This interview is with Huib Maat, in-House Perfumer at Pairfum London.

Huib Maat, in-House Perfumer, Pairfum London

Huib, could you share a bit about your journey that led you to become a perfumer? What sparked your initial fascination with scents and how did that evolve into a career?

My fascination with perfume comes from my early childhood exposure to different flavors and fragrances. I grew up in a variety of countries, each with its own culture. In addition, my father worked for a drinks company and enjoyed the feedback he would get from us as children on new flavors he was working on.

We only taste five things (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami). The rest of our taste comes from what we smell. It became a career for me when I saw a job advert and joined a leading fragrance and flavor company. What surprised me was how long and extensive the training of perfume is. On average, it takes about two years before an expert nose has been trained and a further six years for a perfumer to complete his/her training.

What are some of the key milestones or experiences that have shaped your perspective on perfume creation?

Key milestones for me were the success of some of the perfumery products that I developed together with other team members. Some of these products achieved sales in excess of 100 million units per year. This essentially gave me the confidence to start Pairfum London, my own perfumery house. Working on projects for some of the world’s leading brands highlights the opportunities they did not wish to pursue, such as ‘niche,’ ‘natural,’ or ‘clean’ perfumes.

You mentioned the Perfume Experience Box from Pairfum London allows customers to explore a variety of fragrances. What inspired you to create this product and how does it help people connect with personal memories and emotions?

Selling perfume online presents a unique opportunity, as the Internet allows anybody, located anywhere in the world, to pretty much buy any perfume they like. However, buying perfume online presents its own challenge when: a) you can’t smell a fragrance online; b) you are looking at a perfume from a brand you don’t know; and c) you are purchasing it from a foreign country, which requires a higher degree of trust.

The Perfume Experience Box overcomes most of these challenges, and it was inspired by the events of COVID-19 in that it offers an at-home perfume experience. The box contains a large variety of very different fragrances that will evoke different personal memories and emotions, depending on who wears the perfume.

Can you describe a time when a specific scent evoked a powerful memory or emotion for you? What was it about that fragrance that made it so evocative?

As a perfumer, I create all of our fragrances around unique, personal, and powerful memories or emotions. Living in London, I draw most of my inspiration from the many people and facets of life in this fascinating and pulsating city.

As an example, I created one of our perfumes after visiting the Orangery at Hampton Court Palace in London, and it was the unique combination of the scent of mandarin blossoms with the wood-paneling on the walls of the Orangery that inspired our perfume, “Mandarin Blossom & Sandalwood.”

Building on that, how do you see the relationship between scent and memory influencing the way people choose and wear perfume?

Memory is only one aspect which influences how our customers choose and wear perfume. Others include ‘season,’ ‘occasion,’ ‘skin microflora,’ and ‘personality.’ We focus on niche perfumes. These are fragrances customers turn to as their taste in fragrances develops and evolves to experience perfume as an extension of their personality.

In many ways, it is similar to the evolution of our taste buds; e.g., children prefer sweet drinks, and as adults, we switch to more sophisticated drinks, such as wines, spirits, or cocktails.

As a perfumer, you have a deep understanding of fragrance composition. What advice would you give to someone who wants to find a signature scent that truly reflects their personality and style?

My advice would be twofold: (a) Try many different perfumes from a variety of perfumery or couture houses, both large and small. Don’t only try the fragrances from brands you know. Also, try both feminine and masculine perfumes, as the lines are blurred nowadays, and (b) wear the perfume on your skin for a few days before buying.

A fragrance evolves on your skin and smells different away from the perfumery aisle. You must love living with and wearing a fragrance. Too many customers rush through Duty-Free at an airport, grab the first scent proposed to them, only to be disappointed when they arrive at home.

Many people associate specific scents with certain occasions or seasons. What tips can you offer for choosing fragrances that complement different settings, moods, or times of year?

My recommendation is to develop a fragrance wardrobe that allows you to change your fragrance with the season, occasion, and how you feel. You probably want to wear different fragrances depending on whether you are sporting, on business, meeting friends, going out, visiting the opera, or relaxing at home. These fragrances will also vary with the season, in that what is an ideal fragrance for a summer holiday won’t feel right when sitting in front of a cozy fire during winter.

You’ve mentioned that perfume can elevate an outfit, much like any other accessory.  How can someone strike the right balance between their perfume and their personal style without one overpowering the other?

The main tip here is that a perfume should be an extension of someone’s personal style and not be in conflict with it. If the two work hand-in-hand, like a symbiosis, then it is no longer a question of one overpowering the other. To achieve this, you should buy smaller trial-size perfumes and wear them to test and gauge how they feel. Do you get compliments? Do you feel great throughout the day?

In your opinion, what are some common misconceptions people have about perfume, and how would you address them?

There are several misconceptions:

a) Everything natural is good, yet there are many natural poisons. Also, high doses of some natural substances can cause skin irritations and sensitizations.

b) Only designer brands are good perfumes. Instead, many niche perfume brands offer much better value for money, as they spend vastly smaller amounts on celebrities and TV advertising.

c) A copycat fragrance is as good as the original. This may be the case on very rare occasions, but in all likelihood, they offer a false economy, as the fragrance may not be safe for your skin, may not last, and probably smells very different.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Did you know that there are fewer perfumers in this world than there are NASA astronauts?