All we generally look at when we buy a bottle of perfume is the label and of course the price. We would like to make sure we are buying something that we are going to enjoy wearing and of course, impress people with. Do we give a moment’s thought to the person who has so skilfully brought together multiple aromas and fragrances to create that one clear liquid that we so generously spray on ourselves? We rarely do – this is mainly because we do not even realize that there is a job like this behind those scent bottles that we like to stack up on our dressing tables and shelves. Take a moment to understand what goes on backstage and you will realize that there is quite a lot of effort and skill that goes to create the perfume decant of your choice.

The Perfumer

It would be amusing for you to find out that this person is often referred to in an affectionate way as a nose – basically, it is that part of the human anatomy that plays the biggest role in this industry. This person is skilled in identifying smells, eliminating ones that cannot be included, and selecting those that can either be used on their own or in combination with others. What is important to know is that a perfumer should have a deep understanding of the various elements of perfume and also about the multiple ingredients that go into it. In this field, there are some experts who specialize only in floral perfumes, while there are others who are able to manage and identify other fragrances as well.

Training

To become a consummate perfumer there are a couple of prerequisites that you need to fulfil. To begin with, it would help if you had a rudimentary knowledge of chemistry and biology too. This is a kind of foundation that is required for you to build your knowledge on. Apart from these subjects, pharmacology is also one of the important areas that perfumers are trained on. Though this a field that is quite a niche, there are a growing number of institutes that offer courses in this art, getting more people interested in the fine art of smells and scents.

There are institutes in Thailand and other parts of the world where this course is taught. Basic level information is shared through workshops that are conducted by associations and forums that bring experts in the perfume industry together to create new products.