{"id":1760305,"date":"2026-02-09T10:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T07:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1760305"},"modified":"2026-02-09T10:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T07:45:00","slug":"could-perfume-clubs-cure-our-urban-loneliness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1760305","title":{"rendered":"Could perfume clubs cure our urban loneliness?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/63-111-2495-1663\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436555.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/beauty\/article\/69494\/1\/perfume-clubs-cure-urban-loneliness-young-people-social-new-york-london-lisbon\" data-article-id=\"69494\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.5\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Perfume clubs\" class=\"img\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1400\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436555.jpg\" width=\"2700\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Alexey Kim. Courtesy of Marc <span class=\"nowrap\">Jacobs Fragrances<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-02-09T10:45:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"09 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"9\">9,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - beauty\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\">Beauty<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty-feature\">Beauty Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\">Beauty<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty-feature\">Beauty Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Could perfume clubs cure our <span class=\"nowrap\">urban loneliness?<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>Springing up everywhere from New York to Helsinki to Lisbon, perfume clubs are offering people community, connection and the chance to share their passion <span class=\"nowrap\">for fragrance<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-09T10:45:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"09 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"9\">9,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-02-09T10:45:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"09 February 2026\"><span class=\"month\">February<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"9\">9,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/KatePasola\">Kate Pasola<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-9-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Lisbon Perfume Club<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/0\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436465.jpeg\" width=\"1536\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/1\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-666-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436466.jpeg\" width=\"1536\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/2\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-707-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436467.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/3\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-922-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436468.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/4\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-932-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436469.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/5\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-380-1200-800\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436470.jpeg\" width=\"1200\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 9 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>I\u2019m often in the mood to speak with strangers these days. Maybe because I recently moved from London to Lisbon, it\u2019s an opportunity to practice Portuguese or make a new friend. But there are some days when I just don\u2019t have it in me. Today\u2019s one of those days, which is unfortunate, because I\u2019m on my way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lisbonperfumeclub\/\">Lisbon Perfume Club<\/a> along with over 20 strangers \u2013 and I\u2019m attending alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Thankfully, when I arrive, I instantly relax. The event takes place in a queer-leaning function room which opens out onto the street, with big windows you can peep through and assess the vibe before entering. This is exactly what I\u2019m doing when host and organiser Olle Eriksson spots me, heads over and envelops me in a muscular hug that smells like vetiver and patchouli.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Tonight\u2019s special guest is one of Portugal\u2019s most decorated perfumers, Miguel Matos. As Eriksson kicks off the Q&amp;A, we pass around blotters spritzed with fragrances Matos dreamed up both for his own brand and others, like Nobile 1942\u2019s A Grazi and Acampora\u2019s Young Hearts. He tells us about the time he threw all his samples in the toilet in a fit of despair, the time he was nominated for a prestigious award and felt utterly numb, and the time he incorporated petrified rat urine from the desert into a formulation. Everyone is enjoying themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Chances are there\u2019s a perfume club near you, or someone thinking of starting one, with communities springing up everywhere from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/perfume-lovers-london\/\"><span>London<\/span><\/a><span> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/berlinperfumeclub?igsh=MWhod3FmNTltMDhlcQ==\"><span>Berlin<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newyorknose?igsh=aGI1ZDk0NGFjNm4x\"><span>New York<\/span><\/a><span> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/1475903530183223\/\"><span>Wroclaw<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hel.perfume.club?igsh=YWh1aHAxZDI2czhs\"><span>Helsinki<\/span><\/a><span>to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUKx0SVjKk9\/\">Newcastle<\/a>.<\/span><span>Some are informal, built around blind smelling sessions; others run tours, workshops or swaps; some do all of the above.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Eriksson started his club because he wanted to share his interest in a group setting. \u201cI\u2019ve been here for four years and though I have lots of acquaintances, it\u2019s been really hard to find people that I vibed with,\u201d he says, explaining that he\u2019s recently felt fatigued by \u2018catch-up culture\u2019. \u201cYou meet up for an expensive coffee, talk about how the last two weeks were, and then schedule the next. It becomes like work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s for similarly sociable reasons that Arabelle Sicardi, olfactive expert and author of <\/span><em><span>The House of<\/span><\/em> Beauty,\u00a0<span>launched <a href=\"https:\/\/perfumedpages.xyz\/arabelle\/\">Perfumed Pages<\/a>, their \u2018experimental creative container\u2019. <\/span><span>\u201cI was feeling lonely as a writer and fragrance fan, and wanted to cultivate a community experience of the stories that beauty told me were possible,\u201d they explain. \u201cI wanted to share the ethos of <\/span><span>[<\/span><em><span>The House of Beauty<\/span><\/em><span>]<\/span><span> in a way that made sense; I think the best versions of beauty culture involve experiencing it with other people. So I made that happen intentionally.\u201d <\/span><span>Sicardi<\/span><span>\u2019s club is hybrid, offering both in-person and online events to ensure that \u201cpeople who are very Covid-conscious or disabled <\/span><span>[<\/span><span>are<\/span><span>]<\/span><span> able to participate meaningfully in beauty culture, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The timing is telling. According to recent UK government data, younger adults are now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cn0kz1wpnq5o\">more likely<\/a> to feel lonely than older generations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/30-06-2025-social-connection-linked-to-improved-heath-and-reduced-risk-of-early-death\">research <\/a>shows that loneliness among young people is a worsening problem around the world. So is it any wonder that a generation of fragrance obsessives, many of whom discovered their olfactory passions while locked down in a pandemic, are now grasping for group experiences?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Eriksson and Sicardi have both spotted new friendships forming at events. \u201cWhen you\u2019re very involved in community, it\u2019s actually hard to be lonely,\u201d says Sicardi. \u201cThere\u2019s definitely regulars at every event, and friendships and creative partnerships have formed out of them. People celebrate birthdays together, grab dinner before or after events, do ad-hoc scent swaps and become pen pals\u2026 I\u2019m in group chats now that span the world.\u201d Maksim, founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hel.perfume.club?igsh=YWh1aHAxZDI2czhs\"><span>Helsinki Perfume Club<\/span><\/a><span>, has seen something similar. \u201cPeople mentioned that it creates a sense of belonging, that they\u2019ve been looking for this kind of community for so long, and it makes their life brighter, especially during dark winters.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Typically, perfume clubs welcome new enthusiasts and novices \u2013 Eriksson isn\u2019t afraid to set the tone or gently guide conversations away from \u2018insider\u2019 language. \u201cThis is not a competition,\u201d he explains. \u201cDon\u2019t guess if this fragrance has chamomile, or if that one has rice notes: say what you <\/span><em><span>feel<\/span><\/em><span>.\u201d <\/span><span>In this way, perfume\u2019s an excellent icebreaker \u2013 a vehicle for bypassing small talk into much richer conversations, about memories, cultural scripts, taste and preferences. It is also a powerful stimulus for conversations about politics, power and intersectionality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At Lisbon Perfume Club\u2019s inaugural event last year, for example, the conversation drifted into a discussion about the slippery connotations and power-play behind using the word \u2018clean\u2019 to describe certain notes and accords. This readiness to debate allows the clubs to interrogate just how much consumerism plays a role in olfaction as an art form, while facilitating a less transactional way to enjoy fragrance. \u201cFundamentally, there is enough of most things in the world \u2013 or would be if we shared,\u201d says <\/span><span>Sicardi<\/span><span>, who says they feel \u201cdisenchanted\u201d by the impact of waste and overconsumption in the beauty industry. Their events often encourage participants to swap their stash or decant and share what they have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s strange that it took so long for us to congregate around our sense of smell in the same way that we eat together at supper clubs, read together for book clubs, and dance together at nightclubs. But if the growing excitement around the movement is anything to go by \u2013 Eriksson is already inundated with requests for future events, and Sicardi is planning their next Nose Training series for 2026 \u2013 this is far from a fleeting trend. People are ready to take the olfaction far more seriously, one perfume club at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. 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Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-9-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Lisbon Perfume Club<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/0\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436465.jpeg\" width=\"1536\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/1\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-666-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436466.jpeg\" width=\"1536\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/2\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-707-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436467.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/3\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-922-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436468.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/4\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"910\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-932-1366-910\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436469.jpeg\" width=\"1366\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/gallery\/36633\/5\/lisbon-perfume-club\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lisbon Perfume Club\" class=\"img\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-380-1200-800\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436470.jpeg\" width=\"1200\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 9 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>I\u2019m often in the mood to speak with strangers these days. Maybe because I recently moved from London to Lisbon, it\u2019s an opportunity to practice Portuguese or make a new friend. But there are some days when I just don\u2019t have it in me. Today\u2019s one of those days, which is unfortunate, because I\u2019m on my way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lisbonperfumeclub\/\">Lisbon Perfume Club<\/a> along with over 20 strangers \u2013 and I\u2019m attending alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Thankfully, when I arrive, I instantly relax. The event takes place in a queer-leaning function room which opens out onto the street, with big windows you can peep through and assess the vibe before entering. This is exactly what I\u2019m doing when host and organiser Olle Eriksson spots me, heads over and envelops me in a muscular hug that smells like vetiver and patchouli.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Tonight\u2019s special guest is one of Portugal\u2019s most decorated perfumers, Miguel Matos. As Eriksson kicks off the Q&amp;A, we pass around blotters spritzed with fragrances Matos dreamed up both for his own brand and others, like Nobile 1942\u2019s A Grazi and Acampora\u2019s Young Hearts. He tells us about the time he threw all his samples in the toilet in a fit of despair, the time he was nominated for a prestigious award and felt utterly numb, and the time he incorporated petrified rat urine from the desert into a formulation. Everyone is enjoying themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Chances are there\u2019s a perfume club near you, or someone thinking of starting one, with communities springing up everywhere from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/perfume-lovers-london\/\"><span>London<\/span><\/a><span> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/berlinperfumeclub?igsh=MWhod3FmNTltMDhlcQ==\"><span>Berlin<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newyorknose?igsh=aGI1ZDk0NGFjNm4x\"><span>New York<\/span><\/a><span> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/1475903530183223\/\"><span>Wroclaw<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hel.perfume.club?igsh=YWh1aHAxZDI2czhs\"><span>Helsinki<\/span><\/a><span>to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUKx0SVjKk9\/\">Newcastle<\/a>.<\/span><span>Some are informal, built around blind smelling sessions; others run tours, workshops or swaps; some do all of the above.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Eriksson started his club because he wanted to share his interest in a group setting. \u201cI\u2019ve been here for four years and though I have lots of acquaintances, it\u2019s been really hard to find people that I vibed with,\u201d he says, explaining that he\u2019s recently felt fatigued by \u2018catch-up culture\u2019. \u201cYou meet up for an expensive coffee, talk about how the last two weeks were, and then schedule the next. It becomes like work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s for similarly sociable reasons that Arabelle Sicardi, olfactive expert and author of <\/span><em><span>The House of<\/span><\/em> Beauty,\u00a0<span>launched <a href=\"https:\/\/perfumedpages.xyz\/arabelle\/\">Perfumed Pages<\/a>, their \u2018experimental creative container\u2019. <\/span><span>\u201cI was feeling lonely as a writer and fragrance fan, and wanted to cultivate a community experience of the stories that beauty told me were possible,\u201d they explain. \u201cI wanted to share the ethos of <\/span><span>[<\/span><em><span>The House of Beauty<\/span><\/em><span>]<\/span><span> in a way that made sense; I think the best versions of beauty culture involve experiencing it with other people. So I made that happen intentionally.\u201d <\/span><span>Sicardi<\/span><span>\u2019s club is hybrid, offering both in-person and online events to ensure that \u201cpeople who are very Covid-conscious or disabled <\/span><span>[<\/span><span>are<\/span><span>]<\/span><span> able to participate meaningfully in beauty culture, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The timing is telling. According to recent UK government data, younger adults are now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cn0kz1wpnq5o\">more likely<\/a> to feel lonely than older generations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/30-06-2025-social-connection-linked-to-improved-heath-and-reduced-risk-of-early-death\">research <\/a>shows that loneliness among young people is a worsening problem around the world. So is it any wonder that a generation of fragrance obsessives, many of whom discovered their olfactory passions while locked down in a pandemic, are now grasping for group experiences?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Eriksson and Sicardi have both spotted new friendships forming at events. \u201cWhen you\u2019re very involved in community, it\u2019s actually hard to be lonely,\u201d says Sicardi. \u201cThere\u2019s definitely regulars at every event, and friendships and creative partnerships have formed out of them. People celebrate birthdays together, grab dinner before or after events, do ad-hoc scent swaps and become pen pals\u2026 I\u2019m in group chats now that span the world.\u201d Maksim, founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hel.perfume.club?igsh=YWh1aHAxZDI2czhs\"><span>Helsinki Perfume Club<\/span><\/a><span>, has seen something similar. \u201cPeople mentioned that it creates a sense of belonging, that they\u2019ve been looking for this kind of community for so long, and it makes their life brighter, especially during dark winters.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Typically, perfume clubs welcome new enthusiasts and novices \u2013 Eriksson isn\u2019t afraid to set the tone or gently guide conversations away from \u2018insider\u2019 language. \u201cThis is not a competition,\u201d he explains. \u201cDon\u2019t guess if this fragrance has chamomile, or if that one has rice notes: say what you <\/span><em><span>feel<\/span><\/em><span>.\u201d <\/span><span>In this way, perfume\u2019s an excellent icebreaker \u2013 a vehicle for bypassing small talk into much richer conversations, about memories, cultural scripts, taste and preferences. It is also a powerful stimulus for conversations about politics, power and intersectionality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At Lisbon Perfume Club\u2019s inaugural event last year, for example, the conversation drifted into a discussion about the slippery connotations and power-play behind using the word \u2018clean\u2019 to describe certain notes and accords. This readiness to debate allows the clubs to interrogate just how much consumerism plays a role in olfaction as an art form, while facilitating a less transactional way to enjoy fragrance. \u201cFundamentally, there is enough of most things in the world \u2013 or would be if we shared,\u201d says <\/span><span>Sicardi<\/span><span>, who says they feel \u201cdisenchanted\u201d by the impact of waste and overconsumption in the beauty industry. Their events often encourage participants to swap their stash or decant and share what they have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s strange that it took so long for us to congregate around our sense of smell in the same way that we eat together at supper clubs, read together for book clubs, and dance together at nightclubs. But if the growing excitement around the movement is anything to go by \u2013 Eriksson is already inundated with requests for future events, and Sicardi is planning their next Nose Training series for 2026 \u2013 this is far from a fleeting trend. People are ready to take the olfaction far more seriously, one perfume club at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/beauty\/article\/69494\/1\/perfume-clubs-cure-urban-loneliness-young-people-social-new-york-london-lisbon&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/63-111-2495-1663\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/6\/1436555.jpg&#8221;] Photography Alexey Kim. Courtesy of Marc Jacobs Fragrances February\u00a0 9,\u00a0 2026 Beauty \/ Beauty Feature Beauty \/ Beauty Feature Could perfume clubs cure our urban loneliness? Springing up everywhere from New York to Helsinki to Lisbon, perfume clubs are offering people community, connection and the chance to share their passion for fragrance [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1760305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1760305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1760305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1760305\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1760305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1760305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1760305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}