About Me – The Fragrance Consultant Behind Scent Chronicles
This About Me page is where I step out from behind the counter and introduce myself as the voice of Scent Chronicles – an editorial space devoted to honest fragrance stories, thoughtful reviews, and real experience with perfume.
I divide my time between writing in depth fragrance reviews for this blog and working face to face with clients at Liquo , a niche perfumery in Santiago. Every article you read here is grounded in real wear, real conversations, and real people searching for a scent that feels like them.
Think of this page as a quiet introduction before we dive into the stories, materials, and memories that shape my world of perfume.
About Me · Scent Chronicles
A Warm Welcome From Behind The Counter
This About Me page is where I step out from behind the counter and introduce myself, so you can know who is actually testing, comparing, and writing about the fragrances you discover on Scent Chronicles.
My name is Rodrigo Hernández. I am an architect by training and a fragrance consultant in real life, currently working part time at LIQUO, a niche perfumery in Santiago de Chile. Scent Chronicles is the place where I bring that daily experience online and turn it into long form guides, honest fragrance reviews and educational articles.
My approach to perfumery is human, curious and calm. I care about how a scent actually lives on skin, the stories it suggests, and the way it can make someone feel like the most authentic version of themselves. I do not write from a collector pedestal. I write from the middle of real life: from conversations with clients, from long testing days at the boutique, and from my own quiet moments wearing a perfume on repeat.
When you read Scent Chronicles you can expect:
- Real world wear on skin, not just paper impressions.
- Clear, approachable language that respects both beginners and enthusiasts.
- Honest opinions that are not bought by hype or marketing slogans.
- Context about seasons, occasions and personality, not only note lists.
My goal is simple: to help you understand fragrance in a way that feels thoughtful, trustworthy and genuinely inspiring, so every new bottle feels less like a gamble and more like a story you are choosing on purpose.
My Fragrance Origin Story
How One Bottle Turned Curiosity Into A Lifelong Passion
Before I worked as a fragrance consultant, I was just another guy on his way to a part time job, grabbing a bottle from the shelf without thinking too much about it. That bottle was Hugo Boss Bottled Pacific, a limited edition that blended coconut, lemon and salty marine notes in a way that felt clean, bright and quietly addictive.
I remember spraying it on one morning and feeling an instant shift. The air around me changed. The combination of cool citrus, soft sweetness and sea breeze warmth wrapped itself around my skin like light. For me it was simply a nice perfume. For the people around me, it was something else entirely.
My girlfriend at the time caught the scent hours later and was completely fixated on it. She kept leaning closer, asking what I was wearing, describing how it made me seem relaxed, confident and strangely magnetic. That reaction stayed with me. It was the first time I really understood that a perfume does not just smell good. It quietly edits the way people read you.
When the bottle was discontinued, I held onto the last drops like a small treasure. I could not replace it in stores, but every time I smelled something similar, I was transported back to that specific moment in my life. The walk to work. The light on the street. The feeling of being seen in a new way. It was a lesson that stayed with me: perfume is not just an accessory, it is a time machine.
That experience opened a door. I started paying attention to what I was wearing, reading about materials and accords, and visiting niche stores just to smell everything. The more I explored, the more I realised I did not only want to wear fragrance. I wanted to understand why certain compositions move people, and how a single scent can become part of someone's story in the same way Bottled Pacific became part of mine.
This is the moment I look back to as the true beginning of my journey. It turned casual interest into serious curiosity, and later into the work I do now on Scent Chronicles and at the counter in LIQUO. Every review and guide I write still comes from that simple question that started it all: what can this perfume make someone feel and remember.
Experience & Background
From Architecture Studios To Fragrance Counters
I am trained as an architect, with a focus on design, sustainability and the way spaces make people feel. In studio, I learned to think in layers: structure, function, circulation, atmosphere. When I fell in love with perfumery, I recognised the same logic in a well built fragrance. Top, heart and base notes work like volumes, textures and light.
Over time, my curiosity moved from floor plans to composition on skin. I began studying raw materials, accords and perfume history while still finishing my architectural path. That parallel journey eventually led me to LIQUO, a niche perfumery in Santiago, where I now work part time as a fragrance consultant.
At LIQUO I do more than point at shelves. My work involves listening carefully to each client, understanding their personality, context and budget, and then building a scent wardrobe that feels honest to who they are. I test fragrances on skin every day, observe how they evolve in real conditions and see firsthand which compositions people respond to emotionally.
This combination of design training, hands on retail experience and hundreds of hours spent smelling, testing and comparing perfumes is the foundation of the work you see on Scent Chronicles. When I write a review or guide, it is based on real encounters at the counter, not just reading note lists online.
- Design mindset: I analyse fragrances like architecture, paying attention to structure, balance and proportion.
- Real world testing: I wear and smell perfumes on skin, in different weather and situations, before I recommend them.
- Client facing work: I help people choose scents at LIQUO every week, learning what actually works in daily life.
- Focus on education: I translate technical ideas about materials, sillage and performance into clear, friendly language.
- Transparent approach: Whether a fragrance is gifted, sampled at work or bought with my own money, I always share my honest take.
My Work At LIQUO
Behind the counter at a niche perfumery
Today I work part-time at LIQUO, a niche perfume boutique in Santiago. My job goes far beyond ringing up bottles. I spend my days listening to people's stories, asking questions, and translating their memories, moods, and aspirations into scent.
Some visitors arrive with a clear goal: a signature scent that feels like a second skin. Others are searching for a gift that says something true about the person they love, or a fragrance that evokes a very specific feeling or place. My role is to guide them through those choices with honesty, patience, and real-world experience.
Working at LIQUO has given me hands-on knowledge of how fragrances behave in different climates, how compositions are built, and how people actually wear perfume in their daily lives. Every recommendation is based on testing on skin, observing reactions, and learning from real customers. It is the same grounded approach I bring to every review on Scent Chronicles.
My Personal Scent Preferences
How I like my fragrances
My personal taste in perfume is a balance of comfort, clarity, and character. I love scents that feel wearable in real life but still have a story to tell. I am drawn to compositions that open with brightness, settle into texture, and leave a soft trail on skin rather than a loud cloud in the room.
I have a soft spot for modern gourmands built around vanilla, tonka, cacao, or toasted spices, especially when they are paired with woods, resins, or a dry musk that keeps everything grown up instead of sugary. I like perfumes that feel like a warm knit sweater in winter, not a dessert tray.
On the other side, I deeply enjoy clean musks and airy woods for everyday wear. These are the scents that feel like freshly steamed clothes, white light, and quiet confidence. They may smell simple at first, but on skin they reveal layers of texture, creaminess, and warmth.
I am less interested in shock value and more interested in structure and emotion. Whether it is a smoky tobacco, a mineral iris, or an abstract woody amber, I look for clarity in the idea and quality in the materials. On Scent Chronicles, you will see that reflected in my reviews and how I talk about notes, performance, and how a fragrance actually feels to live with.
Unique Experiences in Perfumery
The Strangest Perfume I Have Ever Worn
Every perfume lover has that one scent that rewires the way they think about fragrance. For me, that perfume is Night by Akro. On paper, it smells like something you would never expect to wear outside your own imagination: sweaty club air, cigarette smoke in hair, a hint of cheap liquor, and the warmth of a crowded room just before sunrise.
The first time I sprayed it on skin, my reaction was honest confusion. It was not flattering, polite, or conventionally pretty. Yet it felt incredibly specific, like someone had bottled a memory that belonged to an exact moment in time. Instead of chasing compliments, Night by Akro seemed to chase a feeling.
I do not reach for this perfume in my daily life, and I would not recommend it to everyone. But it taught me something important about perfumery. A fragrance does not have to fit into "nice" or "wearable" to be meaningful. It can be a piece of olfactory storytelling that explores nightlife, excess, and vulnerability through scent.
Experiences like this are why I respect creative risks in perfumery. When I review a fragrance that is challenging or polarising on Scent Chronicles, I try to understand what the perfumer wanted to say, which stories they are trying to tell, and how that message actually lives on skin.
What Readers Will Find on My Blog
What you can explore here
What Readers Will Find On Scent Chronicles
Scent Chronicles is a fragrance blog built to help you understand perfume in a real, practical way. Every article starts from skin tests, not marketing copy, and is written so that both beginners and experienced collectors can learn something new.
Core sections of the blog
- Best Fragrances – curated lists that compare scents by theme, season, occasion, and budget. These guides are designed to save you time and give you clear options.
- Fragrance Reviews – in depth reviews based on repeated wear in daily life, different climates, and real conversations with customers at the counter.
- Perfume Basics – educational guides that explain materials, notes, concentration, performance, and the language of perfumery in simple and friendly terms.
- Comparisons and buying guides – detailed articles that help you choose between similar perfumes, understand flankers, or decide which version of a line fits your style.
Whether you are looking for your first signature scent or refining a niche collection, the goal is always the same: clear information, honest impressions, and recommendations that respect your budget and personality.
If you are new here, a good place to start is the Perfume Basics hub followed by a few fragrance reviews that match your taste. From there, you can move into seasonal lists and buying guides as your curiosity grows.
Let’s Connect
Stay in touch
Fragrance is more interesting when it is a conversation. If something you read on Scent Chronicles resonates with you, if you strongly agree or disagree with a review, or if you simply want to share a scent that means a lot to you, I would genuinely love to hear from you.
How you can reach me
- Comments: You can reply directly under any article to share your experience with a fragrance or ask a follow up question.
- Email: For longer questions, suggestions, or collaboration enquiries, you can write to me at contact@scentchronicles.com.
- Recommendations: If there is a perfume you would like me to test or a topic you would like to see covered, feel free to suggest it.
Join the Scent Chronicles community
I am slowly building a community of readers who care about fragrance in a thoughtful way. If you would like to stay updated when new reviews, guides, or perfume basics are published, you can:
- Bookmark the site and return whenever you are exploring a new scent or collection.
- Sign up for future updates through the newsletter or dedicated updates page (coming soon as Scent Chronicles grows).
However you choose to connect, thank you for reading and for letting my work be part of your own fragrance story.
A little more about me
Mini Personal FAQ
- Are you a perfumer?
- No. I am not a perfumer. I am a fragrance consultant and writer. My work is focused on testing fragrances, helping real clients choose scents, and translating those experiences into clear, honest articles on Scent Chronicles.
- How many perfumes have you actually tried?
- Enough that I have lost count, but easily in the hundreds. Between working at LIQUO, personal sampling, and revisiting classics, I spend time with new scents most weeks. The goal is not to own everything, but to understand structure, style, and performance across many different compositions.
- Do you get paid by brands to write positive reviews?
- No. If a fragrance is gifted to me, or if I use an affiliate link, I always disclose it. My reviews remain independent and experience based. If a perfume disappoints me in terms of performance, balance, or value, I say so.
- What kind of fragrances do you wear the most?
- In daily life I reach for musky woods, modern ambers, and understated gourmands. I like scents that feel polished but still human, with enough personality to be memorable without overwhelming the room. For special nights I enjoy deeper tobacco, resin, and boozy notes.
- Do you still care about architecture?
- Yes. Architecture trained my eye and my thinking. I still see perfume as a kind of invisible architecture that we wear on our skin. Structure, proportion, and atmosphere are ideas that guide both my design background and the way I evaluate fragrance.
- What do you hope people feel when they read Scent Chronicles?
- I hope you feel understood and better equipped to choose fragrances that fit your life. Whether you wear one signature scent or rotate a small collection, I want my work to make the process more thoughtful, less confusing, and a little more beautiful.