Bespoke Perfume Workshop: Design Your Own Scent Note by Note

A bespoke perfume is a scent designed from the notes a person loves, in their own proportions, rather than chosen from a ready-made bottle, and it belongs to them alone. In a bespoke perfume workshop the participant does this design work themselves with a perfumer: they smell the notes, choose the layers, build a formula and write the name they chose on the bottle.

In the video below you can watch a workshop we set up in a boutique venue: a long table decorated with flowers, and in front of each participant essence bottles, blotter strips and measuring vessels.

What are perfume notes and what do they mean?

A perfume is made of three layers that unfold on the skin over time. The first step in designing a bespoke scent is understanding these layers:

• Top notes: the first notes you sense when you open the bottle, and the quickest to evaporate. Citrus, bergamot and light green scents usually sit in this layer.
• Middle (heart) notes: the layer that carries the character of the perfume once the top notes fade. Floral and spicy notes such as rose, jasmine and lavender live here.
• Base notes: the longest-lasting layer that gives the scent depth and staying power. Vanilla, musk, amber and woody notes belong to this group.

The easiest way to understand perfume notes is to smell them one by one. In the workshop each essence is dropped onto a blotter strip, and participants discover with their own nose which note suits them.

How is a bespoke perfume made?

In the workshop the perfumer first asks about the scents the participant likes. Then a few candidates from the top, heart and base notes are chosen and tried together on blotter strips. The favourite combination is measured and blended with a dropper, and the ratios are adjusted in small steps until the balance is right. Finally the blend is bottled, the participant names their perfume and takes the gift home with a personalised label. We run this programme with expert perfumers as part of our Makeup Secrets & Perfume Workshop.

Which events suit a bespoke perfume workshop?

Because it is boutique and experience-led, it is a great fit for VIP client receptions, influencer and press gatherings, launches, executive team rewards and special-day celebrations. The table decor, bottle and label can be styled in the brand's colours; the blue and white floral arrangement in the video is an example of that kind of theming.

The main cost factors are the number of participants, the range of notes, the choice of bottle and box, table decor and brand personalisation, and the city where the event takes place.

If you are looking for step-by-step guidance and materials for a larger team, see our how a perfume workshop works guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to create a scent experience tailored to your brand for your event, contact us and we will design the notes, table layout and gift presentation together.