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9 Smelling Tips from Master Perfumers.
by: Ziad El-Desoki | Published: August 18, 2024
Smelling is the number one activity for perfumers. If you don't have a gifted nose, aren't smart enough, or don't have an exceptional sense of smell, but you smell a lot, you can still be a rock star at perfumery.
So, there are some best practices to consider when smelling ingredients that you should know.
1- Smell on blotter, not on skin:
Some ingredients can have toxic effects when used undiluted directly on the skin.
The blotter has a fixed smell, making it a neutral medium.
Unlike your skin, which can be affected by season, food, hormone levels, and mood.
2- Smell from far, then near:
Avoid overwhelming your nose by smelling sharp materials up close.
Start by holding the blotter at a distance and gradually move it closer to your nose until you can fully experience the scent.
This approach also gives you an idea of the material's projection.
3- Tiny amount on the blotter:
You don't need to apply a large amount of the ingredient or fragrance on the blotter. Being overly generous can quickly overwhelm your nose.
4- Smell softly, not deeply:
Smelling too deeply can push a high concentration of odorants into your sinuses and lungs, potentially causing inflammation.
5- Blotter should not touch disk or hands:
Place the blotter on a perfumery tree or holder. If you don't have one, fold the blotter at its tip and rest it on your desk.
6- Smell fragrances in patterns:
* What is the major family for this scent? Chypre? Fougere? Ambery? Aromatic?
* From this, you can guess the blended accords and materials.
* Example:
- If you identify the scent as a Chypre, is it patchouli oil, vetiver, or both? Is there jasmine absolute or benzyl acetate and indole? Are there ambery notes? If so, is it labdanum?
- If it's a Fougere?, could there be coumarin or coumaronone? Is there lavender oil or a blend of lavandin oil, linalool, and linalyl acetate? Any geranium oil, geraniol, or citronellol?
This method may take more time but will result in more accurate guesses.
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7- Smell in a well-ventilated place:
It's better to smell outside your lab and reserve the lab only for blending and storing materials. However, if smelling in the lab is necessary, you should use a succus (not fans, as they can cause instability for your scale sensitivity).
8- Smell in a calm atmosphere:
Smelling in a crowded, annoying atmosphere will not make your brain clear enough for deep-smelling sessions. If you want to focus on details, I prefer going to an isolated area to smell, far from people, cars, music, and anything that stimulates my senses.
9- Take your best posture:
I can't smell well while standing. If I want to focus while smelling, I have to sit and arch my back a little. (This is how I feel I can smell the best.).
So take your best posture to do your best at smelling.
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