Show Notes
It’s easy to believe that the secret to creating great fragrances lies in having more materials - more naturals, more synthetics, more obscure aroma chemicals. But as Karen explains in this episode, the opposite is usually true. Expanding your organ too quickly can overwhelm your creativity, stall your progress, and make it harder to build the strong foundation you need to truly master the craft of perfumery.
Karen breaks down exactly why “more” is rarely the answer, why many professionals still work with a limited palette, and how to experiment, build skill, confidence, and clarity by initially using a focused, small set of materials.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In perfumery, progress comes from starting simple and structured learning - not from collecting hundreds of bottles. Most trained perfumers work with a tight palette that they fully understand.
Don´t be tempted to start by exploring big scent concepts; they can lead you to collect unusual materials prematurely. Start by making simple scents first.
Remember: most powerful or “interesting” materials only work in tiny amounts. Without practice and proper dilution, they can easily unbalance a blend.
Start by practicing with a focused set of ingredients. Learn to dilute them correctly, carefully observe how each material and combination behaves and make notes.
BEST MOMENTS
“Weird, wacky, interesting materials do not make you more creative. They don't make you a better perfumer - knowing how to use them does.”
“You are literally trying to build this whole city before you've built your shed in the garden.”
“If you change everything in a formulation over and over again, you're going to keep going around in circles.”
“You can own hundreds of materials and still be guessing and floundering, or you can have 20 core materials and be working with them and learning about how they interact with each other.”
EPISODE RESOURCES
Use the discount code shared during the show to master the 70 most important materials you need to build a strong skill foundation for your perfumer career by going here -
Materials Mastery - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/materials-mastery
Studio Classes - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/studio-classes
Getting Started Guide - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/podcast-getting-started-guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind - https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/artisan-perfumery-mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher, and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karengilbert/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenGilbert.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@KarenGilbertPerfumeMaking
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
More from The Perfume Making Podcast
This isn’t the usual New Year’s episode about planning, vision boards, and big 2026 goals. Instead, Karen looks at what happens when you need to do less, and how that can be the key to building a more robust perfume or creative business without burning out. She talks honestly about overcommitting (including with AI‑fuelled planning), why she’s simplifying her offers and pressing pause on some things, and how she’s re‑shaping her work around the life she is actually living. If you’re tired of the constant hustle but still want your business to thrive, this episode is perfect. To keep getting access to new content from Karen in 2026, sign up for her newsletter here: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk KEY TAKEAWAYS ● Be honest about how much work you can handle. ● Your creative energy naturally rises and falls. Accept that, go with the flow, and stop beating yourself up about not getting absolutely everything done. ● Our culture says, “new year, new you,” but winter is a season of rest and introspection, so it’s okay if big goals don’t feel realistic right now. It´s OK to set new goals in other months too. ● Drop things that drain you without generating true benefits. Ask yourself, do I have to do this now, or is it just another shiny object or something that is fun and distracts you from doing the more boring things? ● Don´t try to run on empty; make time to refuel. Hobbies, time with family and friends, travel, learning new skills, exercise, and other things that light you up, all top up your creative energy. BEST MOMENTS “I am planning on actually doing less this year on purpose.” “Creativity is not something that you can just squeeze out. You have to let it flow." “Really tap into you and how you work best – that is going to keep you in this for the long-term.” EPISODE LINKS: Bulgaria Perfume Workshop: https://www.roseoverdose.com/perfume-plants-of-bulgaria IAO Awards: https://thegoldenpears.com/home In Person Classes: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/studio-classes Previous New Year episodes - https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast/reflections-for-growth-learning-from-2024-to-build/id1693602939?i=1000682798977 and https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/making-the-most-of-2024/id1693602939?i=1000640841400 VALUABLE RESOURCES Studio Classes: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/studio-classes Materials Mastery: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/materials-mastery Getting Started Guide: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/podcast-getting-started-guide Artisan Perfumery Mastermind: https://www.karengilbert.co.uk/artisan-perfumery-mastermind
Ever wondered why everyone’s suddenly talking about layering their favourite scents? In this special year-end episode, Karen dives into the layered world of fragrance - examining the trend that’s gone from perfume-enthusiast secret to must-try for, indie creators, everyday scent lovers and brands. Discover how scent layering is shaking up traditions, what it means for your personal perfume wardrobe, and why this mix-and-match approach is more than just a passing fad.
It’s easy to think that the best way to stay ahead in business is by watching your competitors and lowering your prices when they do. But as Karen explains in this episode, that common fear-driven reaction often backfires. Responding to competition by undercutting your value can leave you overwhelmed, undervalued, and unsure of your direction.
This week Karen follows on from the conversation she had about learning to evaluate your perfumes. She covers something that is done as a matter of course in the industry. It's something a lot of people, especially when they're new, don't really get - making more than one version of your fragrance. Or, in industry terms, making a mod.
Do you really know if your fragrance works? Or are you just hoping for compliments? In this episode, Karen reveals why friends and family are not likely to be giving you the feedback you really need. She shares the essential steps needed to truly evaluate your perfume - like a pro. Karen takes you through setting a clear brief and mastering technical checkpoints. She shares the tools and mindset that separate hobbyists from serious creators.