The History Behind the Most Iconic Herbal Essences Scents

Since their original shampoo was launched in 1971, Herbal Essences has delivered some of the most memorable scents in the industry. Over the years, the formulas have evolved and new products have been launched, but the brand remains true to its botanical heritage and holistically designed fragrances.

We talked with Herbal Essences Senior Scientist Rachel Zipperian and P&G perfumer Stacy Hertenstein to learn about the history and development process of some of the brand's most iconic scents.

The "Original Herbal Essences" shampoo from 1971 was a bold blend of green herbaceous notes with a big white floral middle and a balsamic musky background. And it definitely made a lasting impression. "To this day, we still get requests from women to bring back the original Herbal Essences scent!" said Zipperian.

The next iconic moment from the brand came in 1995 when they released a formula that was a blend of crisp apple with nuances of honey, a complex floral bouquet of rose, jasmine, and lily, and a clean musky background.

"The scent was designed to linger on the hair" said Zipperian. "This helped define how shampoo fragrances needed to work in the shower to make a memorable statement."

When asked what makes the scents from Herbal Essences stand out compared to others Stacy said, "We are focused on creating fragrances that are committed to bringing our product story forward, in celebration of specific ingredients. We focus on holistically designed products and scent experiences." With access to one of the widest palettes of perfume materials available in the industry, even including some that are exclusive to P&G, Herbal Essences is poised to keep the hits coming.

"We know the brain makes a strong connection between scents with memories and emotions," said Hertenstein. "We can really be transported to a moment in time via a signature scent experience, and Herbal Essences has long been committed to that journey."