Meabh McCurtin on discovering her path to perfumery

Talking to perfumer Meabh McCurtin is always a great pleasure, as Meabh is energetic, original and bubbly optimistic. Read here on her first steps into perfumery

Can you recall the moment when you decided to become a perfumer? Where were you, and what triggered that decision?
As a child, I had a perfume-making set and was always busy making mixtures. I associated all the pipettes with being a chemist or a witch; I really wanted to be a witch as a child. I didn’t know that the job of a perfumer even existed.

I studied science, but I was missing the creative part. I didn’t feel that chemistry was 100% right for me. After reading an article by a perfumer, I felt it was a perfect mixture of science, its connection to nature, and creativity. The way she described it, almost poetically, stirred inspiration within me. It felt right. That marked the beginning of my deeper involvement in perfumery.

While doing my master’s in molecular biology, I went to meet an independent perfumer in Geneva, Switzerland. I spent a few hours with him, smelling materials in his lab. I vividly recall waiting for the train back to Lyon, where I was studying at the time, and a strong intuition washed over me. I just knew I would return to Geneva. I felt that this was the start of a new chapter in my life. That’s precisely when I recognized my calling as a perfumer.

When you think back to your first collaboration with our founder, Tanja Deurloo, what’s the first memory or experience that comes to mind? 
It’s a happy memory. It was one of my first experiences making perfumes for a creative brief. We were working with two artists on Eau de Amsterdam, and the creative story was very important to them, rather than merely a commercial brief, which I liked.

What do you enjoy the most on a day off?
The idea of a perfect day, like starting with breakfast somewhere and then visiting a museum. I love exploring museums, as I have a bit of a nerdy side and find joy in learning something new. Recently, I attended the opera, and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The visuals, colors, and music completely blew my mind. For me, the perfect day is one that feels like it’s giving you something and feels enriching.

What fills you with a sense of awe?

I often experience a sense of awe in my dreams. My dreams are crazy and vivid. In my waking life, I would say looking at the starry sky. This invokes a similar feeling of awe, as you sort of realize that you are part of this huge universe that is much bigger than us.

When you think of "hedonism," what comes to mind, and what does it mean to you?
Letting go of control, abandoning yourself to pleasure. I imagine nice wines, tasting rich food, everything sensory for pleasure.

If you were a perfume ingredient, what kind would you be and why?
Definitely a heavier ingredient. I wouldn’t be a top note, so either a heart or a base note. Maybe I would be iris. I love iris because it takes its time to mature. In life, things tend to unfold on a subconscious level for me. Within my mind, I can go back to things more intuitively. Even if it was ten years ago, I still go back to it. Possibly this connection resonates with iris; I associate it with the subconscious, being a root beneath the surface. I’ve learned to appreciate this ingredient. There is something in it that intrigues me.