This summer, I followed #TEAMTPS on the second part of their The Masters 2016 journey. And this time, it was at a science lab in Bedforshire. That’s right – we were continuing our advanced perfume training with an interactive lab experience. How cool!
Previously, three groups of The Perfume Shop staff created their own fragrance brief. We saw an explosive gourmand fragrance, a personalised imprinted scent, and a perfume shaped like a runner’s water bottle. And as we entered Colworth Science Park, perfumer Penny Williams told us that these fragrance briefs showed a real depth of thought, and that each team really knew what customers wanted.
You guessed it – all the teams were winners! Penny told us that she had created two perfumes inspired by the teams’ ideas.
The first was Liberty, a women’s fragrance inspired by free choice. With notes of vanilla cream, orange, jasmine and liquorice, it was strong and pure, and screamed confidence. It also had a carnival-themed design with a feather top – showing that you can write your own story in life. This is a fragrance for a fun, free-spirited woman.
The second fragrance, Moss Tattoo for men, was pure genius. Penny created a mixture of whisky, honey, cinnamon, fresh tobacco and moss, which smelt incredible. Created for ages 20–50, it was inspired by the tattoo designs of the 1920s and sepia colour.
Our task today was to experiment with six different notes and create different versions of #TEAMTPS’s creations. We each put on our lab coat and goggles (it took me back to Year 7 chemistry class days!), and Penny gave us sandalwood, musk, oud, bergamot, lavender and saffron to mix into the fragrances. I was amazed at how big an impact a tiny drop of fragrance made, and I wasn’t aware of how strong lavender smelt, especially when mixed with sandalwood.
I worked on developing the women’s fragrance, which resulted in a beautifully feminine mixture, with the additions of bergamot and sandalwood. Sometimes, the simpler, the better – and this is what I found in my perfumer experience.
The Masters 2016 journey is a real example of how well The Perfume Shop staff are trained. It’s not all about being a sales person, but more about the expertise and depth of knowledge. And guess what? You may even see the perfumes the teams created in stores next year. My lips are sealed for now, though!
So, I wonder what’s next?
