
Jean Carles was a French perfumer who worked in the early 20th century and is considered a legend in the world of perfumery. He founded the Roure Perfumery School and developed a teaching method for creating fragrances that is still used today. The fundamental principle of the Jean Carles method is that a creator must imagine the olfactory result of their composition before realising it. This involves the in-depth study of raw materials, both natural and synthetic, and learning to recognise them alone and in combination with other smells. Carles also created blends of similar-strength materials in a range of proportions, judging which combinations worked best to create a balanced accord.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Perfumer's name | Jean Carles |
| Perfumer's background | French, worked in Roure Bertrand Fils et Justin Duppont in Grasse |
| Perfumer's notable works | Ma Griffe (Carven), Miss Dior (Christian Dior) |
| Perfumer's notable students | Monique Schlienger, Jacques Polge, Marcel Carles |
| Perfumer's notable contributions | Developing perfume bases that could be used as single ingredients to create new fragrances, affordable fragrances |
| Jean Carles Method | A creator must "imagine" the olfactory result of their composition before realising it |
| Jean Carles Method | In-depth study of natural and synthetic raw materials |
| Jean Carles Method | Creating blends of similar-strength materials in a range of proportions |
| Jean Carles Method | Judging which blend worked best to create a balanced accord between two materials, then adding more materials to balance different accords |
| Jean Carles Method | Learning perfumery raw materials |
| Jean Carles Method | Comparing and contrasting materials to memorise smells better and learn nuances of materials |
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What You'll Learn

The importance of imagining the olfactory result before creating
The Jean Carles method is a way of learning perfumery raw materials and creating fragrances. It is based on the idea that a creator must "imagine" the olfactory result of their composition before realising it. This involves the in-depth study of both natural and synthetic raw materials and their different combinations. According to Carles, a perfumer's apprentice should learn to recognise every single raw material and how it smells on its own, as well as when coupled with other materials from the same olfactory family and with other kinds of smells. This allows the apprentice to build real matrices of accords and to memorise smells better.
Carles believed that a perfume should be created in the mind and the formula written on paper before any aroma chemicals are mixed. This is in contrast to the trial and error method, where perfumers mix different chemicals to find a combination that works. By imagining the olfactory result first, perfumers can create a structure for their perfume from the bottom up, refining their method of composition. This also helps to speed up development time for new fragrances, giving perfumers a competitive advantage.
The Jean Carles method also involves creating blends of similar-strength materials in a range of proportions. Perfumers can then judge which combinations work best to create a balanced accord between two materials, before adding more materials and balancing different accords with each other. This allows perfumers to create fine perfumes using simple formulas and economical ingredients, resulting in affordable fragrances.
Overall, the importance of imagining the olfactory result before creating a perfume is that it provides a structured and efficient approach to perfumery. It allows perfumers to memorise and understand the nuances of different raw materials and their combinations, leading to the creation of well-balanced and affordable fragrances.
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Comparing and contrasting raw materials
The Jean Carles Method is a training technique for learning about natural and synthetic perfumery materials. This method involves arranging 60 odourants in a table format, organised by classes such as floral, woody, etc. Students first learn the contrasts between these classes of odourants, which are arranged in columns. For instance, in the floral column, there will be rose and jasmine, and in the row for rose, its constituents such as phenyl ethyl alcohol and geraniol will be listed. This technique helps students memorise and understand perfumery materials.
The Jean Carles Method is based on comparing and contrasting raw materials. This involves testing raw materials in their natural state or as essential oils. For instance, if you are using fresh materials like rosewater, fresh lemons, spices or coffee, crush them slightly to release their scent. Put them in small covered containers to concentrate their scent and take short sniffs. The materials used are not as important as the order in which you smell them. Start with the lightest, most effervescent scent. If you don’t have lemons, you can use limes. If you don’t have cinnamon, use cloves, etc.
Jean Carles was a French perfumer who worked in the early 20th century. He founded the Roure Perfumery School and served as its first director in 1946. He is known for creating perfumes using simple formulas and economical ingredients. He is also known for developing perfume bases that could be used to create new fragrances. He is famous for his ability to create fine perfumes using simple formulas and economical ingredients. His fragrances were affordable, which gave his company a marketing advantage.
Carles is also known for his training methods, which involved conducting many trials with pairs of materials to see how they would combine. For example, he would combine oakmoss with different materials and in different ratios. This might involve, say, oak moss and patchouli mixed in the ratios of 1 oakmoss to 9 patchouli, 2 moss to 8 patchouli, 3 to 7, etc. right up to 9 moss and 1 patchouli. One of the blends would be selected to form the basis of another series of experiments. In this way, a perfume would be composed in increments, and not all at once on a haphazard basis, as was often the way at the time.
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Blending materials of similar strength in different proportions
Jean Carles, a French perfumer in the early 20th century, is known for developing a method of creating perfumes by blending materials of similar strength in different proportions. This method involves systematically experimenting with pairs of materials in various ratios to find a balanced accord.
For example, Carles may have combined oakmoss with patchouli in different ratios, such as 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, and so on, until he found a blend that worked well together. This successful blend would then serve as the foundation for further experimentation, where additional materials would be introduced and balanced with the original accord. This approach allowed Carles to compose perfumes incrementally, refining his formulas with each step.
Carles' method is described in his article, "A Method of Creation in Perfumery," published in the 1988 Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics yearbook. In this article, he expresses his belief that a perfume should be created in the mind first, and the formula should be written down before any aroma chemicals are mixed. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of imagining the olfactory result of a composition before its physical creation.
Carles' systematic approach to blending materials of similar strength in different proportions revolutionized the perfume industry. It replaced the trial-and-error method commonly used at the time, demonstrating that creating fine perfumes could be a rational and structured process. This method also helped speed up the development time for new fragrances, giving his company a competitive advantage.
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Creating a base for new fragrances
Jean Carles was a French perfumer and educator who developed a structured approach to composing perfumes, known as the Jean Carles Method. This method involves creating a mental image of the desired fragrance and systematically testing and refining combinations of raw materials to achieve the desired result.
Carles is particularly renowned for his development of perfume bases, also known as "coeurs", which can be used as single ingredients to create new fragrances. These bases form the foundation of a perfume and are designed to be long-lasting, leaving a lasting impression on the skin. By creating these bases, Carles streamlined the process of developing new fragrances, giving his company, Roure, a competitive advantage in the market.
To create a base for new fragrances using the Jean Carles Method, one must first become intimately familiar with the olfactory profiles of various raw materials. This involves studying and memorizing the smells of individual materials, as well as understanding how they interact and combine with others. The method involves numerous trials, testing different materials in various ratios to create balanced accords. For example, Carles might experiment with oakmoss and patchouli in different proportions, such as 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, and so on, until the ideal combination is achieved. This chosen blend then serves as the base for further experimentation with other materials, building complexity and creating a unique fragrance.
The Jean Carles Method emphasises the importance of imagination and forethought in perfumery. According to Carles, the creation of a successful perfume begins in the mind, with the formula conceived on paper before any physical mixing takes place. This approach allows perfumers to make intentional choices about the materials they use and how they combine them, rather than relying solely on trial and error.
In addition to his structured approach, Carles is also known for his use of simple formulas and economical ingredients. This made his fragrances more affordable, benefiting both the company's marketing and its designer clients. By mastering the Jean Carles Method, aspiring perfumers can develop their own unique bases, creating distinctive and captivating fragrances.
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Using simple formulas and economical ingredients
Jean Carles was a French perfumer who worked in the early 20th century and is known for his influence on the perfume industry. He is credited with developing a teaching method that forms the basis of courses held in schools today.
The fundamental principle of the Jean Carles method is that a creator must "imagine" the olfactory result of their composition before actually making it. This involves the in-depth study of both natural and synthetic raw materials. According to Carles, creating a perfume involves first imagining the scent in your mind and writing down the formula on paper before mixing any aroma chemicals.
Carles is known for his ability to create fine perfumes using simple formulas and economical ingredients. His fragrances were affordable, which gave his company a marketing advantage. He is also known for developing perfume bases that could be used as single ingredients to create new fragrances. This sped up the development time for new fragrances, giving his company a competitive advantage.
One of the techniques Jean Carles developed was to create blends of similar-strength materials in a range of proportions. He would then judge which combination worked best to create a balanced accord between the two materials, and then add more materials and balance different accords with each other. For example, he might combine oakmoss and patchouli in different ratios, such as 1 oakmoss to 9 patchouli, 2 moss to 8 patchouli, and so on, until he found the perfect blend. This blend would then be used as a base for another series of experiments with other materials. In this way, a perfume would be composed in increments, rather than all at once.
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Frequently asked questions
The Jean Carles method is a way of learning how to compose fragrances. It involves an in-depth study of both natural and synthetic raw materials.
The fundamental principle of the Jean Carles method is that a creator must "imagine" the olfactory result of their composition before realising it.
Jean Carles believed that nobody is born with a particularly talented nose, and that creating perfumes is just a matter of continuous practice and olfactory memory. He also preferred students without a background in chemistry.
Jean Carles would create blends of similar-strength materials in a range of proportions. He would then judge which combination worked best to create a balanced accord between the two materials, before adding more materials and balancing different accords with each other.











































