Meet the Perfumers Behind Bath & Body Works’ Blend Bar

For anyone who’s ever wondered how a fragrance comes to life, it all begins with a perfumer translating a feeling into scent — balancing ingredients, refining accords and testing until the character is just right. Like all Bath & Body Works fragrances, each Blend Bar scent was developed in partnership with world-class perfumers and fragrance houses using high-quality ingredients. For Blend Bar, the brief was more complex: create a collection where every note needed to stand confidently on its own and maintain its character when layered.

The new Blend Bar collection is available in travel size fine fragrance mists and all-new travel size smooth & soothe body creams, with eight layerable single-note fragrances to choose from: Coconut Nectar, Zesty Peach, Toasted Pistachio, Wild Vanilla, Vibrant Jasmine, Juicy Strawberry, Crisp Pear and Sea Salt.

We sat down with the perfumers behind the latest collection to learn more about what inspired these trending fragrances.  

Stephen Nilsen, master perfumer at Givaudan fragrance house, aimed to capture the feeling of effortless summer joy when creating Zesty Peach.

“I wanted the fragrance to feel like pure, sunlit connection,” Nilsen shared. “That shared happiness, the warmth, the carefree sweetness of a moment you wish you could hold onto forever.”

For the perfumer behind Juicy Strawberry, Ugo Charron of MANE, he hopes that emotional connection comes through from the moment a consumer smells the scent: “Imagine the first bite of a perfectly ripe strawberry, the instant it bursts open with bright, glistening juice that feels fresh, vibrant, and natural,” said Charron. “To capture this sensation, I built the fragrance around a lush strawberry jam note for sun-ripened depth and juiciness, then lifted it with a delicate touch of rose water scent for soft transparency.”

For fragrances like Wild Vanilla and Toasted Pistachio, perfumers at DSM-Firmenich were inspired by the indulgent gourmand scents that feel warm, comforting and almost edible. Designed to feel rich without becoming heavy, these fragrances balance sweetness with texture and softness, creating scents that are both cozy and elevated.

“For Wild Vanilla, I wanted to explore indulgence in its most untamed form — where sweetness feels free,” principal perfumer at DSM-Firmenich Gabriela Chelariu shared. “This fragrance is a celebration of texture: the cloud-like softness of whipped vanilla, the warm, golden depth of tonka bean, and the delicate veil of sugared musk that lingers on skin like a second layer. It’s the kind of scent that feels both personal and irresistible, like a soft whisper that draws you closer.”

That same balance of warmth and sophistication inspired Toasted Pistachio, created by perfumer at DSM-Firmenich Clement Gavarry. “When toasted, pistachio has a richness and nutty sophistication. I've paired this note with almond blossom to introduce a floral softness that keeps the fragrance luminous and balanced. Whipped vanilla ties everything together with a creamy, airy sweetness that doesn't overwhelm. I wanted this scent to feel like a moment of cozy elegance, like walking into a sunlit café where everything feels beautiful.”

The result of this thoughtful work from the perfumers behind each fragrance, is a collection rooted in creativity and experimentation — designed to make fragrance feel more personal, intuitive and expressive.

Find the perfect scent pairing this summer, with the dermatologist-approved* Blend Bar collection, now online at bathandbodyworks.com and in Bath & Body Works stores nationwide. Looking for layering inspiration? See this story by BBWInc. for a lineup of go-to pairings that make mixing and matching feel playful and easy.

*Based on review of independent testing by board-certified dermatologist.