THE STORY OF A PERFUMER
“To me, scent is more than art or science. It is a language through which I tell stories, connect, and create.”
My name is Natália Nyárádi, and I am a junior perfumer. I completed my studies at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France, then worked for several years in the international perfume industry, from Indonesia to southern France. In 2025, I returned to Tihany to become the in-house perfumer for our family brand, Eau de Tihany, and to represent a new approach at home: building on tradition and international knowledge at the same time.
I believe that a fragrance is not simply a product but a story, a memory, a sensory language. And I believe that those who leave a lasting mark are the ones who dare to follow their own path, even if it leads into the unknown.
ROOTS — Where I Come From
Tihany
In my family, the search for purpose and the drive to create value have always been central. As a child, I witnessed my parents discover their mission in 2009: they revived the forgotten story of Tihany’s lavender and opened the country’s first lavender shop. I grew up in this environment and within our family business, with the deep belief that creativity carries weight.For twelve years, I attended a Waldorf school, where art and self-expression were not separate subjects but part of everyday life. Through crafts, music and storytelling, I was taught attentiveness and sensitivity. Even then, I knew I wanted to take a creative path—but only if it meant following a direction that was truly my own, without compromise.At sixteen, I traveled to Japan alone to spend a full school year as an exchange student. That time taught me what it means to step outside familiar structures, to leave my comfort zone and trust my inner compass. "To discover the world and myself within it, this is what it means to be human. The warmth of my heart gives strength to my thoughts; the wisdom of the spirit gives them clarity; so that stepping into the world, I may act as a free human being."
TURNING POINT
Paris
At the age of eighteen, I encountered the art of perfumery for the first time in depth while living in Paris. I was granted a glimpse into a world I had never known before, captivating and vast, and it was then that I decided this would be my path.
Fragrance creation became the language through which I could most authentically express myself.
In this profession, I found both boundless artistic freedom and a strict framework governed by chemistry and technical precision. From thousands of raw materials and infinite combinations, something entirely new must be composed, finding harmony and connection between ingredients. Even at that early stage, I knew I wanted to study in the best possible place, but I also understood that truly mastering the craft would require embarking on a long and demanding journey.
This is a vocation where reaching true creative depth and professional excellence takes time, perseverance, continuous learning, and inner discipline.
STUDIES
Grasse
After years of focused preparation, I was accepted to one of the most prestigious perfumery academies in the world, the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France. It was an incredible honor to be selected on my first attempt, joining a class of twelve students from around the globe. At the age of 21, I was one of the youngest to ever study there.
We were taught by professionals actively working in the perfume industry, so classroom learning was directly connected to real-world practice. Beyond the hours spent in the lab and classroom, I gained invaluable hands-on experience: with violet leaf, rose, jasmine, or orange blossom, we didn’t just study these ingredients, we harvested and extracted them ourselves. On one trip, we explored the processing of iris in the heart of Tuscany.
One of my most defining experiences was meeting master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. Our conversation left a lasting impression. Despite nearly fifty years in the industry and his status as one of the most acclaimed perfumers in the world, he has preserved a deep sense of humility and remains a lifelong learner.
I received my diploma in 2022 at the Musée International de la Parfumerie in Grasse, marking the end of a significant chapter in my journey.
BUT COMPLETING PERFUMERY SCHOOL ALONE DOES NOT MAKE ONE A PERFUMER.
EXPERIENCE
Jakarta
Even during my studies in Grasse, I knew that my long-term goal was not to pursue an international career, but to one day return to Hungary and build my own world of fragrance. I received a unique opportunity: a centuries-old French company that sponsors our academy offered me an internship in Jakarta. For six months, I worked in an international perfume laboratory where, as a trainee perfumer, I was involved in real industrial projects. I developed formulas, experimented, and gained first-hand insight into how fragrances are born within a global system. I was offered a full-time position, but I knew even then that this was just a chapter. My true aim was always to bring this knowledge back home and translate my own creative vision into scent.
Cannes
After the internship, I settled in the south of France to deepen my understanding of modern perfumery in its birthplace. I worked as a perfumer’s assistant, which allowed me to study the logic behind fragrance structure, the subtle nuances of raw materials, and the everyday rhythm of the industry. Through a variety of creative and technical projects, I observed, learned, and recorded everything I hoped to one day bring into my own practice. These experiences confirmed what I had long felt: I did not want to fit into an existing structure, but to build a framework of my own. That is why I decided to return to Hungary and create something rarely seen even internationally, a personal laboratory where I can work freely, guided by values.
HOME COMING
Tihany
There is no clear path laid out, and I’m not looking for one. I believe that those who dare to leap into the unknown are the ones who create lasting value. This belief has guided every step of my journey, when I left to study, when I worked abroad, and when I ultimately chose to come home.
As I grew closer to the world of perfumery and began to understand how the industry operates, I gradually started to see where my place might be within it. I wanted to find, or rather, build, a space where I could create freely and with integrity. That is why I traveled to different parts of the world. I wanted to experience how the perfume industry thinks about scent, raw materials, and creativity across different cultures and systems. Each stop brought me closer to what I hoped to one day build in Hungary.
Today, I work as the in-house perfumer for Eau de Tihany, a role that is both a professional challenge and a personal opportunity. Together, we are helping introduce an entirely new genre of perfumery to Hungary, and for me, this work is also a way to give back for all the support and guidance I’ve received from my parents. I am grateful that my profession now allows me to actively contribute to the growth of our family business.
In addition to my work with Eau de Tihany, I also take on independent projects for various brands, creatives, and private clients. In these collaborations, I help bring other people’s visions to life through fragrance while representing a philosophy of perfumery I truly believe in. It is important to me to be part of partnerships where there is room for quality, growth, and authenticity.
I want to create fragrances that move people emotionally. As a Hungarian perfumer, it is close to my heart to work and create here at home, and to contribute to the renewal of our national perfume culture with knowledge, sensitivity, and values that stand the test of time.
A fragrance can serve many purposes and carry many stories.
Whether it is brand development, a bespoke personal perfume, or a creative collaboration, my focus is always on creating value and quality, while working together to shape something unique and deeply personal.