FRAGRANCE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
A clear process from your initial idea to your finished fragrance.
Developing a bespoke fragrance involves many stages, from understanding your direction through to final production. Our process is designed to keep each stage clear, focused and efficient.
Every fragrance develops at its own pace. While we focus on keeping the process as efficient as possible, fragrance development naturally takes time. Each new formulation or refinement needs time to mature before it can be properly evaluated, with around 2-4 weeks typically allowed for this process. As a result, bespoke fragrance development is usually measured in several weeks to a few months rather than days.
1. Discovery &
Fragrance Brief
Understanding what you want to create.
Every project starts by understanding your product, your fragrance direction and your expectations.
A clear brief is one of the most important parts of the development process. The more we understand your preferences from the beginning, the more efficiently we can focus our time on developing the right fragrance direction.
Your brief will help us understand:
The product the fragrance is being developed for
The style and character you want to create
Notes, materials or fragrance families you are drawn towards
Fragrances you like or want to avoid
Any practical requirements that may affect development
The goal is not to guess what you might like - it's to understand your taste and develop from a clear starting point.
→ Learn how to brief a fragrance
2. Initial Fragrance Prototypes
Exploring different interpretations of your chosen direction.
Once we understand your brief, we develop initial fragrance prototypes that explore different ways of achieving the direction you want.
These are not three completely separate fragrances developed from the ground up. Each prototype is related and developed from the same agreed direction, exploring different balances, materials and approaches within the brief.
For example, a brief for a deep smoky vanilla might explore:
A darker, more resinous interpretation
A sweeter vanilla while retaining the smoky character
A smoother, woodier interpretation of the same idea
The foundations may be closely related, while changes in balance or individual materials allow us to explore a useful spectrum without moving away from the fragrance you originally asked us to create.
The aim is to identify which interpretation best matches your expectations before moving into refinement.
3. Feedback &
Refinement
Developing the strongest direction.
After reviewing the initial prototypes, your feedback helps us identify which direction to develop further.
Development then continues in stages. Each refinement round is based on your feedback from the previous versions, allowing us to make focused changes and evaluate the results before deciding whether any further development is needed.
Useful feedback focuses on specific details:
Which prototype is closest to what you imagined?
What aspects do you particularly like?
What would you like to change?
Are there elements you would like more or less of?
Does the overall character match the original direction?
Each stage has an agreed scope and cost. If another refinement round is needed, we'll agree and quote for the next stage before continuing.
The clearer the feedback, the more efficiently we can refine the fragrance.
4. Fragrance
Approval
Reaching the final fragrance direction.
Development continues through the agreed refinement stages until you're happy with the fragrance and ready to approve it.
Once approved, we move into the appropriate final testing and production stages for your product.
5. Product Testing & Preparation
For cosmetic and home fragrance products.
For fragrances developed for cosmetic and home fragrance products, the fragrance also needs to be evaluated in its intended application.
A fragrance can behave differently once incorporated into a shampoo, cream, oil, soap, candle or other product. The base can affect how the fragrance smells and performs, so it may need to be evaluated and adjusted before production.
Depending on the product, this may include:
Testing the fragrance in the intended product base
Establishing an appropriate fragrance concentration
Evaluating how the fragrance smells and performs in the product
Making adjustments where the base affects the fragrance
Compatibility or stability testing where required
Where adjustments are needed, the fragrance can be refined and retested before final approval for manufacturing.
6. Manufacturing
& Filling
From approved fragrance to finished product.
Once development and any required product testing are complete, we can support production in several ways.
We can manufacture and supply your fragrance concentrate for use in your own production or by another manufacturer. The concentrate can then be diluted into alcohol for perfume or incorporated into a cosmetic, home fragrance or other fragranced product.
Where we're producing the finished product, we can also help with:
Preparing or manufacturing the finished formulation
Sourcing suitable bottles, jars, closures and other packaging components
Filling your chosen packaging
Preparing the product for the next stages of launch
You can source and supply your own packaging for filling, or we can help identify and source suitable options for your project.
LEARN MORE
Every Great Fragrance Starts with a Great Brief
Learn how to communicate your ideas, explore fragrance directions and create a brief that leads to better results.
Wondering What to Expect?
Discover how we develop fragrances, from the initial brief through to the final fragrance.
How Much Does Fragrance Development Cost?
Understand how we price fragrance development and the factors that influence project costs.
Have More Questions?
Find answers to the questions we're asked most often about fragrance development, ownership, timelines and more.