Scenthusiasm

Using the Jean Carles Method

Jean Carles (1892 - 1966) was a hugely successful perfumer whose creations include Shocking, Miss Dior and Ma Griffe. He had observed that his co-workers appeared to create fragrances in an unpredictable, wasteful way so he set about developing a structured approach for his own work, which he then taught.

One of the techniques Jean Carles developed was to create blends of similar strength materials in a range of proportions:

1:9, 2:8, 3:7, 4:6. 5:5. 6:4. 7:3. 8:2. & 9:1

He would then judge which worked best to create a perfectly balanced accord between two materials, then add more materials and balance different accords with each other. In his writing, links below, he absolutely toasts the lackadaisical, unstructured attitudes of his fellow perfumers and teachers. Read his jaw-droppingly self-confident opening paragraphs in part 1 of his method below, in which he attributes other perfumers' successes to fortunate accidents and his own success to the method he developed.

Most of his great perfumes were created when the "grands maisons" had the luxury of huge budgets, years to get it just right, and no Hedione (1958) or Iso E Super (1975).

Jean Carles Method 1, from Perfumers' Apprentice

Jean Carles Method 2, from Perfumers' Apprentice

Here's a film we made which includes an adapted demonstration of the Jean-Carles Method, using drops on filter paper.

Edmond Roudnitska's Advice for a Novice Perfumer

Edmond Roudnitska (1905 - 1996) created Diorella, Diorissimo, Eau Sauvage, Femme de Rochas and Eau d’Hermes. He was the first to use  an “overdose” of Hedione successfully to boost citrus notes. His approach to blending was rather more adventurous than that of Jean Carles, but he demanded discipline from his trainee perfumers, recommending that they all take a 5km run and a cold shower before their morning coffee, and that they start work at 8a.m..

In Roudnitska’s paper, The Novice & His Perfume Palette, he describes the method of balancing two materials tedious, simplistic, useless and even dangerous. He states that balancing two materials meticulously is a total waste of time, as a third one can alter the balance completely.

What we have in the history of perfumery is one Master Perfumer appearing to throw serious amounts of shade on the rigorous  - “tedious” - method of his predecessor at Dior.

Here is Roudnitska's advice for a novice perfumer from Perfumer & Flavourist Magazine.

The reason I mention these two methods is that both masters were working long before most of the modern materials currently in use were discovered (naturals) or invented (synthetics), and before Sophia Grojsman developed her famous accord. Read their papers and form your own view, but bear in mind that both of them were hugely successful perfumers and produced timeless classics, while openly throwing quite vicious shade at other.

They recommend dedication and rigorous practice, while proving that it's fine to find the way which works best for us.