By Karen Gilbert
Discover the captivating art of perfumery and learn how to turn your passion into a business. Join Karen as she shares step-by-step instructions and occasional interviews, guiding you through the i
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The podcast currently has 76 episodes available.
This week on the show Karen is joined by Viola Levy, journalist, founder of branding agency ‘Smart, Beauty Creative” and host of the Smart Beauty podcast, a show for beauty business owners who are looking to hone their brand voice. Getting the story of your brand and your products right is essential, and can be the difference between success and failure. That’s why, in this interview, Viola and Karen cover all you need to know about transforming your business from a retailer to a storyteller.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“There’s so much choice out there now, and that’s a great thing. People like to change their perfume as often as they change their clothes.”
“Brands have to have an opinion and a voice, they need to show they’re passionate about more than just selling their products.”
“AI is a great tool, but it shouldn’t be in the driving seat. You’ll always need a human touch.”
EPISODE LINKS
Smart Beauty Website
Smart Beauty Podcast
Smart Beauty Instagram
Smart Beauty Linkedin
Smart Beauty Email
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE GUEST
Having worked in the beauty industry for over 15 years, Viola is an award-winning journalist, copywriter and brand consultant.
As an established writer, Viola has contributed to all sectors of the beauty world, with articles appearing in Vogue, Glamour, The Evening Standard, and Refinery29. In addition she has written copy for several major beauty brands and retailers, including Aromatherapy Associates, 111SKIN, Cult Beauty, Boots, By Terry, and Superdrug, and in 2019, she won a Fragrance Foundation Jasmine Award for Best Short Piece and was shortlisted for Best Social Engagement. She has also written global trend reports for major forecasting agency WGSN, focusing on how consumer needs and habits have changed since the global pandemic.
From her years of experience, Viola has seen the beauty world rapidly change over the past decade. The way brands speak to customers has evolved. It’s less about playing on women’s low self-esteem, inventing problems (and products to “solve” them) or peddling false promises and miracles in jars. It’s more about feeling better (not just by looking better), intelligent discussions and promoting inclusivity. Which is why she set up Smart Beauty Creative to create the next generation of forward-thinking, feminist brands, helping to pave the way for a new, diverse and more enlightened beauty industry.
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
After receiving a couple of emails from people who were reluctant to join Karen’s online workshops because they were to be hosted on Facebook, Karen has been inspired to produce an episode on social media. Whilst social media is ever present in our lives and can be seen to have negative effects on our health and wellbeing, if you use it correctly, it can be an extremely powerful tool for business. In this episode, Karen gives a full overview of social media, its many platforms, the areas to be wary of and how you can leverage it to get the most out of it for your business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
● Karen started her first business long before social media existed. For those of you unsure of how much social media has benefited small business marketing, Karen outlines the differences between then and now.
● Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Youtube, Pinterest - There are so many social media platforms that could help you but, which one, or combination, is right for you? Karen breaks down the pros and cons of each.
● Despite some people’s objections to social media Karen continues to use Facebook to deliver her training courses. She outlines why she thinks it's a platform that works.
● Messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp are also considered social media. Karen details what these apps can do for your business and also their pros and cons.
BEST MOMENTS
“Social media is an incredible tool to help single person businesses reach millions of customers for pennies.”
“It’s essential that you look at social media as a business tool and not as a consumer space.”
“The best thing about social media - You don’t pay for advertising.”
EPISODE LINKS
The Scent Shift
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
Running a successful perfume business doesn’t just require someone who can blend materials to create a sweet scent, or someone who can market effectively. A truly successful perfume business also requires someone with the right mindset. That’s why, this week on the show, Karen is taking a break from regular programming and presenting an interactive episode designed to change your mindset. With exercises on planning your future, overcoming fears and stepping into the unknown, this episode will give you the tools to be successful and elevate your journey as a perfumer to the next level.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“Let your vision be your anchor.”
“When we start to make progress it is often our fear of failure that can hold us back.”
“Our fears are there to keep us safe, but they can also keep us stuck, if we don’t acknowledge them.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
Karen recently received an email asking for her advice on launching a perfume brand. However, the author of the email had only given themselves a 6 month deadline to get everything ready to launch. Karen’s instant reaction - “This is not enough time.” Perfume making is not just a science, it’s an art. And, like all art, it can’t be rushed. In this episode, Karen doubles down on the importance of taking your time to get where you want to go and explains the process and procedures for making sure you do it right.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“The most important and enjoyable part of the perfume making journey is the learning and creating.”
“The more time you spend trying things out, the more confident you’re going to become as a perfume maker.”
“When you’ve taken the time to find your voice in your brand, it really shows in your work and that’s what will make you stand out.”
EPISODE LINKS
The Scent Design Challenge
Deep Work - Cal Newport
The Artist's Way - Julia Cameron (Morning Pages)
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
This week Karen is joined by Liz Grech, an alumni of Karen’s Artisan Perfumery Mastermind course and founder of Olentium, a perfume brand based in Malta. Liz started her career as a journalist before the birth of her son unexpectedly moved her into the world of fragrance. In this interview with Karen, she discusses her career trajectory, how it takes time to find your voice, what you can do as an indie brand to compete with the big boys and how it felt to be a finalist at the Art & Olfaction Awards in 2024.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“One of the best pieces of advice I can give is ‘know when to stop tinkering’.”
“Do what you can with social media, don’t think you have to be everywhere doing everything.”
“The people that have opted into your email list are the ones that have said ‘I’m interested.’, so don’t ignore them.”
EPISODE LINKS
Olentium Website
Olentium Instagram
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE GUEST
Anglo-Maltese Olentium founder Liz Grech started out in magazine journalism and digital communications. Pivoting interests over the past decade, Liz gained a diploma in organic cosmetic formulation before taking up perfumery, training both with Karen Gilbert and teaching herself through experimentation.
Liz uses a high percentage of botanicals in her mixed-media perfumes, drawing first on those ingredients native to the Mediterranean where she lives. She launched Olentium to merge her life-long passion for fragrance with her desire to capture the spirit and soul of the Mediterranean in scent stories. Her perfume Bal Baroque was a 2024 Finalist in the artisan category of the LA-based Institute of Art & Olfaction Awards.
Liz designs Olentium fragrances in her atelier-lab in a Maltese village house, and sells worldwide online as well as through a growing number of niche perfume stockists.
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
This week on the show, Karen is taking a break from regular programming and presenting you all with a diary-style episode after spending the last week thinking about staying in alignment with your actions, not just in business, but in life. In this episode Karen covers what it means to stay true to your values and creative goals, the importance of avoiding the shoulds, and her top tips for achieving a work-life balance so that you can stay in perfect alignment.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“Trust your gut, start with where you are and what you’ve got. You can always make changes further down the road.”
“You are always going to get more opportunities, so don’t feel bad about the ones you turn down.”
“There is no perfect time, the time is now.”
EPISODE LINKS
October 5 Day Scent Design Workshop
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
This week marks the fourth and final part of Karen’s mini-series on fragrance families. And, she’s ending the series with one of the most important families - Fougere. Created over a century ago, Fougere has had an immense impact on the perfume industry, from its pioneering use of synthetics to its worldwide appeal with the launch of ‘Brut’. In this episode, Karen tells you all you need to know about Fougere, from why it's lasted so long, the key ingredients, and how to make your Fougere fragrance.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Karen gives a detailed overview of the history of Fougere fragrances, from its initial creation in 1882 by Paul Parquet of Houbigant, its pioneering use of synthetics, and its impact over the decades.
What makes a Fougere a Fougere? Karen breaks down which notes make up the main accord, what qualities each of them adds to the fragrance, and what other materials can be added to enhance the fragrance.
One of the most famous examples of a Fougere fragrance is Brut. But, underneath the marketing and packaging, it is a quite feminine fragrance. Karen talks about the crucial role marketing plays in selling your fragrance.
Karen give a breakdown of some of the most famous Fougere fragrances and how they impacted the family and its evolution.
BEST MOMENTS
“The success of Fougere Royale showed that synthetics could enhance and expand what was possible in perfumery.”
“If you’re studying music, you go back and look at the roots to understand it properly. The same is true for perfume.”
“As long as you are creating safe perfumes there are no rules as to what a fragrance can be.”
EPISODE LINKS
Karen’s Book
October 5 Day Scent Design Workshop
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen can offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
Continuing her deep dive into fragrance families, this week sees Karen delving into the world of Amber fragrances. Known for their warmth, richness, and versatility, amber fragrances have remained incredibly popular from their inception in ancient Egypt to the modern day. Unique in their makeup and with an incredible number of variations, there is a lot to learn about amber fragrances. In this episode, Karen covers everything you need to know to get started on the road to understanding the wonderful world of amber.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“Amber fragrances are typically long-lasting because they focus on the base notes.”
“The strength of amber fragrances lies not only in its comforting quality but its ability to be rich and complex.”
“Niche brands have been incredibly influential in pushing the boundaries of what an amber fragrance can be.”
EPISODE LINKS
Karen’s Perfume Book
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher, and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online that demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory senses and create their personalized fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen can offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrances, room scents, and skincare/body care products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase their sense of well-being.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
Karen is continuing her in-depth look at different fragrance families. This week, she’s taking a look at the misunderstood Chypre family. Created in 1917, the chypre family of fragrances has never been considered the best or most popular but has stood the test of time, and the family continues to grow with new subcategories being added year on year. In this episode, Karen details everything you need to know about this family of fragrances and explains why you might benefit from creating your very own chypre fragrance.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“The interplay between the fresh, floral and earthly elements are what makes a chypre so fascinating.”
“The thing that really defines a chypre is the fresh notes in the base.”
“If you’re looking to make a fragrance that stands out from the crowd, then a chypre fragrance could be the way forward.”
EPISODE LINKS
Make a Natural Perfume Masterclass
Exploring Aromachemicals Second Chance
Perfume Book
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
This week Karen is continuing her series on fragrance families, looking at floral families. The largest and most varied family in fragrance production, florals have stood the test of time and are as popular today as they ever were. From key notes to the difference between soliflore and floral bouquets and a breakdown of some of the most popular notes, Karen covers everything you need to know about this famous family, and also, why they are so popular.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“Floral fragrances are the most expansive and versatile family in perfumery”
“Keep in mind that fragrance classification is a guide, not a rule.”
“Every floral note can have a unique part to play, whether they are used as part of a main focus or a complex blend.”
EPISODE LINKS
Natural Isolates Masterclass
Make a Perfume Oil Masterclass
Materials Mastery
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
ABOUT THE HOST
Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.
Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances.
With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques.
Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website
YouTube
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