Learning to smell and describe
Prepare a simple, repeatable comparison.
What you will learn
- Prepare a simple, repeatable comparison.
- Write an observation without confusing it with a preference.
- Reach a conclusion that helps with the next trial.
Describe before identifying
Begin with contrasts: fresh or warm, dry or damp, light or dense. Then seek a family and specific comparisons. This avoids forcing an ingredient name too early.
Use a consistent record
Record the test name, date, time, surface, intensity, facets and changes. A consistent format makes later comparisons more reliable.
Return to the material
Revisit the smell several days later before rereading your first notes. Then compare: spaced repetition helps build olfactory memory.
Prepare the conditions
Avoid starting in an environment saturated with other smells. Label the blotters before the trial and note the time. Two or three careful comparisons are more useful than a long series that is hard to distinguish.
An observation is not a preference
“I perceive a dry, woody facet” describes a sensation. “I find it too dry for me” expresses a preference. Both are useful, provided personal taste is not presented as an objective fault in the fragrance.
What if the words do not come?
Start by comparing two impressions: dry or soft, fresh or warm, light or dense. Then look for a concrete memory. You can write “it reminds me of…” without claiming to identify a material. Precision develops gradually.
Share without steering the answer
Invite the other person to describe before giving your own view. Ask “what has changed since the first trial?”. This wording makes room for a different perception and helps choose the next step in the discovery.
Useful words
Describing a sensation is not analysing a formula. Write “this reminds me of…” when offering a comparison.
Facet
One aspect of a smell: a single material may suggest lemon, green leaves and wood.
Accord
A blend of materials that creates an overall impression. It can evoke a plant without containing its extract.
Extract
A material obtained from a source through a specific process. The plant name alone is not enough: the part and method matter.
Distillation
Steam carries volatile constituents. After cooling, the watery distillate is separated from the essential oil when present.
Absolute
A fragrant extract obtained through extraction and purification, usually with solvents. It is not an essential oil.
Resin
A plant secretion distinct from needles and wood. Its extract and an essential oil distilled from foliage are not interchangeable.
Try it yourself
How to study this lesson
- Prepare two blotters, a pencil and a space with little ambient scent.
- Briefly smell each blotter, pausing between them.
- Complete the table before consulting the fragrance descriptions.
Test two fragrances on two blotters labelled A and B. For each, note a family, two facets and the intensity at the same moment. Then separate an “I observe” column from an “I prefer” column. Make another brief reading later and choose which you want to explore on skin, giving a precise reason.
Reveal the guidance
- Did I compare the two fragrances after a similar amount of time?
- Is “I don’t like it” a description? No: specify the sensation that bothers you.
- Does my conclusion point to a concrete next step?
Remember
A precise description combines observation, time, vocabulary and personal memory.
