Perfumes de Tristan Badard

After studying chemistry at university, Tristan Badard moved to Montpellier—the former capital of perfume—to specialise in perfumery and aromas. As part of this training, he worked in Grasse and in Beijing. Through these experiences, he discovered two sides of the fragrance industry: traditional perfumery and a more modern approach to the art. After a brief stint working in flavours at Omega Ingredients, Tristan joined Quintessence Fragrances in 2014 and has worked for several years at the interface between analytical perfumery and creative perfumery. “Working as an analytical perfumer has really impacted the way I formulate fragrances. Analysing fragrances from different markets and for different applications has allowed me to acquire considerable knowledge and has made me a versatile perfumer who can work on almost any technical project. Analytical perfumery also helped me consolidate my knowledge of natural and synthetic ingredients, a valuable asset when I work on creative projects”. After these years as an analytical perfumer, Tristan has joined the House of Quintessence, an in-house fragrance studio created for limited editions, exclusive artisanal fragrances and emerging independent perfume brands. Tristan’s favourite scents include nard flowers—a sumptuous aroma he encountered many times during the year he spent working at Quintessence Fragrances India—along with labdanum, leather and honey. “I create fragrances in the same way that I paint; using colours and layers,” Tristan explains. “For me, each ingredient—natural or synthetic—has a colour, a texture, a way it resonates and diffuses, and that is how I build my creations”.