Additional Information
In the past, formal education was less important for perfumers. The trade
was usually passed on from father to son.
Today, most perfumers start out as laboratory technicians for fragrance
manufacturers. They use sophisticated equipment to produce and analyze chemicals.
Therefore, a chemistry degree is now a common starting point for perfumers.
"I would say most perfumers are chemists," says perfumer Pat Whelan, who
doesn't have a degree himself. He has, however, taken many courses over the
years.
"People who are chemists, who are working to make the chemicals, usually
they wander into perfumery by accident," Whelan says. "They're doing their
chemistry job and they have an interest in smells. Of course, being that it's
an art, you have to show a desire, a love, and a passion for odors."
Whelan points out that education isn't necessarily a prerequisite. "Some
of the best perfumers in the world probably don't even have a degree," he
says, "because it is an art, like the musicians of the world, like the painters
of the world. Many of the great painters never went to school."
Some schools have started offering courses in perfumery. For example, Fairleigh
Dickinson University offers two perfumery courses as electives in its MA in
cosmetic science program.
Jim Dougherty is a Fairleigh Dickinson professor. "The majority of the
students in the program are bachelor's-level chemists working in cosmetic
science who are coming back to earn their master's degree."
Some of the students work for fragrance companies. They are upgrading their
education to improve their chances of promotion. "That's what it's all about
-- setting yourself apart," says Dougherty.