I have always been fascinated by the world of perfumes. When I visited the perfume museum in Cologne, Germany, I discovered the intricate and captivating science behind fragrances.
Perfumes are a sophisticated blend of scents arranged in a pyramid based on their volatility or vapor pressure. Top notes, such as floral oils, are highly volatile and provide the initial burst of fragrance that lasts about 1 to 2 hours. Middle notes, like pine needle or pink pepper, linger longer—up to 4 hours. Finally, base notes such as sandalwood are the most persistent, lasting for up to 24 hours. Together, these layers create a harmonious symphony that defines a perfume’s unique character.
I realized that commercially available perfumes are mass-produced to suit common preferences, which may not cater to individual tastes. What if each person’s unique genetic and psychological makeup influenced their ideal fragrance? Were these personal preferences being overlooked in today’s perfume market?
While some custom perfume shops attempt to address this market gap by asking verbal questions about preferred scents, this method felt insufficient. Some allow people to choose ingredients from a list. However this is impractical since people are often unfamiliar with complex notes like Ambergris, Frankincense, various Musks etc. , making it challenging to express their true preferences.
Through deeper exploration of olfactory science and countless experiments with friends and family, I discovered that scent preferences vary significantly between individuals. Inspired by this insight, I developed a system that measures personal scent preferences using a scientifically crafted set of tester samples. These are carefully crafted combinations of ingredients designed to reveal personal preferences. By analyzing these responses, I could create customized perfumes tailored to each person’s unique taste.
We also do not use outdated traditional perfumery practices like weights, droppers etc. We use modern equipment like micropipettes which allows us to be precise, reproducible and saves a lot of expensive material while experimenting.
This journey led to the creation of Perfumelab23.com — a one-of-a-kind service that combines science with artistry to deliver truly personalized perfumes. We invite you to explore your own olfactory identity with us and discover a fragrance that feels uniquely yours.
-by Kaveri Dole, Andover High, Massachusetts.
Wow! What an exciting concept!
Please, please, please send me an invite!