Perfume Blending Sensory Workshop

5-8 essential oils: lavender, lemon, peppermint, vanilla, rosemary, tea tree, eucalyptus, orange

Small glass rollerball bottles

Carrier oil (jojoba or sweet almond)

Paper strips for scent testing

Labels and a pen

Lay out essential oils and explain scent categories: top (citrus, mint), middle (herbs, florals), base (vanilla, wood).

Have your child smell each oil on a paper strip, noting favorites.

Teach the perfumer's approach: choose one top note, one middle note, and one base note.

Add 2-3 drops of each chosen oil to a rollerball bottle.

Fill the rest with carrier oil and shake gently to combine.

Roll onto wrists and evaluate: "Does it smell balanced? Too strong? What would you change?"

Name and label the creation. Make a second blend and compare.

Smell paper strips between oils to reset your nose. Sniffing coffee beans also works as an olfactory palate cleanser.

Keep essential oil amounts small — these are concentrated. 2-3 drops per oil in a 10ml bottle is plenty.

The language of perfumery is rich: notes, accords, bouquets, blends. This builds sophisticated descriptive vocabulary.

Test skin for sensitivity with one oil at a time before blending. Stop if any irritation appears.

Perfume blending is a genuine career skill used by professional "noses" in the fragrance industry.