Joaquín Rodríguez, a 23-year-old from Quilpué, never imagined that a simple fascination with scent would turn him into one of Chile’s most trusted fragrance reviewers.
Born blind, he found in perfume a world he could navigate better than most, and audiences quickly realized he possessed something rare: an ability to break down a fragrance with unparalleled precision.
But despite his success, he has been unable to monetize his content. “Brands reach out to influencers they deem more fashionable,” he laments. His fans, on the other hand, believe this is exactly what makes him so reliable. He’s uncompromised and completely honest.
“I have always loved aromas, ever since I was a kid. I loved the smell of lotions and the perfumes my parents and brothers used,” he said exclusively to Bored Panda.
A Chilean blind fragrance influencer went viral thanks to his ability to describe scents in depth
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
Joaquín’s journey began with a single bottle of The Secret by Antonio Banderas.
The cinnamon, citrus, vanilla, and pepper notes struck him in a way nothing else had, and what began as an ordinary teenage gift opened a door into a universe he had never sensed so vividly before.
As he experimented with more fragrances, he noticed something shifting. The world around him was becoming easier to read through scent.
“Blind people sharpen other senses out of necessity,” he said. “My sense of smell evolved naturally over time.”
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
It wasn’t long before he started visiting perfume shops. As he tried different scents, he often surprised vendors with the depth and accuracy of his descriptions, offering detailed breakdowns way before clerks had the chance to explain anything to him.
“I can detect more notes than most people. I am able to describe scents with much greater accuracy,” he added.
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
He also started picking up something he referred to as an olfactory fingerprint, a trace people leave behind without realizing it.
“I can tell if someone I know is nearby based on the perfume they use or their natural smell.”
His ability became so well known among his circle of friends that they often challenge him to prove it.
“They do this thing where they approach me without saying anything to see if I can correctly identify them,” he laughed. “It has become a running gag at this point.”
Joaquín second-ever video garnered 3 million views, with viewers praising his honesty and delivery
Joaquín first realized he would turn his love of perfumes into a career thanks to Andrés Croxatto, a Chilean who has risen through the ranks to become the most viewed fragrance influencer in the world.
Through his reviews, Andrés helped Joaquín understand that scent could be translated into stories, memories, and experiences.
“He inspired me because he didn’t just describe notes and smells, he connected the perfumes to sensations, emotions,” he explained. “It made the fragrance world feel so much more alive and interesting.”
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
One afternoon in early 2024, Joaquín finally decided to try it himself.
He went into his room without any expectation that anyone would watch. He positioned his phone, spoke directly to the camera, and recorded a simple video explaining how temperature affects perfume performance.
He uploaded it and went on with his day, assuming nothing would happen.
Overnight, the clip reached 500 thousand views. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said, explaining how he immediately started working on his second video, this time about olfactory fatigue.
“That video went viral with 3 million views,” he added.
Thanks to advanced accessibility features, he’s able to manage all aspects of his channel on his own
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
Despite being blind, Joaquín manages every step of his channel entirely on his own. He calls himself “completely autonomous.”
His independence rests on a powerful set of accessibility tools built into his smartphone.
He uses his iPhone’s built-in screen reader, VoiceOver, which reads aloud everything on the screen. Menus, text, notifications, comments, even app controls, the device speaks to him as he taps, swipes or scrolls.
Thanks to VoiceOver, he does not need sight to navigate social-media apps, check messages or read replies.
When it comes to editing his videos or writing captions, he relies on the intuitive design of the platforms.
“The TikTok and Instagram editors are a huge plus,” he said. “They are intuitive, fast, comfortable, and easy. Anyone can create content.”
Joaquín also produces humorous sketches that show aspects of his daily life. He said he wants to demystify blindness and show others that blind people “are capable of doing everything sighted people do.”
Outside fragrance, he plays Goalball, a Paralympic sport for blind athletes. He competes at the national level, has traveled for tournaments, and has become a role model for blind youth in his community.
The influencer wants to dismantle stereotypes about blind people
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
According to his viewers, part of what makes Joaquín so compelling is his complete independence from visuals.
“Perfume campaigns try to influence people through advertising, but the scent often doesn’t match the image,” he said.
His followers say that this is what makes him the reviewer they trust the most. He sees none of the usual distractions. The product is evaluated purely on smell.
Brands, however, rarely approach him for collaborations. That, coupled with the fact that TikTok content is not monetizable in Chile, means he does everything for free.
Image credits: Instagram/Eljuako Rodriguez
Joaquín believes there is a reason. He suspects companies prefer influencers who fit a polished, fashionable aesthetic meant to sell an idealized image.
Still, thanks to the support of his audience he has no plans to stop.
“Choosing which perfume to wear is a great experience. You discover something new in every scent,” he said, explaining how reviewing perfume is something he does entirely out of passion.
“The more perfumes I check, the more knowledgeable I become. It makes me feel capable and skilled.”
“Awesome.” Netizens were surprised by Joaquin’s autonomy and dedication
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