Perfume Room

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215. EL MOROCCO PERFUMERY ~ A Cafe Society-Fueled Fantasy Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Husband-and-wife duo Isaac Lekach and Lillian Shalom have spent the past few years developing fragrances for other brands. With El Morocco Perfumery, it's finally their turn.

In an attempt to recreate the magic of cafe society (and the legendary club for which the brand is named), the pair approached this project like archivists, collecting every handkerchief, matchbook, and photo they could get their hands on. What began as a mission to be historically accurate became a reimagining of what fragrance bottle and packaging design could be.

FRAGS MENTIONED:

El Morocco Perfumery: Gala, Highball for Lucius B; Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, Animale Animale, Mugler Angel for Men, Stork Club, El Morocco Perfumery: 154, Gala, Highball for Lucius B, Lulu’s Back in Town, Two Cigarettes in the Dark

SOTD: Future Society Rain Tea

BOOK A SCENT CONSULT W ME: linktr.ee/emmavern

214. MATHILDE BIJAOUI + LAUREN SHYMAN ~ A Conversation Between Perfumer and Evaluator. Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Decorated MANE Senior Perfume Mathilde Bijaoui, and veteran evaluation exec Lauren Shyman are in the Perfume Room this week!

How do perfumers and evaluators work together behind the scenes to create the juice we smell in our most cherished perfume bottles?

Enjoy this an intimate (and fun!) look at the professional and personal relationship between a high-level perfumer and evaluator.

FOLLOW: @mane_1871_ @mathilde.bijaoui.perfumer @thelaurshy

GET TIX TO SMELLS LIKE LOVE! linktr.ee/emmavern

SOTD: ⁠Aedes de Venustas Signature⁠

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Bond No. 9 Madison Ave., Bath & Body Works Whipped Coconut Milkshake, Penhaligon’s Lily and Spice, Jo Malone Poppy & Barley, Snif 2%, Byredo Bal d’Afrique, Glossier You, Jo Malone Yuja/Yuzu Zest Cologne, L’Artisan Mure et Musc, Snif Crumb Couture, Jo Malone English Fields Collection (Primrose & Rye), Mugler Alien, Giorgio, Carolina Herrera Good Girl, YSL Opium, Mugler Angel, Narciso For Her, BR540, Chanel Egoiste, CK Eternity, Davidoff Cool Water, Cacharel Anais Anais, Giorgio, Opium, Aromatics Elixir, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, Dana Canoe, Victoria's Secret Vanilla Lace, Eau de Bonpoint, Mure et Musc, Dior Eau Sauvage, Rochas Eau de Rochas, Hermes Caleche, Chanel No. 19, Paul Sebastian Design, Gap Dream, Heaven; DK Cashmere Mist, CKOne, Drakkar Noir, ELdO Like This

213. SEBASTIAN JARA ~ A NICHE PERFUME CONVENTION IS COMING TO SF!? Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Sebastian Jara is not new to this [fragrance content]; he's true this. Since 2012, he's been creating videos, and today his YT channel boasts over 335K subscribers. Now he's onto the next venture. After years of attending perfume trade shows all over the world, Sebastian has created his own and it's called ScentFEST. And the inaugural show is happening in just 3 weeks in SF! (June 26-28, 2026)

We chat all about what can you expect at the show, highlights from his 6000-bottle personal collection, the evolution of fragrance content over the last decade, and all the roads that led him here!

FOLLOW: @theperfumeguy (on all channels)

~PERFUME ROOM WEST COAST TOUR OF LOVE!~

linktr.ee/emmavern

Stop 1 ~ LA: Smells Like Love (June 20) NOW CASTING!

Stop 2 ~ Monterey: WPC (June 22-25)

Stop 3 ~ SF: ScentFEST (June 26-28)

****

SOTD: Parfums MDCI Un Coeur en Mai (get 10% off code: perfumeroom)

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Angelos Créations Olfactives Soma Panorama, EM Molecule 01, Alrehab Choco Musk, YSL Rive Gauche, Madame Rochas, YSL Opium, Polo Green, Caron Pour Un Homme, Pierre Cardin, Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir, Chrome Azzaro, JPG Le Male, D&G Pour Homme, Jo Malone: Orange Blossom, Vetyver, Black Vetyver Cafe, Blue Agave & Cacao, Lime Basil & Mandarin, Pomegranate Noir, Wild Fig & Cassis; Mugler A*Men, Cologne; Penhaligon’s, Annick Goutal, Mugler Angel, Sarah Baker Jungle Jezebel, Massimo Dutti White Evening, Jusbox Fifty Four, BLNDGRPHY Vanilla Mudslide, Trudon 45°, Sarah Baker VaVa Vanilla, Dusita Light of Bangkok, Pesad Orris Cocoon, Dior Homme (orig.), Hugo Boss Bottled Absolu, Le Male Elixir, Loumari Radanfor, JPG Le Male, Guerlain Guerlinade, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Lancome Magie Noire, Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte, Eau de Gucci, Carine Roitfeld Carine, Houbigant Fougère Royale (1884), Coty Ambre Antique (1904), Chanel No. 5 (1921), Guerlain Mitsouko (1919), Caron Tabac Blond (1919), Molinard Habinita (1924), kyphi from ancient Egypt

212. DOMINIQUE ROPION ~ The Master of Flowers! May 27, 2026

Show notes

Stop. what. you're. doing. DOMINIQUE ROPION IS IN THE PERFUME ROOM TODAY.

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Frederic Malle: Carnal Flower, Portrait of a Lady, Geranium Pour Monsieur; Mugler Alien, Lancome La Vie Est Belle, Givenchy L’Interdit, Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady, Givenchy Ysatis, Aphorismes Innocent Tuberose, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, Aphorismes A Rose is a Rose, Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady

⁠linktr.ee/emmavern⁠

WEST COAST TOUR OF LOVE:

LA: Smells Like Love (6/20)

Monterey: World Perfumery Congress (6/22-25)

SF: ScentFEST (6/26-28)

SINGLE? APPLY TO BE A DATER!

211. DR. RACHEL HERZ (Neuroscientist & Smell Expert) ~ Single? Let your nose pick your partner. May 12, 2026

Show notes

World-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.com⁠

DR. HERZ'S BOOKS:

Why You Eat What You Eat

The Scent of Desire

That's Disgusting

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Lise Watier Neiges, Cacharel Anais Anais, F. Millot Crêpe de Chine, Chanel No. 5

!!!ROSE SMELL CLUB!!! ⁠rosesmellclub.eventbrite.com⁠

MY SOTD: D'ORSAY⁠ Vouloir Etre Ailleurs CG⁠ ('perfumeroom' for 10% off)

210. SONIA CONSTANT [Givaudan Sr. Perfumer + Ella K Founder] ~ The Real Life Ella K. May 05, 2026

Show notes

What 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 K

FOLLOW SONIA: @constantsoniaperfumer @ellakparfumsparis

SHOP: luckyscent.com (code: perfumeroom for 10% off)

SCENT STYLING @ STELE: stele.shop/emma

FOLLOW perfumeroom.substack.com FOR SMELL CLUB UPDATES!

209. CALICE BECKER (Givaudan Master Perfumer) ~ The Perfumery School Harder to Get Into Than Harvard. Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

PERFUME 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 Shy

SOTD: Les Cocottes de Paris Melle Cleo

BOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION: www.stele.shop/emma

208. ANKITA GILL (Param Sara) ~ The Niche Indian Perfume Brand Winning Awards in Year One. Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

In 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: @paramsaraofficial

FRAGS MENTIONED:

Param Sara The Mandala, Davidoff Coolwater, JK Helene Curtis Park Avenue, Param Sara: The Kama, The Nirvana, The Bodhi, The Naga, The Nagi

SMELL CLUB, SCENT STYLING & MORE: linktr.ee/emmavern

207. DAISY BOW ~ 'Gourmands,' 'Authenticity,' & Other Western Constructs. Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

A 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 Saints

FOLLOW DAISY: @je_suis_daisyb

TAKE HER COURSE: fragrancealliancenetwork.com/products/perfume-history-y2k

BOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION WITH ME: stele.nyc/emma

206. JANA MENARD [Fragrance Vault] ~ What Happens to Your Perfume When You Die? Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

All 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.vault

DISCOUNT!! 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 Sables

JANA IN ALLURE!

BOOK AN IN-PERSON SCENT CONSULT WITH ME! stele.shop/emma

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