What is the best thing about being a Perfumer?
I love being a Perfumer - It is my dream job. I always need to have lots to do and I am passionate about fragrance. There is nothing better than seeing your fragrance in a product on shelf. Knowing that people are using and enjoying a fragrance that you have created is fantastic.
Where do you find inspiration for the fragrances you create?
Everywhere! Inspiration might be from listening to a song or tasting a flavour, it could be something someone has said or a feeling or emotion. I am very inspired by art, fashion and anything visually curious.
What is the most exotic or unusual ingredient you have ever used?
Grains of Paradise from West Africa. The essential oil is very difficult to get hold of and has a wonderful peppery spicy smell.
Is there anything you do to protect your sense of smell?
Keep smelling all the time - you have to keep your nose working and storing up all that information.
What is your favourite smell?
I like so many smells this is a difficult question- I love Amber and Iris and the woody smell of saunas!
How long does it take to become a perfumer?
It takes 7 years to train to become a Perfumer but you never stop learning. There is always something new to smell, it might be a new seasons crop of Mandarin oil or an element of an ingredient you have never noticed before.
When did you realise you had what it takes to be a perfumer?
I didn't - I just thought I love doing this!
Are there seasonal trends in fragrances like there are in fashion?
Yes, there are seasonal trends and 'classics'. Sometimes you might see a lot of one type of fragrance note like 'Orange Flower' other times there are trendy fragrance themes like 'edible' or 'oriental'.
How many perfumers are there in the world?
I read that there were about 500, but the funny fact is there are more astronauts than Perfumers in the world.
Do you think of what you do as an art or as a science?
I think it is a fusion of creativity and science.
How long can it take to create and produce a fragrance?
Creating a fragrance can take anything between a few hours and a few months. It depends on the fragrance and your deadline!
Is the classic Imperial Leather fragrance different in different parts of the world?
It is one of the few global fragrances that is able to appeal to different types of people and cultures all over the world.
How difficult is it to go from creating a small sample of a fragrance to making it in large quantities?
We have fantastic people in production and planning who can make this happen. It is fantastic to see a fragrance you have created going into our products. I still smell all the ingredients before they go into the production blend and smell a sample of the finished fragrance once it has been blended before dispatch. Quality is very important.
Finally, what advice can you give to those people thinking about a career as a perfumer?
Being a Perfumer is a brave career choice because there are only about 500 perfumers in the world (there are more Astronauts than perfumers in the world). I saw the job advertised 7 years ago - The Chief Perfumer at PZ was looking for an apprentice to train (it takes 5-7 years) so I went to the smelling 'exam' with 300 other people and after much sniffing over 3 days was offered the chance to train.
