Perfumista

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Perfumista/Perfumeo

A perfume enthusiast, known as a perfumista for female, perfumeo for male, who often frequent an internet subculture of perfume addicts in order to increase their knowledge of, collect and try fine perfumes and perfume materials. Some become perfume makers or critics themselves. There are many sites online run by perfumistas that review perfumes in great detail, including their elements, formal structure and composition, and compare them to other fine perfumes, or even compare the past and present formulations of classic perfumes that have been in production for many decades. There are also many sites that relate personal perfume experiences, as well as the history of perfume and its uses in the past and into the present. One way that is used to affordably obtain a number of fine fragrances is to collect “decants” of expensive perfumes for sale or exchange. One bottle will be broken up into smaller vials, or “decants” for sale or exchange online, so that enthusiasts can affordably sample and experience the many new yearly and seasonal releases and also the classics of the past directly for themselves. This helps to determine which perfumes react well with a particular body chemistry, after which a purchase of a full flacon can be made. Often perfumistas collect dozens of perfumes. It is also a practice to go to special boutiques and department stores specifically to try a number of perfumes in one day, a/k/a “going on a sniffa”. There are planned yearly events by Sniffapalooza that bring together perfumistas from all over the country to converge upon the many special stores of NYC for educational, sampling and shopping expeditions. There is a vocabulary and jargon that is in common use among perfumistas, and the history and legends of the fine French perfume houses and individual designers have been gathered and celebrated, as well as interviews of the modern creators of “niche” perfumes, that is, those which are aimed at a smaller audience of refined enthusiasts. There are also natural perfumers who create modern perfumes in limited quantities for a knowledgeable clientele.

The area of perfume and fragrance production is currently experiencing a renaissance of creativity and hundreds of new releases every year are produced by both larger companies, niche perfumers and the individual perfumers who create custom and limited editions. The New York Times has now added a perfume critic, Chandler Burr, for perfume reviews and to examine the various issues current in perfume.

Most sites link to many others which will give fresh perspectives and focus on different aspects of the modern experience of perfume. Following is a small sample list of perfumista/pefumeo blogs and sites.