Fatherhood has a way of reshaping perspectives. For Renato Lopena Jr. (AKA The Filipino Nose), it has reinforced a lesson he learned the hard way that dreams are worth chasing, even when the road is uncertain. His own journey to becoming the Philippines’ leading independent perfumer wasn’t straightforward, and that’s exactly what he wants to teach his child.
Growing up, Renato didn’t know he would become a perfumer. He spent his childhood in his mother’s company, a distributor of raw materials, tagging along when there was nowhere else to be. At 12, he stumbled into the company’s laboratory, a place where scents were mixed and formulas were tested. Bored, he asked if he could try his hand at making a perfume. The staff, knowing he was the boss’s son, let him experiment. He mixed alcohol, chose a fragrance, and unknowingly created the first perfume of his life.
But it wasn’t an immediate passion. At first, he thought he wanted to be a chef, though he quickly realized he just wanted to eat, not cook. It wasn’t until he started earning his own money that he became serious about scents. Perfumes weren’t just luxury items; they held memories, emotions, and identity. Certain scents made him feel happy, confident, or nostalgic. That curiosity led him to study perfumery in Grasse, France, the birthplace of the world’s finest fragrances. He became the first Filipino student to be accepted into the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, selected from over 100 applicants for one of only 12 spots.
The Struggles of Being a Perfumer in the Philippines
Pursuing perfumery wasn’t an easy path, especially in a country like the Philippines, where the industry is still finding its place. Unlike fashion or food, perfume is often overlooked as an art form. Many Filipino brands exist, but few carve out their own identity, often drawing inspiration from well-known Western scents.
The biggest challenge, however, is perception. Filipinos tend to associate luxury perfumes with international brands. They’re willing to pay premium prices for French or Italian labels, but hesitate when a local brand carries the same price tag. “There’s still that mentality that if it’s Filipino, it has to be cheaper,” Renato explains. “But perfume-making requires expertise, high-quality ingredients, and a long creative process. It’s not just about mixing scents; it’s chemistry, art, and storytelling all in one bottle.”
This perception forced him to be strategic with pricing. His perfumes, while positioned as high-quality niche fragrances, had to remain within a price range that Filipinos would still consider “reasonable.” It’s a balancing act—making sure the craftsmanship is valued while still being accessible.
A Day in the Life of a Perfumer
Many imagine perfumers as artists swirling vials of scents in an elegant Parisian-style lab, but the reality is much more demanding. Renato’s days are filled with research, testing, and constant refinement.
Mornings often start with evaluating previous scent trials, adjusting formulas based on how they have evolved overnight. Perfumes change as they settle, and a scent that smelled perfect yesterday might need tweaking today. He spends hours mixing, measuring, and carefully documenting each adjustment. Unlike other forms of artistry, perfumery requires patience and creating a new fragrance can take months, sometimes years. “Ironically, being a perfumer means wearing as little perfume as possible," Renato explains, "because I need to preserve my sense of smell."
Beyond formulation, there’s also the business side. Packaging, branding, and marketing take up a significant portion of his time. While perfume lovers appreciate the product, they first need to be drawn in by its story. That’s why his fragrances aren’t just scents, they are experiences. Batuk, for example, is inspired by traditional Kalinga tattoo culture, capturing the essence of this experience without requiring someone to get inked.
The process is rewarding, but it comes with moments of doubt. There are days when he wonders if he has run out of ideas. “Artistic block happens. I think, ‘Have I done everything already? Is there anything new left to create?’” But inspiration always finds a way back, whether from nature, culture, or even fatherhood itself.
Fatherhood and the Legacy of Passion
Being a father has given Renato a new sense of purpose. Watching his son experience the world with wide-eyed curiosity reminds him why passion is so important. He lets him explore scents, teaching him the names of fragrances as they go about daily life. “One day, I was helping him wash his hands, and he asked me what scent the soap was. I said I didn’t know, but he smelled it and said, ‘Lavender.’ Even if it wasn’t really lavender, just the fact that he’s starting to recognize scents amazes me.”
Renato doesn’t expect his son to follow in his footsteps. What he does hope is that he grows up knowing that it’s okay to take an unconventional path. His own journey took time. He didn’t discover his passion until adulthood, and it wasn’t an easy road. But in the end, he found his place.
That’s the lesson he wants to pass on, not just to his child, but to anyone who struggles with choosing between passion and practicality. “Finding your place in the world takes time,” he says. “It’s not always easy, and sometimes people won’t understand why you’re doing it. But if it’s something you love, if it’s something that gives you a sense of fulfillment, it’s worth it.”
For Renato, perfumery became that path. It wasn’t predictable or easy, but it gave him a sense of direction, of purpose. And if his son takes anything from watching him work, he hopes it’s this: that it’s possible to build a life around something you care about, even if the road getting there looks different from everyone else’s.