In our present environment, after the Covid-19 pandemic, it seems that we have mostly lost our Olfactory sense and must re-learn to smell. 
Mask protection and lockouts affected our sense of perception of reality, blocking our free instinctive power to breath and lowering the capacity of the Olfactory Sense.  Now that we are beginning to become free of masks, we need to re-train our sense of smell and our breathing techniques.

From birth we connect with our mothers through the sense of smell.
Our mothers when having us as babies, not only shared genes, but also shared phenotype features such as smells. Babies have a very fresh and well-developed sense of smell which guides them to receive messages that make them feel safe. The olfactory sense of babies is so sensitive that allows them to react to odours through motor reactions, respiratory and cardiac rhythmic changes. Babies less than two weeks old orient themselves automatically towards maternal odours. They learn to recognise their mother by her smell, which they will prefer to any other smell and will bond to it. It could be said that “newborns” see with their noses.
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People losing their olfactory sense, very often develop symptoms of depression and feel very isolated aside from having a great negative impact in their quality of life and a loss of their sense of safety. That is why it is so important to re-train our sense of smell through Olfaction Training, suitable for future perfumers, trained perfumers and people suffering from affected sense of smell like anosmia, hyposmia or dysosmia conditions.

There is also a Health aspect associated with the correct way of using our sense of smell and our relationship with Nature.
​It is now paramount to protect our Natural Resources, our flora, woodlands, rivers, lakes, and oceans, as they provide us with scent molecules that can contribute positively to our health and even repair our DNA. We, as Humans, share DNA with other species. We can even repair our hormones and DNA by smelling scents from Nature, like flowers or plants, by using proper Breathing and Olfaction Techniques and using the Natural Raw Materials adequate for Natural Perfumery and Aromatherapy.

Many of these and other natural plant raw materials have been used for a thousand years in many forms.
Fumes, ointments, oils, and essential oils with purifying effects have been used for their restorative properties to our healthy electromagnetic vibration frequencies.
Essential oils’ scent molecules travel to the nose receptors that detect the oil molecules with specific frequency, and then send signals of these vibrational frequencies to the brain.
​The intention of the healing process is to provide the correct vibrational frequency required that will bring the brain and body back to a state of coherence. This is the therapy by special vibration remedies capable of healing or rebalancing the brain’s and body’s DNA cells.
That it is why is so important to smell raw materials from Nature and not from synthetic molecules, as the Natural scent molecules have all the complete vibrational frequency codes necessary to be used in healing.  Synthetic scent molecules will not have the same healing power, would not be beneficial for treating health matters and, in the worst cases, may distort our hormones and DNA.​

The New Luxury Code
For these reasons, the International Perfume Foundation developed the “New Luxury Code” in Natural Perfumery products that allows us as perfumers to work on this goal by taking into consideration the meaning of “Luxury” as respectful, exceptional, sustainable, perfect, not necessarily expensive, smells and feels great, contributes to culture, sensitive to everyone’s culture, produces a change, makes us happy, and is eternally beautiful.

The Natural Perfumery Teacher's Academy is proposing monthly online Olfaction Training Courses in French, English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic languages. 

Perfumery has been an integral part of human life for centuries, with the use of natural fragrances dating back to ancient civilizations. One of the key ingredients in any heritage perfume is Musk, which has a rich history worldwide. Musk is a complex and intriguing aroma that adds depth and complexity to fragrances, but it has also been controversial due to its animal origins. In this article, we look closer at the different types of Musk used in the perfumery industry and how it has been adapted to natural perfumery while keeping the ethical concerns surrounding their use. 
 
A brief history of Musk 
The use of Musk in perfumery dates to ancient times, with the ancient Egyptians and Romans using Musk in their perfumes. Musk was considered a luxury item and often used in religious ceremonies. The Musk used in ancient times came from the musk deer, a small deer found in Asia. The musk deer produces a glandular secretion with a strong, musky odor, collected. Sometimes part in rituals to ward off negative vibrations or as a medical remedy, Musk has crossed civilizations and borders.
If its use varied from one culture to another, all recognized the aphrodisiac virtues of Musk. This property originates in the animal world: during the rutting period, the musk horse secretes an odorous liquid that bewitches females.
By the 6th century, Musk was discovered by Greek explorers, making its way across India into the Arabic regions. From this time, Musk's power and popularity took off, turning into everything from perfumes to pomander balls to ward off smells and disease. 
From the 8th to the 13th century, animal musk was a must to perfume clothes and interiors. However, it was in the 12th century that this substance arrived in Western Europe. By the 15th century, the musk trade peaked, and Islamic culture and regional rituals used it to represent the smell of heaven. 
In the 19th century, Musk became even more popular in the perfumery industry, and the demand for Musk led to the overhunting of musk deer. It led to a decline in the musk deer population and made Musk expensive and rare. As a result, the perfumery industry began to look for alternative sources of Musk, like synthetic Musk. Still nowadays, however. 
The appeal of Musk's warm, sensual scent reached its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, and it has now become an essential component in perfumery and cosmetics. 
 
Musk and Animal Cruelty
The use of Musk from the musk deer has been controversial due to the harm caused to the animals. Harvesting Musk from the musk deer requires killing the animal, leading to the overhunting of the musk deer and a decline in their population. In addition, the musk deer is a protected species, and the harvesting of Musk is illegal in many countries. 
While natural Musk from the musk deer has decreased, some perfumers still use it in their perfumes. Since the growing era of synthetics, Musk has been king and still nowadays. Perfumers add Musk to their formula to add a long-lasting effect and a soft sensual facet to their scent. Conventional perfumery uses synthetics Musk for those reasons and the cost efficiency of formulas.
Besides the impact on our health and the olfactory flatness of the synthetic component, it contributes to making conventional perfumes smell the same. Musk becomes a joker card for traditional perfumers who overuse it, often forgetting or not knowing that natural musky notes can be more flattering for the senses than they imagine.
However, there has been a growing trend toward using Musk from plant sources in natural perfumery, and it is so much more interesting in terms of olfactory quality!

The Use of Musk from Plant Sources in Natural Perfumery
Musk from plant sources has become increasingly popular in natural perfumery. Musk's most common plant source is the ambrette seed, which has a sweet musky aroma; it is called the seeds of Musk. However, it is possible to use other plant sources to build musk accords and provide the same olfactory enchantment and perfume-lasting quality. 
Plant-based Musk has a different aroma than animal-based Musk but still adds depth and complexity to perfumes. The olfactory specifics of botanical musk depend on the source of the Musk. For example, when ambrette seed musk has a sweet and musky aroma, angelica root has a spicy facet. Plant-based Musk is often combined with other natural perfume ingredients to create unique and complex accords. 
 
What does botanical musk accord bring to a natural perfume?
Using plant-based Musk in natural perfumery has opened a new world of possibilities for perfumers, allowing them to create unique and sustainable fragrances. It ignites the perfumer's creativity and adds another dimension to a natural perfumed composition. Moreover, it is a source of inspiration for noses. In a natural perfume, musk accord brings a feeling of softness and comfort, a deep, reassuring sensation.
This olfactory family is addictive and comforting: people who wear a perfume containing Musk feel a sense of serenity as if they were in a cocoon.
A long-lasting trail: in the composition of a perfume, the molecules contained in botanical musk accord play the role of fixers, which makes it possible to prolong the "sillage" of scents. The musky notes become binders between the various elements of the agreement and bring roundness and sensuality. Popular in women's and mixed fragrances, we can use Musk in the base notes of compositions for those properties and its delightful character.
 
How to Compose Botanical Musk
Composing botanical musk requires a deep understanding of the different plant sources of Musk and their olfactory components. Perfumers must also have a keen sense of the other natural ingredients used in perfumes and how they interact with each other.
One way to learn how to compose botanical musk is through a masterclass. A masterclass is a great way to gain valuable knowledge and mastery from an experienced perfumer. In a masterclass, participants learn about the different plant sources of Musk, their olfactory properties, and how to combine them with other natural ingredients to create unique and complex accords and natural fragrances. Creating your signature musk accord is a must for a natural perfumer and a secret formulation that make your natural fragrances outstanding while being sustainable and from plant sources. 
If you're interested in learning how to compose botanical musk and want to take your natural perfumery skills to the next level, then a masterclass is the perfect way. Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming masterclass, where you'll learn from experienced perfumers and gain hands-on experience in creating natural perfumes.
 
By learning how to use plant-based Musk in perfumes, you'll be able to create unique and complex fragrances that are both sustainable and ethical.
So, join us for our upcoming masterclass on June 5 and take your natural perfumery skills to the next level!   Botanical Musk Accords Master Class   
 
 
 

For a long time, Perfume remained an important source of revenue for Greece.
In the Bronze Age, Egypt, due to its geographical, protected and isolated location and by its geological wealth and cultures, was obliged to import raw materials from Arabia and the Aegean Islands. 
Egypt was rich in gold, but did not possess the raw materials necessary for making perfumes. Arabs, Hadramaout (South Yemen) and Dhofar (Oman) provided Egypt with scented woods and resins (myrrh, incense, olebanon) and Greeks provided flowers, herbs and their talents of perfumers in the confection of perfumed oils.
Greece was then a country of farmers, breeders, Artisan Corporations and a fighting aristocracy. Greece was a country of scents, herbs, flowers and plants.
Due to its geographical location and its numerous surrounding islands, Greece was a gateway to Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt. 
The Greeks are credited for having added to spices, to gums and to balms, oils scented with flowers.
Flowers and plants used for export had to be preserved and transformed.  
Olive oil, one of the main resources of Greece, was used as an ointment and as an excipient or absorbent in perfume oils. The Greeks practiced ‘enfleurage’ and from an early age, the art of creating perfumed oils.  

In the time of Ancient Egypt, perfume was used mainly to communicate with the gods; during Ancient Greece, it was used to resemble the gods. 
Perfume was actually used by Egyptians but never throughout history could Egyptians, impregnated with fragrant scents, assist human divination, not only in the sculptural art that gave the gods their human faces and bodies, but also in the wearing of perfume that participated in this quest of perfection by making humans more divine.
Since gods smell good, to be like them you must smell divinely good.
The Greeks associate perfume to the erotic power of the union of two people. 
The Greeks buried their dead with their possessions and a terracotta vase or alabaster containing perfume. 
For poor people, vials painted onto the coffin replaced the alabasters. 
The perfume played the role of intermediary between the world of people and that of Gods and helped the dead to reach the other world.  
In everyday life, perfume was not a neutral thing, « thion », « myron » or a simple aroma but a feminine being. It was used in and for everything; as a life elixir, a nectar, and a ragweed.
It gave hope of immortality to humans because the Gods were beautiful and immortal.
For the author Virgil, Venus (Aphrodite) created the rose perfume.  "One day, Venus wanted to cut a white flower and pricked herself, covering her with an everlasting purple color.  To Cupid, the rose seemed so beautiful that he kissed it… This is where its smell comes from."

Towards the end of the II Millennium BC, the Greek industry acquired knowledge, “art de vivre” and know-how that gave birth to the Europe of Perfumes. 
Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History text (XIII 9-12 XV, 28-38), mentioned at least 22 kinds of perfumed oils, most of them extracted from plants naturally growing on the island of Crete: cypress, marjoram, broom, iris, spikenard, rose, myrtle, laurel, crocus, lily, juniper, pine, nut, almond, carnation, poppy, coriander, aniseed, cumin, narcissus, and daisy. 
During the period of the Mycenaeans, even taxes were paid in plants.  
Circa 1450 BC, perfumery was truly an industry controlled by the Masters of the Mycenaean palaces.  The decryption of linear writing par par Alice Kober in 1947 and  Michaël Ventris et John Chadwick in 1952, found on 20% of the 7000 Mycenaean clay tablets of the islands of the Aegean Sea show that a prominent position was given to scented products, ointments, incenses, aromatic wine, perfume oils, and spices.  Everything listed on these tablets provided a real accounting of orders and exports. 

Perfumery, in Greece was mainly a branch of medical science. Some odors excited or inspired while others healed. 
Hippocrates studied skincare in a comprehensive manner and advocated perfumed baths and massages combined with the use of aromatic substances to treat some diseases. He recommended remedies based on sage, cinnamon or cumin, applied either through fumigation, potions, frictions or aromatic baths. 
He also used perfume as a protection against diseases. It is said that he saved Athens from the plague by burning aromatic woods and hanging flower garlands in the streets. Hippocrates considered various oils used to preserve odors, the use of flowers and spices and the choice of a hundred perfumes for different states of mind and health both for men and women.

"Because both senses – taste and smell – are linked one to another, 
each serves somehow the pleasure of the other and man 
can thus discover fragrances either because it pleases the taste or the sense of smell.’’ Théophraste (400BC Book of Odors – Chapter III)

The Greeks were the first to utilize ‘’packaging’’ and ‘’marketing techniques’’. 
The alabasters, the oenochoes and the ariballoi were all made of terracotta decorated with trendy themes, perfectly understood by all the populations of the Mediterranean and all refer to Greek mythology or to major known themes. These vials were presented in various sizes in the same way as bottles are today: from the small inexpensive ariballoi vial containing little perfume to the enormous and expensive ariballoi jar which would today correspond to 1 litre of perfume.   
For a long time, perfumery items remained an important source of revenues for Greece. Cargos of wax-sealed vials and vases containing perfume oils were continuously leaving Peloponnese or Crete towards Mediterranean ports. 
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Masters in the Art of creating perfumes; Masters in the Art of Cosmetics, ornament and make-up; Masters of the Art of packaging: the Greeks created the first industry of perfumery during Ancient times. 

The Art of Fragrance Design has been around for centuries. It has evolved into a complex industry that requires a keen understanding of olfactory senses, cultural nuances, and regulatory guidelines.
Crafting a perfume that appeals to a specific audience while adhering to international laws is a challenging task that requires expertise and experience. IPF experts now offer unique services to support brands and perfumers in taking the next step toward success. In this article, we will present what our experts provide and how they can help your brand with fragrance design and professional formula building, from natural perfume formulas to packaging and branding, and finally, the product launch in Paris.
 
Natural Perfume Formula Respecting Worldwide Regulations
Creating a natural perfume formula that meets worldwide regulations is a daunting task. Regulations vary depending on the country, and it is essential to be aware of the laws governing the use of certain ingredients. Natural perfumes are made with essential oils, absolutes, and resins extracted from plants, and they must comply with the International regulations to be exported worldwide.  For example, certain essential oils are prohibited in some countries and for some products; it is crucial to be aware of these restrictions when formulating a natural perfume for worldwide sales objectives. This is our task to help you making your Natural Perfume Formula accepted by all countries.  
 
Natural Perfume Respecting Targeted Country's Cultures and Population's Olfactory Sense
Creating a fragrance that respects the targeted country's culture and population's olfactory sense is essential to ensure the product's success. Different cultures have unique olfactory preferences, and creating a fragrance that appeals to the local population is necessary. For example, in the Middle East, musk and oud are popular ingredients in perfumes, while in Japan, scents that evoke nature, such as cherry blossom and green tea, are preferred.
To create a fragrance that respects the targeted country's culture and population's olfactory sense, perfumers must deeply understand local preferences. They must conduct research and understand the cultural significance of different scents. When creating a fragrance, it is also essential to consider the climate and environment. For example, too-heavy fragrances may not be suitable for hot and humid climates. Our experts research to create a scent that resonates with the local population and appeals to their olfactory senses.
 
Fragrance Development and Production in Grasse
Grasse, a town located in the south of France, is known as the world's perfume capital. It is home to many perfume companies and is a hub for fragrance development and production. Our experts’ source high-quality ingredients locally and have worked with suppliers for generations. We collaborate with quality companies in regulatory support, product compliance, and manufacturing. Moreover, Grasse is a hub for fragrance development and production.
 
Packaging Design and Development
Packaging design and development are essential to the success of a fragrance. The packaging should be visually appealing and reflect the brand's values and personality. Creating a packaging design that reflects those values requires creativity and innovation. The packaging should be visually appealing and stand out on the shelves. It should also be functional and easy to use. Our experts work with packaging designers to create a design that meets all these requirements. Finally, the packaging should be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of packaging on the environment, and it is essential to create recyclable and sustainable packaging.
 
Branding and Marketing
Branding and marketing play a crucial role in the success of a fragrance. A brand must have a unique personality and values that resonate with its target audience. Moreover, the marketing strategy should be innovative, creative, and effective in reaching the target audience because it is crucial to understand their preferences and values. Our experts conduct market research to gain insights into the brand's target audience and create a brand that reflects their values and personality. Marketing a fragrance requires creativity and innovation. The marketing strategy is tailored to the target audience to reach them effectively.
 
Luxury Website Development
A luxury website is vital to the success of a fragrance. The website should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and provide consumers with all the information about the scent. Additionally, the website should be optimized for mobile devices, as many consumers now shop online using their smartphones. Finally, creating a luxury website requires expertise and experience. Our experts work with web designers to help you create a website that reflects the brand's values and personality. 
 
Products International Distribution
International distribution is critical to the success of a fragrance. The fragrance should be available in different countries and through various channels to reach the target audience effectively. Additionally, working with distributors with experience in the fragrance industry is essential, and can effectively market and distribute the product.
To ensure international distribution, our experts work with distributors with experience in the fragrance industry. These distributors deeply understand the local market and can effectively market and distribute the product. For example, online distribution may be more effective in some countries, while brick-and-mortar stores may be more effective in others.
 
Launch in Paris: Press Conference, Event, and Cocktail
Launching a fragrance in Paris is a unique experience that allows perfume formulators to showcase their product to a global audience. The launch should be a memorable event communicating the brand's values and personality.
The launch should include a press conference, event, and cocktail. The press conference should provide journalists with all the information about the fragrance, including its ingredients, formula, and packaging. In addition, our experts work with event planners to ensure that the launch is visually appealing and effectively communicates the brand's values and personality.
 
PR and International Media
PR and international media are crucial to the success of a fragrance as they can reach a global audience effectively. Moreover, working with PR experts to communicate the brand's values and personality effectively is essential. Our experts work with PR professionals with experience in the fragrance industry to ensure effective PR and international media coverage. They deeply understand the local market and can effectively communicate the brand's values and uniqueness to a global audience. Furthermore, our experts work with PR experts to choose the media outlets most effectively reach the target audience.
 
Possibility of "Made in France" on Your Packaging
"Made in France" is a label with high value in the fragrance industry. It signifies that the fragrance was made in France, known for its perfumery expertise. Adding "Made in France" on the packaging can increase the product's perceived value and appeal to consumers who value French-made products. However, adding "Made in France" on the packaging is only possible if the fragrance has been created in France. Our experts work with suppliers and manufacturers based in France to allow clients to add this label to the packaging.
 
IPF's Commitment to your Brand
All brands and natural perfumes developed with the support of the IPF Teacher's Academy's Experts Consultancies will automatically benefit from The International Perfume Foundation promotion and labelling:

• Announcement in "Reconnect with Nature," IPF Newsletter (10.000 readers)
• Promotion of your launches on social media
• Brand Certification: First-year labelling offered (annual fee of 1,000€)
• Your logo on our Brand Certification page
• The authorization to add the IPF logo (green or white) on your packaging.
• The authorization to use the New Luxury Code in your communication (flyers, website, packaging)

 
The International Perfume Foundation (IPF) is committed to promoting and labelling all brands and natural perfumes developed with the support of the Teacher's Academy's Experts Consultancies. This commitment includes various benefits, such as an announcement in "Reconnect with Nature," IPF Newsletter, promotion of your launches in social media, brand certification, and more. This commitment signifies the IPF's dedication to supporting and promoting your brand. Projects are accepted under strict conditions, though, and we require structured projects preferably prepared by the education of the Natural Perfumery Teachers Academy . Our curriculum aims, such as the one of Master Natural Perfumer, are a must for the acceptance of any project.

Contact us for more info

How to professionalize and structure your scent design for more ease and efficiency? 
The creation of a perfume is much more than an assembly of natural raw materials. Each natural essence each containing up to 300 molecules, their mastery in the composition of perfumes can prove to be perilous. A beautiful perfume is well thought out and inspired but above all well-constructed so that each ingredient is in its right place to better delight the senses. Being a natural perfumer requires different talents, both artistic and technical. Being a perfumer is a profession that can be learned, and it is important to master the fundamental basics if you want legitimacy.
How to organize your perfume organ and select quality natural essences is learned by mastering olfactory evaluations and by reading technical documents provided by suppliers. How to make and follow your stock, make accurate weighings, and above all learn effective methods which are real guides in the composition of a structured perfume.

Counting drops in the development of a perfume has no place.
​You must do the weighings and learn how to do them well to design reliable and serious documents. From experience, I have met many natural perfumers who proceed with counting drops, and then often find themselves in the delicate position of not being able to produce their perfumes even on a scale of a few dozen bottles. In addition, they lose all legitimacy and seriousness during exchanges with other professionals. Most of them lack a technical mastery of weighing, working with automated calculation tables, and understanding the reading of technical documents of the raw materials with which they worked. One step was missing: that of a more in-depth method.
If you work without real knowledge of these aspects, there will always come a time when the harmonious business development of your company will be limited. This is why I have designed two effective methods and processes to deepen the fundamental bases of perfumers so that they can design natural perfumes of high olfactory quality with mastery. These two distinct methods are adapted according to distinct projects and inspirations as well. The HEART® and SPLIT® method have proven themselves over nearly 26 years of various experiments! The HEART® method, for example, is perfectly suited to so-called thematic perfumes whose inspiration is a raw material, an olfactory family for example. The SPLIT® method applies to so-called feelings, history, and memories projects. This last method helps to tell a story, to develop it even if the basis of a perfume is to take our client on an imaginary journey, this method will be more targeted in its structure for an effective rendering. Practicing and following these two methods not only allows you to build a beautiful perfume but also to magnify your first inspiration.

In the creation of a beautiful natural perfume, each step is important:
From the quality of the raw materials, to their selection for the project, to meticulous dosage formulations, and to the design of tools such as formulation tables to professionally preserve and ensure their successful development.
If you work as an independent perfumer for brands, this is another subject because you must communicate precise documents so that the formulas are easily reproducible by service providers.
This is how the Scent Design & Formula-Building masterclass brings all this mastery accompanied by many blank documents that you can use throughout your career as a natural perfumer. These are real supports in addition to two methods whose processes are clearly explained. This masterclass is suitable for all perfumers and natural perfumers who wish to go further in the professionalisation of their work and thus succeed in their passion.
 
Enroll now for the Scent Design & Formula Building Masterclass

Session opens each first Monday of the month. Next session opens on March 6.
Multiple payments available. 

The world of Natural perfumery is a fascinating one, with a rich history and an abundance of different scents and notes to explore.
One of the most iconic and well-known olfactory families is the Chypre family, named after the French word for the island of Cyprus. This island has a long history of association with perfumery, and it was once at the center of the perfume trade in the Orient, with its gloves scented with oak moss and the famous Oiselets de Chypre (Chypre Birds).
The forests of the Copper island (currently Cyprus) and its oak mosses, its Henna (Kypros), rose and iris oils, ointment boilers contributed to the fame of its perfumers. Their names were to the Master Perfumers: the ‘Kupirijo’ or ‘Cypriots’. 
Historically, perfumes were considered a luxury item for the elite and their distribution was limited. However, this all changed in 1917 with the launch of François Coty's Chypre. Coty's Chypre had a significant impact on the perfumery industry and succeeded in remarkable publicity, giving a name to the whole olfactory family.​

The Chypre accord, which is the core of a Chypre perfume, is based around bergamot, labdanum, floral notes, and oakmoss.
These different components work together to build the architecture of a perfume and define its main theme. The accord is then enriched by other notes, which are the facets of the perfume.
These fragrances are known for their intense base notes that can bring to mind scents of undergrowth and woods.
One of the most interesting things about the Chypre family is its adaptability to various interpretations. This allows natural perfumers to create unusual fragrances that are truly one-of-a-kind. The mysterious and charismatic character of natural Chypre fragrances makes them captivating and alluring, and it is this quality that has made them so popular over the years.
In addition to its adaptability, the Chypre family is known for its ability to evoke emotions and memories. The scents are able to transport us back in time and bring up memories that we had forgotten about. This is why Chypre fragrances are considered timeless and classic, and continue to be popular to this day.
The rich history of perfumery on the island of Cyprus and the impact of François Coty's Chypre perfume continue to influence the perfumery industry to this day. 
The chypre family is a fascinating and iconic olfactory family that has a rich history and a wide range of scents and notes to explore. From the mysterious and captivating classic chypre fragrances to the more androgynous green chypres, or joyful fruity facets, there is something for everyone. 

My first passion has always been the impressive history of perfume and I could never think the way I think today if I did not spend all my life collecting perfume antique artworks and searching for the true perfume history. When you start searching, it never ends and still today I am looking for something; each piece leading me to more research.
In the Arab World, perfume was precious, it was considered as pure gold. Let me invite you to follow me on the history of perfume in that part of the world.  

​Circa 4000 B.C., the Sumerians built the first City States such as Sumer, 
Ur, Uruk or Nippur, along rivers. 
 “Mesopotamia” literally means “the country between the two rivers”.
Located between Tiger and Euphrates, this region currently corresponds to 
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Southern Turkey and Israel. 
Cuneiform writing carved onto the clay tablets reveals formulas and perfumes used by these ancient populations since the middle of the third millennium B.C. 
Lebanese cedar, cypress and myrtle were the three most used fragrances. Originally, the gods loved natural perfume and got close to those who wore them. This is why the servants of the temple covered their bodies with myrtle oils before carrying out the rituals and the offerings to the numerous gods. Perfumes were reserved to divinities, kings and temple worship. 
Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, lived a rather eventful life, characterized by his vain quest for immortality. Perfume, the most noble and precious element then made its way into his alchemy research. 
The relation between medicine and gods was very close.
One of the healing gods was the two-headed snake Ningishzida. The snake, symbol of eternal life, might have been the first icon of caducei. His name in Sumerian is translated as “lord of the good tree”.  

About 1000 years later, the Akkadians replaced the Sumerians and created the first empire of the world ruled by Sargo the Ancient. 
Phoenicians sailors and traders settled on the coast of Lebanon and build colonies in Cyprus, Crete, sicilia, malta and Northern Africa. 
Tyr, their capital, having enjoyed a permanent relation with Egypt and Mesopotamia, became one of the most important ports. 
 
Circa 1900 B.C., Babylonians replaced Akkadians.
Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.), created the powerful empire of Babylon. 
Babylon remained the main warehouse of spices from all over the world for a long time. It received spices from India and from the Persian Gulf, scented gums from Arabia and balms from Judea. 
Nabuchodonosor I (1124 B.C.) had his palace built with cedar beams and cypress doors that smelled kilometers away.
According to Herodotus, over 1000 talents of pure incense were burnt every year on the altar of Belus. Zoroaster prescribed the use of perfumes on altars five times a day. 
In the hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World, all the scented plants were showcased. According to Diodorus, (Greek columnist of the 1st century, contemporary of Julius Caesar) cedar, mimosa, Arabian jasmine, lily, crocus, iris, violet and rose, gave the Kingdom the reputation of owning the most beautiful roses of the Ancient Orient. 
 
Chaldeans, circa 600 B.C., represented the last civilization of Mesopotamia with two famous Kings: Nabopolassar and Nabuchodonosor II.
They inherited a great culture, developed astronomy, astrology and added all this science to the Art of Perfumery.
Plants and resins must be collected at certain times in the day, or at a precise moment in the year in order to reinforce their efficiency.
The fall of Babylon, conquered by the Persians in 539, did not upset the trade of perfumes.
Focused on the fringes of the desert, the caravan kingdoms owed an important part of their prosperity to the trade of perfumes. Sidon (then Carthage) replaced Babylon as the capital of perfume and spices. For the Cananeans as well as for Babylonians, Phoenicians and Sabaeans, perfumes and spices were both pure gold and divine message.
 
For thousands of years, they carefully preserved the trade and even caused wars.
Arabia Felix, also called the “Fertile Crescent”, stretched from Oman to the Suez Gulf and across its length were paths taken by the caravans. 
Called “The Perfume Roads”, these ancient trails linked the south to the North of this continent and crossed the deserts of one of the oldest countries in the world. To ensure the security of the trade on The Perfume Roads, in the 10th century B.C., Balkis, the Queen of Sheba organized a meeting with Solomon, the Hebrew King...

If, like me, you are impassioned by World Perfume History, I will be happy to transmit my knowledge to you and tell you more about the Perfume History in the Arab World.
We definitely need more perfume history teachers to make sure the perfume heritage will be preserved and transmitted to the next generations. ​

Anyone following news about the economy and business will hear about job cutbacks occurring due to economic weakness and sales declines.
The most popular comment from CEOs on company layoffs is:
“We will have to do more with less.”  
The good news from this is that every business needs to do more with less all the time!  It’s called about being more productive, and this is much easier to achieve for smaller businesses like natural perfumers than for larger businesses.
So, how can a business do more with less and achieve high productivity?
Here are some suggestions:

1. Purpose and Meaning
The first step in doing more with less is ensuring that your business has a clearly defined purpose and that your products have real meaning and value to consumers. Purpose is the internal direction you want your business to pursue; product meaning is the external force that helps you connect and engage your products with people’s daily lives. Having a specific purpose and meaning for your business gives you direction, allows you to focus on the most important matters, and give you the ability to develop daily, weekly, and monthly priorities that will maximize the efficiency of your decision-making.

2. Re-Setting Priorities
Setting or re-setting priorities means identifying and ranking the importance of business tasks over time. This activity should be totally subjective and should be modified as the daily dynamics of business unfold. It is also important to understand that most High-Value Consumers, rather than cutting back on purchasing, are actually re-setting their purchasing priorities, so High-Value business priorities should reflect this trend. Start by setting priorities for actions that will need to be done in the next 6 months. Then one for the next 30 days. Then, this week. And finally, make one list for today and one for tomorrow.

3. Time Management
Once you’ve determined your purpose and meaning as well as set your priorities, managing your time allows you to schedule your prioritized activities to ensure that your time will be spent efficiently while fulfilling your purpose. There are many time management systems available, so look for one you feel comfortable with and begin doing more with less!
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Learn more about this important topic and how to prepare for the many exciting opportunities ahead for those marketing High-Value natural essences by enrolling in the Teacher’s Academy MasterClass Business and Marketing in the Post-Pandemic Natural Essence Community. 

The Olfactory Sense is the First Sense to Begin Development in the Fetus
I have always been fascinated by olfaction, which is why I spent time studying gorillas. 
Like gorillas that use 100% of their olfactory sense, newborns have the same powerful sense of olfaction. Olfaction is the most powerful sense of all their senses.  It is the first sense to begin development in the fetus, and arrives at maturity before all the others. 
Immersed in amniotic liquid, the fetus swims in a bath of emanations and swallows four to five quarts of flavored water per day.

Newborns See With Their Nose
The first odor discerned by newborns is the smell of their mother, and it is that smell which will determine their behavior towards others. 
The olfactory sense of newborns is certainly their most developed sense. It guides the child, and the messages they receive make them feel secure. 
Only a few days after their birth, babies begin using their noses to receive all emanations passing around them. 
Their smell is so sharp that they encounter all odors, even those we are no longer able to smell. Their olfactory sense is more sensitive than that of an adult. 
Even though they do not yet know how to express themselves verbally to communicate their senses, newborns react to odors through motor reactions of the respiratory or cardiac rhythm changes. 
Babies less than two weeks old orient themselves automatically towards maternal odors. They are dependent on their mother's constant attention to feel psychologically well. 
They will learn to recognize their mother by her smell, which they will prefer to any other smell and will bond to it; this process gives them the security they need to live. 
This is why we can say ”newborns see with their nose”.

The First Years of a Child's Life Are Very Critical.
The olfactory sense, (and instinctive sense, considered as too animal-like), was almost entirely rejected by our society.
In our present adult environment sight prevails over all other senses. Human beings have lost their olfactory sense and must learn to smell again. Olfaction is a very important sense in the harmonization of human beings because to feel good, we need all of our senses to be in balance. If the olfactory sense is not maintained, it progressively disappears sometimes completely when approaching old age. 
It is only lately that our society is realising how important the sense of smell is.  Still, many parents and educators do not pay much attention to their own sense of smell and are not teaching their children to do so. 
This is why, I have put in place a Children Olfactory Preservation Program starting at 4 months, when babies start eating solid food.
The first years of a child's life are very critical. Children’s sensory experiences help them build a bundle of emotions and sensations that gives them tools to grow and develop in harmony.  It is necessary to help babies and young children preserve their olfactory habits. 

How Can We Engage Kids To Preserve Their Olfactory Instincts in This Visual And Auditory Civilization?
How can we recreate olfactory education and re-develop olfactory habits? 
Les Ateliers des Petits Nez (Workshops for Little Noses) have been especially created to teach babies and children how to preserve the power of their olfactory sense. The International Perfume Foundation previously tested this Children Olfactory Preservation Program in nurseries and kindergartens.
Today I am giving lectures on this subject, and I have created an Online MasterClass to teach young parents, grandparents, educators, nurseries, kindergartens and schools to accelerate this movement. 

Our children are our future, they need to feel good and to feel secured to face the challenges of this changing world.

The term aromachology appeared in the 1980s and it describes the science of the phenomenon that links odors to behavior.
We became aware at that moment of this subtle and profound power and above all, how it affects our daily life in all its aspects, from the intimate to the spiritual and the professional. For almost 26 years, I have been composing natural perfumes taking this dimension into account because it seems to me to be inseparable from the mission of the natural perfumer. My training as a naturopath has meant that I have also worked all these years with patients and therefore have seen what the positive effects of smell on emotions are. When we understand the role that smell plays on inner well-being, we understand the need to compose a natural perfume and its olfactory quality as well because it acts powerfully on the sensory memory.
 
The olfactory sense is our most reptilian sense, and it is one of the most powerful because it is linked to our survival.
Throughout our lives, we memorize a library of smells that can stay buried for years. The sense of smell is a sense outside the notion of time/space. Therefore, we can have a reaction linked to the very old memory of a person, a place, a situation when we feel a specific scent that reminds us of this. We can even smell so-called “ghost” smells just by reliving this memory. In a fragment of a second we travel in time and in an emotion that we thought had been forgotten.
 
Smell: a Mental Representation
For a molecule to become an odor, a brain is needed. According to Pierre-Marie Lledo, co-director of the Genes, Synapses and Cognition laboratory, our brain establishes olfactory maps from the combination of receptors activated by such and such a molecule. These cards work like a kind of QR code and allow each chemical stimulus to be associated with a mental representation: the smell. The latter is malleable and evolves according to our experiences and our culture.
 
The first thing we perceive in a smell is its emotional side 
​I either like it or I don't like it, before we even ask ourselves any other rational question. And if odors awaken in us such clear and intense emotions and memories, it is because the brain areas they activate are intimately connected with those mobilized by emotions: the hippocampus plays the role in long-term memory term: the hard disk that records our learning from the moment we were in our mother's womb. The amygdala plays a fundamental role in decoding our emotions generated by the different situations of our life. For example, it intervenes in behaviors such as fear, pleasure, or memory. The septal nucleus plays a role in controlling emotions and in feelings of pleasure, it is directly linked to the sense of smell.

Aromachology, a Global Approach to Smell and Feel
This intrinsic link between smells and emotions has been questioned by many scientists who have tested its benefits. Some, like Dr. Aubert, say they know that certain smells can elicit emotional responses capable of transiently increasing the release of certain brain mediators such as serotonin, which promotes a positive mood and builds a state of well-being.  Therefore, aromachology and products composed of natural plant essences have great power on the inner well-being of the person. This approach can be broken down into different types of products: from natural perfumes with an alcoholic or non-alcoholic base, to perfumed creams and balms for the body, to home fragrances, candles and even incense, to hygiene products and natural cosmetics. The market clearly shows that for two years during the pandemic period, the new consumer has been looking for sensory experiences in addition to product efficiency. They want an immersion in Nature which brings them benefits for their well-being.
 
Beyond the Knowledge of Natural Essences
As a creative perfumer, it is essential to acquire knowledge of the aromachological virtues of natural essences on the psyche since their action on the emotions is proven. This dimension adds to our responsibility as creators towards the consumer. Aromachology stands beyond natural perfumery and a simple pleasant scent and even a trained natural perfumer should be aware of it. Here is how natural essences act by simple olfaction. From their liquid state, by chemical reaction in contact with air, they are transformed into etheric gas. Volatile, by their infinitely small and light molecules, they bring to a quantum level a vibratory frequency which, like the photon, carries information. This information is a natural principle or intelligence of nature which has a function, here in this case properties. Therefore, a natural perfume has a dimension far beyond that of simply “smelling good”; it can be balanced and effective or it can be dissonant because certain raw materials will contradict each other. This olfactory dissonance is often unknown to the natural perfumer but not to the aromachologist. When composing the perfume, we set a clear objective on the result or the effect that is desired. From this, stem the selection of each ingredient that will compose it. Aromachological benefits can be substantiated in marketing materials and product claims. Creating natural perfumes, whatever their final form, requires, in my opinion, a knowledge of aromachology.

Therefore, it seems to me necessary that knowing the olfactory and aromachological qualities of natural essences is essential for a natural perfumer 
It is obvious that they must master the sensory dimension and the virtues that their perfume will have on the emotions of the consumer.
 
You can now learn and deepen your knowledge in the new aromachology course which starts on January 9th. It will be taught every first Monday of every month.
 
Register for the course
Access to the Aromachology Level 1 Masterclass