Basic Perfume Making Course

Lesson 1 • History of Perfume Making

Traces perfumery from ancient rituals to modern luxury brands. Establishes historical context that informs contemporary fragrance philosophy.

Lesson 2 • Fragrance as Art and Commerce

Distinguishes artistic expression from commercial imperatives in perfumery. Prepares students to navigate creative and business tensions in the field.

Lesson 3 • Cultural Roles of Scent

Examines how fragrance functions in ritual, identity, and communication across cultures. Broadens students' appreciation of scent beyond aesthetics.

Lesson 1 • Anatomy of the Olfactory System

Covers nasal anatomy, receptor cells, and neural pathways to the brain. Provides biological basis for all subsequent sensory training.

Lesson 2 • Psychophysics of Fragrance

Introduces sensory evaluation methods and psychophysical measurement. Prepares students for objective fragrance assessment in professional settings.

Lesson 3 • Odor Classification Systems

Surveys historical and modern systems for categorising scents. Gives students a shared vocabulary for describing and comparing fragrances.

Lesson 4 • Memory, Emotion, and Scent

Explores the Proustian memory effect and emotional responses to odour. Equips students to leverage emotional associations in fragrance design.

Lesson 1 • Essential Oils vs. Absolutes vs. Accords

Clarifies distinctions between essential oils, absolutes, and pre-built accords. Helps students select the right material form for each application.

Lesson 2 • Ingredient Safety and Sustainability

Covers allergen regulations, IFRA guidelines, and sustainable sourcing practices. Grounds students in responsible ingredient selection from the start.

Lesson 3 • Synthetic Aroma Chemicals

Introduces key synthetic molecules, their origins, and olfactory profiles. Demonstrates how synthetics expand creative possibilities beyond naturals.

Lesson 4 • Extraction Methods for Naturals

Details steam distillation, solvent extraction, enfleurage, and CO2 methods. Explains how extraction technique shapes the final aromatic character.

Lesson 1 • Overcoming Olfactory Challenges

Addresses anosmia, specific anosmia, and sensory fatigue management strategies. Ensures students can maintain consistent evaluation performance.

Lesson 2 • Smelling Single Materials

Guides structured evaluation of individual raw materials in isolation. Builds the ingredient-recognition foundation required for blending work.

Lesson 3 • Descriptive Language for Fragrance

Introduces sensory descriptors, metaphors, and industry terminology for scent. Equips students to communicate fragrance character precisely and professionally.

Lesson 4 • Building a Scent Memory Library

Establishes daily smelling routines and journaling practices for scent memory. Directly accelerates ingredient recognition and descriptive accuracy.

Lesson 1 • Solvents, Carriers, and Fixatives

Covers ethanol, dipropylene glycol, and other carriers plus fixative ingredients. Explains how carriers affect diffusion, stability, and skin feel.

Lesson 2 • Olfactory Families and Subfamilies

Maps major fragrance families—floral, oriental, woody, fresh—and their subfamilies. Enables students to classify and position any fragrance accurately.

Lesson 3 • Evaluating Fragrance Development

Teaches systematic evaluation of dry-down stages on skin and blotter strips. Builds critical observation skills essential for composition refinement.

Lesson 4 • Concentration and Dilution

Explains fragrance concentration levels from parfum to eau fraiche. Connects concentration to longevity, sillage, and consumer expectations.

Lesson 1 • Formula Writing and Calculation

Teaches percentage-based formula writing, batch scaling, and dilution math. Ensures students can reproduce and scale any blend accurately.

Lesson 2 • Iterative Refinement Process

Introduces the modify-evaluate-document cycle for improving blends. Builds disciplined creative habits essential for professional perfumery.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Fragrance Harmony

Covers balance, contrast, and transition as core compositional principles. Provides the aesthetic framework guiding all blending decisions.

Lesson 4 • Blending Equipment and Workspace

Introduces essential tools: pipettes, scales, vials, and blotter strips. Establishes safe, organised workspace habits for accurate formulation.

Lesson 1 • Body Care and Cosmetic Applications

Adapts fragrance for lotions, creams, soaps, and hair care products. Addresses compatibility challenges with cosmetic bases and preservatives.

Lesson 2 • Functional and Technical Fragrances

Introduces fragrance in cleaning products, air care, and industrial applications. Highlights performance requirements beyond aesthetic appeal.

Lesson 3 • Home Fragrance Formats

Covers candles, reed diffusers, room sprays, and wax melts formulation. Explains how heat and airflow affect fragrance performance in home products.

Lesson 4 • Application-Specific Testing

Teaches stability, compatibility, and performance testing protocols by product type. Ensures students can validate fragrance suitability before launch.

Lesson 1 • Ingredient Selection Strategy

Applies brief criteria to curate a focused ingredient palette for the composition. Connects concept clarity to purposeful material choices.

Lesson 2 • Concept Development and Briefing

Guides creation of a creative brief including mood, target audience, and olfactory direction. Mirrors professional briefing processes used in fragrance houses.

Lesson 3 • Portfolio Documentation and Presentation

Compiles formula, concept statement, and evaluation notes into a professional portfolio entry. Prepares students to present work to clients or employers.

Lesson 4 • Structured Composition Process

Walks through building the fragrance pyramid layer by layer with evaluation checkpoints. Develops systematic creative discipline for professional-quality output.