How to smell like a perfumer

Summary

In this video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of proper smelling techniques for those involved in perfumery. They discuss common mistakes, such as smelling directly from the bottle, which can lead to olfactory fatigue and an inaccurate representation of a scent's true profile. The speaker suggests using scent strips to dilute and evaluate fragrances, avoiding contamination, and maintaining an odorless environment for accurate scent perception. They also touch on the significance of hydration and exercise for maintaining a clear sense of smell, providing tips to enhance one's ability to understand and create perfumes.

Takeaways

• 👃 Smelling is a fundamental skill for a perfumer and should be second nature.
• 🚫 Avoid smelling directly from the bottle as it's unrepresentative of the strength in a real perfume.
• 💧 Dilute the material beforehand to get an accurate picture of how it might smell in a perfume.
• 🧠 Be aware of olfactory fatigue, which occurs when your nose becomes desensitized to a smell over time.
• 🌿 Use scent strips, which are absorbent papers, to properly evaluate a scent without overwhelming your nose.
• ⏰ Allow the scent strip to dry for a minute or two before smelling to let the volatile ethanol evaporate.
• 📝 Label your scent strips with the percentage, molecule, and time to keep track of your evaluations.
• 🏠 Smell in an odorless environment to avoid contamination and olfactory fatigue from lingering molecules.
• 💧 Stay hydrated and consider regular exercise to help maintain the clarity of your olfactory perception.
• 👃 When smelling, keep the strip about a centimeter away from your nose and take only one or two inhalations.
• ⏱️ Evaluate the scent over time to understand how it evolves, which is crucial for using it effectively in perfumery.

Q & A

Why is smelling properly important in the context of perfumery?

Properly smelling is crucial in perfumery because it allows for an accurate assessment of how a scent will behave in a final product. It helps to understand the true nature of a scent, especially since individual ingredients in a perfume are typically present at concentrations of 1% or less.

What is the common mistake people make when smelling scents from a bottle?

A common mistake is directly smelling from a bottle, which is unrepresentative of the scent's true strength in a perfume. This high concentration can lead to olfactory fatigue, desensitizing the nose and leading to an inaccurate perception of the scent.

What is olfactory fatigue, and how does it affect the sense of smell?

Olfactory fatigue is a phenomenon where the nose becomes desensitized to a scent over time due to continuous exposure. It occurs as scent molecules linger in the olfactory receptors, blocking them and reducing the ability to perceive the scent, eventually leading to a diminished or lost sense of smell.

Why should one not smell a scent immediately after dipping a scent strip into a solution?

One should not smell a scent strip immediately after dipping because the volatile ethanol solvent, which is used to dilute the scent, is still present. This can overpower the nose and lead to an inaccurate perception of the scent.

What is the recommended method for smelling a scent strip in perfumery?

The recommended method is to dip a scent strip into the diluted scent solution, let it air for a minute or two to allow the ethanol to evaporate, and then take one or two inhalations from about a centimeter away from the nose to avoid contamination and olfactory fatigue.

Why is it important to label scent strips when evaluating scents?

Labeling scent strips is important to keep track of the scent's identity, the concentration, and the time of evaluation. This helps in conducting accurate and organized evaluations over time, especially when assessing how a scent evolves.

What environment is ideal for evaluating scents?

An ideal environment for scent evaluation is one that is odorless and free from contaminants. This could be an area with fresh air, like near an open window or outside, or a room separate from where samples or chemicals are prepared to avoid olfactory fatigue and contamination.

How can one minimize the risk of olfactory fatigue when smelling multiple samples?

To minimize olfactory fatigue, one should smell only a few samples at a time and allow the nose to rest for a few hours before resuming. This gives the olfactory system time to recover and maintain sensitivity to the scents being evaluated.

Why is it advised to stay hydrated and engage in regular exercise for perfumery?

Staying hydrated and engaging in regular exercise can help maintain the health of the mucous membrane in the nose, which is essential for the docking of scent molecules. This aids in clearing out old molecules and regenerating the olfactory receptors, leading to a clearer sense of smell.

What are some external factors that can contaminate the sense of smell while evaluating scents?

External factors such as eating strongly scented foods, brushing teeth with minty toothpaste, or drinking coffee can leave lingering smells in the mouth or on the breath that can interfere with the evaluation of scents on scent strips.

How should scent strips be stored to prevent cross-contamination?

To prevent cross-contamination, scent strips should be kept at least 10 centimeters apart, especially when they are wet with ethanol and the scent solution. This allows the ethanol to evaporate without carrying scent molecules from one strip to another.

Outlines

00:00

👃 The Art of Smelling in Perfumery

The speaker emphasizes the importance of proper smelling techniques, particularly in the context of perfumery. They explain that smelling is a fundamental skill for a perfumer and should become second nature. The common mistake of directly smelling from a bottle is highlighted, as it does not represent the true strength of a perfume ingredient. The speaker suggests diluting the scent before smelling and warns against olfactory fatigue, a phenomenon where the nose becomes desensitized to a smell over time. To avoid this, they recommend using scent strips to absorb a diluted version of the fragrance, waiting a minute or two after dipping the strip to let the volatile ethanol evaporate, and then making an initial evaluation. The speaker also stresses the importance of labeling the scent strips with the percentage of the molecule and the time of evaluation to track changes in the scent over time.

05:00

🌿 Creating an Ideal Smelling Environment

The speaker discusses the importance of the environment when smelling fragrances, advising against doing so in the same room where samples are prepared to prevent olfactory fatigue and contamination from foreign molecules. They suggest finding an odorless environment, such as a room with fresh air or outside, and limit the number of samples smelled at one time to avoid overwhelming the nose. The speaker also recommends staying hydrated and exercising regularly to maintain a clear sense of smell. When smelling, they advise keeping the scent strip about a centimeter away from the nose, taking one or two inhalations, and then noting the scent's description. The speaker also touches on the importance of avoiding contamination from recent meals, strong smells in the mouth, or other sources that could interfere with the accurate perception of the scent.

10:02

🔍 Advanced Smelling Techniques and Contamination Avoidance

The speaker provides advanced tips for smelling fragrances, such as allowing time for the scent to evolve and noting when the scent no longer registers to understand its longevity. They stress the importance of understanding a material deeply to use it effectively in perfume creation. The speaker also discusses the risk of cross-contamination between scent strips due to the high vapor pressure of ethanol, suggesting keeping wet strips well apart from each other. Once the scent has faded and the vapor pressure is low, the risk of contamination decreases, and strips can be placed closer together. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of these techniques for anyone interested in perfumery and hints at future videos that might delve deeper into smelling exercises and techniques for understanding fragrance materials.

Keywords

💡Smelling

Smelling is the act of perceiving odors through the olfactory system. In the context of the video, smelling is a fundamental skill for a perfumer, as it is crucial for evaluating and creating perfumes. The video emphasizes the importance of smelling substances properly to get an accurate representation of how they will smell in a perfume, which is typically at a much lower concentration than when smelled directly from a bottle.

💡Perfumery

Perfumery refers to the art or process of making perfumes. It involves the blending of various scented materials to create a harmonious and pleasant fragrance. The video discusses the importance of proper smelling techniques in perfumery, as it directly impacts the ability to create well-balanced and appealing scents.

💡Dilution

Dilution in this context refers to the process of reducing the concentration of a substance, typically by mixing it with a solvent. The video explains that smelling a perfume ingredient at its full strength from a bottle is unrepresentative of how it will smell in a perfume, which is usually at a much lower concentration. Therefore, diluting the material before smelling it provides a more accurate representation.

💡Olfactory Fatigue

Olfactory fatigue is a phenomenon where the olfactory receptors become desensitized to a particular smell over time, leading to a decreased ability to perceive that smell. The video warns against this effect, as it can hinder the perfumer's ability to accurately assess and create fragrances. To avoid olfactory fatigue, the video suggests not smelling from the bottle and taking breaks between smelling different samples.

💡Scent Strips

Scent strips are small pieces of absorbent paper used in perfumery to apply and evaluate fragrances. The video recommends using scent strips to apply diluted fragrance materials, as it allows for a controlled and representative evaluation of the scent. The strips are dipped into the diluted fragrance and then allowed to dry before smelling, which helps to avoid the high concentration and ethanol present in the original bottle.

💡Ethanol

Ethanol is a volatile solvent commonly used in perfumes to dissolve and carry fragrance materials. The video mentions that when smelling directly from a bottle, the high concentration of ethanol can cause olfactory fatigue. It is recommended to let the scent strip dry for a minute or two after dipping to allow the ethanol to evaporate before smelling the scent.

💡Hydration

Hydration in the context of the video refers to the consumption of water to maintain the health of the mucous membranes in the nose, which are crucial for the olfactory process. Staying hydrated helps to clear out the receptors and maintain the nose's ability to smell, which is important for a perfumer to accurately evaluate fragrances.

💡Contamination

Contamination in this context means the presence of unwanted odors or molecules that can interfere with the accurate perception of a scent. The video advises against smelling in areas where the samples are prepared or where other aromatic chemicals are stored to prevent olfactory contamination. It also suggests keeping scent strips apart when they are wet to avoid cross-contamination through the air.

💡Evaluation

Evaluation in perfumery involves assessing the scent of a material over time to understand its characteristics and how it evolves. The video discusses the importance of evaluating scents at different stages, such as the initial impression, mid-notes, and base notes, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the fragrance's behavior and potential use in a perfume.

💡Olfactory Receptors

Olfactory receptors are the sensory neurons in the nose that detect odors. The video explains that these receptors can become fatigued or blocked by molecules if exposed to strong or continuous smells, leading to a reduced ability to smell. Proper smelling techniques, like those discussed in the video, help to prevent overloading these receptors and maintain the accuracy of the olfactory sense.

Highlights

The importance of proper smelling in the craft of perfumery.

The common mistake of smelling directly from a bottle and its consequences.

The necessity of diluting materials to accurately represent their strength in a perfume.

Understanding olfactory fatigue and its impact on the perception of scents.

The phenomenon of olfactory fatigue and how it affects the ability to smell over time.

The use of scent strips to avoid high concentrations and olfactory fatigue.

The waiting period after applying scent to a strip to allow volatile solvents to dissipate.

The importance of labeling scent strips for accurate evaluation over time.

The recommendation to smell in an odorless environment to prevent contamination.

Advice on limiting the number of samples smelled at one time to maintain nose sensitivity.

The benefits of staying hydrated and exercising for maintaining a clear olfactory perception.

Techniques for smelling a scent strip to avoid contamination and olfactory fatigue.

The method of evaluating a scent's evolution over time for a deeper understanding of its characteristics.

The potential contamination from recent meals or strong smells and how to avoid it.

The risk of cross-contamination between scent strips and how to prevent it.

The suggestion for future videos on advanced smelling techniques and exercises for perfumery.

Transcripts

all right so today I'm going to talk

about smelling you know how do you smell

something and this actually is something

that's quite important so you can

imagine if you're into trying to do

perfumery so you're trying to make

something smell nice it might actually

be quite you know quite useful to know

how to smell something properly and this

I would say is definitely a fundamental

skill of a perfumer I mean it's got to

be something that second nature but you

want to know how to do it properly and

the reason that I say this is because a

lot of people don't smell properly

I mean smelling something in real life

is fine you know just smell it but when

you're trying to do perfumery you have

to smell things in a certain way so one

mistake that I see a lot of people make

is they'll take kind of a bottle and

they'll just open it and and they'll

just smell it right and there are so

many things that are wrong with this

thing there are so many things so right

firstly when you've got a bottle like

this it's a completely unrepresentative

of the strength of a real perfume so

you've got to understand that when

you're making a perfume any one

ingredient it is probably going to be 1%

or less in most cases maybe a bit more

but what that means is you definitely

want to have the material diluted

beforehand so here for example I've got

something so this is floral ozone which

is a synthetic molecule and that's

actually Dobies it's a 1% and what this

means is if I were to go and smell this

you've got a much more accurate picture

of what actually might be like in a

perfume - that is the first thing that's

good

and the second thing is when you're

smelling like this you're susceptible to

something called a factory fatigue yeah

so or factory fatigue it's basically a

phenomenon that occurs which is when you

smell something all the molecules so

they go into your nose and they go into

the receptors and obviously that's why

you smell it

but when these molecules go to your

receptors they aren't evacuated straight

away right they kind of stick around a

little bit so what happens is that over

time all of the receptors get blocked

and you become effectively desensitized

to smart so when you keep smelling

something what's going to happen is your

perception of this smell is actually

gonna get less and less and less over

time until you smell nothing so this is

actually the same effect as like when

you go into the kitchen say you're

making some food and the first five

minutes you're dropping a ball like the

vegetables and the rosemary the garlic

all that kind of stuff and it smells

quite nice you know that yeah there's

gonna be some good food here but then

then what happens is you start cooking

it and then you don't smell anything

anymore

so you don't think anything of it but

then maybe someone else comes in the

room and they say oh that smells nice

and of course at this point you can't

smell anything at all so that's exactly

the same phenomenon happening here so

that's called a factory fatty so this is

something you really want to avoid at

all costs so basically whenever you're

trying to smell something you want to

avoid avoid avoid olfactory fatigue so

there are a number ways we're going to

do this but firstly not smelling from

the bottle because you're smelling such

a high concentration that basically your

nose is just get blocked up so it's not

a good idea so yeah then who comes a

question of how do you smell properly so

you want to take one of these little

these scent strips you can find these

like on eBay or or somewhere like that

basically they are filter paper

effectively they're just kind of

absorbent paper

that this is pretty much what you want

to use and you want to take one and you

just want to dip it in so this is the

diluted and the floor a litter and I had

earlier right as we just take it dip it

in now the temptation is to smell this

straightaway but don't and the reason

for that is because it's just been in

the bottle so all the ethanol which is

the solvent which is really volatile

that is still kind of hanging around and

strep so for now basically a load of

ethanol is going to go up your nose so

what you want to do is kind of leave it

for I would say a minute or two and then

you can do your first evaluation and

actually when you're doing this you want

to you want to label it it's quite

important too

I'm just gonna write this I normally

write by the percentage the molecule

you're smelling and what time those

three things I would say because

otherwise you're gonna get left with a

load of strips and you're gonna have no

ideas like what's what

and when you want to start doing

evaluations for a longer time periods so

say it's the base note you're looking at

you want to know what happens preferably

over a day or a few days that's gonna be

more important than maybe what happens

straightaway so at that point you're

gonna need to really label strips but I

mean okay so now I've got that we've got

to consider where we're smelling here so

you definitely don't want to smell in

the room or somewhere where you've

prepared your samples or where your

aroma chemicals are kept and the reason

for this is because it's a source of

contamination so firstly having those

molecules lingering in the air can be a

source of that olfactory fatigue I was

talking about but secondly you can have

foreign molecules so molecules different

to what you're trying to be smelling

which go in the air and that can

actually alter your perception of what

you're you are actually trying to smell

so you want to be ideally in a

completely odorless environment so

somewhere maybe with some fresh air like

an open window even outside that's not

too bad or a room that's completely

completely separate from anything else

right secondly you want to make sure

that you're only smelling a few samples

at a time so you you don't want to have

kind of loads and loads and loads of

things at once

you wanna because your nose is going to

get tired what you want to do is have

just a few things to evaluate at a time

and then you know maybe a few hours

later or something when your nose has

had a chance to kind of get back to

normal then you can go back and you can

keep going so I think consistency is a

lot better than just trying to go in one

smell everything because your nose is

going to get confused it's gonna get

full of molecules which is going to

start blocking up your receptors and

effectively things are going to start

going wrong thirdly you can do things

like make sure you're really hydrated

this is gonna help the mucous membrane

inside your nose so we're all these

molecules are docking is going to help

that clear itself out and regenerate and

if you do this and that's going to

definitely help you kind of have that

clarity in perception and other things

like if you do regular exercise you know

that will help with the same thing clear

out the mucous membrane and help you

kind of reset your nose so that's all

good right so now it's been kind of two

minutes or something so I'm gonna take

this which is a floor alisone right so

you don't want to contaminate your nose

that's the other thing so when you smell

it you don't want to hold it you don't

want to touch your nose because if you

do that basically the molecules are

gonna get onto your nose and then that's

gonna cause the olfactory fatigue and

then when you smell it again

suddenly you're already going to be used

to it so you're not gonna smell anymore

or at least smell a lot less so I would

say keep the tip about a centimeter away

from your nose if possible

and then the next thing is when you're

about to smell it you want to take one

or two inhalations and that's it because

again it's that same effect with the

olfactory fatigue you don't want to give

your nose any chance to get used to it

you want to kind of have this the smell

you want to crystallize it in your mind

and then you want to find the words to

describe it and write them down and

that's it then you sort of walk away and

leave it so so I've just had that and

that's fine like that's that's all I

need one one smell and to me that smells

very much a water like fresh kind of

almost metallic water so what I'm going

to do is I'm going to write that down

and that's it it's just you know what

does it smell and that is kind of step

one in crystallizing exactly how that

that thing smells to me so the idea is

if I now go and repeat that so firstly I

can do this over time so I can see how

that evolves and said it doesn't smell

anymore because that's important right

and you know when when you're using a

certain material you want to know it you

want to know it really deeply because

that's how you're gonna be able to use

it properly in a perfume you don't wanna

just chuck it in there because you're

gonna have no idea what's gonna happen

you want to understand it really really

in-depth exactly what how it's gonna

evaporate in general over time that's

gonna give you the best chance of making

it actually work in above you okay and

finally the last point is contamination

so I talked about how you contaminate

your nose but you've gotta notice some

other sources potentially that could

kind of mess with your perception so one

is if you've just eaten a meal full of

foods that smell quite strongly so say

you've had like garlic or something like

that

also you brush your teeth and you've got

that minty notes in your mouth or maybe

you had a coffee all of that kind of

smell that can actually interfere with

what you're selling on the strip so it's

important to bear that in mind and try

to avoid it and the other thing is when

you've got your scent strips you want to

be careful not to put them so I've got a

few here you don't want to put them like

too close together

because if you have a

of them and they're all kind of wet with

ethanol and the chemical they can

actually cross contaminate through the

air slightly I've noticed this as happen

before so if you take two different

samples and you dip them and then you

leave the SEM strips next to each other

because the ethanol evaporates it's got

it's got such a high vapor pressure and

it pulls all of the like the perfume

material with it what happens is that

ethanol can rise up off one scent strip

and then it can kind of hit the next

scent strip and deposit the material

onto it

so if you've got a material that's quite

strong then that can actually that

second strip even though they're not

touching they can start to the second

one can start to smell of the first or

vice versa

yeah so ideally when your strips are wet

and you've just dipped them you want to

keep them quite far apart and then later

on maybe it's after a day or so depends

on what the material is but once the

smell has got very faint and weak what

that means effectively in most cases is

the vapor pressure has become very low

so the risk of contamination by leaving

this strips next to each other isn't so

much so yeah after maybe a day or

something all the strip's you can leave

them right next to each other but

straight away in first at least 15

minutes or a few hours you want to kind

of keep them maybe separated but I would

say like 10 centimeters at least or

something like that yeah anyway that's

all there is to it pretty much but it is

as I say it's an important skill and

just a few little things like that

making sure you smell the right way it

can have such a big impact and it will

definitely improve your ability to get a

really clear idea of how things smell

and that's really really important I

mean if you you know if you want to do

perfumery anyway so that's enough of

that I think next video I might do some

more maybe on exactly how I plan you

know smelling things right because

you've got to take into account things

at different concentrations and

different times

you know and how you get to know

materials properly that kind of thing so

I might talk a bit about you know like

what kind of exercises what kind of

techniques you want to use for really

drilling down into a material and

getting to know it properly because that

is one of the kind of pillars of

perfumery and like if you can master

that that is you will be well on your

way to understanding how to make a full

perfume yeah so if you liked this video

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