As you’ve experienced, a fragrance material can smell quite different in the first few seconds and five minutes after it’s applied, especially at raw concentration. Bright citrus materials, for instance, can smell effervescent at first, then become softer and more subdued almost immediately, whereas some woody and resinous materials may seem rather quiet at first and become more noticeable with time. As you begin working with more materials, it’s possible to become a victim of your own enthusiasm, and you’ll get so excited by the amazing scent of the material (especially when it has strong and volatile top notes), that you may not wait to experience it completely before moving on to the next item. This can result in a skewed perception of how the material might perform in a fragrance.
Instead of drawing your first (and sometimes only) conclusions from the initial impression, remember to experience the changes in the materials over time. This is a characteristic of the materials themselves, and you might as well make use of it. It will also help you understand their potential more clearly in a finished fragrance, and not just fresh on a strip.
As you begin to learn about accord building, you’ll understand that materials can change character substantially over time; their harshness or spiciness may soften; the florals might come out; the tenacious base notes may be all that remains of a more complex composition at first. For these reasons it’s important to understand and describe these changes as best you can.
It’s best to sniff the materials on a blotter (and label it, of course) rather than directly from their containers. As we’ve already discussed, use short sniffs, spaced at intervals. When smelling a material, ask yourself questions like: how intense is it? Is it dry or sweet? Heavy or light? Does it diffuse well? Is it tenacious? Specific characteristics like these are easier to compare than more vague impressions (like whether you like it or not). When you’re first starting out, you may find that your materials smell overbearing on strips; you can always make a diluted solution of the materials for your training exercise to prevent one strong material from drowning out the next.
Also, if you’re able, try smelling two similar materials at the same time. You can apply small amounts of each to separate blotters and then compare their characteristics. This is a more effective way of training your nose to distinguish subtle differences than is relying on your memory.
When you smell a fragrance or a material for a long time, you may find that the qualities of that scent will become confused. You may not be able to determine clear distinctions between two similar fragrances. Adding in more scents to the mix will only compound your fatigue. When this happens, take a break for a few minutes before trying to make comparisons again.
Be sure to take notes on each of the materials, and write down at least the following: (1) what the material is, (2) what your initial impression is, (3) how it changes with time, and (4) what, if anything is left at drydown. Remember that the purpose of these notes is to help you remember the nuances of the materials, so don’t get too caught up in writing poetry: clear and functional descriptions will be more helpful later on as you compare your notes. Instead of writing I like rose better than lily, write that one smells sweeter and fresher than the other. If your notes are clear and well-written, you’ll be able to go back to them and compare notes as you work with more materials. You may discover that certain materials really have the potential to shine, while others can play good supporting roles.
Be sure to treat all materials with respect, and use them according to the guidelines for safe practice. It’s not always safe or advisable to use them at raw concentrations or on skin.
Your goal is not to identify all of your materials when you first smell them, but instead to demonstrate your understanding of each scent, and especially of how it changes with time when you smell the same material again.