Coming Up: Fragrance Blending and Perfumery 101

I had so much fun at the Central Soapers Workshop a few weeks ago and in the time that I’ve been back I’ve been asked lots of questions about fragrance blending. Since I gave a presentation on the subject I just have to share how easy fragrance blending and perfumery can be!

I’m giving you a heads up about this series so you can do some homework. Some of this may not seem very fun, but I promise it will be worthwhile!

Homework:

• Create a master list: You will want to make a list of all fragrances and essential oils you have on hand right now. You don’t have to add anything to your stash, – yet! You probably already have some fantastic oils to blend and you may not have thought about blending yet.
• Find a picture: You will want a picture (or several) that inspire you. Look for pictures that depict luxurious places, unique views, fascinating plants, delightful foods, and/or captivating towns. I find inspiration in magazines like Architectural Digest, National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, and more. Try to avoid pictures that have people as I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by people yet. If you find a picture that does have people in it, go ahead and cut them out.
• Look elsewhere: If you have inspiration in the form of descriptions in books, music lyrics or movie references, you can use those too!

Recommended Equipment (aka) tools:

• Notebook: I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve blended something and found that I forgot to take notes! For the sake of your sanity, and mine, use a notebook of any type to keep your blending notes. I like using a 3 ring binder because I will also store sample vials with my notes for future reference. This will cause pages to become bulky quickly!
• Pipettes: I love using transfer pipettes for fragrance blending. Since we now carry the Micro Pipettes, I love using these for creating blends because it like I’m using “special” equipment for blending and helps set my brain on the right path.
• Sachet Cards: These cards are invaluable for fragrance blending. This paper is not simply card stock, but a specialty paper designed for holding fragrances. My favorite size is the small 4.75 by 3 inch cards. The 100 pack of these cards will get you started and keep you busy for a little while!
• Perfume Vials: I like using the Perfume Vials or the Glass Dram Vials for blending small amounts to see if I like a scent after it ages. These vials often are bagged and then taped to my notes in my notebook for reference at a later time.

Now that I’ve given you homework and the recommended tools list, I’ll be back next week with everything you ever wanted to know about fragrance blending and more!

If you have any questions about fragrance blending that you would like to have me address, just leave a comment or send us a message here.