As industry executives eagerly anticipate attending the Fragrance Foundation Awards 2026 on June 11th at Lincoln Center, organizers have just announced some of the winners.

Guests gathered at a luncheon in April to hear the winners revealed—in five of the eighteen categories. Plus, Honorine Blanc is the Lifetime Achievement Perfumer, and Michael Edwards is the Game Changer award winner. Ahead of the luncheon, Nordstrom was named the Hall of Fame Award winner.

Celebrating the First Round of Winners 

The first round of winners of the Fragrance Foundation Awards 2026 are: 

Fragrance Innovation of the Year—a Tie

• Pura x Pantone Cloud Dancer Fragrance (DSM-Firmenich; perfumers Clement Gavarry & Erwan Raguenes)

• Fragrance Layering Balm by Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez (Robertet; perfumer Jérôme Epinette)

Indie Fragrance of the Year

• Zephirine Eau de Parfum by LBTY Liberty Beauty (DSM-Firmenich; perfumer Frank Voelkl)

Fragrance Editorial of the Year

Beyond the fragrance categories, organizers announced the Editorial of the Year winner. It is Sudhir Gupta for the Rolling Stone article, “What Guerlain’s Shalimar Can Teach About Building a Brand That Lasts 100 Years.”

SEE THE SLIDESHOW: First Round of Winners of the Fragrance Foundation Awards 2026

Packaging of the Year Winners

The fragrance packaging winners this year did not disappoint.

Prestige & Popular Packaging of the Year

• L’Oréal’s Ralph’s Club New York by Ralph Lauren. Copywrighte designed the sleek, silver metallic bottle.

Ultra Luxury & Luxury Packaging of the Year

• LVMH’s Guerlain Muguet 2025 Millésime, in an extravagant bottle designed by artist Yann Philippe.

Honorine Blanc Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Honorine Blanc, Master Perfumer of DSM-Firmenich, is the winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award. She received a standing ovation from the 350+ crowd at the luncheon. It was a “moment not to have been missed,” Levy stated.

Blanc is the nose behind Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Noir, Estée Lauder Amber Mystique, and more. She played a significant role in the creation of YSL Black Opium. Working with Gucci, Blanc created Rush, Flora Gorgeous Gardenia, and others.

Blanc discussed her creative approach as a perfumer and how it has changed. She told Byrdie, “I love the moment where you know what you’re doing, yet you always have surprises.” Blanc went on to say that the most “beautiful” part of her job is often the challenges. She added, “You always have moments that you don’t expect because the fragrance is very difficult to control. And then you evolve.”

Related: Michael Edward Tells the Real Story Behind the Creation of Chanel No 5

Michael Edwards Named ‘Game Changer’

Michael Edwards, fragrance taxonomist and historian, is the winner of The Fragrance Foundation’s Game Changer Award for his contribution to the fragrance industry. 

Edwards has dedicated his life to creating a classification system and categorizing over 60,000 fragrances. Carlos Benaïm, Master Perfumer at IFF, said Edwards is “preserving the legacy of perfumers by cataloging their creations.”

“Michael’s impact has resonated throughout our industry for decades, building a lasting legacy by creating a historical and cultural context in how we understand and experience fragrance,” said Levy, about Edwards. “He is one of the most influential figures of the fragrance industry—his work has impacted countless consumers and industry experts in the discovery and research of fragrance around the world,” she stated in a newsletter.

We’ll announce the remaining winners right after the gala in June—follow @BeautyPackaging on Instagram for live updates.

Take a look at all the fragrances that are in the running:

SLIDESHOW—Fragrance Foundation Awards 2026 Finalists