BLOG: Not sure where to start?
Our fragrance hosts share their top tips to help you decide your scent direction
Some of you come to our workshops and know exactly what you’d like to create — you have a vision and set out to bring it to life. In contrast, some of you walk in with an open mind and let your noses be your guide. There’s no right way about it; we’ve seen both lead to some pretty sensational fragrance designs.
If you are unsure where to start or perhaps overwhelmed with the luxury of choosing from over 100 natural botanical essences – our fragrance hosts and scent experts have put together their favourite tips to help you navigate your future scent selection.
Astrid on using a descriptive starting point “I always find it helpful to ask people to use descriptive terms for the scent they have in mind – there’s so many ways to evoke things like temperature and texture with scent. I get a far more accurate picture of what someone is after from something like “sandy pyramids” than “dry but spicy”. I always start my design with a few sentences documenting my intention for a fragrance so when I evaluate it later, I can eliminate things I like but do not suit the vibe I’ve already decided on.”
Rabia on starting with your favourite “I would say pick one ingredient that you really love and choose your other notes to work with that one. That way, you’re making a more cohesive fragrance!”
Maggie on having a clear brief and starting in the middle “Before the workshop, I’d recommend guests think about whether they want to create something for everyday or special occasions. And if they want to recreate an existing scent or moment or try something entirely new. Having a clear brief and the emotion they want to create helps drive clarity. Once they have arrived and are unsure where to begin, I say start with finding a middle note you love. Then build your scent around that. Our middle notes are essentially grouped into florals (soft, fresh, exotic), fruits and spices.”
Tom on trusting your senses “My advice when designing a fragrance and selecting the perfect ingredient is to find a quiet space, close your eyes and let your sense of smell guide you. In limiting our senses to that of smell only, we can focus on what our scent memory responds to and let our choices be decided that way.”
Samantha. It’s a simple message from me “Do you want to wear it during the day or night, and make all your discovery from there!’
We hope you enjoy these tips, and they help you navigate your next scent journey. We invite you to choose one that resonates with you and try it out when you next design a fragrance with us. And if we have the joy of seeing you for more workshops, we’d suggest trying a different method each time and see where it takes you. Here’s to the journey! It’s a pleasure to be on it with you.
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