A perfumer is a term used for an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a Nose (French: le nez) due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions. The perfumer is effectively an artist who is trained in depth on the concepts of fragrance aesthetics and who is capable of conveying abstract concepts and moods with fragrance compositions. At the most rudimentary level, a perfumer must have a keen knowledge of a large variety of fragrance ingredients and their smells, and be able to distinguish each of the fragrance ingredients whether alone or in combination with other fragrances. As well, they must know how each ingredient reveals itself through time with other ingredients. The job of the perfumer is very similar to that of flavourists, who compose smells and flavourants for many commercial food products.

Training

Most past perfumers did not undergo profession training in the art and many learned their craft as apprentices under another perfumer in their employment as a perfume technician (in charge of blending formulas) or chemist. A direct entrance into the profession is rare and those who do typically enter it through family contacts. Such apprenticeships last around 3 years.

Until recently, professional schools open to the public for training perfumers did not exist. In 1970 ISIPCA became the world's only school in perfumery. The candidates must endure a demanding entrance examination and must have taken university-level courses in organic chemistry.

Givaudan and International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) have perfumery schools as part of their companies, but students must be employees of the company and must be recommended by their superiors for acceptance into the school.

Courses for perfumery are also offered by PerfumersWorld and the University of Plymouth (UK) offers a BA (Bachelor of Arts) course in Business & Perfumery.