From Concentrate to Elixir: Demystifying Dilution in Perfume Making

Dilution is an integral part of perfume making. Whether it’s diluting the raw materials or diluting the final fragrance, dilution will take place at some point during the process. In this episode of the Perfume Making Podcast Karen gives a detailed insight into the dilution process covering why we dilute, what materials to use, the pros and cons of dilution at different stages and how dilution can help you to create the perfect fragrance.    KEY TAKEAWAYS The raw materials used to create perfumes come in many different forms and consistency and can be quite difficult to work with, that is why most people choose to dilute.  Dilution can allow you to add trace amounts of materials to small trial batches of perfume, so if the scent doesn’t work out, you haven’t wasted all your material.  Dilution can also help with understanding the scent of a material easier as most dilution techniques allow the material to evaporate faster. There are many different methods of dilution and solvents that can be used. But which is the best for any given situation? Karen breaks it all down for you.    BEST MOMENTS    “Experiment with dilution. It is an integral part of perfume making and something you need to master.” “With every experiment you do make extensive notes, perfume making can be huge and you will work with many materials, the more information you can collect the better you will understand the process.” “Measure everything you use. Without measurements you won’t be able to recreate things when they go well and won’t have an understanding of why things didn’t work out.”       VALUABLE RESOURCES   Getting Started Guide: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/podcast-getting-started-guide   Artisan Perfumery Mastermind: https://karengilbert.info/artisan-perfumery-mastermind   ABOUT THE HOST Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.  Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.   With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques. Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.   CONTACT DETAILS Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Email