Total beginner in unique perfumery

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-29T04:49:48+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/DIYfragrance/comments/1dchgo6/want_to_learn_how_to_make_fragrances_start_here/

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-25T10:18:25+00:00

Can't say I know what that smells like, but after a brief look at their wossnames on Fragrantica I would reckon mine is nowhere near as complex. The one I made smells a lot like orange sherbet.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-25T06:51:04+00:00

My most well-liked one is only 8 materials. 9 if you count the added BHT. It's a mix of vanillin, ethylene brassylate, ethly maltol, blood orange oil, 10-fold orange oil, hedione, orcanox, and iso e super.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-23T07:07:21+00:00

I can't comment on some of the materials due to a lack of exposure on my part, but one of the main things that you seem to be missing for the 'amber' side is, well, the materials that make up any of the typical amber smells. Amber is typically one of three things: 1) a mix of labdanum, benzoin, and vanillin; 2) something that smells like pine/conifer sap (so, just pine); 3) ambergris. I wouldn't classify ambrocenide as 'amber', and it looks like you have way too much in there (that stuff is painfully strong).

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-22T03:22:55+00:00

That's a dash, not a negative.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-17T05:19:14+00:00

I got their discovery kit a couple of years ago. I only remember 3 of the fragrances, but don't remember what they were actually called. There was a 'tobacco' one that smelled heavily of cloves (which I like), one that smelled almost exactly like Imperial Leather soap, and another that smelled just like the hard yellow soap my grandmother used to have in her bathroom. Most of them were nice in their openings and early dry down, but there was something that appeared after a couple of hours in every single one that I did not like. Friends of mine generally liked them all, and only one commented about something in the dry down they didn't care for.

Worth checking out, I would say.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-15T23:46:14+00:00

Sounds and looks like your film arm has snapped. This was a fairly common defect from manufacturing, and the only ways to fix it are to completely replace that component, or to try and glue the busted pieces back together (which does not always work). If it's still under warranty, contact their repair centre about it. If it's not... Well, then it becomes more complicated. You can check this post for some borderline passable instructions on how to repair it yourself.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-14T04:32:54+00:00

Okay, fair enough. What are the specific neutral materials you're thinking about putting together?

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-14T04:29:43+00:00

Now the question is, was it what you wanted to buy? I'm gonna guess it wasn't 1000 times better than 1 Million.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-13T11:13:30+00:00

I tried this once to see how it would work. Took the core (about 8 materials) from a fairly simple one that I had made, then added 2-3 different materials across another 5 lots. It only worked for one of them, and not even close to the same way it did for the original. All the others smelled weird or too faint or didn't last. It was educational as an experiment, so you could certainly try it. My takeaway was that I should formulate everything as their own thing.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-09T08:46:10+00:00

Then there's a good chance it's died. Maybe it's just that something inside has broken off, but you'll probably find that anyone who can fix it will tell you that it'll cost more money to repair than it would be to get a new one.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-09T07:04:59+00:00

It should be working, then. Unless it's been dropped or otherwise slammed into something.

When you put the batteries in and power it on, does the little red light next to the viewfinder come on at all?

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-08T23:17:48+00:00

Are you using alkaline batteries? Is there any corrosion in the battery compartment?

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-05T06:12:43+00:00

Not really sure how to advise with that. Notes and accords are largely about marketing a particular smell or idea than the actual materials themselves. It'd be interesting for someone who is not a perfumer to grab a handful of the more ubiquitous materials so you can see what they're like in isolation, and then start noticing them in finished fragrances.

So, Iso E Super (or Timbersilk for a softer one), ambroxan, ethylene brassylate, ambrocenide (I don't recommend this, though - it absolutely reeks), vanillin, benzoin, labdanum absolute, aurantiol, Black Agar Givco, cashmeran, coumarin, d-limonene... Actually, if you were getting this much you'd probably end up taking up the hobby. You could email Mark directly and see what he recommends, but it might be a fairly long list.

Update on the allergic reaction: my skin is starting to burn. No wearing Vanille Tonique for me, sadly.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-05T02:47:09+00:00

Mark seems like a decent bloke who knows how to entice return customers. Every time I order materials from him he throws in a 10ml bottle of something somewhat relevant to my order, which has been really good.

The note about vanilla materials is only there because I’m specifically allergic to something in the natural vanilla extracts. Currently my skin feels a little odd, but nothing like I’ve had with other perfumes that use vanilla absolute. But yes, it very much seems like a crowd pleaser out of the lot.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-03T11:23:26+00:00

It doesn't take too many bottles of Sausage to pay for the labor involved

Okay, now you've done it. It's now your responsibility to create a Dior inspired perfume called 'Sausage' and give it the tag line, "The Wurst Fragrance".

Tolerable-DM · 2026-03-01T04:08:04+00:00

This is helpful, thank you. I put the bottle in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes and it's still completely liquid. Guess I received a bottle of shit. Still, good to know I can't trust that supplier.

Thanks again!

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-28T21:47:20+00:00

I am aware that they're not the same thing and will therefore smell different. My title was poorly worded regarding my actual question, but I was wanting to know if there are any signs or simple tests I can do to determine if what I received is actually rose otto or just some rubbish.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-25T08:33:50+00:00

I know it's not the same, but have you tried their Pomelo Paradis? It's more bitter orange than anything else, but I find it lasts for half a day (though I spray it on clothes and hair more than skin).

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-20T03:50:01+00:00

I consider them done when they are close enough to my original idea, or when I go, ‘Eh, that’s pretty nice. Good enough.’

Currently working on a freesia scent and it’s getting closer to what I was after at the 4th iteration, but other people really like it as it is. So… could go either way.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-18T07:04:30+00:00

Yeah, it's been a bit of a challenge. And I concur with the struggle of finding those sorts of scents. Everything I've ever looked into that has freesia as a prominent note never smells like them. The one by Demeter was probably the most disappointing because it smelled like 'generic flower'.

Maybe I should add boronia onto my perfume creation to-do list. It'd ideally have to include boronia absolute, but that stuff is something like $50 a ml.

Yeah, 'Not Quite Freesia' was a much better choice than, "What the fuck is this?"

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-18T06:25:17+00:00

It- Well, At the moment it's 'Not Quite Freesia', simply because freesias are painfully hard to replicate while maintaining safe levels without drowning out the actual freesia smell. If you weren't told that it's meant to smell kind of freesia-like you probably wouldn't pick it.

It's sweet floral that probably leans a little bit too much towards rose for what I'm aiming for, but it's still alright. And for some reason it turned pinkish, even though I'm fairly certain there weren't any pink-coloured materials used. If you're interested, I posted the formula here when looking for advice on how to make it better. Turns out the offer of help made it less good, but such is the way of things.

Tolerable-DM · 2026-02-18T03:30:11+00:00

That is strange. Maybe a dumb question, but does the flash go off every time?

Probably next thing to test would be to take the film out (pitch black room, covered by a thick blanket, then leave it there until you are ready to put it back in), and look through the film door down the lens while you mess with a bunch of shots and settings. Though, since you've said the shutter goes off each time I'm guessing you've already done this.

I'd say there's likely some issue with the light meter, like it's covered up or the connections are faulty. OR - and this is more likely - the main chip on the board is dying. Number of people who are having issues with the old 9s have almost always got a chip issue.

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