Frequently Asked Questions

Please watch these 2 videos if you are ordering for the first time.

Unboxing The Perfumery Training Kit & Opening Aluminium Bottles

Fleuressence TM (25+ years on the market) and the F-TEC (Fleuressence-Technology 2022) range are very similar in odour and use except that F-TEC has better compatibility in oil or wax based products like Massage Oils, Candles, Melts etc. while still working just as well in alcoholic perfumes, toiletries and cosmetics.

There are also many other changes that make the F-TEC series easier to work with the latest IFRA guidelines. eg. Natural Basil Oil is limited to a fraction of 1% in a formula, Basil Fleuressence to 1-2%, but Basil F-TEC can be 100% of your perfume oil used at 20% in Alcohol and as all the F-TECs use the same technology they can all be used in any proportion in a formula with each other without worrying so much about exceeding the guidelines for any of the 12+ categories of products during the creation stage. This makes the F-TECs series much more flexible to use when IFRA and EU requirements are a concern.

Odour differences:
As stated above both are very similar in odour and use but there are slight nuances to update the odours.
The F-TECs in general are slightly fresher, slightly more modern smelling and have longer odour lives than the original Fleuressence.

The Spice F-TECs eg. Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon and Basil are slightly less realistic than the Fleuressence originals but still characteristic and recognizable as their named odours. Unfortunately we had to drastically reduce the principle components due to tighter IFRA restrictions. Notably the Citral, Eugenol, Cinnamic Aldehyde and Methyl Eugenol, the naturally occurring components of the essential oils.

There will soon be a "The Custom Creation Perfume Kit F-TEC" version, but it will take a few weeks to put the details on a page. If you can't wait then order The Custom Creation Perfume Kit Fleuressence and on check out write in the remarks box:"Please send me the new F-TEC Version"

Fleuressence TM Bases have been available without interruption for more than 25 years. They come under the classification of speciality/specialty bases and are made from aroma chemicals, natural essential oils, isolates, absolutes and PerfumersWorld captive ingredients and can be used as building blocks to create professional perfumes very quickly like The Custom Creation Kits. (formerly iSniffs)
FleuressenceTM bases are also used to replace unobtainable materials like natural fruit essential oils, rare natural materials, animal products or where special effects are required. Any style or family of perfumes can be created very quickly using only Fleuressence bases or they can be used with any other industry standard aroma materials.
Whilst they are often loosely described as "accords" they are not strictly accords in the technical sense of blending 2 or more materials to create a new single note. In an accord the individual components should not be detectable but in some cases the Fleuressences are designed to actually accentuate a specific ingredient (eg. Styralyl Acetate in Gardenia Fleuressence or alpha-Irone in Orris Fleuressence).
Another distinction of the Fleuressence system is that each one is designed to seamlessly integrate with all the other Fleuressences like pieces of a jigsaw but so much more powerful than that as there are an almost infinite (at least 10¹⁶⁰) number of final complete perfumes that can be created.
A powerful feature that was recently launched is the Fleuressence-Technology range (F-TEC). An innovative extended odour life range of the Fleuressences that are always IFRA 50 compliant no matter how they are mixed together. For example natural Basil Oil is highly restricted under IFRA guidelines and can only be used at less than 0.5% in a perfume compound whereas Basil F-TEC can be used at any level in the compound (as with all in the F-TEC range) at all normal levels in finished products.
Another application of the Fleuressences is to make very simple perfume mixtures with single aroma chemicals and then incorporate a little of a Fleuressence to give a much more rounded complete perfume.

e.g
Jasmin Perfume
==============
20 Benzyl Acetate
20 Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde
20 Hexyl Salicylate
20 Linalool Synthetic
20 Hedione
5 Jasmin Absolute Fleuressence

Rose Perfume
============
50 Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol
20 Geraniol
20 Citronellol
5 Nerol
5 Rose Petal Fleuressence

The Perfumer's Formulation Bulletins are certainly the best value for to you research perfume formulations. The bulletins which are designed for learning, adaption, company start-up, like having a consultant working for you for a fraction of the cost. Outside of the Bulletins we never sell formulations - NEVER - for ethical, confidentiality, philosophical and business reasons. Even if you only want the 4 GCMS analysis from the 28 formulas in each Bulletin it is still averages out just $25 for each of the formulas you want compared to hundreds for a single analysis.
The Perfumer's Formulation Bulletins

However if your objective is to re-create well known perfumes then our best suggestion is to get a sample of each perfume you are interested in and have it analyzed. This ensures we are working with the sample you really want and it is not a different version, from a different country, an earlier time, an Eau de toilette vs a Parfum, a different contract manufacturer etc. I will say here that even if we have analyzed the same perfume before for another client, that is their research and data and it is NOT FOR SALE by us, but of course the client can do whatever they want with it. So each sample is analyzed freshly and uniquely for you. If you share the name, house, country, year and other information it may help you get better results as we may be able to suggest something like its Musk Concentrate rather than Galaxolide (very similar but not the same).
GCMS Analysis

Another suggestion is that if you do decide to use the Bulletins or GCMS service consider The Professional Account Package for continued support as you develop the perfumes (and save money) (:~Q).
Professional Account Package

A. "PerfumersWorld, our clients best kept secret"

Increasingly, the perfumer has become just another member of the production team and the bulk of perfumery work has become restrictively controlled for commercial (cost) and regulatory (bureaucracy) purposes. Working for a commercial Flavor Fragrance company you can find the "Art of Perfumery" becomes a little shackled and jaded.

PerfumersWorld was established in 1998 to promote fine creative perfumery and open the art of perfumery to a much wider audience through training, materials, software, professional support, services and tools.

PerfumersWorld is a small family style company but now has graduated students working in 8 out of 10 of the top ten perfumery houses with clients and students from over 150 countries worldwide having had taken courses and workshops with us.

PerfumersWorld is one of those few places in the world where you can visit online or in person and chat with your instructors, buy raw materials, French perfumery bottles, cosmetic and toiletry bases or just smell our curated collection of over 1,000 of the finest industry standard perfumery materials from all around the world.

PerfumersWorld materials are only 1st grade commercial materials from the finest manufacturers of aroma chemicals and essential oils on the earth. In addition to sourcing from these first class manufacturers we also further refine some materials to even higher purity to meet our clients requirements or remove unwanted colour or furocoumarins etc.

"The materials PerfumersWorld offers are the same materials we use ourselves in the manufacture of fine fragrances for international houses and niche brands. We do not use 2nd grade materials, reaction residues or waste materials. The very reason for starting PerfumersWorld was I was tired of working on cheaper, cheaper projects and not having access to the materials I really wanted use myself, so I have tried to curate the best collection of materials we can find. We do not stock the generic grades even though they can be 1/3rd of the price of the original material." Stephen V. Dowthwaite (Founder)
For more, click here.

A. The main language of all our courses and Workshops is English.
We also hold Workshops in Dubai and Kuwait in Arabic and a University based Workshop once a year in Thai.
Its not a perfect solution but we also have Google Translate option on most of our pages. Whilst Google Translate can be confusing this little tip may help:
TIP: Select your language and while reading and navigating TOGGLE the language TRANSATE/SHOW ORIGINAL at the top of the page ON/OFF-ON/OFF as you read.

A. After we have received and checked over your application we will confirm whether our courses suit your objectives. If we believe you can benefit from them, we will then send you a choice of alternative payment methods. We accept payment by PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Western Union Cash Transfer, Bank Transfer etc.

A. Most, but if we do not think you will benefit or move towards your stated objectives we may direct you to alternatives, although these alternatives are few in number. We have high school age students to students in their 70's. You are never too young to learn. We advised one student that completed our application questionnaire with a score of 98% percent, who then went on to complete a second, more difficult, one n scoring over 90%, that he didn't need to do the course. He insisted that he wanted to continue and we allowed him to enroll. After recently completing a 2-week Master Class he declared that it had been "the most fulfilling weeks for a long time". We have many "students" with well over 10 years professional perfumery experience (and as much as 30 years) and we have to confess that we learn as much from them as they do from us.

A. These are main courses in the world that we know about:
1) King Mongkut University, Bangkok: Masters degree elective in the BioTech Faculty run once a year in the Thai language by PerfumersWorld
2) Shanghai University: A comprehensive, 7-year course for Chinese students; mainly chemistry and technology.
3) There is a course in Yokohama/Tokyo Japan. The content is mainly academic and delivered in Japanese.
4) Plymouth University, UK: "The Business of Perfumery" (linked to the IFEAT course)
5) ISIPCA: An excellent residential course (up to 7 years) French-language skills advisable. Short courses available for students sponsored by companies. www.isipca.fr.
6) Cinquième Sens (Monique Schlienger): Customized training programs in perfumery for professionals and interested individuals. www.cinquiemesens.com
7) Givaudan, Symrise and Firmenich all have limited courses for their employees.

We know of no major courses in the USA, India or Australia.

Check with your local universities as they may have short courses that cover perfume/cosmetics.
Check with the Cosmetic Society in your country, they may have courses with a perfumery element.
Some perfumery aspects are covered by aromatherapy courses on the Internet.

A. There are very few courses available, as we have already pointed out, but the focus on all of the other courses we know of, with the exception of the French course, is on the theoretical aspects of perfumery chemistry and business studies rather than hands on perfume creation techniques. PerfumersWorld training is much more focused on the practical training in the art of perfumery. In covering technical issues we assume no prior chemistry knowledge and provide the information you need in practical terms without going deeper than necessary. We figure you will go on to do a degree in chemistry if that's what you want; as a subject that's taught already at hundreds of universities worldwide, its best left to them. We do find however, even for our chemistry graduate students (we have hundreds, and even teach PhDs and Professors) that the courses add a perspective on chemistry that is not covered in mainstream university courses. If you want to learn practical skills and techniques that you can use every day, come to us.

A. Yes, we supply a uniquely named and numbered certificate at the end of each course, even for the free Foundation Course BUT only if you complete the final assignments too.
If you join one of our courses at a university then you receive a joint PerfumersWorld/University certificate. Certificates are verifiable online by any prospective employer.

A. Yes. FOUNDATION COURSE No limit set at present, but this may be reviewed in the future SENIOR COURSE 20 students accepted per month PROFESSIONAL COURSES 10 students per month Note: If no places are available at the time you apply, then we will offer you the first available vacancy. We may use results of the Foundation Course to prioritize students that demonstrate that they will be able to keep up with the intensity of the Senior and Professional Courses.

A. The principles of perfumery are the same whether you are using natural or synthetics or a combination of both. There are some effects that are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve without synthetics and there is a depth and richness that only naturals can provide. If you decide to follow a course in perfumery, wherever that may be, even if you only use naturals, ensure that it introduces chemistry too. Natural essential oils and floral absolutes are mixtures of naturally produced chemicals and to understand the oils properly (smell, classification, emotional and therapeutic effects, irritation, toxicity, stability, colour changes, etc.) some background knowledge of the chemistry is extremely valuable. As you used the word commercial which implies quantity, consistency and price means that a deeper knowledge of the sources, supply and availablity of your materials is crucial. NB. Don't be too put off if you have a phobia about chemistry. The knowledge that you need only takes a few hours to master and is even quicker during one of our workshops with our innovative techniques.

A. Yes, as long as you complete the online Foundation Course. Note this requires submitting the simple assignments in the 10th Unit.

A. No, it is not necessary to come to Thailand to receive your certificate. We send it to you as a file you can print yourself.

A. You can make almost any style of perfume with The Perfumery Training Kit. So the answer to how many, is as many as you want. The combinations possible are almost infinite.
Tips
Make up the recommended formulas in the Introduction Booklet supplied.
Try replacing 1 of the bases With essential oils or aroma chemicals in the same ABC odour family. eg. Try Lemon Oil and Dihydro Myrcenol instead of C-Citrus Fleuressence.
Follow the FREE Online Foundation Course
Generate formulas with The Perfumer's Wizard. Choosing "The Perfumery Training Kit" as your material selection.

A. It requires some dedication from you too.

A. If you have any doubts, just try going through the FREE online Foundation Course before buying the Kit or materials. You should then see how PerfumersWorld courses compare to the others you have tried without spending ANY money. Register for a course

A. The very first person to get The Perfumery Training Kit in 1999 was a princess. She created a perfume the very first day using 13 of the materials from the kit and it has been on the market now for 20 years! Check out other creation options

A. Yes, we can and do. Please contact us for more information.Check out other creation options

A. If you want to copy a perfume on the market you can do it the old-fashioned way, by following the methods taught in our training. But to get the best results, a chemical analysis of the perfume is necessary first, which starts at $300 per sample. This shows you the major components used in that perfume but more work is still necessary to get the small details right.Check out other creation options

A. Please consider that PerfumersWorld supplies raw materials to perfumers and students for them to make their own finished products.
We use a non-alcoholic solvent in The Perfumery Training Kit to ease shipping problems. It also has the advantage that it can be used in countries that don't allow alcohol.
The raw materials that we offer are offered as PURE materials (100%, undiluted) or alternatively as dilutions in low volatility solvents such as DPG(Dipropylene Glycol), BB(Benzyl Benzoate), TEC(Triethyl Citrate), IPM(Iso-Propyl Myristate), MCT Palm Oil(Sustainable Fractionated Palm Oil), MCT Coconut Oil. The solvent used and the concentration is always declared in the name when offered. By special request we can offer different solvents and concentrations.
These solvents are used as standard practice by perfumers for ease of handling (very viscous, solid, flammable, high impact, irritant materials etc) when making up the perfume compound. We also offer them diluted to make them more affordable and convenient to handle for students.
If you look at the example of Jasmin Absolute for example you will see that the price of a 10% dilution is around 10% of the pure material price (just very slightly more to allow for the cost of the solvent).
https://www.perfumersworld.com/product-search.php?query=jasmin+absolute
When we dilute perfume compounds for use in clients bottled Perfumes, Eau de Parfums and Colognes etc. we use pure Alcohol (99.80% Ethanol) and where requested Distilled Water and traces of emoillients, anti-oxidants, UV absorbers and colour. If you analyze perfumes on the market from Avon thro' Guerlain to Zegna by GCMS they almost always have some or all of these solvents or ingredients in the compound and finished product.

A. Please check shipping information at https://www.perfumersworld.com/shipping-information.php

A. Use a flat end screwdriver to puncture the outer aluminium security cover and prise it off. Alternatively use a pair of pliers to pinch one edge and twist the outer cover off. In order to grip and unscrew the white plastic inner cap use a paper cloth or cloth rag to grip it. Note it is almost impossible to unscrew it with bare hands!

A. Counting drops is a very efficient way to test and prototype ideas especially in terms of the time and quantity of materials used. For consistent results only use the same make good quality glass droppers as plastic disposable ones tend to vary a lot and give inconsistent drop sizes.
However, when you upscale and make perfume commercially we urge you use only weight to measure your materials.
To convert a formula from drops to grams there are basically 2 methods we suggest:
1. The simplest way is just to convert the drops, 1:1 to grams.
2. Technically more correct, is to make up 10 times the drop formula and weigh each item on a 2 decimal place electronic balance and record the individual material weights. This means if the original formula was 56 drops then make up 560 drops.
To easily convert 1 or 2 results to a percentage or Kilogram formula. Key the formula into The Perfumer's Workbook and click the 'Round-Off-100' button on the toolbar.
Note in practice we find that both methods still require final tweaking, which still usually applies even if you weighed your initial samples, so we recommend #1 the 1 drop = 1 gram method.

A. Although both have the same content - the Workshop is like the movie and Online like the book. Online requires more thought and introspection and therefore goes deeper in many respects, while the Workshop is quick, easy, nicely packaged and wow!

A. The online courses are a different format to the workshops, so we still require anybody doing a Professional Live Workshop to complete the Foundation Plus Live Workshop first but it can be at a different time and in a different location. e.g. Foundation Workshop this year in Dubai, Professional Workshop next year in Bangkok.
A very powerful way to complete and supercharge the training is to do it in this order;
1. Free Foundation Course Online >
2. Foundation Plus Live Workshop >
3. Professional Level Live Workshop >
4. Professional Course Online.

A. The chemistry a perfumer needs for creating perfumes is not the same as a perfume chemist requires to create new molecules.
A perfumer needs to know stuff like
Aldehydes tend to have powerful fatty odours.
Acetates have fresher characters than their corresponding Alcohols eg. Linalool vs. Linalyl Acetate.
Formates and Butyrates tend to be unstable in functional products and produce off odours.
This is the knowledge we try to convey in our courses and workshops quickly over a few hours and relatively painlessly.

However, a perfume chemist needs to know more deeply about the reactions, processes, bonds, structures etc. The sort of stuff that would allow him to understand this invention abstract:
(4S, 7RS)-galaxolide synthesis method
The invention belongs to the technical field of chemical synthesis of essences and flavors and particularly relates to a (4S, 7RS)-galaxolide synthesis method. The method includes: subjecting bromo-pentamethyl indane and metallic magnesium to reaction to generate a Grignard reagent, and then subjecting to reaction with tetramethoxyl silane to obtain pentamethyl indane silane; subjecting the pentamethyl indane silane to asymmetric Hiyama cross coupling reaction with racemic 2-bromopropionate under catalysis of (1S, 2S)-N,N-dimethyl-1,2-diphenyl diaminoethane and nickel chloride to synthesize (S)-hexamethyl indane acid ester; reducing the (S)-hexamethyl indane acid ester by diisobutyl aluminum hydride (DIBAL-H) to obtain (S)-hexamethyl indanol, and finally subjecting to reaction with paraformaldehyde to obtain (4S, 7RS)-galaxolide. The (4S, 7RS)-galaxolide synthesis method is simple in synthetic route and mild in reaction condition, the overall yield reaches 40%, and product optical purity is 91%.
For this you will need a degree in organic chemistry, preferably a Masters or Doctorate, and if this is your ambition this is best achieved at University in an Organic Chemistry faculty. But get this, in the 7 years it takes to get your PhD you probably will learn less about the 'smelly' stuff than you will in a day in a course or workshop with PerfumersWorld. PerfumersWorld courses are about the practical stuff you can use immediately to create perfumes. Never forget, perfumers and perfume chemists need each other in a symbiotic relationship.

A. PerfumerWorld materials are only 1st grade commercial materials from the finest manufacturers of aroma chemicals and essential oils on the earth. Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF, Symrise, Bedoukian, Kao, Biolandes, Capua, Monique Remy etc, etc. In addition to sourcing from these first class manufacturers we also further refine some materials to even higher purity to meet our or clients requirements or remove unwanted colour or furocoumarins etc.

"The materials PerfumersWorld offers are the same materials that we use ourselves in the manufacture of fine fragrances for international houses and niche brands. We do not use or sell 2nd grade materials, reaction residues or waste materials. The very reason for starting PerfumersWorld was I was tired of working on cheaper, cheaper and forever cheaper projects and not having access to the materials I really wanted to use myself, so in PerfumersWorld I have tried to curate the best collection of materials I can find. For example, our Hedione is from Firmenich, Iso E Super from IFF, Javanol from Givaudan etc. because I believe these are the best examples of these materials available. We do not buy or sell the cheaper generic grades of these even though they can be 1/3rd of the price of the original manufacturers material." Stephen V. Dowthwaite (Founder)

All materials are supplied as the pure undiluted named material on the label unless specifically marked as a dilution e.g. 10% in DPG. Even the DPG we use is a special low odour quality.

Just as your drinking water is never 100% pure and distilled water is only about 99.9x% pure please understand that no raw material from Givaudan, Firmenich or anywhere else in the World, is actually ever 100% pure due to no fault of their own. It will be mixtures of isomers, homologs etc from the manufacturing process or traces mixed in for a specific desired odour or property profile. Even the much purer analytical grade materials that are often $100s/1 gram we use for calibrating our GCMSs are maybe 99.9x% pure but never 100%.

A. PerfumersWorld supplies all required documentation with shipments of materials or against a specific order requirement:
Invoice
Packing List
MSDS/SDS

and where requested

Specification
COA - Certificate of Analysis
IFRA Conformity Certificate
EU Allergens -SCCNFP Data Form
ONLINE DOCUMENTATION
We are in the process of adding documentation to the website for immediate download.
Selecting the View page for the material and just scroll down to the heading Regulatory.
If not yet available via the raw material View page we can of course still issue full documentation as above for all shipments.

First, a quick overview of the kits and their differences.

The Original Fleuressence Perfumery Training Kit (1998) - This is based on the concept that there are maybe such things as Prime Odours just as there are Prime Colours in Colour systems The RGB, CMYK, 7-Colour Spectrum (RYOGBIV), and Pantone. Each companies rendering of these prime colours is different (tip: compare the printer inks from different makes of printer) Just as these small number of colours can create just about any image you can imagine, with each system having its advantages and disadvantages. So, the 26 bases in The Perfumery Training Kit represent a model that can produce virtually any style of perfume. The original Fleuressence base kit is probably the first such kit ever to attempt this. It works as a great tool to understand the structure and prototype perfume ideas, a little bit like story-boarding or painting by numbers.

The F-TEC Perfumery Training Kit (2022) - The F-TEC (Fleuressence Technology) system was the first major overhaul of the original Fleuressence system for 24 years, modernized, improved candle and oil compatibility, easier IFRA compliance and perhaps even more crucial integrated with The Perfumer's Wizard Online. Fully compatible with single raw materials.

We then added The Students Raw Material Kit (164 materials) based upon, modernized and extended on the Jean Carles list of the most essential aroma chemicals and naturals a novice perfumer should learn early on in his path to becoming a perfumer. Primarily designed to integrate with our online courses where they can create any style of perfume, but also be used with either Perfumery Training Kit's where individual materials can add an extra level of detail to the perfumes created.

Due to demand for natural perfumery we added The Aromatherapy and Natural Perfumery Training Kit - The kit gives the user the quickest, simplest, most rounded and fun way to get into the art of blending with natural materials for fragrance or therapeutic use.

Then came The Custom Creation Kit (iSniffs) (c.2000-3) - For some users they needed an easier path to creating professional smelling perfumes without long experimental times and sometimes endless iterations, often necessary with single materials or oils, before using in their products or submitting to clients. With a few hours of practice with the system even the novice user can produce surprisingly professional perfumes. All perfume styles can created and it is compatible with essential oils and single aroma materials. No computer required.

The F-TEC Custom Creation Kit (2022) - The F-TEC (Fleuressence Technology) system was the first major overhaul of the original Fleuressence system, modernized, improved candle and oil compatibility, easier IFRA compliance and taken to the next level as it was developed alongside The Perfumer's Wizard Online. The system like its Fleuressence predecessor can be used without a computer but can be taken to the next level even used in conjunction with the Free version of The Perfumer's Wizard but the Premium and Pro versions take the novice from zero to perfume hero in a few minutes. At it's launch in 2022, 222 original fragrances were designed, created, compounded, and bottled for 222 clients in just 20 hours, an average of 5.4 mins, just 3 staff, manning the The Perfumer's Wizard. No AI, no filling machines nor Robots necessary.

Question: What's my best choice as a beginner?
Answer: The F-TEC Perfumery Training Kit will give you an excellent start.
First follow the Instruction booklet included with the kit and try to make each formula example which should give you a feel for how the system works. Then try adding single materials one at a time to give a "je ne sais quoi" to them. There are suggestions in the right column of each formula. Try this: Swapping out materials in a formula from the same ABC group (eg. Bergamot Oil instead of C-Citrus or Ambroxan 10% half & half with U-Animal) this will give you a systematic and controllable feel as your creation develops.
Don't forget to use the The Perfumer's Wizard Online and select your kit.
Make sure you follow the Free online Foundation course too.