IFRA Behind the Scents podcast

How do you learn to recognize up to 2,000 materials by smell alone? Stephen Nicoll, Master Perfumer, recently retired from International Flavors & Fragrances after more than four decades at the perfumer's bench, joins host Charles de Lusignan of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) to talk about how perfumers are made.

Mr Nicoll traces his path from working alongside his father at Bourjois Chanel in England to an apprenticeship in Grasse, where he learned the palette one olfactive family at a time. He explains why a perfumer is both born and made, why synthetic ingredients are essential to supplying the world's fragrance (and often start from natural sources), and why creating for a fabric softener is a different problem from creating a fine fragrance. Drawing on 15 years in laundry and his work with the International Society of Perfumer-Creators (ISPC) alongside IFRA, he also discusses encapsulation, reformulation and the trade-off between long-lasting and biodegradable materials, before closing with advice for anyone who wants to become a perfumer.

Takeaways

• A perfumer needs to recognize between 1,000 and 2,000 materials, and learning them takes a whole career.
• Talent is only the start: an olfactive memory, and the creativity to use it, have to be built.
• Synthetic ingredients make fragrance available at scale, and many begin with natural sources such as turpentine from the paper industry.
• Encapsulation lets laundry products deliver fragrance when it matters while using significantly less of it.
• Reformulation has always been part of the job; early warning through the ISPC and IFRA lets perfumers plan ahead.
• For aspiring perfumers: smell everything, be curious and take care of your nose.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:44 From Bourjois Chanel to an apprenticeship in Grasse
• 01:49 Learning the palette, one olfactive family at a time
• 04:10 Assessing new ingredients
• 06:54 How long it takes to train a perfumer
• 09:00 Natural and synthetic ingredients
• 12:53 How the profession has changed
• 16:41 Is a perfumer born or made?
• 19:24 What you pay for in a perfume
• 21:46 Working across categories
• 24:49 Laundry and encapsulation
• 28:09 Restrictions and resilience
• 31:08 Reformulation and the IFRA Standards
• 33:30 The ISPC and the perfumer's palette
• 37:48 What a smaller palette means
• 40:09 AI and the future of fragrance
• 43:21 How to become a perfumer

Find out more about IFRA at ifrafragrance.org.

The podcast episode explores the world of fragrance standards and safety, delving into the journey of Matthias Vey, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at IFRA. It discusses the mission and goals of IFRA, the balance between creativity and safety in fragrance, regional variations in perfume creation, the impact of IFRA standards, and more.

Takeaways

• IFRA's role in ensuring fragrance safety and creativity
• The process of setting and implementing IFRA standards

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to IFRA Standards
• 02:05 Matthias' Journey into Fragrance Industry
• 03:18 IFRA's Mission and Goals
• 04:05 Balancing Creativity and Safety in Fragrance
• 06:13 IFRA's Role and Perception
• 07:39 Regional Variations in Perfume Creation
• 09:06 IFRA Standards and Global Regulation
• 11:49 Setting IFRA Standards
• 15:46 Implementation of IFRA Standards
• 18:29 Impact of IFRA Standards

Discover how Europe’s latest regulatory overhaul, the Omnibus 6, is reshaping the fragrance industry, ensuring safety while fostering innovation. Join Charles de Lusignan as Aurélie Perrichet, IFRA’s regional director for Europe, breaks down the significance of these changes for manufacturers, consumers, and regulators alike.

Main topics covered:

• The purpose and scope of the Omnibus 6 regulation affecting chemicals, cosmetics, and more
• How the Omnibus aims to simplify existing legislation and reduce regulatory burdens
• The process behind classification, labeling, and safety evaluations of fragrance ingredients
• The importance of derogations and the role of the SCCS in safety assessments
• The economic impact of fragrance and cosmetics industry in Europe—valued at 180 billion euros
• How clearer rules benefit consumers, industry, and enforcement bodies
• The timeline and what manufacturers need to know to adapt to new regulations

• IFRA Official Website
• Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)
• European Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to the IFRA podcast and significance of Europe's regulatory changes

00:37 - What is the Omnibus 6 and why is it crucial for the fragrance industry

01:06 - Aurélie’s background and her role in shaping European fragrance regulations

01:32 - How the European Union’s policies influence everyday life and industry

02:24 - The scope of Omnibus 6 across various sectors including chemicals and cosmetics

03:20 - The European Commission’s focus on rebuilding trust and competitiveness

04:15 - The scale of omnibus packages and their impact on different industries

04:44 - Specific focus on Omnibus 6’s legislation affecting classification, labeling, and fertilizers

05:12 - Duration of the regulatory process and stakeholder engagement timeline

06:34 - Key findings from stakeholder consultations and industry concerns

07:24 - Challenges related to classification and ban of safe ingredients

08:48 - The importance of derogations for ingredients with demonstrated safety

09:13 - The increase in classified ingredients over the past decade

09:38 - The critical role of natural and iconic fragrance ingredients in industry

10:05 - The safety evaluations backed by scientific evidence and safety reports

11:22 - How the new regulation improves clarity and process for derogations

11:43 - Future outlook: Implementation, risks, and stakeholder expectations

12:13 - The independence of safety assessments and the role of SCCS

13:11 - When and how the new rules will impact shelves and formulations

14:03 - Timelines and the derogation process for specific ingredients like heliotropin

15:20 - The economic importance of the European fragrance industry and potential reformulation risks

16:14 - The benefits of regulatory clarity for consumers, industry, and authorities

17:05 - The economic value of the fragrance sector in Europe, worth 180 billion euros

17:50 - Impact of restrictive regulations and reformulation costs

18:42 - The win-win for safety, innovation, and competitiveness

19:57 - Summary of three main benefits: safety, simplification, and industry confidence

20:44 - Final thoughts on implementation and ongoing evaluation