TallTayl

8 minutes ago, moonshine said:

Love that idea 

 

scented Past…..without a past there is no present or future 

That’s deep. 

6 minutes ago, moonshine said:

the forum has, for the most part, become an archive paying homage to ghosts of chandlers past.  We are actually foreword thinking, ambitious people who aim to make the best products we can 

 

…This is speaking to me and hit me in an unexpected way 

if your not loving using your already known brand this could be an Avenue to pursue 

ghosts of chandlers past …. Now that phrase alone isn’t a good forum name but the idea and emotion behind it is strong 

 

 

I can imagine a set of fragrances to honor Vicky, Trappeur, Dave, Old Glory, Eucalypta and others not coming to mind easily right now.  

44 minutes ago, Daisymay66 said:

Wow! These all sound amazing!!

yours should be at your doorstep today. Interested to hear (read) what you think!

There’s an emotional component to this too. When asked, “where’d you get that?” Saying something cute and quirky is fun… oooh I got it at Lush. Found this at Etsy. Amazon. Brambleberry.
CraftServer isn’t fun to say. 
 

we are also artists with scent,  Scented Arts is taken, along with many variations, but we can morph something. 
 

the origin of my Scenter square name was that I live near the historic Woodstock square.  Our claim to fame is the movie Groundhogs Day was filmed here. 

? woodstock Fragrance Works. 
 

my logos usually have a spiral, which captures the symbolic journey we all make learning something new.

the forum has, for the most part, become an archive paying homage to ghosts of chandlers past.  We are actually foreword thinking, ambitious people who aim to make the best products we can.

some communities I belong to that inspire thoughts for us:

The Gardeners Workshop.  https://thegardenersworkshop.com
Lisa has a teaching model connected to a web store.  She is active in person, on YouTube, and in print. I find myself leaning toward this model as a personable, relatable an non intimidating resource. I’m not as inclined for the push of all of those paid courses, but I’m not opposed to revenue generating pieces. 
 

Ceramic Arts Network. https://ceramicartsnetwork.org

This is a learning heavy resource, with annual conferences.
The forum part is legacy, like ours. https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org

the Freebies section is neat. https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/freebies
 

Basenotes. https://basenotes.com/forums/

this one is old, and cold, but is closest to what we are right now. Their software looks just like ours. They carry legacy info that is indispensable to the fragrance artists like us, and have cultivated a group of masterminds guide the newbies as we have.
 

Sometimes I like to drop a bunch of nonsense words to start a brainstorm. No judgement on anything written, just words.  Kind of like doodling.  Scribbling randomly evolved into logos and petroglyphs.

It feels like we are inside the chrysalis, still a puddle of goo waiting to rearrange into something beautiful. 

To get the ball rolling, here’s where I’ve been aiming, and why I get stuck.

The focus of the forum at this time  is anything scented.  Some are obvious, like candles, melts, soap, lotion, etc. plus perfumery, car freshies, room sprays, incense, heck even scented paper will fit.

as we develop our own line of unique fragrances for the membership, this name should be catchy, “sleek” and brandable. 
 

i have been playing around for years with names, but all seem like a mouthful. 
Scented Arts Forum

Scented Arts Network

Scent Artists

Fragrance Arts Network

Etc. 

i Google and go daddy check for existing places of similar names and stop because it’s all been done before. Before I give up and decorate the rut I am stuck in, I figured others might help create a new thought path to explore that might fit. 
 

let’s Ted Lasso this by tring on ideas, seeing how they feel, wearing them for a while and seeing how it plays out.

thank you for your thoughts on this. Let’s invite other members who you think will fit into this group well. 

2 hours ago, Daisymay66 said:

@TallTayl any thoughts on how RMC was in your wax? I’m excited to hear!!

The original was good in my coco wax blends.  The Pinion Wood I have a sample of is similar OOB, but not quite the same. I think I prefer the Pinion wood scent overall as a holiday type. There's something in Rocky I can't quite put my finger on.

Christmas just keeps on coming this month.  I made time to speak with another of my friendly reps at Lab #4 to explain how bored I/WE are with the same old same old fragrances. We want something sophisticated to elevate our products and stand out among a sea of similarity. Well friends, she delivered! 

The Summer Romance Collection contains 8 fragrances that are sexy, sophisticated and all around some of the most complex blends I've smelled lately. Throw out all notions of run of the mill blends with this set.

1) Gala Nights: Top Notes: Violet, Coriander, Bergamot, Middle Notes: Rose, Pepper, Lily of the Valley, Bottom Notes: Patchouli Ambergris.

Slip on your little black dress, best Minolo's and a spray of this scent. Walk the red carpet in style with this sexy blend.

2) Dusted Sheets: Top Notes: Geranium, Hyacinth, Middle Notes: Rose, Bottom Notes: Orris Root, Oud Wood, Patchouli, Sandalwood.

The opening notes are powder, though not a baby powder.  This powder is the expensive boutique dusting powder that is applied with a fluffy puff. Dust your bedsheets and settle in for a comfy night enveloped in luxurious style.

3) Neon Flowers: Top Notes: Bergamot,  Apple, Freesia, Middle Notes: Pomegranate, Berries WaterLilies, Jasmine, Bottom Notes: Amber, Vanilla.

This crossover between fruit and floral hits all of the high notes. Each sniff brings out a different element. It's how I imagine bees see the flowers with a ultraviolet spectrum of flavor.

4) Up Close: Top Notes: Tuberose, Narcissus, Middle Notes: Jasmine, Orris, Bottom Notes: Musk, Ambergris, Heliotrope, Vanilla.

You just met an exotic stranger in a cafe. A little light chat leads to close up conversation. This fragrance wants to pull you in close to smell more.

5) Perfect Pear: Top Notes: Pear, Middle Notes: heliotrope, fig, Bottom Notes: Cedar, Smoke, Ambergris, Incense, Leather.

This juicy fragrance opens with a freshly cut pear with the juice dripping from the knife. Then you can smell the magic of cooking the pear on a wood fired grill. The heat intensifies the sweetness of the pear while adding the slightly smoky caramelized aroma. 

6) Gentle Man: Top Notes: Sage, Tea,  Middle Notes: Vanilla, Tobacco, Bottom Notes: Hay, Amber, Cinnamon, Ginger, Caramel, Sandalwood, Vetiver

Warm and inviting, this exotic take on vanilla features bourbon and warm spices. Sit on the veranda as the sun sets awakening the senses for an exciting evening ahead.

7) Exhilaration: Top Notes: Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Middle Notes: Melon, Sage, Bottom Notes: Cedar, Coconut.

Book that spa appointment. Put on that fluffy robe. Enlighten your senses to pure exhilaration.

8 ) Mesmerize: Top Notes: Raspberry, Lemon,Jasmine, Middle Notes: Vanilla, Plum, Orchid,  Neroli, Bottom Notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber, heart Woods.

This is a modern take of vanilla reinvented. The notes are warm, spicy and seductive. It could be called a "dirty" vanilla, which juxtaposes against typical cloying bakery vanilla. 

All of these fragrances have blended on my hands as I sniff and re-sniff. I'm in summer romance heaven right in my studio.

I have a limited number of sniffies available. Send a PM if you'd like a set.

I can see myself buying nearly all of these if they work well in my waxes.  I DO NOT yet have IFRA. I have requested them and will test in soap, etc. if they are safe to do so.

2 hours ago, Milk Machine said:

I got my sniffies today. I'm not near them right now so I am only going by my most distinct memories. I REALLY liked Blue Hyacinth. It was very realistic and natural smelling. Same for Strawberry Rhubarb. I also really liked Strawberry Vine. It was just the right mix of strawberries & leaves & earth. I was surprised by sugar beets. I couldn't believe I liked it!  It was earthy but slightly sweet. I thought it would be nice with Hyacinth to add a little earthiness without darkening it too much. Speaking of earthiness,  Down to Earth is one of the best "earth" or petrichor scent I have smelled. Some others are hyperrealsitic and just unpleasant. This one is realistic but still pleasant and interesting. Also pleasantly surprised by the 3 citrus offerings. My favorite of the 3 was clementine coriander followed by tangerine & ginger but also intrigued by mandarin & myrrh.   BIG THANK YOU to @TallTayl for going above & beyond!

Glad your nose survived the number of sniffies you put it through. 😊

The ifras arrived for the second set. Most of them have generous usage rates for the most common categories.  I need help prioritizing testing since there are so many.

I have down to earth in coco83. It’s a wicker upper, so I need to swap out what I have to better read the overall candle. It’s really unexpected. 
 

lol on the sugar beet. I didn’t hate it, for sure. That dirty note is different from all the “dirt” fragrances already available.  The blending possibilities are endless. Your blend would be pre-cut hyacinth still in the soil. After cutting, the fresh cut stems enters the picture. 
 

as I sealed the packets, sometimes a bit of fragrance was in the heat path. Each of what you note smells much more intense when hot. You can drop a paper blotter onto your wax melter and get an idea of the notes that really shine with heat.
 

isn’t this fun?!? I wonder what the top 3-4 will be. I’ll test the leaders in coco83, soap, and if they pass then soy. If we have success, let’s order some hot new fragrance! 

Magnetic stirrers are handy! Some have the built in heater too. 
 

about how full can you go before the stir bar doesn’t complete the job? 

What was it pre-allhell-breaking-loose? 

prices have to ease at some point.  Leading indicators, to me, include how many suppliers are liquidating at the same time. Can’t keep price gouging forever..

 😒

TL/DR It's time for drastic changes to my business model.  I'm excited to pare back to short run fragrances of the month type things and subscriptions over offering dozens of the same fragrances I've always made. It takes me the most time just to find the fragrance bottle I need among so many others. What a waste!

The Long Version:

After writing and speaking with my CS family I know I'm not alone feeling like I've been stuck. Despite literally hundreds of lbs of fragrance I have no gumption to make anything. That lack of ambition is showing in sales and in my general attitude toward the business. Time to change that!

Recently I've ramped up home improvement projects that have been on my mind. We planned for graduation company, so we had a solid date on the calendar to complete a long list of things that have needed attention since before the world stood still. When faced with people sleeping in rooms referred to as a "Room Of Requirement" because pretty much everything got stuck there behind a door motivation improved in a hurry.

I moved from room to room clearing out, organizing, and THROWING THINGS OUT! I'm not quite minimalist, but am on my way there. As an example, I loathe seeing a sink piled high with dishes because nobody bothered to run (or empty) the already full dishwasher. My logical brain said we can't have piles of dishes to wash if there are not so many dishes to use. I made many trips down to the curb with boxes piled high of mismatched plates, bowls, cups, glasses, etc that got stacked in the kitchen when we blended households.  I am in the process of making custom ceramic dishes (another post to come about  that). Until that happens the cabinet which was loaded full enough to bulge got emptied. We have 4 sets of plates, bowls, etc. Kept only the nicest of mugs and very few glasses. If we have company pull out the Chinet plates. Boom! Solved. The kitchen seems so much bigger now.  people need to wash their own dishes if they want to eat (or use a chinet, I don't have a preference). This saves me maybe 30 minutes a day of kitchen work now.

If I can apply that to the business with maybe 6 fragrances that rotate in/out each month I may have a chance to achieve some sanity and inspiration in the studio. I'm planning to use the custom selections from our fragrance labs and keep barely anything else. I'll be dispersing just about everything else. This is super scary, but has to happen. Imagine every month being completely fresh and new! Imagine storage shelves I can remove since there will be less to store. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat thinking about this.

How are you staying motivated?

I’d give clear cello type bags a try.  Most come with a lip and tape that helps keep the scent in.  The type of plastic is important. Many common plastic bag materials drain the scent right out of the product. 

Sniffie evolution. 

the new packets will be colored versions of the white one. I was trying out what I have on hand first.  
 

the silver can be cut in half, and get 2 out of them. The packets do a much better job of isolating the fragrances. 

4 hours ago, Brotato said:

Thank you for doing all of the work!!

 

my only ideas to hopefully make that faster for you would be 1. Maybe grid out the paper quickly then do drops of a whole scent, then cut? May be just slightly less tedious. It’s easier sometimes to cut that stuff with an exacto knife and a metal ruler than scissors 2. Enlist family including child labor if necessary   Glad the Mylar is easier! 

 

really appreciate you taking the time to do this! So excited to hear everyone’s opinions. 

I use one of the paper crafting roller blade tools to cut both the paper and the foil.  At least everything starts out the same size, but devolves into chaos as I can’t fold.

the little heat seal packets seem to be working out.  I had a few sizes on hand and all are working.  I don’t dread the job as much now. Hoping the new ones coming tomorrow work as well. At least they will be pretty. 😂

I found some tiny mylar heat seal bags that might be worth a try.  Amazon can have them to me by Sunday. 

Wow I wish I had thought of this sooner. I have a few  teensy ones in my packaging collection and they look SO much nicer. Faster so far too. I won't re-do the first set... sorry for the recipients of the prototype round. 

Sniffie blotters take forever to make and sort to ship out.  Not complaining, just setting expectations for why this s taking so long.  The # of fragrances x the # of requests = several sessions  of hours so far.  Smells good though…

if anyone has ideas for how to speed up making sniffy samples I’m all ears! I love creative new ideas.  Right now I cut watercolor paper into small rectangles sized to fit heavy aluminum foil rectangles that make the most of the roll size. Then dropper fragrance on to each blotter paper, fold, sticker and sort.  My foil folding job gets messier the more I do. Many apologies for the crooked foil and labels folks.

16 hours ago, Daisymay66 said:

How would I order 1# from you of tonic?

I'll look up the latest co-op info and will PM details to you if that's ok.

Your vibration technique should be on the right track. May just need more oomph. I’ve seen people use reciprocating saws or muscle massage guns before graduating to a vibrating table.
 

For ceramic color, I use mason stains (made for concrete). They’re a bit more concentrated, but it still takes a shocking amount to get vibrant color.
 

i’ll need to look up your product to understand what the ratios are. But other cement products I’ve worked with too much water mixed them weak. 

1 hour ago, Daisymay66 said:

@TallTayl Do you still have your tonic fragrance oil? I think I read you had some of that available to sell? I’d be interested in a pound if that’s possible?

I do!

and pink sugar, black vetyver cafe, provence, summer fling and a few others. 

On 5/18/2023 at 12:57 PM, Tjwaversano said:

Funnily enough we got the same distiller yesterday! and ya they are always watching...creepy right?

Oooohhh let me know how you like it!!

3 hours ago, PhoenixFyre said:

@TallTayl I swear you reached into my brain to pick your testing criteria, lol. I am on the EXACT same page as you and agree 100% with the pros and cons that you considered for now. 

 

As far as smelling goes, I'm down for the least expense/trouble to you and everyone else participating. I remember being in one of your co-ops a couple of years ago, and the foil-wrapped blotters were enough for me to get a good idea of whether I liked the fragrance enough/how I could use it to make my decision to purchase. Just within the past month or two, I have gone ALL the way back to the drawing board on my formulas/testing for everything I make, so I think I'll end up using enough of whatever I purchase to make it worth it regardless. 

 

But, of course - we all have different needs and preferences, so wherever the group lands will work for me. 

Funny you mention going all the way back to the blank drawing board.  Same here.  I’ve been holding on to so many old fragrances to maybe use or dupe one day.  Crazy how much space it takes physically and in my brain.  Too much clutter.

I decided (after painfully debating with myself) to look AHEAD not backward.  Why be the next rendition of  scentworks/whatever when I can be authentically fresh and new with this forum group? 
 

foil sniffies are easy enough.  Mindless and tedious but easy. 
postage for them will likely be a few $ with all the usps increases.  Oh well…….. 

if you pm your current ship to address I’ll assemble a set for you. 
 

SAME OFFER FOR ALL FORUM MEMBERS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN A FUTURE CO-op: pm your address and I can ship a sniffie set of those you are interested in smelling.  
 

I’m slowly getting through testing on round 1 and 2. The hard part is choosing what makes the cut to test. 
 

criteria so far has been simple, but not totally fair. Will be dialing in better criteria as we all get more familiar with the forum group needs and wishes. 

- no cologne types

this eliminated scents like mahogany teakwood sandalwood. If there’s enough interest in the forum to split a full keg I can revisit that. 
 

- no powdery types

the version of nag champa sent to us fell into this category. I have other nag champa that does not smell powdery and sells well enough. 
 

- no fringe scents. 
sugar beet fell into this. I’d like fragrances in the beginning to be relatively widely liked. Sugar beet, while accurate, is not something that most people will love. It will be an amazing blender though so I’m keeping it in my back pocket for now to round out realistic garden blends. 
 

+ uniqueness 

I’d prefer fragrances we can’t easily find elsewhere. This limits “dupes” of popular retail brands for now. There are always exceptions, of course. I love a great blackberry. Black raspberry vanilla types fill the niche for me. Little/no vanilla, more fresh tart berry. The sample I have is the best I’ve tried. Only need to get it into soy now to complete the fragrance testing process. 
 

+ must be useful alone or in blends. 
fresh cut stems fits here. It is intriguing alone, but adds that special note to cut florals. 
 

+ quality, strong out of bottle experience. 
some may bloom stronger in product, but for starting our fragrance forum venture I’d like to focus on those that are strong OOB and only get better in product.
 

+ seasonally appropriate 

looking for current and next season. Realistically it takes 6-8 weeks to gather interest, order, and receive fragrances. Then it takes you all a few weeks to test and develop products with it. We need to work at least 8 weeks in advance to hit our season. So now, we need to be hitting for August and beyond. 
Blue Hyacinth is amazing, but might be better to look into around December for feb/march 2024 release. 

 

Sniffing:

how would you like to smell the product to evaluate for what to bring in?

- foil wrapped sniffy blotters?

- in product, like melts, cp soap, tea lights?

- little vials as similar to the old fashioned Avon perfume vials?

- fragrance sets of 1 oz (or more) to put into your own product?

the more complex the sniffy type, the more I will need to think about the fragrances to bring in. I only get a small initial amount from the lab, like an ounce or less typically. This barely covers my initial testing plus a few foil wrapped sniffy blotters.
 

If we want to experience it in product before committing, I’ll choose based on the fragrances I think I will use and get the minimum 25 lbs sharing whatever is left over as fast buy. We can reorder 25 lbs or more at any time after that. I’d like to not have to store too much in inventory. I can keep a few lbs of each on hand, and prefer to not tie up cash flow storing lbs and lbs. That restricts space and cash from other new fragrances. 

1 hour ago, Back said:

Thanks for your reply.

 

Not sure what you mean but I am open minded for anything that will increase the life of my air freshiners. If I cant do that then I am wasting my time.

 

I do believe it can be don if you talk to the right people but at what cost. if you can help me with this i owe u big time.

 

thanks

Bless

Shawn

A big component of longevity is the quality of ingredients In The  bottle. You could look for fixatives, but I’m not sure what to look for in your product. 
 

when I began learning about fragrances, I contacted places like Pure Fragrance Oils, Lebermuth, AFI, etc. and spoke with perfumers.  Then I dove into places that teach perfumery.

if you specifically need a dupe like black ice, I’d give AFI a jingle and see what they can offer.  Then compare with other labs that appeal to you.  https://afi-usa.com
 

AFI is a decent starting place as their mins on common fragrances are pretty low. And they introduced a sampling program recently.  
 

if you wanted to sniff what I use from my labs, I have on hand:

dragons blood

Egyptian dragon

provence

tonic

pink sugar

I’ll also be offering up sniffies of the new candle scents so people can vote for favorites.  I plan to bring in three to start.