Step into any department store beauty hall and thousands upon thousands of perfumes will suddenly vie for your attention. From the beloved Jo Malones and the nostalgic celeb scents (JLo Glow anyone?) to the niche up-and-comers convincing us that we do in fact want to smell like an old violin shop, the wealth of perfumes on offer can actually be a little overwhelming. But, when was the last time you came across a fragrance created by a Black perfumer? Let's hazard a guess that it's rarely, if ever. The fact is that, although fragrance is a universal language spoken through notes and translated via noses, regardless of the shape, colour and size of said nose, it's a whitewashed industry that still lacks diversity.
The beauty industry is constantly evolving and with it, so are its consumers. Now, we're buying into so much more than simply a product, we're buying into the brand - its ethos, values and character. Diversity and inclusivity has become a top priority for shoppers, placing pressure on brands to broaden their offering, and creating an urgency for consumers to be seen and represented at all levels, from leadership to advertisement, to the range of foundation shades. But, while the beauty industry as a whole is making progressive changes - with more women in the boardroom and concealers in every colour - the fragrance industry is lingering woefully behind.
However, change is on the horizon. In the 2020 Fragrance Foundation Awards, Linda G. Levy, President of The Fragrance Foundation, announced an initiative dedicated to inclusivity. Her primary goal is to grow the fragrance community to become more diverse and to offer a support system to its members trying to access the elusive world of perfume. Elite schools such as the Grasse Institute Of Perfumery are notoriously difficult to get into and, even if you do, places often cost an exorbitant amount to take up (their International Technical Degree in Fragrance Creation and Sensory Evaluation costs €12,900 with the course accepting just twelve students). Obstacles like these work to keep the art of perfumery exclusive, in a bad way. They have perpetuated a particular perfume legacy - that noses remain almost uniformly white and middle class.
A fact that, when you consider that in 2018 Black people were the largest consumers of perfume in the US, making up 24% of the market, makes even less sense. Despite the significant consumership, the perfume industry remains at its core racially biased. It's time for a sensory overhaul.
Shaking up the fragrance members club is a new wave of Black perfumers who are making their mark on the world of scent. Breaking down old traditions and formulating glorious new ones, these are the perfumers altering the fragrance landscape. Whether you favour a vibrant and fresh smell, or something a little deeper and darker, here are six Black perfumers to dig your nose into...
Chris Collins
One of the only Black perfumers to have a place in luxury US retailers, Chris Collins studied perfumery at the Grasse school in France. He describes the art of perfumery as the extraction of emotions and stories and his own scents as ‘elixirs made up of individual notes that meld together in an alchemic way, steeped in mysticism and mystery.' His Renaissance collection recounts the story of Harlem in the 1920s, at the height of music, fashion and culture. With notes of rum, amber, tonka beans, and tobacco to capture the vibe and excitement of night in Harlem.
Maya Njie
With a background in surface design and photography, Maya Njie was inspired by an old family photo album to create her fragrances. At the core of her collection is capturing the magic of intimate moments and telling the stories of her West African and Swedish cultures. From beginning to end, careful consideration is taken at each step from the in-house development of artisanal combinations of natural and synthetic ingredients, to the bespoke packaging design inspired by her family photos.
Kimberly Walker
Kimberly Walker launched her own fragrance brand after years of working in the industry and rarely coming across a Black perfumer. Self taught, her first fragrance was a labour of love, and ready after 29 trials. Her perfumes champion the Black community, with her latest scent 'Diaspora' formulated to be a celebration of Black culture. Rich and complex, with notes of Jamaican rose and rose champagne, it’s the scent of Black joy.
Ezra-Lloyd Jackson
Dubbed by the Perfume Society as a ‘Nose to Watch’, Ezra -Lloyd Jackson is making a name for himself in the world of fragrance. An artist and designer from London, Jackson is currently studying perfumery with Olfiction - a fragrance house founded by perfumer Pia Long and creative director Nick Gilbert. For Jackson, his Caribbean-British heritage and background in graphic design and creative coding all influence the process of perfumery. Beginning his journey as a lab assistant, he hopes to start his own brand. Definitely one to watch.
Nick Yeast
For Nick Yeast, it was important to redefine the perfumery world, as a Black queer man it was central to define his place and his story. His brand Nick Ricardo is more than just perfume, the gender neutral range functions to break gender barriers in the beauty industry and challenges tired ideas that the scent you wear is dependent on your gender. Having studied perfumery in the more unorthodox fragrance location of South Korea, for Yeast scent is about owning and speaking to your truths and emotions.
SHOP THE NICK RICARDO COLLECTION
Chavalia Dunlap
Chavalia Dunlap, founder of independent fragrance brand Pink MahogHany, embarked on her own perfume line after she noticed her favourite scent had changed. Dunlap approaches the process of creating a scent akin to that of composing a song, a learnt skill from her background in music. For her, it’s important that a scent flirts with the skin and the surrounding area, conveying an eloquent conversation.
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