an international success that shaped the fragrance industry and began a trend in the celebrity endorsement of fragrance. The release of Still Jennifer Lopez was not anticipated due to the negative publicity generated from Lopez's film Gigli (2003) and a fall-out with her manager Benny Medina. Several fragrance industry experts noted that it could ruin the success of Glow by JLo. It was also noted that her public image at the time would have irreparable effects on the fragrance's performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebelle (fragrance)</span>

Rebelle is the second fragrance for women by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The fragrance was released in spring 2012 under the perfume line Parlux Fragrances. The fragrance was made available for purchase on Belk.com, on February 15, 2012. in the United States. It was also available in a special pack at Macy's for a limited time. The pack included the singer's previous fragrance, Reb'l Fleur, her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk and Rebelle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambition (fragrance)</span> Perfume endorsed by Jordin Sparks

Ambition is the third women's fragrance created by American pop/R&B singer, songwriter Jordin Sparks alongside CPL Aromas & Preferred Fragrance, endorsed by Jordin Sparks. The product was released exclusively to Bon-Ton Department Stores nationwide on November 8, 2012 in store and online. Ambition... was Preceded by two additional releases. her first fragrance "Because of You..." and her second fragrance "Fascinate". Each scent was followed with its own Eau De Parfum release and multiple gift sets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love and Glamour</span> 2010 perfume endorsed by Jennifer Lopez

Love and Glamour is a women's eau de toilette fragrance endorsed by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogue by Rihanna</span>

Rogue is the fourth fragrance released by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The fragrance was released in two installments; firstly a women's fragrance and finally a men's cologne. The women's fragrance was officially released on September 4, 2013 under the perfume line, Parlux Fragrances and was made available for purchase on Rihanna's official perfume website and also at Macy's, Dillards and Belk stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rise (perfume)</span> Perfume by Beyoncé

Rise is a perfume endorsed by Beyoncé and distributed through division Coty Beauty of manufacturer Coty, Inc. She collaborated with perfumer Loc Dong from the company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) for creating the scent. It marks her third fragrance following the release of Heat (2010) and Pulse (2011). Inspired by African-American author Maya Angelou and meant to showcase private sides of Beyoncé's personal life, Rise was created as a woman's fragrance.

Angel is a 1992 perfume from Thierry Mugler and the first modern gourmand perfume, with notes of patchouli, praline, red berries, and vanilla. The perfumiers were Olivier Cresp and Yves de Chirin. The design of its bottle is an irregular shaped star.

Chanel Chance is a line of fragrances for women from Chanel that was introduced in September 2002. It was created by Jacques Polge, who has created every Chanel fragrance launched since 1978, including Coco Mademoiselle, Allure, Bleu de Chanel and Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le Male</span> Mens fragrance introduced in 1995

Le Male is a men's fragrance created by Francis Kurkdjian for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995. "Le Male" is very close in scent profile to Cuba Gold (Paris) which was introduced in 1979, It has been manufactured by Puig since 2016, and was previously manufactured by Shiseido subsidiary Beauté Prestige International from 1995 until 2015. The fragrance was developed as a counterpart to the women's fragrance Classique, which was introduced in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classique (fragrance)</span> Womens fragrance introduced in 1993

Classique is a women's fragrance created by Jacques Cavallier for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1993. It has been manufactured by Puig since 2016, and was previously manufactured by Shiseido subsidiary Beauté Prestige International from 1995 until 2015. The men's fragrance Le Male was developed as a counterpart to Classique, and was introduced in 1995.

Narciso Rodriguez for Her is an eau de toilette-strength perfume launched in September 2003 by fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez and created by perfumers Christine Nagel and Francis Kurkdjian. It has won Fragrance Foundation awards in France and the US, both at its original launch and retrospectively. The original eau de toilette is primarily a musk, amber and orange blossom scent. Narciso Rodriguez subsequently released an eau de parfum version and many other versions, known as flankers, that include other notes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Naughton, Julie (12 July 2012). "Shakira to Launch Elixir". Women's Wear Daily . Fairchild Fashion Media . Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Morgan, Kera. "Shakira and Puig Partner in Newly Formed Beauty and Personal Care Enterprise" (PDF). Puig. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Wenn (2 August 2010). "Shakira Smells Success With Perfume Launch". Contactmusic.com . Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  4. ↑ Showbiz, Bang (13 June 2011). "Shakira - Shakira Launches Second Fragrance". Contactmusic.com . Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Shakira Launches New Fragrance "Elixir by Shakira"". Latino Daily News. Hispanically Speaking News. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ↑ "Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Elixir bottle, and then select the Inspiration tab)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Definition: Orientals". PopSugar Beauty. 24 October 2008. Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  8. 1 2 Drago, Lauren. "Shakira on Her Newest Fragrance, Elixir". Teen Vogue . Condé Nast Publications. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Elixir bottle, and then select the Fragrance tab)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  10. 1 2 Katrina (20 July 2013). "Shakira Elixir Perfume Review". Celebrity Perfumes. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Update - Fragrance & Cosmetics" (PDF). Gerresheimer. October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  12. 1 2 Flores, Amanda (14 September 2012). "Shakira Shares Her Notes About New Perfume "Elixir"". Latina . Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "Elixir: Shakira Lanca Novo Perfume No Brasil" (in Portuguese). Pleased Mag. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Elixir bottle, and then select the Range tab)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  15. 1 2 "Elixir by Shakira Gift Set". Amazon. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  16. 1 2 Lea, Samantha (17 June 2012). "5 Amazing Summer Scents & Perfumes". Latina. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  17. ↑ Noland, Miranda (21 October 2012). "Gift Guide Under $50: Shakira Elixir". Latina. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Premios ADP'12" (in Spanish). Academia del Perfume. The Fragrance Foundation. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "Puig net revenues up by 11% in 2012, net income increase by 12%" (PDF). Puig. 23 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  20. ↑ Ristic, Karinda (27 August 2013). "Wild Elixir by Shakira". DestinyConnect. DMMA. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Wild Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Wild Elixir bottle, and then select the Fragrance tab)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Wild Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Wild Elixir bottle, select the Design tab, and then choose Bottle)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  23. ↑ "Wild Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Wild Elixir bottle, select the Design tab, and then choose Packaging)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  24. ↑ "Дикая красота Shakira". Cosmopolitan (Russia) (in Russian). Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  25. ↑ Jill, Jodi (24 June 2013). "Shakira poses with Cheetahs? New perfume set to embrace smells from the wild side". Allvoices. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  26. ↑ "Elixir (Click on the Fragrances tab on the right-hand side of the page, choose the Wild Elixir bottle, and then select the Communication tab)". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  27. ↑ "Wild Elixir by Shakira". Shakira-Beauty. Scents and Senses. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.