Scent of discovery

The writer created their own signature infusion using the fragrance wheel as a rough guide

After more than a year of our noses being firmly positioned behind masks and shields, fragrances are now experiencing a resurgence of interest. It's said that this shift can be ascribed to a post-pandemic sensory revolution, which has seen men and women craving all types of sensory experiences. While signature scents will always have a special place in our dressers, ISAK, an artisanal perfumery, is now offering fragrance-lovers the opportunity to expand their olfactory repertoire with an innovative DIY perfumery kit. And if the idea of making your own perfume seems intimidating, you're certainly not the only one. In fact, when we received our kit, we approached the package with a combination of excitement and trepidation.

The perfume kit packs in a range of base

The kit comes encased in luxurious but sturdy packaging, which ensured that all the glass bottles and beakers within it reached us intact. The stars of the show are the 12 little bottles that contain bases (segregated into base, middle and top notes). They include a mix of woody, citrus, and floral aromas, to ensure ample diversity. There's also a handy workbook that breaks down the basics of perfumery in easy-to-understand language, and a fragrance wheel that visually explains the types of fragrances that pair well with each other. The instructions recommend smelling each ingredient individually before mixing them into combinations - the kit has strips to facilitate this - and taking notes about our preferences.

We began to create our own signature infusion using the fragrance wheel as a rough guide. It was hard to not feel like cosmetic scientists as we used the pipettes to measure out the bases and swirled them together in the miniature glass beakers. Once we were satisfied with our mix, we added the solvent base. While it was an enjoyable undertaking, we do wish the makers had included a few formulae as templates we could use as complete novices - it was a tad confusing to determine the proportions for each fragrance layer, since some of the scents are more overpowering than the others. The final step was to pour out our creation into a spray bottle and affix a label. With that, we had stepped into the shoes of an amateur perfumer.

Middle and top notes. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Even if you aren't a tried-and-true fragrance aficionado, the kit will still hold your interest, thanks to its simple and interactive format. All the pieces are well made, and the compilation is well priced (Rs 2,990); we found it thoughtful too, with the makers throwing in a few coffee beans to help reset the sensory palette between whiffs. And so, whether it's a treat for yourself or a gift for a loved one, this nifty little perfume kit hits all the right notes.

Log on to: isakfragrances.com