Musks Nose Training Perfumery Class
This online Nose Training features musk materials. Learn to smell like a perfumer & create simple accords. Live Q&A session included.
Date and time
Location
Online
Refund Policy
Agenda
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM
Musks Nose Training Class
Darren Alan
1:50 PM - 2:00 PM
Break
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Line Trial Evaluation
Darren Alan
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Q&A
Darren Alan
About this event
Join independent perfumer Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes as he guides you through an exploration of seven of the most commonly used musk materials in perfumery. From the comfort of your own home, you will experience each material through guided smelling and learn about the role of musks in perfumery.
Musk materials provide depth and structure to a fragrance composition's base and are useful in both feminine and masculine fragrances. Musks provide a foundation and help exalt and round out the top, heart, and base notes of the composition. They are some of the longest-lasting materials on skin and act as a fixative to help your fragrance last longer.
In this class, we will explore, study, and evaluate white (synthetic) musk materials and discuss their roles in perfumery. We will determine their function by performing a line trial to see how they interact with other materials in a fragrance composition. We will conclude with a live Q&A session, where Darren will address your questions about the class content.
Learn to think and smell like a perfumer as we navigate top, mid, and base notes. Sniff, imagine, and experiment before selecting your favorite combinations for your unique creation. I have curated a collection of the finest woody materials from around the world just for you. No expensive equipment is required. My optional add-on Musks Nose Training Kit is convenient, affordable, and filled with exquisite woods hand-picked from my favorite suppliers. I have pre-diluted and measured your raw materials, so you won’t need perfumer’s alcohol, a scale, or other pricey lab equipment.
If you choose to use your own materials for the class instead of purchasing the pre-made Musks Nose Training Kit, please prepare 2mL of each material in the appropriate dilution before the class. Ensure that your materials are professional, perfumery-grade, and suitable for fine fragrance creation. Fragrance oils, candle oils, and oils from supermarkets are not considered professional grade and may not yield a high-quality fragrance composition.
NOTE: You will also need some ancillary supplies, such as plastic pipettes (droppers), eight clean, empty 2 mL glass vials, 5 mL of Bergamot Essential Oil diluted to 10% in SDA-40B (perfumers alcohol), perfume test strips (paper blotters), small labels to label your 2 mL glass vials, a small notebook, and a pencil to take notes and record your material names. An optional empty wine glass or Brandy Snifter may be used for an experiment during class. These supplies are easily available from Amazon and Ebay. These items (except for the 10% Bergamot dilution) are not included in our Nose Training Kit. You may also wish to have some paper towels on hand in case of a spill.
IMPORTANT! Please do not research or look up the materials before class. The goal is not to memorize their descriptions, but to train your nose to smell and assess them in the moment, thereby building your awareness and skill. Taking these steps will contribute to the quality of your and your classmates’ learning experience.
If you choose to purchase & dilute your own materials for this class instead of ordering the pre-made Nose Training Kit, you will need the following:
RAW MATERIALS LIST:
- 2mL Muscarome, 10% in SDA-40B
- 2mL Galaxolide, 10% in SDA-40B
- 2mL Tonalid (Musk decenone), 10%, in SDA-40B
- 2mL Musk Ketone, 2% in SDA-40B
- 2mL Ambrettolide, 10%, in SDA-40B
- 2mL Ambretone (Velvione), 10%, in SDA-40B
- 2mL Ethylene Brassylate, 10%, in SDA-40B
- 5mL Bergamot FCF Essential Oil, 10% in SDA-40B
- Eight 2mL clean, empty glass vials
SUGGESTED RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIERS:
RECOMMENDED READING LIST:
Some students have asked me for recommendations for books on perfumery. I have compiled a short list of some of my favorite perfumery books. This is not required reading for class; I'm just sharing resources with you if you desire them.
Introductory Books:
Perfume: The Alchemy of Scent by Jean-Claude Ellena
Perfume & Flavor Materials of Natural Origin by Steffen Arctander
Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World’s Smells by Harold McGee
Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent by Mandy Aftel
Advanced Reading:
An Introduction To Perfumery by Tony Curtis & David Williams
Scent and Chemistry: The Molecular World Of Odors by Günther Ohlaff, Wilhelm Pickenhagen, Philip Kraft, Jean-Claude Ellena
Frequently asked questions
This will be a Zoom class. Eventbrite will automatically email you the Zoom link 24 hours before the class. You will have watch-only access to the video recording of the class for 7 days after the live class.
The class begins at 1:00 PM EST (Noon) and ends at 3:00 PM EST. Times are given in the Eastern Standard Time zone. If you are in a different Time Zone, please use a time zone converter to identify your area's class time.
Useful ancillary supplies are: 3mL plastic transfer pipettes (droppers), thin (skinny) perfume test strips, dram glass vials with caps, paper labels, notebook, pencil, paper towels.
Yes. This is a Nose Training class. We will experience the materials together and learn to smell and evaluate raw materials like a professional perfumer. If you do not have the materials to smell, you cannot fully participate in the live class.
Unfortunately tickets and add-on Nose Training Kits are not refundable & tickets are non-transferrable. If something comes up and you are unable to attend the live class, you can still participate by watching the recorded class video & following along with the blending exercises.
Organized by
Darren Alan
is an independent perfumer located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Trained in the classical method of perfumery, he has gone on to develop his own style and aesthetic over the past 28 years. He has 18 years experience in fragrance development for the personal care industry, as well as custom perfume creation for private clients. Darren holds workshops and perfume classes for ages teen to adult. He also specializes in vintage and historic perfume recreation, which utilizes period-correct natural materials, artisanal distillations, handmade aromatic tinctures & absolutes, as well as seasonal effleurage using native flowers of Western Pennsylvania. Follow Darren on Instagram