Élise Bénat | Perfumer

Mediterranean memories and a visual approach to perfume

Élise Bénat was born and raised in the south of France, where the smells of Mediterranean scrubland, myrtle and salt became early reference points. Travel during her teenage years added new places and sensations to that background.

She discovered perfumery as a vocation while studying chemistry, when an olfactory training course introduced a different way to use her scientific education. She later joined Firmenich, developing a professional practice in fragrance composition.

In her published biography, Bénat connects perfume with visual imagination, reading and art. Translating words or images into an aroma is part of the pleasure of creation. Her credited work includes several Amouage fragrances, among them Sunshine Woman, Lilac Love, Blossom Love, Beach Hut Man and Love Mimosa, with collaborative credits where applicable. Exploring these compositions together offers a view of how a creator can move between floral, green and warmer subjects while responding to different projects within the same house.