Signature scent
Perhaps there is someone who immediately comes to mind when you sense a specific perfume? A person whose presence you can detect even before you see them. And that’s because they use very specific perfumes that seem to be a natural part of that person. We call it a signature scent (signature scent) The scent that has become so strongly associated with a person that it has become part of their identification by others, similar to our voice, style, or facial expressions.
Building your own signature scent is both easy and challenging in today’s world. It is easy because, within the niche perfume segment, you can find hundreds of highly original fragrances that will set you apart from the crowd. It is challenging because the vast array of choices paradoxically makes it more difficult for us. After extensive searching, we may find that nothing fully satisfies us. Another aspect is that to build a business card, we must commit to one fragrance and use it consistently for years. Therefore, it is worth selecting something in which we will truly feel comfortable and confident.
The signature scent is a particular case where creating perfumes on a custom order makes sense. Certainly not the only one Desire to experience a perfume adventure, Creating an intimate, fragrant memento of a significant event, and to satisfy curiosity and fulfil dreams While creating bespoke perfumes, I have encountered various motivations from clients, and each of them contributed to the creation of a unique end result.
Therefore, when planning to order individual perfumes, it is worth considering our motivations and needs from the very beginning.
Where to create bespoke perfumes?
Once we have answered the question of what we expect, we can consider where to create our perfumes. There are several options available, and they vary significantly from one another:
- Perfume creation workshops – during such (usually group) events, we have the opportunity to independently compose our own perfume bottle, acquiring basic knowledge and getting to know the ingredients that will assist us in the task.
- Creating in a perfume lab – fragrance labs are service points that offer the opportunity to compose custom perfumes with the assistance of a consultant. The process takes place during a short, individual session and utilizes the available perfume bases on-site.
- Ordering from a professional nose – in this case, a perfumer develops a unique perfume formula for us based on our expectations. This option offers wide possibilities but is more time-consuming and costly compared to the previous ones.
It is worth carefully considering in which place we want to create our perfumes because each of them is associated with a completely different creation process. This not only affects the final result but also the experience itself that we can expect during the service.
Perfume workshops and fragrance lab
In the case of perfume labs and workshops, the range of possibilities is similar. On-site, we have access to a palette of ingredients (usually 50 to 100). These are called perfume bases, which are pre-composed blends of raw materials designed to represent distinct fragrance notes. The bases are developed to be harmonious when combined, reducing the risk of creating something unpleasant. Each place has its own palette of bases. Some perfume labs offer only basic bases (such as jasmine, orange, leather, wood), while others also provide more unique propositions (such as Coca-Cola, sea salt, or ozone).
However, the process of creation itself differs. During workshops, it is indeed up to us to blend our own perfumes. We decide what to combine and in what proportions. Of course, we can count on the guidance of the workshop facilitator. It’s good to know that such workshops take place in groups, so the tutor divides their time among all participants. So, we can expect more guidance rather than someone fully focusing on our project.
In a perfume lab, the experience is different as we can arrange an individual session. In this case, the consultant is dedicated to us, and we can choose whether we want to be more involved in the creation process or simply provide guidance. But the staff at perfume labs are not professional perfumers. They are trained by the company in knowing and combining the available perfume bases.. They may not be able to go beyond certain effects (for example, if the lab has only rose de mai base, they won’t be able to create a damask rose) They also may not consider how the composed blend will change over time and its practical qualities (such as longevity) The creation session is also limited in time, and a few hours are simply not enough to delve into the nuances of fragrance. However, if we encounter an engaged and communicative person who is knowledgeable about their palette of bases, there is a good chance that the created scent will meet our basic expectations.
Perfumes created by professional nose
The process is completely different if we decide to order from a perfumer. Perfumers have years of experience and developed their own working methods. Therefore, the service may vary for each nose. That’s why I will primarily describe what the process of creating bespoke perfumes looks like in my case (for personal use, as the process differs when creating perfumes for commercial purposes).
It all begins with getting to know each other. Depending on preferences and distance between myself and the client, this can be an in-person meeting or an online meeting. Usually, it’s a casual meeting without specific time constraints. Sometimes it lasts for an hour and is straight-to-subject, while other times it can extend for several hours and touch upon various scent-related topics. During the dialogue, the perfumer conducts an initial interview to better understand the client’s personality, fragrance preferences, expectations and ideas for the perfume.
Based on such a conversation, the perfumer can start the creation process. He develops the perfume concept and selects the ingredients. A significant advantage of such an order is that we are not limited by a predefined range of ingredients. Of course, the perfumer typically has hundreds of raw materials in his workshop, but if the client expects a very specific ingredient (e.g., aged oud or natural ambergris), there is usually the possibility of sourcing it. Because a skilled perfumer can create their own accords, when it comes to scent ideas, our imagination is practically the only limit. For example, I once developed a custom aroma of Geisha coffee from scratch for a client who was a great connoisseur of this beverage
In the next step, the perfumer develops initial scent prototypes. These are simplified formulas that contain the main ingredients but are not yet fully finished. At this stage, I typically present two proposals that differ slightly in interpretation. The purpose is to allow the client to decide which version better reflects their vision. After testing and selecting the prototype, we discuss the further direction in which the perfumer develops the prototype into a full-fledged composition. This involves adding additional notes, refining the balance, and stabilizing the composition to ensure longevity and projection tailored to the owner’s preferences.
The finely-tuned composition is then presented in a trial version for testing. The client can calmly familiarize themselves with it, and wear it for several days to see if it meets their expectations. At this stage, it is still possible to make certain refinements if needed. Once the final formula is approved, the perfumer creates the perfume bottle. For the first order, it is a 50ml bottle in my case. The client gets to choose the name and personalize the label.
For bespoke perfumes, I keep the formula exclusively for the client, ensuring that there is no risk of these perfumes entering the market. At any point, the client has the option to request a new batch, including larger quantities if desired.
Indeed, this process is complex and time-consuming. Typically, it takes around 3 months from placing the order to receiving the finished perfume bottle (sometimes longer if the client is located abroad due to shipping time). However, the advantage is that we receive professionally crafted perfumes that are fully tailored to ourselves. We don’t have to worry about compromises or the fear of not achieving the desired outcome, as a professional perfumer ensures the final result meets our expectations.