Everything on this counter comes down to four decisions, and we take them in this order because each one changes how the next one smells.
First the base, which is the oil everything sits in. Sandalwood carries a scent beautifully and adds its own warmth. Fractionated coconut is neutral and lets a delicate heart speak for itself. Jojoba is the lightest and the longest lasting on skin, and costs a little more.
Second the heart, which is what the blend will be called in your head. Rose, jasmine, oud, amber, musk or frangipani. This is the choice people arrive with and it is the one we ask you to make second, because a rose on sandalwood is a different thing from a rose on coconut.
Third an accent, or none at all. A little cardamom, vetiver, citrus peel or saffron shifts a familiar heart into something recognisably yours. Plenty of the best blends in the drawer have no accent, and we will say so if yours does not need one.
Fourth the strength, which is simply how much of the scent material goes into the base. Everyday at fifteen per cent is enough for a working day in this heat. Strong at thirty per cent is for an evening or for somebody who wants it noticed.
Then the scales come out. Fifteen to twenty minutes, in front of you, and the card goes in the drawer.