A 12-Week Journey from Novice to Artisan Perfumer
Understanding the why behind fragrance composition, history, and science
Practicing the what through sensory training and evaluation
Mastering the how through hands-on creation and blending
Weeks 1-4: Building your sensory vocabulary and theoretical knowledge. Focus on Theory and Application.
The Fragrance Pyramid & Olfactory Families. Understand the concept of Top, Middle (Heart), and Base notes. Learn the main fragrance families: Floral, Oriental (now often called Amber), Woody, and Fresh (with their sub-families like Citrus, Aromatic, Green).
Go to a department store or perfumery. Smell at least five different perfumes. Don't buy, just smell. On paper strips, write down what you smell and try to guess the main family.
Isolating Scents. You must learn what individual ingredients smell like before you can understand how they combine.
This is a scavenger hunt. Smell everything with intention:
Your own environment is the best resource.
From Ancient Rituals to Modern Luxury. Understand the context of perfume. Learn about its origins in Egypt, the rise of Grasse as the capital of perfume, the 20th-century revolution with synthetics, and the birth of iconic fragrances (Jicky, Chanel No. 5, Shalimar).
Watch a documentary on perfume. Research one iconic perfume—its history, its creator, and its impact.
An introduction to the perfumer's palette. Understand the difference between natural extracts (essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extracts) and synthetic aroma chemicals. Debunk the "natural is better" myth. Learn about volatility and why alcohol is the primary carrier.
Read articles about common aroma chemicals like Iso E Super, Hedione, Ambroxan, and Aldehydes.
Weeks 5-8: Introducing the pillar of Making. You will need to acquire some basic materials and equipment.
Recommended Starter Set: Bergamot, Lemon, Lavender, Rose (synthetic or natural blend), Jasmine (synthetic), Hedione, Sandalwood accord, Cedarwood, Vanillin (diluted), Iso E Super, Galaxolide (musk).
Safety, Equipment, and Dilution. Learn how to handle your materials safely. Understand why perfumers work with dilutions (e.g., 10% or 1% in alcohol) to better evaluate potent materials.
Your first practical task! Create a 10% dilution of Vanillin. Use your scale: 1g of Vanillin + 9g of perfumer's alcohol. Label it meticulously.
Read the "Getting Started" guides on the Perfumer's Apprentice website.
Creating Accords. An accord is a blend of 2-5 ingredients that creates a new, unified scent impression. This is the single most important skill.
Create a simple Amber accord. On your scale, blend:
Search for the "Jean Carles Method" of perfumery training online. It's a structured way to learn materials by blending them.
Deconstructing the Classics. Learn the fundamental recipes for major perfume structures.
Using your starter materials, create a simple Fougère-style sketch. Blend Lavender, a touch of a woody note like Cedarwood, and if you have it, Coumarin or Tonka Bean absolute. Smell how they interact.
The DIY Fragrance forums on Basenotes and Reddit (r/DIYfragrance) are invaluable for seeing others' formulas.
The Life of a Fragrance. Learn how to properly evaluate your creations on a scent strip over time (top notes fade, heart emerges, base lingers). Understand maceration (letting your blend sit and mature for days/weeks). Define sillage (scent trail) and longevity (how long it lasts).
Take your creation from last week. Put one drop on a scent strip and one on your skin. Write down what you smell at 1 minute, 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 4 hours.
Your own nose and your scent journal.
Weeks 9-12 & Beyond: About nuance, creativity, and developing your unique style.
Spices, Aldehydes, and Musks. Introduce the powerful materials that give a fragrance character and performance. Aldehydes (think Chanel No. 5 sparkle), musks (cleanliness, longevity), spices (warmth), and animalics (depth, intrigue).
Take your Week 6 Amber accord. Add a tiny, tiny drop (at 1% dilution if possible) of something powerful, like a spicy Eugenol (clove) or a bright Aldehyde C-12. Smell the dramatic change.
Revisit The Good Scents Company (TGSC) to research these new materials before you use them.
From Idea to Scent. Professional perfumes don't start with random mixing; they start with a brief. The brief is the story, the feeling, the color, the texture, and the target audience for the fragrance.
Write a one-page creative brief for a fragrance you want to create. Example: "A fragrance called 'Coastal Library.' It should evoke the smell of old books, a salty sea breeze through an open window, and a cup of black tea. For a thoughtful, introverted person. Colors: grey, blue, brown."
Look at the marketing copy for niche perfume brands like Imaginary Authors or Zoologist. See how they tell a story.
Harmonizing the Pillars. This is it. Combine your theoretical knowledge, your material evaluation skills, and your compositional practice. Translate your creative brief from Week 10 into a formula.
Based on your brief, select 5-10 materials. Start building accords (e.g., a "sea breeze" accord, an "old book" accord). Then, carefully blend the accords to create your final fragrance. Document every single drop or 0.01g. This is your first true "mod."
Your journal, your spreadsheet, your materials, and all the knowledge you've gained.
The Reality of Perfumery. Become aware of IFRA (International Fragrance Association) standards—the rules that govern what and how much can be used in commercial perfumes. Learn the importance of iteration (v2.0, v3.0...). Find your community.
Evaluate your Week 11 creation. What works? What doesn't? How could you make it better? Write down ideas for v2.0. Bravely, share your formula and your thoughts on the r/DIYfragrance or Basenotes DIY forum and ask for constructive feedback.
IFRA website (just to be aware of it), online DIY fragrance communities.