Into the Woods Natural Perfume Making Class

A Perfume Making Class in the Trees

Winter - cold, crisp air, clean dry woods, bracing pines and other conifers mingled with the distinctive smell of snow.
 

An Exploration of Woody Notes

In this beginner's perfume class we will be discovering the Woody category of perfumery and all of it’s variations. A selection of precious woods will be available to work with including Australian Sandalwood, Agar Attar, Incense Wood, Himalayan Cedarwood and Palo Santo to name a few. We’ll have an array of perfume samples from vintage classics and niche gems to explore the many applications for wood in natural perfumes.

The Range of Woods

The scent profile of woods ranges wildly across the different trees.  Some are more reminiscent of a case of new pencils: think cedarwood.  Others still are creamy, milky, nuzzling and deeply soft, like sandalwood.  And there are those wood notes which are so individual that they can characterize the whole composition:  Agarwood/Oud, rather the byproduct of the Aquillaria tree’s fighting of a fungus disease, is so rich and complex that it encompasses nutty, woody, musty, even camphoraceous scents.  Or think how pine or fir reminds us of specific seasons, thanks to their associations.

Sunday, January 20th
1:00 to 4:30pm
Park Slope, Brooklyn

What You'll Learn

Wood fragrances may include sandalwood, cedar, oak, pine, cypress and oud (among others), and also include for classification’s sake patchouli and vetiver.  Some woods fragrances smell like the outdoors while others smell like an antique treasure chest, and still more use wood as background support.

This beginner's class will be a real exploration of the wood materials and their versatility as well as a basic understanding about how a perfume is structured and formulated. You will create two perfumes in class; one first attempt and one revision. It’s a good idea to bring a notebook and pen to class. All other materials will be provided.