Forget the days of mindlessly spritzing a designer bottle just because a celebrity told you to. For the new generation of Filipinos, fragrance has evolved from a simple finishing touch into a full-blown personal manifesto. It is no longer just about smelling good. It is about smelling like a specific mood, a curated aesthetic, or even a niche Spotify playlist.

Inside the bustling creative hubs of BC Fragrance and Aromatics Manufacturing Corp., a fragrant revolution is brewing. Bernadette Lim, the company’s co-founder and general manager, has noticed a significant surge in Gen Z students trading their screens for scent droppers. These young creators are not just looking for a signature scent; they are looking to build their own empires. As a perfumer and fragrance specialist, Berna sees firsthand how the art of scent-making is becoming the ultimate tool for self-expression and creative entrepreneurship among the youth.

Why the sudden obsession with formulation? According to Bernadette it comes down to identity. Gen Z treats fragrance as a personal signature that must be unique and participative. They are moving away from mass-produced bottles in favor of “fragrance wardrobes” that reflect their layered personalities.

“They don’t just want to smell nice,” Bernadette tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “They want to smell like themselves.” By participating in the creation process, young Filipinos get to decide exactly what goes inside the bottle. In an age of fast fashion and viral trends, having a scent that no one else possesses is the ultimate flex.

Beyond the aesthetic appeal, there is a deeper, more emotional reason for the DIY perfume boom. In a world that feels increasingly digital and fast-paced, blending oils offers a rare moment of “analog” peace. Berna describes the process as “mindfulness with a dropper.”

Because scent is hardwired to memory and emotion, the act of blending can be incredibly grounding and therapeutic. “It offers screen-free, hands-on focus in a digital world, and helps young people feel more in control of their emotions,” she says.

For many, perfume has become an affordable luxury that offers a high emotional payoff, acting as a form of self-care that regulates mood and boosts confidence during uncertain times.

Social media is the massive engine driving this curiosity. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become living testimonial pages. When young creators share videos of themselves mixing oils or experimenting with scent layering, it demystifies the craft.

“Social media turns the idea of perfumery from intimidating to inviting,” Bernadette notes. This visibility has inspired many to move beyond being mere consumers. The youth are now launching small-batch perfume lines and building micro-businesses fueled by their own olfactory stories. They are especially drawn to niche and indie brands that feel authentic and less commercial, often experimenting with local ingredients like calamansi, ylang-ylang, and sampaguita to create scents that feel like home.

Enrolling in a perfume-making class does more than just teach you how to mix liquids. It builds a specific kind of creative courage. Bernadette watches her students transform from being unsure of their choices to being completely “unstoppable” in their vision.

“Learning to blend a fragrance is empowering. It teaches young people to trust their senses, experiment, and refine. I see students go from unsure to unstoppable. They stop asking, ‘Is this good?’ and start saying, ‘This is mine,’” Bernadette shares. “But beyond confidence, it opens their minds to scent education. They begin to recognize native flora, explore local fruits, and understand the raw materials around them. They start to connect scent with place and memory, and that deepens their creative practice. They also learn patience and imagination. For many, it becomes a way to translate personal stories into something tangible. It’s art they can wear—and share.”

For those curious about entering the world of aromatics, Bernadette’s advice is simple: be playful. You do not need a high-tech lab to begin exploring. All you need is a bit of courage and a lot of curiosity.

“Follow your nose, make mistakes, make discoveries,” she encourages. Fragrance is a blend of storytelling and magic, and there is no better time than now to start bottling your own.