Elevating the Signature Scent of Suavitel

Designing for long-lasting scent

The team behind Suavitel brought scientists and fragrance experts together to deliver a newly reformulated Suavitel Spring Fresh — a direct result of Colgate-Palmolive’s  people-centric, science-led approach to product development.

“Our formula was designed for softening and fragrance, but consumers wanted perceivable superiority — not just longevity but fragrance that walked with them through their day,” said César Gazga, Scientist, Research & Development. 

Using design-of-experiment testing, the team evaluated different formula backbones, rebalanced active ingredients and tested new fragrance boosters. They also worked closely with internal fragrance experts to map out the key touchpoints where people perceive scent: during the wash, in the air, on fabrics and over time.

“We focused on creating a formula that would allow the fragrance to truly shine — to ensure it had the space to perform at its best,” said Priscila Blanco, Fragrance Development Assistant Manager. “We treated it like a key ingredient because that’s exactly what it is.”

Innovative tools also played a role in the process. Led by Sandra Sánchez, Senior Manager of ER Home Care R&D, the research and innovation team introduced a compound detection system that was used after the final formula decision to confirm that small but meaningful shifts in volatile composition could be detected instrumentally.

“It wasn’t part of the development process itself,” Gazga said, “but it showed real potential for future projects — helping us better understand and measure fragrance performance in new ways.”

Real-world performance was another focus. The team evaluated how different fabrics — cotton, polyester, blends and denim — retained scent across various stages: wet, dry and over time. “Fabrics have different chemistries, so we had to design for them all,” Gazga said. The result was a formula tuned to perform not just on one material, but across a range of garments people use daily, such as denim and polyester. 

Suavitel Spring Fresh’s new formula features a reengineered fragrance system that, as Blanco described in her role as fragrance expert, opens with a vibrant blend of floral and aromatic notes, layered with a complex fruity accord, and finishes with warm amber and musks for a long-lasting, caring freshness. While the scent lingers long after the wash, the real breakthrough lies in the perfect synergy of the fragrance and the encapsulated technology, which releases a distinct burst of fragrance.

“It’s a reactivation moment that delights and surprises,” Blanco said. 

The team incorporated mood-enhancing and malodorant control technologies that target household smells like smoke or cooking. Long-lasting tests were conducted at real-life intervals — three days, one week, two weeks — mirroring how often people reuse clothing or linens.

Fragrance is deposited into fabrics during the washing process, and the encapsulated technology remains stable through the rinse phase. Then, as you move — walking, wearing your favorite clothes or hugging your loved ones — the fragrance is released. 

While the newly engineered fragrance system was developed specifically for Suavitel Spring Fresh, which includes Superior Care and Complete, the backbone formula has also been adapted for the rest of the Suavitel family. 

Innovation built on collaboration

More than just a product update, the Suavitel relaunch signals a new way Colgate-Palmolive designs consumer experiences — one that’s built on co-creation and cross-functional development.

“This way of working is a must for every future project,” Blanco and Gazga said. “It’s not about handing things off. It’s about designing with shared knowledge from the start.”

By aligning product design and fragrance strategy from the outset, the team created a new Suavitel Blue formula that outperformed both previous versions, with users rating it higher on key measures like fragrance, fabric feel and overall performance.

It’s one more way Colgate-Palmolive is delivering on its purpose: a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.

The newly reformulated Suavitel Spring Fresh variant is now available in Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. Full availability across Latin America is expected soon.