THE OTHER ROOM: EP. 166 - PERFUMERISM
Emma's favorite perfumer, current go-to scents, daily rituals, and more!
Perfume content creator turned perfumery student, Perfumerism (Emma), joined me in the Perfume Room earlier this week. Today, she returns with even more fun, personal stories in The Other Room.
The Other Room is the official Perfume Room companion post-show. Every Tuesday, hear from guests on their episode of Perfume Room podcast, and on Fridays, enjoy bonus content from those same guests, exclusively on Substack!
With over 500k followers on TikTok and 150k on YouTube, Emma has become one of the most influential voices in the fragrance community. But she didn’t stop there. Several months ago, Emma uprooted her entire life from Toronto to Paris, where today she’s student at one of the world’s top perfumery schools.
As longtime mutuals, I finally had the chance Emma IRL this past December at ScentXplore, and can confirm that she radiates as much joy in-person as she does behind the screen.
Today, Emma shares even more of her favorite perfumes, her biggest perfumery school revelations, and more!
xx, (the other) Emma (on the Other Room ;))
(Some links may be eligible for affiliate commission. Find my affiliate discount codes at the end of the interview.)
Any recent shocking perfumery school revelations?
Pimento and Allspice are the same thing! I thought allspice was a mixture of spices, but it is actually the berries from the Pimento tree.
What's a typical day in the life? Is it hard balancing full-time content creation and school?
Having a time zone difference helps a lot! I generally spend the first half of my day focusing on school before North America has the chance to wake up. From there, I spend 5-11pm responding to emails, replying to comments, filming/editing videos, and *occasionally* studying ;) It is a lot to balance, but I do better when I am busy. My brain responds well to dynamic work environments.
We talked a lot about the global perspectives and scent references your classmates have shared. Are there any Canadian smells you've imparted back?
My hometown is surrounded by farms, so anything manure-like is reminiscent of Canada. I also did not realize how much of a stickler I am for "real" maple syrup. I actually had to stock up on Canadian maple syrup for my apartment in Paris. The French just can't seem to get it right.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned from your time in retail?
Wear gloves when refilling Angel at the MUGLER refill fountains. Your future self will thank you.
Last or recent perfume you smelled in-store and bought on the spot?
Santal Calling from Ex Nihilo. An absolutely delicious, creamy sandalwood. [Ed. Note: SAMESIES EMMA.]
What’s your favorite Paris perfume store:
If I could only choose one, it would be Jovoy. It is crowded and slightly chaotic, but it has every fragrance you could ever imagine.
What’s a holy grail item in your life that the people need to know:
My Audible subscription. I listen while I am doing dishes, going for a walk, and folding laundry. Some of my favourite books are Rebecca from Daphne du Maurier, I'm Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, and The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali. If a book can make me cry or send me on a 3am Reddit deep dive, it is a 5-star.
If you had to pick one perfume from each market category, what would you pick?
Specialty Retail- Nemat Vanilla Musk
Designer- Prada Paradoxe Intense
Niche- Ex Nihilo Vesper Glitz
PR list you're dying to get on:
Discothèque! Ever since smelling the white Chocolate/orris that is Lola at Coat Check, I have needed a bottle desperately.
Tomorrow you find out that you've just landed your dream apprenticeship with perfumer __________! fill in the blank. Who is the perfumer? (let's manifest hehe).
Fabrice Pellegrin! I adore anything that man creates.
PERFUME ROOM DISCOUNT CODES: get discounts on samples of some of Emma’s fav scents!
10% off Luckyscent with code ‘perfumer00m’
10% of TwistedLily with code ‘perfumeroom10’