The Perfume Making Podcast

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 intr... more

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FAQs about The Perfume Making Podcast:

How many episodes does The Perfume Making Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 117 episodes available.

The Perfume Making Podcast episodes:

October 19, 2025The Evolution of Musk - Part 1
This week, Karen is introducing the first in a two-part series on musk. Musk started life as one of the most prestigious materials in the world of perfumery and was often associated with nobility and power. However, over the years, it has constantly evolved and, today, is seen as one of the most common and well-known materials in all of perfumery. In this episode, Karen takes you on a journey from the beginnings of musk to its place in the modern-day world and how it has shaped both perfumery and culture over hundreds of years.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Musk has a long and fascinating history. Karen takes us through it from its origins in central Asia to its everyday use today.

Historically, musk was sourced from the glands of male deer; however, as the species became endangered, the material could no longer be sourced from the animal. In 1888, Albert Baur made a discovery that changed musk forever.

In the 1970s, a number of fragrances entered the market that changed musk to a much more accessible product. Karen explains how and why.

By the late 1980s, musk was mainstream, in large part due to the Body Shop’s ‘White Musk’. Karen breaks down how this shift affected the perfume industry and people’s perception of musk.
BEST MOMENTS
“Over the years, musk has gone from one of the most expensive materials you can buy to one of the most common synthetics in the world.”
“Musk moved from a sexy smell of desire to one of laundry and light, airiness.”
“Musk feeds that need we have for comfort, especially when the world outside is a much more intense and scary place.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Materials Mastery
Studio Classes
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
40min
October 12, 2025Soapy, Sparkling, Strange - A Journey Through Aldehydes
After last week’s episode on Chanel No. 5 and its revolutionary use of aldehydes, Karen is going to delve deeper into this fragrance family and its role in the world of perfume. Whilst most people associate aldehydes with Chanel and, in domestic use, soap, there are many different types of aldehydes that produce various fragrances. So, if you want to know your aliphatics from your aromatics, then this is the episode for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Whilst organic in their chemistry, aldehydes are synthetic in fragrance. However, natural aldehydes are starting to appear. Karen details the availability of these materials and what the future might hold.

Aliphatic aldehydes, the most well-known aldehydes, are complex in their makeup and cover a wide range of materials. Karen breaks down what they are, their uses, and in which products you will find them.

Aromatic aldehydes are soft, powdery, and sweet-smelling materials and do not resemble what most people associate with aldehydes. Karen shares some well-known fragrances that utilize them and explains how they can best serve you.

Green aldehydes are very herbal and are the ones that most people use when first experimenting with perfumery. But what do they smell like, and where can you find them?
BEST MOMENTS
“It’s important to smell these materials yourself. It’s impossible to build your own associations if you’re just reading off a list.”
“Aldehydes oxidise much quicker than most materials, they don’t last as long and can have chemical reactions within your fragrance.”
“If something smells inherently soapy, it’s not necessarily the smell, it’s because your brain has linked that smell to products that use a certain aldehyde.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Materials Mastery
Studio Classes
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
31min
October 05, 2025Decoding Aldehydes - The Chemistry of Chanel No. 5
Over the years, Karen has received countless questions about one fragrance family in particular: aldehydes. They often leave people puzzled about what they are and how they’re used in perfumery. In this episode, Karen breaks down the fragrance family that sparked a true revolution in the perfume industry. Focusing on Chanel No. 5, the impact it made, and its groundbreaking use of aldehydes, this show explores what aldehydes are, and why they matter.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Coco Chanel lived a very interesting and, at times, controversial life. But, as Karen explains, it was her life experiences that enabled her to create Chanel No. 5

Chanel No. 5 had an interesting early life, both as a product and as a formulation. Karen gives a brief history of this iconic fragrance.

Due to the success of Chanel No. 5, other perfume houses started to use aldehydes more aggressively. Karen shares an overview of the scents that it inspired.

Aldehydes also begin to be incorporated into other products, and in turn, bleed into daily life. Karen details just how prominent aldehydes are in day-to-day living.
BEST MOMENTS
“Coco Chanel was not considered mainstream, but her style created a shift in fashion and culture.”
“What we might think of modern today is going to be the old fashioned of the future.”
“Comparing fragrances of the same genre is an incredibly useful learning tool.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
22min
September 28, 2025Synthetic Scents - The Risks of AI in Perfumery
Last week, in one of Karen’s classes, a student was surprised to learn that some information she had received from ChatGPT was inaccurate. With AI becoming increasingly common in perfume making - from formulations to safety advice - this week, Karen is offering an overview of how AI fits into the world of fragrance, where it can be helpful, where it falls short, and how you can get the most out of this ever-evolving tool.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
How exactly do models like ChatGPT work? Where do they get their information from, and how do they differ from search engines? Karen explains it all.

Any answer you get from ChatGPT sounds 100% correct and authoritative. As Karen explains, not only is there a reason for this, but it’s also one of its major flaws.

A lot of the big perfume houses have been very vocal recently about incorporating AI into their formulation process. However, as Karen points out, it’s not in the same way that you might be using it.

However, despite its flaws, AI can be a very useful tool in some areas. Karen lays out some of the ways in which AI can help you.
BEST MOMENTS
“ChatGPT doesn’t evaluate credibility or cross-check sources to see what is accurate.”
“It isn’t just incorrect, it’s wrong with confidence.”
“If the AI models have been trained by mistakes on the internet, then you can start to understand where the mistakes are coming from.”
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
36min
September 21, 2025When Chemistry Meets Creativity - A Beginner’s Guide to Synthetic Perfume Materials
Karen often hears from people who work exclusively with natural materials in their fragrances but are beginning to notice the limitations, whether it’s their blends smelling too much like aromatherapy products or lacking longevity. If you want to move past these challenges and create fragrances that compare to commercial ones, the key is to incorporate synthetics. In this episode, Karen will share her recommendations for ten synthetic materials to add to your toolkit that will elevate your perfume creations to the next level.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hedione is a synthetic material that closely resembles jasmine, but smells lighter. Karen gives you an overview of this material, which is impossible to overdose, and changed perfume history forever.

Musks are one of the biggest gaps when you’re only working with naturals and it is synthetic musks that give perfume longevity. There are so many synthetic musks that can solve this problem. Karen shares her recommendations for the best synthetic musks to use.

The ‘Heart of the Floral’ is a fragrance made up from a trio of materials, and one of them, muguet, is only available as a synthetic. However, there are a few variations. Karen breaks down the differences between them.

Sandalwood is a widely used material in perfumery, but if you want it to go all the way from the base to the top, you will have to rely on synthetics. Karen explains why and gives her recommendations for materials.
BEST MOMENTS
“Unless you start using synthetics, you're not going to learn how they work.”
“Synthetics don’t replace naturals, they enhance them.”
“There are so many synthetic materials out there that it can be overwhelming to explore them for the first time. But, with the right approach, understanding them can add a new dimension to your perfume making.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Perfume Making 101
Studio Classes
Episodes on materials
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
40min
September 14, 2025Eau de What? - Demystifying Perfume Concentrations
This week, Karen is tackling a question she's asked all the time, especially by those transitioning from aromatherapy to natural perfumery: “What’s the deal with concentration levels for leave-on and rinse-off products?” It’s a topic surrounded by myths, often fueled by social media posts or 'how-to' guides, and the conflicting advice out there only adds to the confusion. That’s why, in this week’s episode, Karen will set the record straight and share everything you need to know about concentration, so you can step confidently into the world of natural perfumery.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
One of the biggest misconceptions around this topic is the idea that you can only use 1.5% for a leave-on product and 3% for a wash-off. Karen busts this myth and explains what numbers you should be aiming for.

Many people think that blending a scent for a room product is different from formulating perfume, but this could not be more wrong. Karen explains why the process is the same, but also points out some differences.

The key to getting the fragrance you want is understanding your materials, not hitting targets. Karen gives various examples of how different products are best served with different formulations.

Safety regulations also play a part when deciding upon the concentration of your materials. Karen shares a brief overview of this topic and provides you with valuable resources so you can understand this area fully.
BEST MOMENTS
“Fragrance is fragrance, regardless of what medium you dilute it into.”
“It’s not about the amount of fragrance that you can use in each different product category, it’s about the materials that you use in the formulation.”
“In higher end products, you have a much higher fragrance load, because people expect more performance from a more expensive product. ”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Short Masterclasses
Spreadsheet Download
Studio Classes
Episode 16 - Navigating Safety Regulations
Episode 58 Understanding MOCRA
Getting Started Guide
Artisan Perfumery Mastermind
Website
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
26min
September 07, 2025The Art of Weaving Time - Crafting Order from Chaos
After a well-deserved break, which was extended by a week, Karen is back. During her time off she took part in ‘Hampshire Open Studios’, a scheme where artists across Hampshire open up their workshops to the public. Karen decided to run a pop-up perfume bar and actually learned a lot. She also had a lot of downtime and was able to reflect on its importance. So, in this week's episode, Karen is sharing her learnings from both these events and her overall message of creating a healthy work life balance.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Karen is used to teaching people who want to learn about perfume. What she discovered with the pop-up bar is that most of the people visiting were there out of curiosity. She shares how you can adapt your offering to this type of customer.

One thing Karen noticed is that there was a huge inconsistency with the number of people who visited and the length of time they spent in the studio. She gives suggestions on how you can make the most of this.

Ideas come thick and fast when you're creative, and most times we feel the need to act on them straight away. However, this just leads to burnout. Karen gives her top tips on how to manage your ideas in a time-friendly manner.

On top of the ideas you generate for your business, there are also the creative projects that you want to do for yourself, which are equally important. Karen discusses how to make that all important ‘time for yourself.’
BEST MOMENTS
“If you’re considering doing a pop up, be clear about whether you’re there to entertain or educate.”
“The more you step away from your ‘day to day’ the more creative you become and the more ideas you have.”
“The idea of running your own business is to love what you do and really immerse yourself in it.”
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
37min
July 27, 2025Rest - The Most Underrated Note
After 110 episodes, week in, week out, on top of 3 ongoing courses, authoring her latest book, a family trip to France, and a family wedding in Spain, Karen has decided to take a well-earned break over August. That’s why, in this week’s brief episode, Karen is talking about the importance of stepping back and taking some time to let life happen. From following up on projects that you’ve promised yourself you’d do for months, to just taking a little time to experiment for yourself, Karen is going to do it all this August, without doing anything.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Karen gives an overview of her new book and what you can expect from it, but also, how it builds on the work in her previous book.
Despite being a huge advocate for stepping away and doing something for yourself, Karen has realised recently that she hasn’t taken any ‘me time’. She talks about the importance of this time and what she plans to do with it this summer.
During her summer break, Karen is taking part in the ‘Hampshire Open Studios’ programme. She outlines what to expect, how to find her, and when you can visit.
For those of you who love to listen to the show week in, week out, don’t worry, Karen has you covered. She lays out her plan of how to keep you listening and entertained over August.

BEST MOMENTS
“Sometimes the best thing is to step back and let your senses recalibrate.”
“Take a break and take in the world. Try and smell what is around you. It doesn’t have to be about making perfume, it can be just about experiencing scent around you.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES
Hampshire Open Studios
Perfume Making 101
Studio Classes
Online Course
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
23min
July 20, 2025The Tincture Trap - Why Tinctures Often Fall Flat
This week Karen is addressing a question she gets asked all the time regarding the use of tinctures in perfumery. The short answer to this question is that tinctures don’t work. But, with so many people using this process, there has to be something to it, doesn’t there? In this episode, Karen gives you a comprehensive lesson on tinctures from early history to the way they behave in perfumes, and even how the sperm whale plays a part in the whole process, so that you too can become an expert on tinctures and their usage.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What exactly are tinctures, how do you create them, what is their role, and why do people seek to use them in perfumery? Karen gives a crash course on all things tincture.
Historically, tinctures were used in perfumery, and this is part of the reason most people still think they are a viable method today. However, Karen reveals the truth of the origin of tinctures.
From scents breaking down to the onset of mold, there's a lot that can go wrong with your perfumes when using tinctures. Karen gives an overview of the main problems and why they occur.
Ambergris is a material that does actually require tincturing. Karen explains why this material works with tincturing and how to get the best out of it.
BEST MOMENTS
“Originally, tinctures were used as a base and not as an absolute or essential oil.”
“The idea you can tincture any flower and get a usable material is a modern idea and it’s also not true.”
“Creating a structured, repeatable, well balanced fragrance will need materials that are stable and are not going to go off over time.”
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
28min
July 13, 2025Too Much of a Good Smell - The Myth of Longevity in Perfumery
This week on the show, Karen is finally addressing an issue that has been annoying her for years - the obsession with extreme longevity of a fragrance. There is a theory that the longer a perfume lasts, the more desirable and worthwhile it is - but Karen is calling that a myth. In this week's episode, Karen is here to explain that just because something doesn't last, that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Instead, she argues
that perfume is meant to be savoured in personal moments—it's something for yourself, not for others. The real challenge lies in how to embrace this idea during the creative process without sacrificing your work.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Recently, consumers and perfumers have begun to confuse durability with quality. Karen breaks down why she thinks this is happening and why it is bad for the fragrance industry.
Karen explains why the beauty of a perfume is not in its longevity but in the smaller moments that make you realise why you’re wearing it in the first place.
When somebody makes a scent they love, but doesn’t last a long time, they try to add materials in a desperate attempt to create longevity. Karen explains why this never works and why it will destroy your scent.
Adding materials that fade away can be an invaluable tool to creating a unique scent. Karen explains why this is and how to achieve this.

BEST MOMENTS
“Perfume isn’t a marathon, it's a moment, an experience. Something that you enjoy whilst it’s happening.”
“The obsession with longevity is drowning out the subtle approach.”
“Don’t start with longevity as the goal. Start with the perfume you want to create.”
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Perfume Making 101 Masterclass
Materials Mastery
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Email
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
...more
19min

FAQs about The Perfume Making Podcast:

How many episodes does The Perfume Making Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 117 episodes available.

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