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The sense of smell is a powerful thing, a familiar scent can bring with it memories you thought were long lost. According to Rob Blandford, Alumni-Relations-Officer-by-day-and-fragrance-blogger-by-night, developing memorable perfumes is an art form.

It was on a Faculty of Engineering marketing trip to the Middle East in 2011 that Rob discovered his passion for perfumery.

“I had never been to the Middle East before and the only thing I really knew about it was that they love fragrance, in fact they spend more per capita on it than any other area in the world,” explained Rob. “While I was there I bought this amazing fragrance, it smelt like incense and roses but was dark and earthy at the same time – it was incredible and it was that scent that led me to explore the world of perfumery.”

Following the 2011 trip, Rob dedicated his spare time to learning as much as he could about the field before deciding to launch a men’s fragrance blog in November 2014. Starting off on Instagram, it wasn’t until Rob moved into video reviews on YouTube in April 2015 that his alter ego, the ‘Scent Gent’, was born.

With a presence on Instagram , YouTube and Facebook , the Scent Gent’s list of followers boasts some big names in the world of perfumery, which opened some unexpected doors for Rob while on holiday in Europe last year.

“I was in London visiting some of the best perfume boutiques in the world and when I blogged about the trip I mentioned that I was heading to Paris to relax for a few days,’ he said. “Soon after the blog went up I was contacted by someone at Guerlain, the biggest and oldest mass producing French perfumery house, who had seen my post and invited me to meet their Lead Perfumer, Thierry Wasser, in their flagship store on the Champs-Elysées. I ended up having high tea with him and meeting with the second in command and raw materials buyer which was incredibly interesting and just such an amazing experience.”

Rob’s growing fragrance knowledge has also helped open doors in his role at UWA.

“UWA has lots of links to the perfumery industry in Western Australia and beyond, in fact around 80% of sandalwood oil used in perfume comes from Western Australia with the biggest sandalwood oil distillery, called Mount Romance, located in Albany. We also have alumni with connections to those industries, including a few perfumers, which is a great conversation starter for me,” he said.

Rob has also become a go-to person for colleagues looking to find the perfect scent for their partner’s birthday.

“I often get asked for recommendations so I try to help them understand their partner’s fragrance profile. For example, a person with a traditional personality is more likely to be drawn to simple citrus and musk scents whereas someone more radical may prefer incense, leather and wood notes at the other end of the spectrum,” explained Rob.

“I also get asked how best to store fragrances and the answer to that is to always keep them away from light, preferably in the original box, in a cool part of the house.  They can be refrigerated although your standard fridge may be too cold - four to ten degrees is the ideal temperature.” For Rob this meant purchasing a wine fridge specifically to house his collection of 130 fragrances!

So what’s next for the Scent Gent?  Well, September will see Rob head to France for a two week summer school course at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery.

“Grasse is the birthplace and spiritual home of French perfumery because the climate and soil are perfect for growing high quality ingredients, such as roses and jasmine, which are two huge components in women’s perfumes, “  he said, clearly excited about the trip and chance to further develop his knowledge.

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, Rob was also kind enough to share with us his top picks for men’s and unisex fragrances for those still on the hunt for the perfect gift for their partner.

Rob’s recommendations for men:

• L’Homme Idéal Cologne by Guerlain. “This is a beautifully light and clean, slightly woody aromatic citrus fragrance, with notes of grapefruit, almond, bergamot and vetiver.”
• Bleu Noir by Narciso Rodriguez. “Bleu Noir is a sparkling and exotic woody/spicy fragrance with a subtle floral character, with notes of cardamom, musk, cedar, nutmeg and ebony wood.”

Rob’s unisex recommendations:

• Floriental by Comme des Garçons. “Floriental is a deep and mysterious woody/spicy scent evoking the Middle East, featuring notes of incense, plum, pink pepper, sandalwood, labdanum and vetiver”
• Concentré d’Orange Verte by Hermès. “This is a classic and clean-smelling French aromatic citrus, with notes of orange, mint, cedar and amber and it is perfect for beating the heat of a WA summer!”