For those of you who have signed up and started the courses, how are you enjoying them? Anything you think would be helpful to add to them or something that may be missing? I will be recording and adding videos soon for those of you who are more of a visual learner. Thank you to all for being a part of this community and helping it grow! Also, I encourage anyone and everyone to post questions are other discussions of perfumery on the wall as we all can be here to help each other and give all of our experiences. There is no such thing as a stupid question here. From absolute beginner to advanced and brand owners are all welcomed here. As always, please let me know if you have any questions and I will be happy to help.

This week, we’re tackling another one of the foundational structures of classical perfumery: the Chypre! The classic Chypre is built around a beautiful contrast: a bright citrus opening against a dark, earthy, mossy base. For this challenge, we’re going to work with the traditional Chypre backbone and see how much character you can create with only 5 materials. THE CHALLENGE Create a 5-material Chypre accord using: 1. Bergamot 2. Labdanum 3. Oakmoss 4. Patchouli 5. One material of your choice Bergamot, labdanum,patchouli, and oakmoss are mandatory. The remaining material are entirely up to you. THE GOAL The purpose of this exercise is to understand the architecture of a Chypre, not simply to make something that smells good. Pay attention to what each of the three pillars contributes. Bergamot provides brightness, freshness, and contrast. Labdanum adds warmth, resinous depth, and body. Oakmoss provides the characteristic dry, earthy, mossy foundation that helps define the Chypre structure. Your final material are where you get to give the accord its personality. Want to make it floral? Try a rose or jasmine material. Want something darker? Explore woods, leather, smoke, or spice. Want something fruity? See how a fruit material changes the character while maintaining the recognizable Chypre backbone. THINGS TO THINK ABOUT How much bergamot do you need to create enough contrast with the darker base? How much oakmoss can you introduce before it dominates? How do you use labdanum without allowing the composition to become simply an amber? What are your final two materials contributing to the structure? And most importantly: Can you give your Chypre a distinct personality while still keeping its classical structure recognizable? There is no single correct formula. Experiment with the proportions, evaluate your accord over time, and take notes on how the materials interact. When you’re finished, share your formula in the comments and tell us which two additional materials you chose and why!

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! 🌿🧪

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.