Providence Perfume: Exploring Citrus & Cologne Formulations

"I have found a fragrance that reminds me of an Italian spring morning, of
​mountain daffodils and orange blossoms after the rain."

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- Perfumer,
​Giovanni Maria Farina
​

Earlier this month, I had the great pleasure to study natural perfume with award winning perfumer, Charna Ethier. This is my third year working with her at her stunning perfumery -                
​Providence Perfume Co., located in Providence, Rhode Island.

The focus of the perfume intensive was formulating true colognes - citrus, green, fresh, unisex compositions.

Today, most people think of the word "cologne" as a term for a man's fragrance. However, there is another meaning to the word which describes a perfume that originated in Cologne, Germany. These scents are light and refreshing - perfect for the spring and summer.

Pictured below is an enormous jar of orange peel tincture that we used to make one of our perfumes.

The most famous Original Eau de Cologne is called 4711 - named after its location in Germany at Glockengasse No. 4711. We all got to pass around and smell a bottle of this famous perfume.
​(Pictured below). The scent was just how I imagined it . . .

We also challenged ourselves to formulate five perfumes of various cologne styles:
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• The Florida Water Cologne
• The Classic Cologne
• The Citrus Cologne
• The Green/Fresh/Herbaceous Cologne
• The Floral Cologne

(The Florida Water Cologne was my favorite - think juicy citrus with a hint of spice).

After the workshop finished, I had a chance to check out Cellar Stories Books. I discovered a lovely vintage book on fragrant plants and flowers. A nice ending to a productive weekend of learning and blending!