What are perfume accords? (and how to create your own)

Introduction

If you're new to perfumery, there's an essential concept you'll quickly encounter:

Accords

But what exactly are accords, and what are they used for?

In this article, you will discover:

  • what accords are in perfumery
  • the difference between accords and bases
  • how perfumers use accords
  • how to create your own accords

What are accords in perfumery?

An accord is:

A combination of at least two ingredients that creates a new scent

Accords can be used to:

  • recreate the scent of a raw material
  • represent an idea (e.g., a holiday home)
  • serve as the base of a perfume

What are accords for?

Accords are essential because they allow the creation of scents that don't exist as raw materials.

For example:

  • a fruit that cannot be extracted
  • an overly expensive flower (like a rose)
  • an abstract idea

This gives the perfumer creative freedom.

Accords as building blocks

Accords function as "pieces" of a perfume.

For example, in a perfume, you can have:

  • a citrus accord
  • a floral accord
  • a woody accord

And then you balance these accords with each other.

What are bases in perfumery?

Bases are accords already created by perfumery houses. That is:

  • you don't need to create them from scratch
  • you buy and use them as an ingredient

When to use accords or bases?

If you want to create a scent (e.g., rose), you have three options:

  1. Use the natural ingredient (expensive)
  2. Create your own accord
  3. Use a ready-made base

Each option has different advantages.

Examples of bases in perfumery

Some common bases can recreate scents such as:

  • blackcurrant (cassis)
  • warm wood (cashmeran)
  • leather (non-animal origin)

This shows how it's possible to create complex scents without using direct raw materials.

How to create an accord (practical example)

Creating an accord means experimenting with proportions between ingredients.

Simple example:

An accord can have:

  • 2 parts of one ingredient
  • 2 parts of another
  • 1 part of another

The result is a new scent with its own identity.

Real accord example

An accord can combine:

  • green notes
  • fruity notes

And create a sensation like: "being on a picnic on the grass, eating fruit."

How to test ingredient combinations

A simple way to experiment with accords:

Method:

  1. Place drops of ingredients on paper
  2. Smell the combination
  3. Adjust proportions
  4. Repeat

The importance of proportion

The same combination can change completely depending on the proportion.

Example:

  • 1:1 → one ingredient can dominate
  • 3:1 → more balance
  • other variations → new results

Perfumery is as much about composition as it is about balance.

How to evolve with accords

Over time you will:

  • create your own accords
  • save formulas
  • build a "personal library"

This is something perfumers develop over many years.

Conclusion

Accords are one of the pillars of perfumery.

They allow you to:

  • create new scents
  • build perfumes
  • translate ideas into aroma

And most importantly: anyone can start experimenting

🎧 Listen to the full episode

This article was inspired by episode 006 of the podcast Todos os Caminhos Vão Dar ao Aroma, where I explain accords and bases with real examples and practical experiences.

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