Many types of creators are known and nicknamed for their craft.

A Mixologist is known for making new and incredible drinks and cocktails.
An Artist is known for producing paintings, drawings, or sculptures.
A Composer is known for creating musical masterpieces.

A ‘Nose’ is someone who creates fragrances, also known as a perfumer.

It is said a perfumer will look at fragrance ingredients the same way a painter looks at colors, or a composer would imagine musical notes, or a chef can envision a meal by looking at the ingredients in front of them.

A perfumer will become capable of identifying thousands of individual smells and must learn how ingredients and raw materials will work together and change over time.
It takes many years of schooling and training to develop the skills to become a perfumer. It might take up to 10 years studying chemistry, cosmetic science, business, and communication.
Over these years, a perfumer's skills are honed, giving them the talent and ability to create scents that move our emotions, conjure memories, and take us on an olfactory journey.

Once upon a time, a perfumer would have trained under another perfumer as an apprentice, often within a family business, learning all the tips and tricks of the trade.

Now, there are fragrance schools where students undergo intensive training to perfect their craft. The first perfume school to open its doors was ISIPCA (Institut supérieur international du parfum, de la cosmétique et de l'aromatique alimentaire) in Versaille, France, founded by Jean-Jacques Guerlain in 1970.

Many stories of perfumers begin with their recollections of playing in family gardens, experimenting with flower petals, grasses, and leaves, intrigued by the smells. Some go on to recreate memories like these, or work to create something from someone else’s memories or imaginations. No matter the inspiration, we can feel the magic that is created within each scent.

This training and learning and creating is something to be in awe of. It makes you appreciate each scent that you fall in love with, and even the ones that you don’t love. The effort and love that goes into each and every fragrance created is a masterpiece in its own right, and we have the many perfumers and noses out there to thank for their incredible gifts.