Becoming a perfumer can involve getting a related degree, starting as a trainee, or mixing fragrances at home. Developing a good sense of smell and combining scents attractively are important skills. Schooling is not always necessary, and some people start their own home business.
There are several ways to become a perfumer. Some people start by getting related degrees, while others start out as trainees in the perfume industry. A person can even start by mixing their own concoctions at home and selling them through a home business. Most people spend a significant amount of time learning about perfume and training with other perfumers before becoming successful in this business. Those who are immediately successful in this field often do so because they have well-known family contacts in the business or have a famous name to promote their new perfumes.
The most important task for anyone who wants to become a perfumer is to develop a good nose for perfume. A person in this field develops their sense of smell beyond what is normal for most people. Some perfumers say they can recognize over 1,000 different ingredients using just their nose. In addition to being able to recognize smells, a perfumer must have a talent for combining scents in an attractive way. In fact, this often includes using scents that most people find unpleasant, such as the musk of a skunk, to create perfumes that people spend significant sums of money to use.
Some aspiring perfumers go to school to learn the business. They can get into schools that offer special perfumery programs, for example. Others interested in this career choose to major in chemistry, which can come in handy when they need to combine different types of chemicals to create their scents. While schooling can be helpful, it is not a strict requirement for a person who wants to become a perfumer. Some perfume companies also offer in-house training.
One of the most frequent routes to becoming a perfumer starts with securing an entry-level position with a perfume company. A person can start as a trainee, gradually gaining the experience needed to become a perfumer in a large company. This often requires several years of training.
Some people choose to get into perfumery at home mixing and creating fragrances without the guidance of a perfume school or company. They can learn about scenting from books and websites to do this. This is usually a more difficult path to success as a perfumer, but it can be useful for a hobby or small business hoping to appeal to a niche market. It is not impossible, however, to create a widely successful perfume at home.
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