Podcast
Perfume Room
Hosted by Emma Vernon · EN
Hosted by perfumehead & comedian Emma Vernon, Perfume Room is your #1 safe space to obsess over all things scent.
Enjoy intimate, never-before-told stories from the fragrance legends you’re most curious about—master perfumers, industry titans, secret celeb fragheads, indie perfumers you should know, and lots of friends with good taste & hot takes along the way.
CRITICS CALL IT 'hilarious,' 'engaging,' 'educational,' 'just earnest enough,' & 'really bad for my wallet.’
Wherever you are on your perfume journey, you are welcome in the Perfume Room.
FOLLOW ALONG ON IG: @perfumeroompod
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
211. DR. RACHEL HERZ (Neuroscientist & Smell Expert) ~ Single? Let your nose pick your partner.
3w ago01:06:21Tap to summarizeWorld-renowned expert on the psychological science of smell, neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Herz is in the Perfume Room this week!Bookmark this episode; you'll want to come back to it!Why are you attracted to the way certain people smell and what role does scent really play in attraction? Is your partner's perfume hiding potential red flags?! What can you to improve your sense of smell (especially after smell loss), and how can you use smell to make healthier food choices? Plus, is climate change messing up our noses? AND SO MUCH MORE!!!!www.rachelherz.comDR. HERZ'S BOOKS:Why You Eat What You EatThe Scent of DesireThat's DisgustingFRAGS MENTIONED:Lise Watier Neiges, Cacharel Anais Anais, F. Millot Crêpe de Chine, Chanel No. 5!!!ROSE SMELL CLUB!!! rosesmellclub.eventbrite.comMY SOTD: D'ORSAY Vouloir Etre Ailleurs CG ('perfumeroom' for 10% off)
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210. SONIA CONSTANT [Givaudan Sr. Perfumer + Ella K Founder] ~ The Real Life Ella K.
May 500:55:03Tap to summarizeWhat do Tom Ford Ombre Leather, Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc, Valentino Donna, Jimmy Choo I Want Choo, and Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle all have in common? All were created by multi-award-winning Givaudan Senior Perfumer Sonia Constant.In addition to her illustrious client repertoire, Sonia is the creator of her own brand, Ella K—a brand that inspired by bold women that chronicles Sonia's personal adventures and travels. FRAGS MENTIONED:Ella K Myrrhe K, Tom Ford Ombre Leather, Narciso Rodriguez: Musc Noir, Pure Musc; Ella K Musc K, Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc Blanc, Liquides Imaginaires Dom Rosa, Ella K: Ambre K, Orchid K; Marc Jacobs Daisy Wild, Guerlain Agua Allegoria Tiare Mimosa, Ella K: Ghibli, Reflet Sur L'Okavagno; Daisy Wild, Jimmy Choo I want Choo, Ella K Memoire de Daisen In, Allons Voir, Van Cleef First Premier Bouquet, Valentino Donna, Dom Rosa, Mugler Angel Nova, Ella K: Ghibli, Camelia K; Ombre Leather, Pure Musc, Dom Rosa, Myrrhe KFOLLOW SONIA: @constantsoniaperfumer @ellakparfumsparisSHOP: luckyscent.com (code: perfumeroom for 10% off)SCENT STYLING @ STELE: stele.shop/emmaFOLLOW perfumeroom.substack.com FOR SMELL CLUB UPDATES!
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209. CALICE BECKER (Givaudan Master Perfumer) ~ The Perfumery School Harder to Get Into Than Harvard.
Apr 2801:11:53Tap to summarizePERFUME ROOM CANON ALERT!Givaudan Master Perfumer Calice Becker is shaping the future of perfumery at every level. Not only have her iconic creations like Tommy Girl, J'Adore Dior, Love Don't Be Shy, and Velvet Orchid (to name just a few) come to define entire decades of perfume, but she also serves as the Director of the Givaudan Perfumery School, handpicking the next generation of perfumers and training them through an entirely new method—one she developed herself.As President of the ISPC, Calice also spearheaded the creation of a formal charter and accreditation system to standardize what it takes to call oneself a Perfumer-Creator™.FRAGS MENTIONED:Serge Lutens La Myrrhe, Marc Jacobs Lola, Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl, J’Adore Dior, Estée Lauder Pleasures, Mugler Angel, Tommy Girl, Essential Parfums The Musc, Kilian Love Don't Be Shy, Lola, Arquiste Almond Suede, Balmain: Monsieur Balmain, Vent Vert; Robert Piguet Bandit, Fracas; MFK Baccarat Rouge 540, Chanel No. 19, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Narciso Rodriguez Essence, Love Don't Be ShySOTD: Les Cocottes de Paris Melle CleoBOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION: www.stele.shop/emma
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208. ANKITA GILL (Param Sara) ~ The Niche Indian Perfume Brand Winning Awards in Year One.
Apr 700:48:31Tap to summarizeIn just one year since launch, Param Sara, a new niche Indian perfume brand on the scene, has already won numerous prestigious accolades. And it all began when Founder Ankita Gill noticed a common theme in perfumery: non-Indian and non-Asian brands were telling Indian and Asian stories. Determined to reclaim and retell these stories through her own memories and experiences, Ankita pivoted careers, signed up for perfumery school, and just a few years later leads an award-winning perfume brand with fragrances created by some of the world's best (and she calls it, 'culturally-fluid') perfumers. FOLLOW: @paramsaraofficialFRAGS MENTIONED:Param Sara The Mandala, Davidoff Coolwater, JK Helene Curtis Park Avenue, Param Sara: The Kama, The Nirvana, The Bodhi, The Naga, The NagiSMELL CLUB, SCENT STYLING & MORE: linktr.ee/emmavern
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207. DAISY BOW ~ 'Gourmands,' 'Authenticity,' & Other Western Constructs.
Mar 3101:05:33Tap to summarizeA Part-Time Assistant Professor at The New School, FIT, and Marymount Manhattan whose work centers on French food and identity, perfume, and (French) language instruction, as well as an instructor at the Fragrance Alliance, Daisy Bow interrogates fragrance from a critical, cultural, and academic lens. Today we discuss the colonial roots behind gourmands, the case for the 'basic bitch' perfume, why reformulations are your friends, defining 'sexy' scents, and the notion of cultural appropriation in the age of globalization and transculturation.FRAGS MENTIONED:Celine: Dans Paris, Saint Germain des Pres; Matiere Premiere Parisian Musc, ELOREA Bae Frais, Caron, Gap Dream, CK be, Dior Dune, Chanel No. 5, Debbie Gibson Electric Youth, Mugler: Angel, Alien; EM Molecule 01, Marc Jacobs EDP, Michael Kors, Frederic Malle Outrageous, d’Annam Pho Breakfast, ELOREA, J Scent, Arquiste, Ella K, BBW Warm Vanilla Sugar, Demeter: Jelly Donut, Baby Powder; Pure Instinct, Frederic Malle Saint des SaintsFOLLOW DAISY: @je_suis_daisybTAKE HER COURSE: fragrancealliancenetwork.com/products/perfume-history-y2kBOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION WITH ME: stele.nyc/emma
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206. JANA MENARD [Fragrance Vault] ~ What Happens to Your Perfume When You Die?
Mar 2401:03:20Tap to summarizeAll perfumes go to heaven. Heaven = the Fragrance Vault in Lake Tahoe. Jana Menard is the owner of Fragrance Vault, a one-of-a-kind perfume store in Lake Tahoe that carries niche, commercial, and incredibly hard-to-find, rare vintage perfumes (so like... everything). Today we chat about her store, how she sources and authenticates vintage, the most precious and rare gems in her collection, and her disciplined and benevolent philosophy around collecting. SHOP: fragrancevault.net | FOLLOW: @fragrance.vaultDISCOUNT!! perfumeroom10 for 10% off Fragrance Vault until April 30, 2026.SOTD: Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad FRAGS MENTIONED:Balenciaga B. Skin, L’Interdit, Caron Infini, YSL Y, Catherine Deneuve Deneuve, Jorum Studio Elegy, Darren Alan Songe à Fleurs, ERIS Belle du Jour, BR540, Dior Sauvage EDT, Darren Alan Sea Fever, D&G Light Blue, Indult Manakara, Avon: Sweet Honesty, Lily of the Valley; Revlon Ciara, DVF Tatiana, Estée Lauder Youth Dew, Guerlain Shalimar, Chanel No 5, Ralph Lauren Lauren, YSL Paris, Maxim's de Paris, Payot Pavlova, Salvador Dali Laguna, YSL Kouros, Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady, Initio Atomic Rose, Davidoff Cool Water, Ralph Lauren Polo, Robert Piguet Bandit, Guerlain Shalimar, Annick Goutal, Perfumer’s Workshop, Etat Libre d’Orange, L’Artisan, Shiseido Nombre Noir Pure Parfum, Beaufort Acrasia, Chanel No. 46, Femme Rochas, Prince Matchabelli: Wind Song, Queen of Georgia; Guerlain: Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, Shalimar; Mary Kay, Amway, Miss Dior, Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps, Victoria's Secret Rapture, Mugler Angel, Viktor & Rolf FlowerBomb, Rogue Perfumery, Les Indemodables Musc des SablesJANA IN ALLURE!BOOK AN IN-PERSON SCENT CONSULT WITH ME! stele.shop/emma
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205. GEORGE TEDDER [IFF PERFUMER] ~ Eau de Toilette (Bowl Cleaner): Scenting the Unsexy.
Mar 1701:05:36Tap to summarizePerfumes sold in Ace Hardware AND LuckyScent?? Get you a perfumer who can do both.That's George Tedder: an IFF perfumer who specializes in home care. If you've ever wondered who's really scenting your toilet bowl cleaner (and how!), this one's for you.MY SOTD: ERIS Parfums Mother's Milk (code: PERFUMEROOM for 10% off)FRAGS MENTIONED:Hermès Terre d’Hermès, Downy Calm, Downy Unstoppables Unlimited Collection, Buff City Soap Scent Boosters, BBW Fragrance Boosters, Downy Blends Toasted Vanilla, Baccarat Rouge 540, Carolina Hererra Good Girl, Paco Rabanne Invictus, BBW Sun-drenched Linen, Clean House Vibes, IFF Sinfonide, Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb, A&F Fierce, Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine, Dior Eau Sauvage, Diptyque: Oud Palao, Feu de Bois, Choisya, Narguilé; Dior Homme, Hermès Terre d’Hermès
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204. BRIAN PARK [COMEDIAN] ~ If He Can Pronounce Loewe, He Smells Like:
Mar 1001:04:05Tap to summarizeComedian, writer, and Accidental PerfumeTok King™ Brian Park is in the Perfume Room today! You likely know him from his viral TikTok series where he satirizes 'taste bros' who use consumerism in lieu of developing a personality. Vids of his like 'POV: you're on a date with a guy who has Aesop soap in his bathroom' have garnered millions of views and have platformed him to an entirely unexpected corner of the Internet - PerfumeTok. Today we chat about the persona, who inspired it, what he's actually wearing off screen, and the woes and joys that come with the territory of being deeply entrenched in an Internet niche.FOLLOW BRIAN: @itsbrianpark @middlebrowpodSOTD: Commes des Garcons Sticky CakeSMELL CLUB: ylan.eventbrite.comBOOK A PRIVATE STYLING SESSION WITH ME @ STELE: stele.nyc/emma (MARCH 22 OR 27!)*********Thank you to our sponsor: Commodity!SHOP THE ARCHIVES!https://commodityfragrances.com/products/archive-collection-discovery-kit15% OFF: code PERFUMEROOM15 now-March 17(valid for all orders $35+)*********FRAGS MENTIONED: CdG Sticky Cake, Diesel Plus Plus Feminine, Astrophil Paris Cheri, Universal Flowering: Poems One Through Twelve, Saffron Flour; Arquiste Almond Suede, Marissa Zappas Pink Bedroom, Perfumer H Ink, CdG Blackpepper, Bleu de Chanel, YSL Babycat, Le Labo: Another 13, The Matcha 26; Toskovat Inexcusable Evil, Le Labo Gaiac 10, Escentric Molecules: M01, M01 + Iris, M01 + Champaca; Le Père par Blaise Mautin, Creed Aventus Absolu, Penhaligon's Halfeti, Nasomatto Black Afgano
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203. MICHAEL EDWARDS [RE-AIR] ~ The Quintessential American Perfumes.
Mar 301:02:28Tap to summarize[PERFUME ROOM - RE-SPRITZ - original air date 5/14/24] Today’s episode is a masterclass! Fragrance legend, author, historian, taxonomist and Perfume Room fan-favorite Michael Edwards is back (!!), this time to chat about his newest book, “American Legends: The Evolution of American Fragrances.”What makes a perfume *American* in style and who are the quintessential American perfumes? What makes them legendary? What did they inspire? What does the future of perfumery look like? All that & more in this week's ep!SOTD: Quartana Beaut'AirFRAGS MENTIONED:Dior: Diorella, Eau Sauvage; Halston, Jovan Musk, CK One, Antonia’s Flowers, Elizabeth Taylor Passion, Revlon: Charlie, That Man; Estee Lauder Estee, Beautiful; Hermes Caleche, Rochas Madame Rochas, Dior Dioressence, Rochas Femme, Dior Diorella, Ralph Lauren Lauren, Guy Laroche Fidji, Norell, CK Obsession, Estee Lauder Youth Dew, Dior Poison, YSL Opium, Tuvache Jungle Gardenia, Coty Vanilla Fields, Jovan Musk, Youth Dew, Norell, Estee, Annick Goutal, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Beautiful, Diorella, Evyan White Shoulders, Robert Piguet Fracas, 4711, Roger & Gallet Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne, Guerlain Eau de Cologne Imperiale, Dior Eau Sauvage, Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin, Elizabeth Arden Blue Grass, Old Spice, White Shoulders, Youth Dew, Carven (mistifier), Brut, Rochas Moustache, Caron Pour un Homme, Aramis, Estee, Norell, Jovan Musk, Charlie, Halston, Giorgio, Beautiful, Passion, Ck One, Chanel No. 5, Le Labo Santal 33, Baccarat Rouge 540, CK EternityLISTEN TO MICHAEL’S FIRST EPISODE (ep. 76)ORDER AMERICAN LEGENDS: https://www.fragrancesoftheworld.com/AmericanLegends*****Thank you to our sponsor: Commodity!SHOP THE ARCHIVES!https://commodityfragrances.com/products/archive-collection-discovery-kit15% OFF: code PERFUMEROOM15 now-March 17(valid for all orders $35+)
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202. AUDREY ROBINOVITZ ~ When is a Perfume Actually Undupable?
Feb 2401:04:46Tap to summarizeAudrey Robinovitz is a fragrance writer, critic, Diptyque shop girl, and honestly, a perfume obsessive who matches my freak.Today we chat about everything from the difference between Olivier Pescheux's Diptyque and Olivia Giacobetti's, to the role scent plays in various religions, to our collective breaking point with fantasy accords (and so much more)! ENJOY.FOLLOW AUDREY: @foldyrhandsSUBSTACK: eatyourlipstick.substack.comFRAGS MENTIONED:Maison Margiela Lipstick On, Guerlain Insolence, L’Artisan Passage D’Enfer, Rundholz Feb 14 1912, Parfum Prissana Ma Nishtana, Dior Poison, Le Labo Santal 33, Glossier You, Diptyque Fleur de Peau, Essential Faith, Nemat Amber, Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, Mugler Angel, Diptyque: Orpheon EDP, Benjoin Boheme, Fleur de Peau, Vetyverio, Tempo, Philosykos; Frederic Malle En Passant, L’Artisan: Tea for Two, Premier Figuier; Dior Diorissimo, PHLUR Father Figure, Clue Perfumery Dandelion Butter, D.S. & Durga Debaser, Diptyque: Orpheon EDT, Kyoto, Philosykos EDT, Volutes, Chergui, L’Eau Trois; Clue Perfumery With a Candlestick, Comme des Garcons 2011, Penhaligon’s Endymion, Le Labo Santal 33, Jorum Studio: Firewater, Pony Boy, Gorseland; IUNX Talc******Thank you to our sponsor: Commodity!SHOP THE ARCHIVES!https://commodityfragrances.com/products/archive-collection-discovery-kit15% OFF: code PERFUMEROOM15 now-March 17(valid for all orders $35+)
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