Happy New Year! I hope that 2025 will bring you much inspiration, many adventures and discoveries, and of course, health and success. For all of us, I wish peace and stability. As far as inspiration and new discoveries go, I would like to contribute by offering new perfume classes. Those of you who have already taken several of my courses will find that our new offer builds up on that knowledge and combines our knowledge of perfume materials with discussions of accords and fragrance families.

The studio classes will feature a travel through vintage perfumery, relying on my own Osmothèque–a vast collection of original fragrances in the earliest available formulations.

Дорогі українські друзі, цього року я почну проводити свої заняття українською мовою. Будь ласка, прокрутіть вниз, щоб знайти пропозицію трьох перших занять: Цитруси, Спеції та Деревина.

The classes are open for students of all levels of interest and knowledge. Since I keep the class size small, I can tailor and individualize the program to your needs. You will have plenty of opportunity to participate and ask questions.

Brussels Studio Class: Perfumes That Influenced Fragrance History

This seminar will give you a rare chance to smell legendary perfumes in their original formulations. You will have access to my perfume collection and try iconic fragrances from Caron, Guerlain, Coty and Chanel. You will also explore some of the best materials used by fragrance industry professionals and discover why your nose is more sensitive than the most sophisticated machine.

We will step back in time, smell some of the iconic fragrance or examples of interesting genres from the past and also talk about people who made perfumes. Although contemporary perfume marketing focuses on perfume as a luxury item (or a tool for seduction), scents are more complex than this. A bottle of perfume contains an artistic message. It tells you something about the aesthetics of its time. Tastes of its contemporaries. Advances in science and trends in art and fashion had a big impact on the development of perfumery and on how perfumers were able to translate words and visions into scents. Together we will learn the evolution of perfume history by studying some of the most iconic examples of the perfumery art in their original formulations. You will also perform exercises to sharpen their sense of smell.

Class location: Brussels
Class duration: 2.5 hours
250€/per person   (50€ to be paid as a reservation deposit, the rest is payable in person on the day of the class)

Date: January 19th, Sunday, 11-1:30pm Reserve Now 

Date: January 26th, Sunday, 11-1:30pm Reserve Now

To request another date, please  email me.

Online Classes

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Citrus
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 18th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now  (Recording will be available)

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Spices
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 22nd, Wednesday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Dark Woods
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: January 25th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now  (Recording will be available)

3-Class Package: Citrus, Spices, Dark Woods
Price: €165 Book Now (Recording will be available)

In the Perfume Family classes, we will learn about accords that comprise the key perfume families. We will study how such accords are created and you will receive practical guidance on how to create your own accord, recognize perfume families and find a fragrance that suits your style and tastes.

Perfume Families Online: Chypre
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 1st, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)

Perfume Families Online: Cologne
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 5th, Wednesday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)

Perfume Families Online: Florals
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: February 8th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €60 Book Now (Recording will be available)

3-Class Package: Chypre, Cologne, Florals
Price: €165 Book Now (Recording will be available)

Мої заняття українською мовою

Ми розшифруємо основні парфумерні матеріали та проаналізуємо аромати, які їх використовують. Я надам вам різні вправи, щоб вивчити нюанси цих ароматів, і допоможу обрати парфуми, які найкраще їх підкреслюють. Розмір класу невеликий, щоб забезпечити увагу до кожного учасника та можливість взаємодії. Заняття проходитиме у формі лекції, переміжної з вправами на запах. Мій стиль викладання є інтерактивним. Ви матимете можливість ставити питання під час заняття, також буде відведено час наприкінці для ваших запитань на будь-які теми, пов’язані з парфумерією. Ці заняття призначені для студентів з усіх рівнів інтересу до парфумерії.

Основи парфумерії онлайн: Цитруси
Місце проведення: Онлайн, Zoom
Дата: 19 січня, неділя, 18:00-19:30 CET / 19:00-20:30 Kyiv time
Ціна: 1500 гривень Забронювати зараз (Запис буде доступний)

Основи парфумерії онлайн: Спеції
Місце проведення: Онлайн, Zoom
Дата: 23 січня, четвер, 18:00-19:30 CET / 19:00-20:30 Kyiv time
Ціна: 1500 гривень Забронювати зараз (Запис буде доступний)

Основи парфумерії онлайн: Деревина
Місце проведення: Онлайн, Zoom
Дата: 26 січня, неділя, 18:00-19:30 CET / 19:00-20:30 Kyiv time
Ціна: 1500 гривень Забронювати зараз (Запис буде доступний)

Пакет із 3 занять: Цитруси, Спеції, Деревина
Ціна: 4100 гривень Забронювати зараз (Запис буде доступний)

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Wishing you a joyful New Year filled with peace, happiness, and prosperity. May the coming year be a time of tranquility, bringing you comfort and harmony in every moment. Here’s to fresh beginnings and the promise of a brighter tomorrow!

Our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread is open this week. You can use this space to find perfume recommendations, to share your discoveries and favorite scents, and to ask any questions about scents, aromas and flavors. Or you can just tell us what perfume you are wearing.

Above all, I would like to know what perfumes stood out to you in 2024. What fragrances did you wear the most? What do you still want to try? My fragrance of the day today is Dominique Ropion’s A Rose is A Rose, a composition that hides rose petals in layers of soft amber and dark woods.

How does it work: 1. Please post your requests or questions as comments here. You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions. To receive recommendations that are better tailored to your tastes, you can include details on what you like and don’t like, your signature perfumes, and your budget. And please let us know what you end up sampling. 2. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer. Your responses are really valuable for navigating the big and sometimes confusing world of perfume, so let’s help each other!

To make this thread easier to read, when you reply to someone, please click on the blue “reply” link under their comment.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

When the mesmerizing Spanish actress, Rossy de Palma, decided to create a fragrance, she selected rose as her main theme. While the choice of such a classical flower for the star of Pedro Almódovar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown might have struck some as surprising, the perfumers Antoine Lie and Antoine Maisondieu weren’t taken aback. They were the co-authors of de Palma’s scent, and when it was released as Eau de Protection by the niche perfume house Etat Libre d’Orange, the result was anything but staid. As the perfumers knew, rose had many faces, and it could be made as smoldering or as innocent as an artist’s skill allowed.

Eau de Protection opens up on a spicy but fresh accord of green citrus peel and black pepper, but as the rose unfolds, so does the dark note reminiscent of damp soil and antique woods. Spice, honey, green sap, and fruit, the notes present in rose absolute, are cleverly highlighted in the fragrance, but the overall effect is abstract. The perfume is memorable not only because of its opulent character—aided by the generous dose of natural rose essence—and original interpretation, but also for doing away with the usual gender labels.  For a man who loves patchouli, amber and dark woods, the prominent rose notes in Rossy de Palma’s Eau de Protection aren’t too challenging. On the other hand, a woman who wants to eschew the cliché of “sweet and pretty” would find it a perfect statement fragrance.

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Luca and I had an amazing conversation for nearly two hours talking about classical perfumery, how to learn fragrances, trends, and so many other topics inspired by your questions. Our session is available as a recording. If you couldn’t participate in person, I invite you to listen to our conversation. Available here.

Here are the topics we covered:

• what classical perfumes make Luca’s heart skip a beat
• what exactly goes into those cheap, dime a dozen perfumes
• the future of perfumery
• is it possible to create anything new? and which brands stand out still?
• if you know nothing about perfumery, where to start? (Luca’s great advice)
• which classical Guerlain perfumes we don’t like (yes, those exist)
• and much more!

Luca Turin and I talk about perfumery: fragrances we can’t imagine the world without, trends we hate, industry gossip and other things. Both of us have our distinctive preferences and experiences, and Luca is someone I admire and consider a friend, so we will keep these sessions open-ended. Our goal is to raise money to help my local community in Ukraine, but I can’t deny relishing the pleasure of chatting with Luca on topics both of us enjoy. We hope that this series of conversation will be inspiring, meaningful and entertaining.

P.S. Did you know that you can follow Luca via his Substack?

Here are the projects in Ukraine for which I’m raising money:

• Purchasing art supplies for the free-of-charge art studios that rehabilitate children suffering from post-traumatic shock.
• Supporting animal shelters run by the individuals I know.
• Working with local outreach programs to respond to the lonely elderly and their needs.
• Supporting local cultural preservation projects and traditional crafts.  I

Full disclosure: 50% of the funds raised will be donated to these charitable initiatives. The rest will cover our time and my Belgian tax obligations.

Luca and Victoria recording, €50 (after the payment is processed, you will receive a link to access the recording.)

For more information on Bois de Jasmin classes and other course offers, please visit the Perfume Classes page.

I never met my great-grandmother Olena, who passed away shortly after I was born, but I always felt as if she were a constant presence in my life. Partly it was due to the numerous recipe books that she left behind. The hand-bound sheets covered with Olena’s lacy handwriting detailed her techniques for stuffing a roast, making multilayer cakes or selecting fruit for jams and marmalades. The most intriguing of her recipes was the one she called “a dry perfume for gingerbread.”

Every European country has its own gingerbread recipe and a combination of spices that gives each regional variation its distinctive flavor. Olena’s Ukrainian version was scented with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, star anise, and a hint of saffron. When I blended it myself following her proportions, I realized that it was similar to the “gingerbread perfume” accord I learned making as a perfumery student, although my liquid version didn’t have the voluptuous richness of saffron.

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