7 Lessons To Master Perfumery

1. Read carefully:

Every line, ingredient, molecule, even a single word can teach you something, spark an idea, or form a new hypothesis.

2. Don’t guess, Test:

If you imagine that lemon oil with ethyl vanillin might create a sharp, powdery note, don’t just assume. Mix them and smell the result.

3. Write down what you learn:

Don’t trust your memory, you’ll forget.
Always carry a notebook or use a digital tool like Google Keep.
Write down everything you learn in perfumery every day. "That’s how I built Perfumer Archive"

4. Don’t be too strict with artistic knowledge:

Perfumery is an art. Each perfumer sees and creates differently. But when it comes to chemistry (especially in functional perfumery), follow the rules carefully.

5. It’s not about how much you have, it’s how you use it:

If someone trains every day with just 5 pieces of gym equipment, they'll get stronger than someone who trains once a week with 50.
In perfumery, don’t focus on collecting more materials. Focus on understanding them, how they behave in different dilutions, on different bases, and in various blends.

6. Break down every scent:

Smell your food and guess the ingredients.
Smell perfumes and try to identify the notes and materials.
If possible, read their GCMS analysis, you’ll find some here

7. Step out of your comfort zone:

Use materials you don’t like, try them in new ways.
If you usually use something at 0.5%, try it at 5% and see how it changes.
Push boundaries: use ingredients where they don’t usually belong.
For example, try using Labdanum in an orange blossom accord.

Perfumer Archive