This week’s challenge is all about formula architecture, balance, and understanding how much ratios can completely change an accord. We’re going to build one of the most important structures in classical perfumery: the Fougère. But there’s a catch. Everyone gets the exact same five materials, and you MUST use all five: 🌿 Lavender 🍋 Bergamot 🌹 Geranium 🌾 Coumarin 🌳 Oakmoss THE RULES 1.) You may ONLY use these five materials. 2.) All five materials must appear somewhere in your formula. 3.) You may use whatever proportions you want. 4.) Your goal is to create a balanced and recognizable fougère accord. That’s it! Before you start mixing, think about what each material contributes. Which one should form the backbone? Which materials provide lift? Which provide depth? How much coumarin is enough before the accord becomes too sweet? How much oakmoss can you use before it becomes too heavy? The interesting part of this challenge is that we are all starting with exactly the same palette. The only thing separating one person’s fougère from another is how you choose to balance those five materials. Once you’re finished, post your 100-part formula in the comments and tell us a little about your thought process. Then take a look at everyone else’s formulas and see just how differently five identical materials can be interpreted. There is no single “correct” answer. Experiment. Smell. Adjust. Learn. And most importantly, have fun with it! 🌿🧪

I’m currently developing a marine, salty, citrus, mineral fragrance and I’m thinking a tiny bit of aldehyde c-12 in the opening could really help give it a blast of icy, oceanic, sparkling air. But I’ve never worked with aldehydes before, and I know they’re notoriously tricky to work with. So as a beginner here, I could use some advice. Thank you!

What is one material you are obsessed with right now? For me, it would have to be Hedione HC or Jasmine Grandiflorum Absolute. These are materials I have used extensively and haven't reached for them in particular in a little while. Now when I am playing around in the Lab, I have a hard time not including them in anything and everything. Methyl Nicotinate has also been something that has been interesting to play with. It is not very often you find an aroma chemical that fits a bill of a whole note, but this one is a very very very dry tobacco with almost a super amber feel. Super intriguing.

Coming soon to the accord library!! Also available will be Hibiscus. Stay tuned!!

Florals have long been among the most treasured materials in perfumery. In many cases, they command prices that rival—or even surpass—those of oud and saffron. Few flowers have captivated perfumers quite like jasmine, whose intoxicating aroma has earned it an enduring place at the heart of the craft. Today, we’re creating a co-absolute by combining both Jasmine sambac and Jasmine grandiflorum concretes. Although they share the same common name, these two species have remarkably different personalities. Jasmine sambac is richer, more intense, and beautifully indolic, with a subtle fruity nuance that gives it incredible depth. Jasmine grandiflorum, by contrast, is softer, sweeter, and effortlessly elegant, lending an airy floral refinement. Together, they have the potential to create an exceptionally full, nuanced, and almost ethereal jasmine experience. A concrete is the first stage of extraction: a fragrant, waxy mass that contains the flower’s aromatic compounds along with its natural waxes and pigments. It is then washed with ethanol, allowing the aromatic molecules to dissolve while leaving the waxes behind. After filtration, the alcohol is carefully evaporated, revealing the finished absolute. This is only the beginning of the process, but we’re excited to see how these two extraordinary jasmines evolve together. We’ll share the results once the co-absolute is complete.