Industry Spotlight: Alice Tencic, IFF Scent Design Associate

An exciting young talent in the British fragrance evaluation scene, Alice Tencic is a Scent Design Associate at IFF London, radiating a contagious passion for our industry.

In our chat with Alice, we explore her inspiring educational background and diverse career path that led her to evaluation within IFF, a company that offers a great environment for creativity and teamwork whilst also aiming to create the perfumery of tomorrow while facing creative challenges with a customer-driven mindset.

As we delve into her positive approach to the industry, Alice takes us back to the origins of her love for fragrance and offers insightful glimpses into the current British fragrance market and trends.

Can you share a bit about your journey into the field of fragrance evaluation? How did you become interested in perfumery?

I don’t come from a family involved in the perfumery world, but I remember the fascination I had for my mum’s fragrances as a child, and how I was always sensitive to scents.

Growing up in France, I have a very vivid memory of my mum’s J’Adore by Dior perfume and the cologne fragrance she used to spray in the house. The first time I smelled Basil & Neroli by Jo Malone London as an adult, it immediately transported me back to my childhood home.

Yet despite my interest in scent as a child, I didn’t consider a career in fragrance until I went to university.

In terms of education and training, what steps did you take to develop your skills and knowledge in fragrance evaluation?

Following a degree in chemistry, I took a gap year where I gained experience in different industry fields. I started out working as an intern in body care evaluation. I then moved onto a marketing role before joining IFF in London as a business analyst, which was a great experience in a pleasant work environment. Having this variety of experience allowed me to gain a deep understanding of how the industry operates and what fields I was most interested in.

As my gap year concluded, I was accepted at ESP for the FESAPCA master’s degree, which allowed me to continue working part- time in the industry alongside my studies.

The training and development I have received while at IFF, alongside my experience, has led me to my current position where I work with IFF experts to create sensorial experiences that not only delight but go beyond the expectations of consumers worldwide.

What drew you to fragrance evaluation in particular?
I realised through my various experiences working

that I wanted to be involved creatively in developing fragrances, and saw evaluation as the perfect bridge between art and science. Additionally, I was excited to be the intermediary between clients, consumers, and perfumers.

Evaluation appeals to me because you are deeply involved in the process of fragrance creation, and fragrances are mostly a product of team effort. It is a very versatile, dynamic role, and it allows you to build a close partnership with perfumers as you all work towards the same end goal.

IFF fosters collaboration and offers everyone the opportunity to connect and grow (the Global Mentoring Programme being one example of this). From the moment I joined IFF, I have had opportunities to work alongside experienced perfumers and evaluators, which was especially valuable as a newcomer.

What skills are essential for a successful career in evaluation, in your opinion?
I believe that you need to be creative and have great organisational skills as you will manage various briefs and clients at the same time. I also think having a strong olfactive knowledge is key to navigating the customers’ expectations and the perfumers’ artistic vision.

What attracted you to the British fragrance market?

While I specialise in the cross-category local market, as IFF has been historically successful in the UK in both Fine Fragrance and Consumer Fragrance, I also work on international briefs, as my expertise in the British fragrance market is often required around the world.

However, I really enjoy my work focusing on the British market because, while it is still heavily influenced by the general European perfumery heritage, the market tends to renew itself and be more experimental. This makes it the perfect bridge between the current US market and, for instance, French perfumery know- how.

I also like how both consumers and brands are highly curious and positively welcome innovation in the British fragrance market.

As someone working in the fragrance industry in the UK, what are your observations regarding the current fragrance market? Are there any key trends, consumer preferences, or emerging trends in fragrance that you’ve noticed?

In terms of trends, there is an increasing interest in science-backed and mood-enhancing fragrances. The drive towards a greater awareness of well-being and the use of fragrance to evoke specific emotions has been a rewarding process to be part of. The general sentiment for escapism from the pandemic’s isolation also still persists in perfumery. I have also found that sustainable perfumery is a key attraction in the current market for consumers, and they now expect transparency from the brands they use.

What role do the latest industry trends and innovations play in your work?
My role requires constant awareness of market growth, trends, and innovations, as sometimes briefs can be very specific, but also clients can approach me in search of inspiration, and trust my expertise to craft the best scent for their market.

At IFF we use a combination of innovation, portfolio strength and leading-edge insight, driven by a highly collaborative global team to meet customer needs, so we always have support from multiple sources. Our agility across markets from foresights such as the IFF Panoptic capability, which identifies the most impactful shifts and dynamics shaping the future of our industry, is a great tool for the analysis of societal changes supporting us with future-proof creations.

Additionally, our multi-sensory trend-driven platform, Trendsformed, continues to grow year on year, and inspires new business opportunities across categories. On top of this, I love learning about the history of fragrance, the heritage of some incredible local fragrance houses, and also observing and analysing consumers’ behaviours and how we are experiencing scent today.

Being London-based and specialised in the UK market, with which perfumers do you work the most, and can you tell us more about your creative partnership?

I often work remotely with various IFF perfumers around the world, but on a daily basis, I team up with Laura Gibbs, who is an IFF Perfumer based in London.

I admire Laura and her technical yet creative approach to fragrance development. It is always an enriching exchange for me to work with her.

Do you have any colleagues you look up to or admire?

Many colleagues have impacted my journey into perfumery and inspire me, but my manager from my first internship left an undeniable mark on my career path and significantly contributed to my love for fragrance.

Finally, as a young industry professional, what is your experience in our industry like?

It is a wonderful community of extremely passionate people who are devoted to delivering scents that can have a lasting impact on consumers.

Our industry has a positive atmosphere and there is a strong team feeling.