Perfumery school

How to smell a perfume

Build a useful olfactory vocabulary

The olfactory idea

Learning perfume begins with paying attention, not with memorising an impressive list of notes. A simple description that captures what you actually smell is more useful than a borrowed vocabulary.

Understanding the craft

Start on a labelled blotter and avoid spraying several fragrances into the same space. Give yourself breaks. When appropriate for the product and your skin, compare a small application with the blotter experience.

Explore it for yourself

Write three observations: texture, temperature association and change over time. Keep preference separate from description so that disliking a scent does not prevent you from understanding it.

Further reading: IFF Ingredients Compendium · Givaudan natural ingredient expertise. These resources offer broader technical context; they are not endorsements of CYDIVA.