Heidi Norton
Getting into perfume can mean many things, from developing your sense of smell to becoming a perfumer. If you're interested in the former, you can start by getting samples from brands' websites or buying $5 samples from Lucky Scent or Tigerlily Perfumery. You can also try going without deodorant for a day to get familiar with your body scent. If you're interested in becoming a perfumer, there are several schools you can attend, including the Givaudan Perfumery School, the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, and the Design with Scents course at the University of Arts London. You can also gain experience by working in a fragrance boutique or department store.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Getting started | Start with samples from brands, or Luckyscent, Sephora, or Department stores. |
| Developing your sense of smell | Stop wearing scented deodorants and lotions. Get familiar with your body scent. Practice mindfulness and conscious breathing. |
| Education | Study the history of perfumery and its evolution. Understand the chemical and olfactive properties of ingredients. Learn about natural ingredients and synthetic aroma compounds. |
| Communities | Join groups like Perfume Lovers London, or online communities on Facebook, Basenotes, and Fragrantica. |
| Magazines | Subscribe to Nez La Revue, or check out blogs like Persolaise and The Sniff. |
| Courses | Take a course at Givaudan Perfumery School, Grasse Institute of Perfumery, or Design with Scents course at the University of Arts London. |
| Practice | Experiment with creating fragrances using essential oils and aroma compounds. |
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What You'll Learn
Learn the basics of scent and how to train your nose
To develop a basic understanding of scent and train your nose, you can start by familiarising yourself with the 7 olfactory families and the 3 components of a fragrance: top notes, middle notes, and base notes. Top notes are the first scents you smell when you apply a fragrance, but they evaporate quickly. Middle notes come in after the top notes have faded and last longer. Base notes are the scents that appear last and linger the longest.
The 7 olfactory families are:
- Gourmand
- Floral
- Citrus
- Fruity
- Spicy
- Aquatic
- Woody
- Earthy
- Fresh
You can also explore the various types of scents within these families, such as aromatic notes, oriental fragrances, and floral perfumes.
To train your nose, you can start by smelling a variety of raw materials and everyday objects, such as vanilla, rose, mint, wood, citrus fruits, spices, and herbs. When smelling these items, close your eyes, breathe calmly, and try to retain their scents. You can also associate the smells with specific memories to help you memorise them.
Another technique is to compare different scents. For example, you can smell fresh and dried fruit side by side, such as fresh plums and dried prunes, to notice the differences in their aromas. You can also compare the smell of citrus fruits with their rinds to identify the role of oils in the scent.
Additionally, you can expose yourself to different fragrances and pay attention to how they change over time. Take notes on how the scent evolves on your skin and compare your impressions with others' reviews. This will help you identify specific notes and ingredients within a fragrance.
By engaging in these exercises and techniques, you can train your nose to identify and distinguish between various scents, improving your olfactory sensitivity and expanding your "scent library."
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Experiment with samples and identify what you like
Experimenting with samples is a great way to identify what you like and dislike in a perfume. Samples allow you to test multiple fragrances without committing to a full-sized product, which can be expensive. You can explore a variety of scents and identify those that resonate with your unique preferences and personality.
When experimenting with samples, it is important to remember that fragrances can smell different on each person due to individual body chemistry. Therefore, it is recommended to apply a small amount of the sample directly to your skin to assess how the fragrance interacts with your body. Wrists are the most common spot for fragrance testing as they are naturally warm, but you can also spray the perfume on your pulse points or the back of your hands. However, keep in mind that the perfume will take longer to diffuse on the back of your hands. After the fragrance dries naturally, inhale the top notes and periodically take a sniff throughout the day to observe how the scent changes.
To get the most out of your samples, choose different samples to test on different days. This will allow you to fully experience each scent without mixing them. It is also suggested to start the experiment immediately after a morning shower, as clean and warm skin reacts more readily with the fragrance.
Additionally, when testing samples, it is important to experience the complete fragrance cycle by evaluating the top, middle, and base notes. Top notes last for roughly 15 minutes, heart notes develop shortly after, and base notes emerge hours later. You may also want to try layering multiple samples or combining them with your existing perfumes to create a customized scent profile.
Lastly, if you find a sample that you enjoy but don't love, there are creative ways to use it. You can keep it as an on-the-go perfume in your purse or car, add a few drops to an unscented body lotion for a scented treat, or use it to freshen up your linens or car with a lingering fragrance. You can also get creative and make your own scented dry shampoo or carpet refresher using the perfume sample.
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Study the history of perfumery and its evolution
The word "perfume" comes from the Latin phrase "per fumum", meaning "through smoke". The French later gave the name "parfum" to the smells produced by burning incense, which was the first form of perfume, first made by the Mesopotamians about 4000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians also used incense, and a technique called enfleurage to extract essential oils from flowers and plants using fats. The ancient Greeks can be credited with creating the first liquid perfume.
The art of perfumery was further refined by the Romans and the Muslims. One of the world's first recorded chemists is considered to be a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamia. She distilled flowers, oil, and calamus with other aromatics, filtered them, and put them back in the still several times. On the Indian subcontinent, perfume and perfumery existed in the Indus civilization (3300 BC–1300 BC). In 2003, archaeologists uncovered what are believed to be the world's oldest surviving perfumes in Pyrgos, Cyprus, dating back more than 4,000 years.
In the 9th century, the Arab chemist Al-Kindi (Alkindus) wrote the Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations, which contained over a hundred recipes for fragrant oils, salves, aromatic waters, and drug substitutes or imitations. The Persian chemist Ibn Sina (Avicenna) introduced the process of extracting oils from flowers by means of distillation, the procedure most commonly used today. This knowledge was brought to medieval Europe, where perfume-making soon prospered among the royal courts, especially in 17th-century France under Louis XIV, as well as in England and Italy.
The Islamic invasion of Spain and Southern Italy in 711 and 827 led to the reinvigoration of the art of perfumery in Western Europe. The Islamic-controlled cities of Spain (Al-Andalus) became major producers of perfumes traded throughout the Old World. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the French Revolution and war in Europe led Britain to commercialise and produce European fragrances. The modern world of perfume was born as the British Empire brought different exotic spices and ingredients to perfumers and consumers.
In the late 19th century, the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such as vanillin or coumarin led to the creation of perfumes with aromas previously unattainable from natural sources alone. This was the birth of "modern" perfumery, with the creation of iconic brands such as Coty, Guerlain, Roger & Gallet, and Chanel No. 5.
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Join communities, groups, and clubs to meet other enthusiasts
Joining communities, groups, and clubs is a great way to meet other perfume enthusiasts and develop your interest in fragrances.
One such community is The Perfume Society, which offers a VIP Club with access to their scent-focused magazine, *The Scented Letter*, as well as other benefits. There are also groups like Perfume Lovers London, which organises tours and events centred on scent exploration. Facebook also has numerous fragrance groups where enthusiasts discuss, review, and help each other with their fragrance journeys.
For those interested in exploring niche perfumery, the blog "The Sniff" offers jargon-free content, while websites like Basenotes and Fragrantica feature active forum sections and resources for those with a more trained nose.
If you're looking for a local group to join, Meetup.com has various perfume groups where members share experiences, inspire, and encourage each other. Additionally, for those in London, the University of Arts London offers a "Design with Scents" course, covering topics like the perfumer's palette and blending accords.
For those who collect perfume samples, Reddit's r/fragrance community and its derivatives, such as r/perfumes and r/colognes, offer a space to connect with other enthusiasts, showcase collections, and discuss all things fragrance-related.
By joining these communities, groups, and clubs, you can deepen your knowledge of perfumes, connect with like-minded individuals, and cultivate your passion for fragrances.
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Consider taking a course or class to develop your skills
Taking a course or class is a great way to develop your skills in the art of perfumery. There are several options available, ranging from short workshops to intensive courses, that can help you build a strong foundation and refine your olfactory skills.
For instance, the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in the world's perfume capital offers classes in multiple languages and is a reputable school for aspiring perfumers. You can also consider the Givaudan Perfumery School on the outskirts of Paris, or their new campus in Singapore. Other perfume houses like Mane, IFF, and Firmenich have their in-house training academies, which are highly competitive but offer world-class education.
If you're based in London, the Design with Scents course at the University of the Arts London covers a range of topics, including the perfumer's palette, blending accords, and translating ideas into scent. Online courses and creation courses are also available, allowing you to learn the basics of perfumery from the comfort of your own home. These courses often teach you about diluting, weighing, and measuring materials, as well as safety practices when handling strong materials.
Some courses even offer the opportunity to create your own fragrances with essential oils, aroma compounds, and other raw materials. You can experiment with blending different ingredients and proportions to create harmonious fragrances. Additionally, you can gain valuable insights into the chemical and olfactive properties of various ingredients and the different extraction methods used.
Developing your skills through courses and classes will not only enhance your knowledge but also provide you with the tools and techniques to create captivating scent compositions.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many ways to start learning about perfume, such as reading perfume blogs, joining online communities, and familiarising yourself with different scents. You can also take short classes, online courses, or even degree programmes at specialised schools.
It's important to familiarise your nose with different scents. You can do this by sampling a variety of perfumes, either through sample packs or by visiting a store and spraying the perfume onto a card. Take note of the top, heart, and base notes of each perfume, and see how they develop over time.
To become a perfumer, you should develop your olfactory abilities and creativity by experimenting with different fragrances and creating your own unique blends. You should also study the history of perfumery and gain an understanding of the various ingredients used, including natural ingredients like essential oils and synthetic aroma compounds. Finally, consider enrolling in a course or programme to gain the necessary technical knowledge and hands-on experience.
