The Perfume Making Podcast

• The Architecture of Aroma - Structuring Floral Fragrances

  Karen has a new live course coming up, on the 7th of July, and in this episode she wants to explore two things that link into that live course - Floral Fragrances and Structure. Working with florals, without experience, can be an overwhelming task that often leads to disappointing results as florals are dense materials that fight with each other if you don’t know how to mix them. But, when you get florals right, they can lead to some of the most rewarding results in all of perfume making. In this episode, Karen gives a brief overview of the challenges you will face when working with florals, the methods you can use to overcome them and how, by signing up to her live course, you can become a master of working with florals. KEY TAKEAWAYS Floral materials by their very nature are dense and heavy. This can lead to less than pleasing results the first time you work with them, which can be off putting. However, the answer, as Karen explains, is making sure you have a structure in place. Despite popular belief, working with florals doesn’t just mean working with natural products. Karen explains how to mix naturals and synthetics to give your floral fragrances a structure that works. A common mistake people make when working with florals is trying to ‘patch up’ a fragrance that doesn’t smell the way they were hoping. Karen talks about why this is a mistake and the importance of getting your heart accord correct to avoid this problem. Karen gives a brief overview of the structure she teaches, why it works and what to expect from your fragrances once you’ve learned it through her live course. BEST MOMENTS “Once you create a solid fragrance structure, you’re going to be able to use that in every other fragrance type.” “The issue isn’t the materials, it’s the space between them.” “People often think that more florals equals better floral fragrance, but it doesn’t work like that.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Perfume Making 101 Masterclass  Getting Started Guide 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 Instagram Facebook YouTube Email This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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• Reflections of 30 Years - Things I Would Tell My Younger Self

  Inspired by a recent chat with her social media manager, and the realisation that she is approaching thirty years in the perfume business, Karen has decided to take a look back and ponder on the thing that she would tell her younger self if the opportunity arose. When you’re new to anything, whether it be a perfume business or not, you are also naive. Only with time, failure and growth can we realise the mistakes we have made in the past. In this episode, Karen looks back at her career and imparts her wisdom upon you, from learning to say no to being your authentic self, so that you don’t make the mistakes that befall so many. KEY TAKEAWAYS One of the biggest mistakes new businesses make, and one Karen did herself, is setting your price point lower than your competitors in the hope that it will win you more customers. Karen debunks this idea and tells you how to calculate a price that works for you and your customers. When your business venture is new and exciting, work doesn’t feel like work and you find yourself working longer hours. However, as Karen learned that hard way, your energy is not unlimited. Karen explains why ‘sustainable’ isn’t just ideal, it’s the only way. A lesson that Karen learned from her first ever business is one that still holds true today - “Build your business around your life, not the other way around.” Karen’s new business adopts this philosophy and she shares how different her life is because of it. ‘Be Who You Are’ - is one of the biggest lessons Karen has learnt. In her early days in business she tried to be the person she thought her direct audience wanted her to be, but this became exhausting. BEST MOMENTS “The clients who choose you, just because you’re cheap, are not the clients you want.” “You do not need permission to call yourself a perfumer. If you’re doing that job, you’ve earned the right.” “Being who you truly are is what attracts your most authentic customers.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Perfume Making 101 Waitlist  Rose Fragrance Masterclass Wait List Journal Prompts Getting Started Guide 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 Instagram Facebook YouTube Email This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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• Lessons That Last Part 4 - Building a Brand Without Breaking the Bank

  To date, my new mini-series has very much been focused on the creation of your fragrances. However, once it’s created, it becomes the time to put it out into the big wide world. But, how do you achieve it if you’re a small independent perfume maker and you don’t have the marketing budget or resources of a big company? Whether you know it or not, you’re also carrying an expectation that you’ll put your product on the internet and people will flock to buy it. In this episode, I give you the reality of both: what is achievable with marketing within a small indie brand, and what you should expect, and why both of these things can be much bigger and more prosperous than you think.  KEY TAKEAWAYS The reality versus the expectation of making your first social media post or putting out your first advert is huge. Karen explains what people subconsciously think will happen, what the reality of most situations are, why you’re not alone and what to expect.   In the absence of large budgets and a dedicated marketing team, it can feel like you’re in a David versus Goliath fight most days. However, as Karen explains, the real strengths of marketing lie elsewhere.  Artists do not always feel comfortable selling themselves. Talking about your own work can leave you feeling self conscious or even arrogant, but it is a crucial part of the process. Karen gives you some courage and some tips on how to sell yourself effectively.  All the marketing, sales, likes and comments on social media will never make you happy unless you know the answer to one very important question - “what does success look like to me?” Karen goes into depth on the importance of this point and how knowing the answer is the difference between real success and failure. BEST MOMENTS  “The gap between the energy you put into the creation and the silence on your first social media post is where a lot of people spiral.” “Your most important marketing tool is to have real clarity about what you're doing, why you’re creating, who it is for.” “You can’t make someone buy something they don’t want. But you can share what you’ve created in a way that will connect with the right people.” EPISODE LINKS Perfume Making 101 Waitlist  Rose Fragrance Masterclass Wait List VALUABLE RESOURCES Getting Started Guide 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 Instagram Facebook YouTube Email  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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• Lessons That Last Part 3 - How to Structure a Scent

  A problem that most of Karen’s students inevitably face is how to structure a scent. Once they learn the perfume pyramid, top, middle and base notes, they assume that they have learned all they need to know…but they haven’t.  The problems arise when synthetic materials are introduced as the perfume pyramid is not the best model for them. In this episode, Karen is going to break down when the pyramid structure works and when you should seek alternative solutions, and, she’s also going to share her tried and tested method when working with synthetics.  KEY TAKEAWAYS What exactly is the ‘Pyramid Method’? How and why does it work? What is the structure? And how do you use it? Karen tells you all you need to know about this method. In Karen’s ‘One Day Natural Perfume’ class she teaches a method based around creating accords. She discusses this method, why and how it works and why it is a perfect alternative to the ‘Pyramid Method’. But once you’ve got your accords how do you work with them? Karen explains why accords are the best foundation of creating a scent, but why, once you’ve created them, you still have work to do.  Once you’ve got an understanding of the different methods of creating a scent, you are left with a question “Which is the right method to use?” Karen details the questions you have to consider when deciding on the right method for the fragrance you are creating.  BEST MOMENTS  “The perfume pyramid works brilliantly for natural perfume because volatility matters.” “If you master creating great accords, you’re not going to be starting from scratch every time you make a perfume.” “There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method for every fragrance you will make. They are all tools to help you.” EPISODE LINKS Perfume Making 101 Wait List Rose Fragrance Masterclass Wait List VALUABLE RESOURCES Getting Started Guide 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 Instagram Facebook YouTube Email This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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• Lessons That Last Part 2 - Learning Materials

  After taking a slight detour to the Rose Retreat last week, Karen is back with her ‘Lessons that Last’ mini-series, and this week she is taking a look at the process and importance of learning materials.  The most important, but also time-consuming aspect of perfume making is learning materials, because without knowing how they smell, interact with each other and react to the skin, you simply can’t make fragrances. There are so many materials the task of learning them inside out can appear to be impossible. But fear not, it is possible, and Karen is here to share all the tips and tricks you need to get through the materials phase without losing your mind. KEY TAKEAWAYS Most people are faced with huge overwhelm when they first encounter materials, mainly when the realization hits them that the task of learning them is so much bigger than they expected. Karen breaks down why this overwhelm occurs and how best to manage it. Your understanding of materials will change over time. With this in mind, Karen gives suggestions for how you might plan your learning and also how to make sure you keep going.  Another great way to reduce that overwhelm is to work in a space that feels good to you. Karen shares her top tips on creating the perfect workspace.  Creating a ritual, or as Karen says “Making it something you want to do as opposed to something on your to-do list”, can be a valuable tool to help ease the burden on learning materials. Karen gives some suggestions on how to implement this way of working.  BEST MOMENTS  “Materials are part of a building block of a fragrance. Some don’t smell great on their own. Some don’t click until you start to understand how they work.” “You don’t have to master materials on day one, but you do have to keep going.” “Learning materials is like learning a language, and the best way to learn a language is by using it.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Getting Started Guide 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 Instagram Facebook YouTube Email This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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