Where Do I Begin?

by Lisa Abdul-Quddus

I started my journey into natural and botanical perfumery after delving into the world of aromatherapy. It all started out with the therapeutic aspect in mind but quickly turned to blending for the scent alone. At the time I had no idea natural and botanical perfumery, as the art form I am familiar with today, even existed. However, I soon learned of the many resources available after reading The Aromatherapy Book by the very knowledgeable Jeanne Rose. I located an essential oil E-tailer and bought about 7 or 8 samples. Each month as I studied aromatherapy further I purchased more samples. Pretty soon I had a nice little stash. I bought scents that I knew I liked. Citrus, citrus and more citrus. Well, it seemed that way since I bought one of each available (and there were lots). I had rose and jasmine, patchouli and vetyver, mints and spices. I still had no idea what to really do with them, though, when it came to perfumery. Then one day a member of a soaping forum I frequent, who happens to be a niche perfumer, shared information on the Jean Carles monographs. It all started to make sense. But to really understand I needed to be hands on and not just read. The one thing I needed to do was to start building my perfumer's palette with raw materials.

Mandy Aftel, in her book Essence & Alchemy, lists what she feels is a good starting point of necessary essences. The list includes top, middle and base notes. The best advice I can offer is to purchase dropper bottles, scent strips and samples of essences along with a good amount of your menstruum of choice: oil or alcohol. For the beginner this can be a bit overwhelming. Just take it slow and start with a handful of essences at a time. The main key to blending a perfume is in knowing your raw materials and how they interact with each other. Have a notebook on hand to keep blend ratios, thoughts and other important information available. Label all your bottles whether it's the raw material or a blend. I can't think of anything more frustrating when it comes to blending than to have a bottle of some substance tucked away and later not remember what it is.Today there is a wealth of information available to the budding natural and botanical perfumer. One thing for sure is that no matter how long you've been a part of NBP you never stop learning. Something new and wonderful can unfold at any time.

*Lisa is a graduate of NNAPA Natural Botanical Perfumers Antiquarian Perfumery Course, and writes the blogs 'Blossoming Tree' and 'Scent, You Say?', and is owner of Blossoming Tree Bodycare at Etsy.

Perfumer's Palette

by Lisa Abdul-Quddus

Perfumes are composed of top (head), middle (heart) and bottom (base) notes. By definition in perfumery head notes are the opening scent. The less tenacious of the three, head notes can last anywhere from 10-30 minutes leading you into the heart of the perfume. Heart notes are the body of a composition or the theme that identifies the perfume. Base notes being the most tenacious are the foundation of the perfume and the longest lasting. Although separated into three categories you will find, however, that some essences can cross over into another area or even last throughout the life of the perfume. Head notes can be smelled in the heart or a hint of one in the base. Base notes can come forward early on blending with head and/or heart notes. Heart notes can go in either direction; giving a lift to head notes or adding to the body of base notes.

Head Notes

You will find citruses fall into this category. I have had the experience of evaluating a perfume that gave an initial burst of citrus before quickly fading, only to have that note return in the heart of the composition. There are several choices when it comes to citrus essential oils like orange (bitter, sweet, wild, blood), grapefruit (white, pink, red), mandarin (yellow, green, red), lemon, lime, tangerine and yuzu. Herbs also fall into this category. Common are basil, bay, cardamom, coriander, mints and sage (to name a few).

Heart Notes

For all the floral lovers this is where jasmines, roses, geraniums, etc., shine. There are herbs, spices and some woods that are heart notes. Examples are (spices) clove & cinnamon, (herbs) chamomile & melissa, (woods) ho wood and katrafay.

Base Notes

Base notes are the heavier and most tenacious group of essences. Most woods and absolutes fall under this heading. Cedar and Sandalwoods for example are included, as well as, 'stinkier' (highly fragrant) leaves and roots like patchouly and vetyver.

As you're building your palette you'll want to select essences from each group. Adding 2-3 of each head, heart and base notes over time will give a very good beginner's collection.

*Lisa is a graduate of NNAPA Natural Botanical Perfumers Antiquarian Perfumery Course, and writes the blogs 'Blossoming Tree' and 'Scent, You Say?', and is owner of Blossoming Tree Bodycare at Etsy.

Learning Your Materials

by JM Crane

The number one, be-all, end-all bit of advice to be given a new perfumer is to learn your materials. That means take the time to familiarize yourself with the essential oils, absolutes, concretes, tinctures and dilutions you plan to use in your perfumes. I know -- this could take years. But before you lose heart, you should know there is a simple way to start.

As soon as your materials arrive, evaluate. Whip out your notebook, or if you prefer, rev up the computer, and start taking notes. Keeping meticulous notes is key to this process. First, write down from which supplier you purchased the material, the date of purchase, and all identifying information on the bottle, such as extraction method, country of origin, et al. Check the invoice that came with your order to be sure you have all the data.

Open the container of essence you're evaluating and wave it gently under your nose (do not put your nose into the container), write down your impressions. Is it fruity? Medicinal? Sweet? Harsh? Hot? Spicy? Watery? Whatever comes to mind, even memories should be included in this process. You could describe it as the way your grandmother's bathroom smelled or as the stench of gym socks. Focus on the scent and pick it apart in your mind. Sniff a bit on a scent strip, again waving, not diving into the essence. More impressions? Write them down! Do you like it? Hate it? Want to dump it in the trash or pour the entire bottle over your head? Now it's time to work on dilutions.

If your menstrum (medium) is oil, you'll want to try a small oil dilution. The same if your menstrum is alcohol. Drop a single drop of your scenting material along with three drops of your medium into a small bottle or bowl. Make sure the elements in the bowl are well mixed using a scent strip or a glass rod as a stirrer, then sniff. Write down your impressions, everything that comes to mind. Drop a few more drops of your menstrum into the bowl, mix well and sniff again. Make more notes. Be sure you keep track of your dilution ratio as well.

After you've made your dilution, you will want to revisit it every so often to smell its progression. Slip a scent strip into the bottle and sniff. Write down your impressions and the date you tested the essence. You may find at this point that you have either under diluted your materials or over diluted them. Make adjustments and take more notes.

Repeat this process with all the materials you obtain. It's much easier to begin when your new materials arrive or your tincture is done brewing than to wait until your perfumer's palette is complete and jumping into that daunting task. This simple process can help you form cohesive impressions of your materials.