Layer Your Fall Fragrances
Demeter CEO and Perfumer Mark Crames explains how to create a signature scent
Hello Gorgeous!
It’s officially autumn and time to swap out summery scents for something earthier or deeper. And if you can’t find the perfect perfume, it might just be time for you to create your own signature scent.
Demeter creates single note scents that smell amazing on their own and even better combined.
Brand new this season at Demeter is Oak, which will smell amazing with Bonfire, Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Bark. Depending on your preferences, you can create your own signature fall scent using Oak with Bonfire and Cinnamon Bark or Oak with Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Bark.
Demeter CEO and Perfumer Mark Crames offered tips for Hello Gorgeous! readers on how to combine single notes to create a one of a kind scent for this and every season. He also explained what exactly top, middle, and base notes are.
Demeter CEO and Perfumer Mark Crames on blending scents
Hello Gorgeous! What is the first step you take when starting to blend fragrances for a signature scent?
Mark Crames: What are the smells you love? Â I try to get people to talk about things or places or experiences, rather than other fragrances.
My first rule, is if they go together in life, they will go well together on a fragrance blend. ~Mark Crames, Demeter CEO and Perfumer
HG: How do you decide which fragrance notes work best together in a blend?
Mark Crames: My first rule, is if they go together in life, they will go well together on a fragrance blend. The second rule is single note fragrances in the same family will always go well together.
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HG: Can you explain the role of top, middle, and base notes in creating a balanced fragrance blend?
Mark Crames: A complex fragrance has a dry down, which means the central olfactory focus changes over time, which is a function of the various notes naturally expressing themselves at different times. So in a blend of Dragon fruit, Grass and Dirt, the Dragon fruit is the top note, because citrus tends to express itself immediately. Â The middle note will be Grass, and the base will express itself mostly as Dirt. Â
HG: What are some common mistakes people make when trying to blend their own fragrances?
Mark Crames: Trying to blend multiple complex fragrances. There is a lot going on there already, and great work has gone into creating a balance among many, many elements. Success is much more likely if they blend or layer multiple single note, or a single note on top of an already complex fragrances, for emphasis.Â
The real rule is there are no rules. The worst thing that can happen is you wash it off and start again. ~Mark Crames
HG: What is the importance of understanding fragrance families when blending for a signature scent?
Mark Crames: Families are a guide to simplify the process for the uninitiated or nervous. The real rule is there are no rules. The worst thing that can happen is you wash it off and start again.
HG: How does your approach to blending change when creating a scent for a specific occasion or season?
Mark Crames: Having a target limits the options, which in my opinion, makes blending easier. Of course, we have worked with many iconic scents, from Hershey to Jelly Belly to Play-Doh, and in those circumstances, it is necessary to be precise. But typical personal blending does not present any of those kinds of issues. Just do it!
A few final thoughts from Crames:
The only way to ensure a fragrance blend remains harmonious and not overwhelming is through trial and error.
Beginners looking to create their own signature scent through blending should start with single notes and the smells they love most.Â
Demeter is a family owned and run business with over 300 fragrances in their library. In addition to their signature Cologne Spray, you can find Bath & Body Oil, Body Lotion, Diffuser Oil, Purse Spray and Candles.
So, what’s your signature scent? And do you swap it out seasonally or stick with the same perfume year-round? LMK in the comments.
Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋