Odorata
Odorata
Natural perfumery
Sunday September 14 2025
1:00-5:00pm
Though denounced as the “lower senses” in western culture, humans and other animals have always related through scent, taste and touch. On our bodies and in our dwellings, scents extracted from flowers, leaves, woods, fruits and animal products have long been used for sensual, medicinal and spiritual purposes. In this class we will discover the seductive power of these natural scents and consider the challenge to the perfumer: how can you possibly create something more beautiful than what nature already provides?
An introduction to the tradition of natural perfumery
Duration: 1 day - 4 hours (from 1:00-5:00pm)
No prerequisites (beginners welcome)
In this hands-on class we will smell our way through the intoxicating world of natural perfumery. Through a series of exercises we will shed light on some of the highest quality natural materials, methods and tools used by perfumers. We will gain an introduction to blending these materials together through proximity, harmony and opposition to create our own botanical perfume. In the process, We will delve into the language of perfume that includes fragrance typologies, families and notes.
Safety notes: Please be advised that we will be working with natural oils, absolutes and extracts from plants, some of which are known allergens. If you have allergies to specific essential oils or plants but would like to participate nonetheless, please let me know ahead of time and I will try my best to accommodate with alternative oils.
Course fee includes materials: $150.00/person