How to create a perfume step-by-step: choosing notes, accords, and ingredients

Introduction

Creating a perfume may seem complex, but in reality, it starts with something very simple: an idea.

If you've ever wondered:

  • how a perfume is born
  • how to choose notes and ingredients
  • or how to turn an idea into a scent

this guide will help you understand the process.

In this article you will learn:

  • how to start creating a perfume
  • how to transform ideas into scents
  • how to choose ingredients intentionally

How to start creating a perfume

Before choosing ingredients, there is an essential step:

Define the concept

In perfumery, everything starts with an idea or scenario.

It can be:

  • a place (e.g. beach house)
  • a memory
  • a person
  • an emotion

This concept will guide all subsequent decisions.

Turning an idea into a scent

After you define the concept:

You break that idea down into smaller elements

For example:

  • ambience (air, temperature, light)
  • materials (wood, sand, water)
  • details (plants, objects, textures)

Each of these elements will give rise to an olfactory interpretation.

How to describe scents (essential step)

Before choosing ingredients, you need to translate the idea into olfactory language.

This is where olfactory descriptors come in

Examples:

  • fresh
  • salty
  • warm
  • dry
  • green
  • citrusy
  • mineral

This step is fundamental because: It is the bridge between the idea and the formula

How to choose ingredients for a perfume

After defining the descriptors:

You choose ingredients that represent those sensations

For example:

  • “fresh” → bergamot, mint
  • “woody” → cedar, sandalwood
  • “warm” → vanilla, resins

The goal is not to copy reality, but to:
Create a coherent interpretation

How to build the perfume structure

A perfume is generally organized into three parts:

🌿 Top notes

  • lighter
  • first to be smelled
  • disappear quickly

Ex: citrus, green

🌸 Heart notes

  • define the character of the perfume
  • appear after the top

Ex: floral, aromatic

🌲 Base notes

  • heavier
  • last longer
  • add depth

Ex: woody, resins

What accords are in perfumery

An accord is:

The combination of several ingredients that create a new scent

For example:

  • citrusy + green + aquatic → sensation of freshness
  • woody + dry + warm → sensation of comfort

How to develop a perfume over time

Creating a perfume is not linear.

It is a process of:

  • testing
  • adjusting
  • going back
  • experimenting

Over time you will:

  • add new ingredients
  • adjust proportions
  • refine the initial idea

Important tip: start with what you already know

You don't need dozens of raw materials.

Start with ingredients you already know

And then:

  • expand
  • experiment
  • deepen

Creating a perfume is telling a story

Ultimately, a perfume is:

An invisible narrative

Each ingredient contributes to telling that story.

And the clearer your initial idea is:

The more coherent the final result will be

Conclusion

Creating a perfume is not just mixing ingredients.

It is a process of:

  • observing
  • interpreting
  • translating sensations into scent

If you're starting out, the most important thing is not perfection:
👉 it's developing your way of thinking about scent

🎧 Listen to the full episode

This article was inspired by episode 003 of the podcast Todos os Caminhos Vão Dar ao Aroma (All Roads Lead to Aroma), where I explore this process in a more creative and detailed way.

Back to blog