Scent School: Learn to Smell Like a Perfumer
By Emmanuelle Moeglin, Founder & Perfumer · Classically trained at ISIPCA, 20 years in fragrance
Ready to smell like a perfumer? You do not need a lab coat. Just your nose, and a little curiosity.
You already know how to smell. But do you know how to really smell? Not a quick sniff and a "mmm, nice", but slowing down enough to notice how a scent shifts: its texture, its temperature, the way it unfolds and lingers. That is a skill, not a gift, and it can be learned. After 20 years as a perfumer, and years of teaching it at our Academy, I can tell you the difference is mostly attention. Here is where to begin.
Lesson one: how to smell perfume slowly
Most people rush scent. Spray and go. But perfume is not static, it is alive. A good fragrance changes over time, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically, depending on the formula, your skin, the air and the moment. So your first lesson is the simplest: slow down.
Spray once. Wait. Inhale gently. Then return to it later. Let it unfold in real time rather than all at once. There is an arc to follow, a beginning, a heart and a base, and the more time you give it, the more you notice. Try it with one of our Signature Blends, worn on skin and revisited through the day. It will tell you things you missed at first spray.
That is a skill, not a gift, and it can be learned.
Lesson two: the arc of a fragrance, top, heart and base notes
Every perfume has a structure. You have probably heard of top, heart and base notes, but they are more than categories. They tell the story of a scent from start to finish.
Top notes are the opening: bright, often citrus or herbal, and gone almost as fast as they arrive.
The heart is the character: florals, fruits and spices that linger for hours.
The base is the finale: woods, musks and resins, the last to arrive and the longest to stay. They are why your scarf still smells of your perfume two days later.
Once you hear this structure, you start to appreciate the craft in a single spray, and why two scents that open in a similar way can feel completely different by evening.
Lesson three: find your own language for scent
Here is a secret: even professional perfumers struggle to describe smell. There is no universal vocabulary for it, no precise colour wheel or sound scale. It is abstract, personal and emotional, which is exactly what makes it powerful, and why you need your own words.
Forget sounding like a textbook. Describe scent through feelings, textures and places. A perfume might smell "like breakfast in Amalfi", "like velvet" or "like a summer picnic". None of these are wrong. They are right precisely because they are yours. If you are unsure where to start, our Fragrance Finder quiz matches you to a blend in about 30 seconds, no jargon required.
Lesson four: start blending
This is where it gets genuinely fun. At EPC we believe the best perfume is the one you make your own, which is why we created our Creation Sets: a blending experience that lets you play with notes the way a perfumer does. Each set holds three 10ml perfumes chosen to harmonise, a refillable blending bottle, a pipette for precise transfers, a step-by-step guide and a video tutorial. It is not about getting it "right". It is about finding what feels like you.
Take it further: learn perfumery properly
If these lessons leave you wanting more, you can learn perfumery properly with us. Our Academy runs an online course, Fundamentals of Perfume Creation, for anyone who wants to understand how fragrances are built from the ground up. We also teach in person, from guided blending sessions to the Luxe Blending Experience in our Covent Garden lab. You do not need a background in chemistry. You need curiosity, which you clearly already have.
Final lesson: your nose already knows
You do not need to be an expert to think like one. You need to be curious. Perfumery is art and science, but it is also deeply personal: what you smell, how you feel, what you choose to wear on your skin. At EPC we are here to help you find the joy in that, to break the rules, blend your own and craft a fragrance that speaks only to you.
Because the world does not need more perfume. It needs yours.
Start the Fundamentals course →
The world does not need more perfume. It needs yours.
Frequently asked questions about learning perfumery
▾ How can I learn to smell like a perfumer?
Start by slowing down. Spray once, wait, and revisit the scent through the day to follow how it changes. With practice you begin to notice structure, texture and the arc from top to base, which is the heart of how a perfumer smells.
▾ What are top, heart and base notes?
Top notes are the bright opening that fades fast. Heart notes are the main character that lingers for hours. Base notes are the woods, musks and resins that last longest and anchor the scent.
▾ Do you need training to learn perfumery?
No. Curiosity and attention will take you a long way on your own. If you want to go deeper, a structured course such as our Academy's Fundamentals of Perfume Creation teaches how fragrances are built from the ground up, with no chemistry background required.
▾ How do you describe a smell?
Use feelings, textures and places rather than technical terms. Describing a scent as "like velvet" or "like a summer picnic" is not wrong, it is the most useful way to build your own scent vocabulary.
▾ Where can I take a perfumery course or class?
Our EPC Academy offers an online course, Fundamentals of Perfume Creation, and in-person sessions in our Covent Garden lab, including the Luxe Blending Experience. Both are designed for enthusiasts, not just professionals.
▾ What is the best way to start blending my own perfume?
A Creation Set is the easiest place to begin at home, with curated 10ml perfumes, a blending bottle and a guide. For a guided, hands-on introduction, book the Luxe Blending Experience with one of our Blending Masters.
Keep learning: how to get into perfumery, how to create a perfume step by step, and our favourite perfumery books.
