Making a Mod: Embracing Iteration in Perfume Making and Doing It Right

This week Karen follows on from the conversation she had about learning to evaluate your perfumes. She covers something that is done as a matter of course in the industry. It's something a lot of people, especially when they're new, don't really get - making more than one version of your fragrance. Or, in industry terms, making a mod.

Karen explains why learning to be patient and tweaking your perfume gradually is an essential skillset and how to perfect the art of iteration.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Feeling disappointed with your first perfume draft is normal; instead of interpreting your setbacks as a lack of talent, treat each version as a learning step that even experienced perfumers face.

• Change only one element at a time and refrain from altering your original batch. Record each change and its impact on a spreadsheet so you can clearly track what makes things better or makes things worse.

• If you reach a creative block after many iterations, it’s fine to set a project aside and return later with a fresh perspective. Sometimes, solutions only emerge with time and new experience.

• Perfumery is a journey of constant learning and self-improvement. Make use of community resources and classes as needed, and keep up the habit of practice and iteration.

BEST MOMENTS

“The truth is nobody makes a perfect perfume in one go….you are creating your first draft.”

“Without a clear direction (a brief) you are not going to be able to evaluate anything - if you can't evaluate it, you are not going to be able to improve it.”

“The whole point of creating mods, or iterations of a fragrance, is comparison.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

In-Person Classes: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/studio-classes

Fragrance For Skincare Course: https://www.onlineperfumeschool.com/creating-fragrance-for-skincare-products-online-course Fragrance Formulation blog post - ⁠https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/fragrance-formulation⁠

Last week´s evaluating your perfume episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evaluating-your-fragrances-how-to-judge-your-scent/id1693602939?i=1000738045728

Getting Started Guide: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/podcast-getting-started-guide

Artisan Perfumery Mastermind: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/artisan-perfumery-mastermind

ABOUT THE HOST

Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.

Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.

With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.

Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.

CONTACT DETAILS

Website - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karengilbert/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenGilbert.co.uk

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@KarenGilbertPerfumeMaking

Email - karen@karengilbert.co.uk

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/