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Correspondence Courses Launching Soon!

Citrus Blossom

This is a time of transition for me and my family, and so I've prepared some provisions in place for students who wish to continue studying even when my courses are on hiatus for the summer (and possibly also for the fall semester).

You can register for the correspondence courses anytime, and complete the entire 8-module program at your own pace. Studying will progress according to the self-study guide that will be sent to you upon registration, which will include:

List of raw materials that are key components for this particular genre (AKA Fragrance Family).
List of tools and equipment you will need for this module.
List of the exercises in the book, and in which order to perform them.
Additional reading materials and links to relevant suppliers.
Additional creative thinking and exercises that are not in the book, and usually take place.
Online support via email or Skype chat - offered up to 6 months from date course was purchased.
Additional sessions via phone or Skype conference are also an option - but require an additional cost (these are billed at $200/hr).
{Future component of the correspondence program (still in the making): Access to online video tutorials, and essence kit for each module}.

The first course I'll be releasing is Citrus & Cologns + Lab 101.

Citrus & Cologne Week May 4-8, 2015

In this module, you will:
  • Learn Basic Lab Procedures & Etiquette
  • Become proficient and confident with the technical aspects of perfume creation and production, including: 
  • Dilutions
  • Tincturing of fresh and dry botanical matter
  • Adding water to an eau de cologne or eau de toilette + problem solving 
  • Scale-up
  • Standardizing Formulae
  • Scale Skills (including levelling, calibration, tare, count function, zeroing, etc.)
  • Basic Smelling Skills, primarily identifying essences 
  • Learn how to follow a formula and measure it properly
  • History of alcoholic perfumes, with focus on Aqua Mirabillis and medieval times 
  • Understand the Cologne type and basic accord 
  • Understand - and be able to recognize via smell - the difference between fragrances from the “Citrus” and “Cologne” genres
  • Understand the sub-categories for the Citrus family (i.e.: Citrus Fresh, Citrus Floral, Citrus Green, Citrus Fantasy, etc.) 
  • Follow and research historic formulae for Eaux de Colognes, i.e. Florida Water, Eau d’Hungarie, Carmelite Water, etc. 
  • Understand and be able to apply basic concepts of formulation, such as top notes, fixative, etc. 
  • Basic composition skills only: add 1-2 ingredients to a given formula, without taking away from it’s existing character (meaning: staying within the genre of Eau de Cologne, Citrus, etc.)
  • Basic manipulation of formulae to make it belong to a sub-category (i.e.: Citrus Floral, Citrus Fresh, Citrus Green, Citrus Fantasy, etc.) 
The course will become available at the end of May. It is now offered at an introductory price at 50% off. In exchange for this generous offer, we ask our first correspondence students to provide feedback about this course format, and be part of making future correspondence modules a comprehensive and excellent option for students of perfumery the world over!

Citrus & Cologne Week

Citrus & Cologne Week May 4-8, 2015

The other week, five students from all over the world gathered at my studio to dip their toes in the waters of cologne and experience what studying perfumery is all about. The Citrus & Colognes Week is the ideal course to start studying perfumery. You get to work with really simple, fun materials that are familiar (mostly citrus and herbs, but also some basic woods, spices and floral notes such as sandalwood, cedarwood, rose and neroli). Students learn all the nitty-gritty details of lab etiquette, how to handle the materials, dilute, measure and tincture them, etc. We also unveiled the mystery of aromatic extractions: how essential oils are distilled, how absolutes and other extracts are extracted, etc. and how to make your own macerations and tinctured.

Zest, juice, flowers, twigs and leaves - these are all fragrant components that come from the citrus tree and are used in both perfuming and flavouring. This week, we attempted to dissect the characteristic of each citrus note, draw connections between all the sub-categories of the citrus building blocks (citrus-leafy, citrus-lemony, citrus-orangey, citrus-sulfur and citrus-floral) and be able to discern between a sweet and a bitter orange; between grapefruit and bergamot; and between neroli and petitgrain (among other similarly related citrus notes). It's not an easy task, and one that I always wish my more advanced students would spend more time on doing...

Citrus & Cologne Week May 4-8, 2015
In particular, we learned how to tincture citrus zest (Meyer lemon... mmm...), and leaves (i.e.: Kaffir lime leaves); as well as dried orris roots (which turned out beautifully although they still need a little more maturing).

On the technical trouble shooting frontier, we learned how to added distilled water or hydrosols to create true eaux de colognes and eaux de toilettes and understand the technical difficulties that arise from this. We also learned about the chemistry of citrus oils, and how their unique characteristics makes them popular not only as a flavour but also as an active ingredient in many cleaning products such as soaps, solvents and detergents.

Last but not least: We've created historic formulae of eaux de colognes from given tried-and-true formulae from my new book; as well old historic recipes from various historic books in my library. Students also learned how to analyze classic and commercial citrus and cologne-type fragrances, and try to pick out the notes and re-create the scent based on the smell alone. On the last day, we also attempted at creating our own original citrus perfumes without any given starting point of a formulae, but rather drawing on a personal inspiration that emerged from an exercise we did together in class.



The next course will take place in September: Fougere Week (September 21-25). It is suitable for beginners. Ideally, you should have read Ayala's book "Foundation of Natural Perfumery" and taken the Citrus & Colognes and/or Lab 101 course prior to that. If this is your first time applying for the program, email ayala (at) ayalamoriel.com with your CV and a coverletter explaining why you'd like to study this program. Suitable candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview in person or via Skype.


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