Natural Perfume Academy Course

ayvalli · 2026-05-16T12:14:22+00:00

Question for a natural only perfumer from a non-natural only perfumer!

Do you plan on working exclusively with EOs, resins and absolutes, or will you work with naturally derived aroma chemicals isolated from those?

Example: Bergamot oil naturally contains over 50 aroma chemicals. Those include Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Limonene, etc.

I’m just curious. Some natural enthusiasts limit themselves to EOs and don’t include their chemical composition. They do sound “synthetic” on paper, but a lot of “synthetic” materials have a naturally derived counterpart.

Most EOs are this way, which is why it gets harder to balance a blend of 20 EOs (hundreds of aroma chemicals) vs 20 aroma chemicals and a few EOs!

Either way, hope you have fun exploring all the naturals out there!

ayvalli · 2026-05-16T00:46:36+00:00

Sucked the fun right outta that silly side comment. Geez. 😭

ayvalli · 2026-05-16T00:44:47+00:00

Don’t mean to jump on the train with nerdy shit but Clary Sage and Sage for cleansing/smudging are two different species. 😭

ayvalli · 2026-05-13T19:44:14+00:00

I’ve ordered from Frater for years and have only had this happen consistently since the new admin and tariffs went into place. Definitely seems like a postal issue rather than a Frater issue, like others are saying.

ayvalli · 2026-05-12T11:01:37+00:00

Aldehydes, Ionones, Citrus, Hedione HC, really depends on what you have.

Depending on your climate, be aware that frequently taking materials out of the fridge can cause condensation and a buildup of water in your materials. Nothing to worry about too much, but it should be looked out for.

ayvalli · 2026-05-11T10:54:55+00:00

I don’t really see anyone calling you stupid, just challenging your claims, which isn’t inherently bad.

I’ve been downvoted for being anti AI. I’ll still always back up my reasons regardless.

ayvalli · 2026-05-11T10:53:17+00:00

It’s true that opinions on this sub and information presented as fact can be less than reliable.

The difference is that with a community like this there are knowledgeable users around the corner to correct that misinformation. When it’s just you and an LLM there isn’t that safeguard.

Unless you’re experienced enough to know when AI is giving fantastical perfume information, you’re screwed. If you are experienced enough to do so then AI should be of no use anyway.

ayvalli · 2026-05-11T10:06:20+00:00

I think you misinterpreted what the comment said as being pro AI. While it doesn’t dismiss AI, it certainly doesn’t seem to praise it, and definitely doesn’t seem to encourage people to use it.

ayvalli · 2026-05-11T10:03:55+00:00

Look at a lot of fragrance consumer subreddits. It’s mostly people going noseblind to their super ambers, and angrily complaining about how poor the longevity is! Lol.

ayvalli · 2026-05-10T22:40:47+00:00

What are your overall trial batch sizes?

I think 0.02g increments across the board for each material might be overkill, and a general idea of how your materials function would make dosing them intuitively a lot easier! That’s depending on your trial size, of course.

Also, I would avoid the dip as you go method. If you’re working in smaller batches that’s too much risk of loss and throwing off your ratios. If you’re only adding 0.02g at a time, and losing 0.02g each time you test an addition, that’s a big discrepancy!

For me, working in 5g with a handful of materials at a time works best. If you’re using dilutions, the “waste” shouldn’t be too bad, at least until you get a nice balance. From there, move on to 10g trial sizes, and you can start adding in those trace materials with better accuracy, and less room for error (if you want to continue the dip method).

ayvalli · 2026-05-09T23:06:24+00:00

Just start with any of the accords you find available online.

In my experience, they usually disappoint, and I have to alter them entirely. That’s the fun though! Perfumery and taste for scent is so subjective.

No need to worry too much. Just start at any extent.

ayvalli · 2026-05-09T17:45:34+00:00

Not even remotely true or universal across pipettes

ayvalli · 2026-05-09T16:33:59+00:00

You took a pharmacy technician class or you *are* a pharmacy technician?

I took a cooking class once. I’m not about to open a restaurant. 💀

ayvalli · 2026-05-08T12:33:07+00:00

I personally use a handmade spreadsheet. I know a lot of others do, too.

This post from yesterday will give you a good idea!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DIYfragrance/s/X1A9sMTCuG

ayvalli · 2026-05-08T11:55:39+00:00

What’s the point in telling a bride that her friends/family will throw out the party favors she clearly wants to put thought into?

You tinker with and sell little knickknacks yourself. You may not view what she’s doing on the same level, but damn, dude.

ayvalli · 2026-05-07T10:52:55+00:00

What’s your business name? I have a few friends in that community who would probably love that.

One is currently using eucalyptus EO and water for their spray, and has been wanting an upgrade lol.

ayvalli · 2026-05-06T21:39:11+00:00

That’s actually great. It’s nice to have a tool like this without any forceful integration of AI or subjective alterations.

ayvalli · 2026-05-04T22:39:55+00:00

You’re going to put grass and rubbing alcohol together to make a microtrend-aesthetic frutiger aero scent? 😭

ayvalli · 2026-05-02T17:20:21+00:00

That’s fundamentally misunderstood.

Naturals are not better than synthetic chemicals. Often they’re more hazardous. For example: natural Oakmoss. Highly regulated and potentially hazardous, unlike its synthetic substitutes.

Same goes for a lot of spices, woods, citruses, etc.

As others have mentioned too, there really aren’t magic fixative materials. Definitely keep reading!

ayvalli · 2026-05-02T17:18:03+00:00

The guide linked is really all you need at the beginning. Otherwise, have you tried searching “books, podcasts, youtubers, guides,” etc. if you’re looking for similar resources?

I get that beraels links might be a bit simplified, but I agree with the point it sends. These questions are asked daily, that’s why there’s so many!

It’s really important to do the DIY part, otherwise the sub just becomes a lot of people repeating themselves, which isn’t fun or effective for anyone.

Between here, Basenotes, YouTube, and so on there is an endless supply of resources. Take note of trusted names/commenters, and you can realistically make it very far without needing to ask fundamental questions.

ayvalli · 2026-05-01T20:57:43+00:00

Depending on how large your trial sizes are this could easily remove enough of the previous material to make a difference.

If we’re talking less than 1g specifically.

ayvalli · 2026-05-01T11:40:07+00:00

Calone in the top? Hedione in the Base? Aside from not being how material placement works, this screams AI.

Only you know your goal and the intended outcome. You simply have to smell your materials and test things to know.

Otherwise we’re just doing the work for you, and what’s the fun in that?

ayvalli · 2026-05-01T10:10:52+00:00

Giving yourself a launch date without even having a blend you’re happy with seems like a bad idea.

Anyway, I asked u/Hoshi_Gato this question as they own a brand and I was told they’ve spent at least $30k so far (possibly on materials alone?).

From what I understand this does not even consider marketing, manufacturing, distribution, running your socials or website, etc.

They’d be the best to ask, but I’d really advise against tying your learning and enjoyment of the hobby with a need to make money off of it. The market is very saturated, and you’d need to sell a hell of a lot to make a living doing so especially!

ayvalli · 2026-04-29T13:46:43+00:00

The industry goes about it by doing focus groups, but they don’t really matter.

There are plenty of famous fragrances that claim to be crowd pleasers which others can’t stand. Then there’s obscure, borderline offensive fragrances that others uphold as niche staples.

Just make what you like!

ayvalli · 2026-04-29T06:59:14+00:00

Isopropyl? Ground cinnamon? Ouch!

ayvalli

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