Most people just smell from the top of the bottle…..this is not the right way. Why? Because you will usually only get the top note, the light and volatile constituents that are at the top of the bottle, and you will be missing out on the other fragrance components in the rest of the bottle.
At Indochine Natural we use “professional” Fragrance Testing Strips, but at home you can use strips of paper towel. Put one or two drops of the oil on the scent strip, let the oil on the strip dry for a minute or two, then inhale. Fragrances are all about emotions and feelings, when assessing an essential oil for the first time makes notes of:
• The fragrance layers (is it one dimensional or complex)
• Would you describe the fragrance as pointed, sharp, rounded or dull?
• What memories are aroused by the fragrance?
• What feelings?
Make an assessment of the oil initially, then wait ten minutes and smell the strip again. Then again in twenty minutes, an hour, two hours. Notice how the oils (or blend) aroma changes in time. Let your test strip sit overnight and smell it in the morning. Of course the lightest top notes will be barely perceptible the next day; the deep base notes, the woods and roots, will be deeper and richer tomorrow.
Describing what an essential oil fragrance can be difficult, however common terms used include floral; woody; citrus; herbal; spicy; minty; camphor; pine; vanilla-like. We then have a number of sub categories of each: soft; strong; mellow; sharp; smooth; harsh; bitter; sweet; sour; full; flat; and all the ones in between.
Dr. Mike Thair
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Indochine Natural
Penang Island, Malaysia
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