Dusita Blog guest of the month: meet Nicoleta Tomsa

This month, we welcome Romanian fragrance writer Nicoleta Tomsa, a Sr. Editor at Çafleurebon (where we've been colleagues) and creator of the blog Lilitheva. I particularly love her intriguing, often unexpected associations of the scents she writes about with a diverse array of cultural, historical, or mythological references, as well as with her own emotive experiences. Nicoleta is a firm believer in the impact of storytelling and that is evident in her perfume writings.

Despina Veneti, Parfums Dusita Blog Editor

Q: Welcome to the Dusita Blog, Nicoleta! Will you please introduce yourself to our readers?

A: My name is Nicoleta Tomsa and I’ve made a habit of turning hobbies into jobs. I started with cars, moved on to motorcycles, then coffee, and eventually gaming and fragrance. I’ve worn many hats, depending on the industry (and the mood of the time): quality manager, trainer, marketer, narrative designer, copywriter. For the past several years, I’ve been happily self-employed, working as a creative consultant on projects I truly believe in, while also developing my own gaming ventures.

I grew up on fairy tales, mythology, and sci-fi, drawing maps of imaginary worlds and scribbling character journal entries in my notebooks. I still do most of that - only now with feedback loops and deadlines. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling - and I find joy in uncovering meaning, connection and the spark of magic - whether it’s packed in a perfume bottle, a well-written quest or a smart marketing campaign.

Q: What is the meaning of fragrance in your life?

A: I’ve always been drawn to smells and the profound impact they have on my imagination and mood. My parents said I could always tell when a storm was coming - and with the few words I knew as a very small kid, I tried to describe what seemed so obvious to me: the changes in how the plants in the garden smelled and how the green in the air suddenly felt more alive, spiky, and electric. My grandma’s secret stash of Parisian perfume samples rewired my brain from an early age and sparked a lifelong fascination with how perfumery can cast a veil of magic over everyday life, transforming our perception of reality. I have a personal library of memories and scents, each tied to specific chapters of my life - more vivid and detailed than any photograph. I use fragrance as a mood enhancer, a creativity booster, a role-play skin, a game of hide-and-seek, or a gradual-unfolding-on-the-skin quiet revelation.

Perfume is my favorite language of emotion, as it bypasses logic and speaks straight to the heart. I write about it the way I experience it: with curiosity, passion, and a sense of wonder. For me, describing a perfume is a beautiful artistic exercise in introspection, synthesis, and abstraction - a Rorschach test of associations that works both as a mirror and a catalyst for my creativity.

Q: How did you get to know Parfums Dusita and which ones of Pissara’s fragrances are your favorites?

A: My first encounter with Dusita was more of a distant fascination. I remember being very curious about Oudh Infini, after reading countless threads on forums and groups back in 2018 (though I didn’t get to smell it until much, much later).

The first fragrances I was smitten with were: Erawan, which smelled exactly how I imagined an elf would perceive Lothlorien, after a rainstorm; La Douceur de Siam, a hedonistic delight composed of summer midnight strolls, narcotic flowers, silk dresses and swaying hips; and Cavatina, spring sublimated, a green tea steeped in translucent florals that feels like touching the hum of life buzzing just below a thin layer of melting ice.

But the one that stole my heart irrevocably was Anamcara: a scent that should be sold in pharmacies instead of melatonin. It gives me an instant boost of lightness, optimism, and serotonin - like a dose of sunshine exposure, bottled. It smells like sweet black tea swirling above a sunlit kitchen table, balcony doors flung open to a crisp morning. Like jazz-filled drives to the sea, side-profile smiles, and sticky peach stones left to dry on warm dashboards. It captures comfort and connection - all familiar, tender, golden. A cocoon of safety and joy I return to, time and time again.

You can connect with Nicoleta on Instagram (@nicoleta.tomsa), read her at Çafleurebon and Lilitheva, and follow her new gaming project 2nd EVE.