Providence Perfume: A Glimpse Inside a Botanical Perfume Workshop

A quick note: There is a difference between aromatherapy and botanical perfume!
While they are related fields, they are not the same . . . .

Aromatherapy utilizes essential oils for their *therapeutic* properties.
Botanical perfume focuses soley on the beauty of the scent.

I want to add as much beauty and loveliness to my aromatherapy blends as possible, so I was really excited to attend this workshop in Providence, RI . . . .

Downtown Providence

Here's a peek inside the boutique where the workshop was held:

The fragrance color wheel . . . .

And my favorite part of the workshop . . . .

Creating our own solid creme perfumes!

1. A rich, honey scent. 2. Deep, complex Frangipani scent. 3. Coffee scent with floral notes. 4. Vetiver & Tomato leaf.

A few interesting things I learned:

• Jasmine and Rose are considered the "King and Queen" of perfumery.

         These two essences are the building blocks of so many perfumes.

• Botanical perfumes need to be aged at least a month before evaluating. Patience is key!           Most blends become smoother and richer over time.

• Oud (also known as Agarwood) is one of the most expensive natural perfume ingredients; It can cost $24,000 an ounce!
  

• Essence and Alchemy by Mandy Aftel is a great book to learn more.

Do you have a favorite natural perfume? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.