It is important not to rush an assessment, as there are numerous factors which will alter your perception on any given day, e.g. fragrances you smelled earlier in the day, the environment within which you are evaluating, what did you eat or drink recently, your own mood, etc. We also recommend smelling fragrances in a peaceful and quiet environment, to ensure your other senses do not distract the nose. For example, if somebody mentions a particular ingredient, you will notice how you suddenly also pick up the same note. Evaluating a perfume is not easy, it takes time and you should ideally repeat it several times. For us, the job isn’t merely about peddling bottles of sweet-smelling stuff to consumers; the goal is to convey an emotion, create a beautiful moment, or jog a childhood memory. To find out what it takes to create top-notch fragrances, we broke into the industry through very different paths.