Nathalie Benareau: Multicultural Perfumer Crafting Modern Scents

Nathalie Benareau's path to becoming a Senior Perfumer at Symrise began in the French Alpine countryside, where afternoon hikes sparked her fascination with scent. Her multicultural upbringing, influenced by Algerian, Spanish, and French cultures, shaped her olfactory sensitivity from an early age. The aromas of couscous and Spanish tapas, combined with the natural scents of moss, trees, and flowers from her mountain walks, created a rich sensory foundation for her future career.

After studying chemistry at Toulouse University and earning a master's degree in chemistry and chemical engineering, Benareau entered perfumery through a 1999 internship at Firmenich's Research & Development department. Her journey progressed through training at Intarome and Manheimer, where she became a perfumer in 2006. Since joining Symrise in 2008 and moving to their New York Creative Studio in 2011, she has built an impressive portfolio spanning both mainstream and niche fragrances.

Benareau's creative philosophy centers on fragrance as an art form that expresses intangible ideas with meaning and emotion. She views scent as an alphabet for storytelling, including the story of a person. Her approach combines scientific precision with artistic vision, often incorporating unexpected combinations like leather with cotton candy or fruity notes with traditional masculine elements. She embraces creative freedom and enjoys venturing into unknown territory to create something entirely new.

Benareau's versatility shines through her diverse portfolio, from Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works to niche brands like Mind Games and A.N. Other. Her work for Mind Games showcases her range, with J'Adoube presenting a bold combination of pomegranate, rose, and leather that challenges traditional fragrance categories. The composition opens with tart red currant and mandarin before revealing a sophisticated leather base, creating what reviewers describe as a masterpiece of interplay between fruit, florals, and leather.

Prodigy demonstrates her gourmand expertise, blending rose absolute with creamy café latte and vanilla to create what many describe as a luxurious coffee shop experience. Meanwhile, The Forward showcases her ability to create versatile, unisex compositions that balance citrus freshness with salty accords and creamy vanilla. Inspired by her trip to Madagascar, where she observed women extracting mandarin near the ocean, this fragrance embodies her multicultural perspective and travel-inspired creativity.

Her industry recognition includes The Fragrance Foundation Awards, with John Varvatos JVxNJ Silver Edition winning Fragrance of the Year in 2020. Her promotion to Senior Perfumer at Symrise in 2023 reflects her growing influence in contemporary perfumery. Benareau continues to push boundaries by incorporating AI tools like Philyra into her creative process and exploring sustainable formulation practices, positioning herself at the forefront of modern fragrance innovation.