Perfume — it’s the final flourish before stepping out, a silent accessory that lingers in the air long after you’re gone. Invisible yet evocative, it holds a power beyond its tiny bottle: to boost confidence, command attention, and awaken memories. Scented Hues Perfumes, in collaboration with Artisan Bay, invited Hyderabad to experience that magic at an engaging workshop held at Diablo, Jubilee Hills.
S Harish, founder of Scented Hues and the workshop facilitator, began the session with a simple but powerful exercise. Participants were asked to close their eyes and recall the last place they visited — and the smells they remembered from it. “When you smell a particular fragrance, it reaches the limbic system in the brain and triggers memories,” Harish said. Attendees shared their olfactory recollections — from the fresh, earthy aroma of mountain trails to the salty tang of ocean air and the sweet floral notes of wedding garlands.
Harish then explained the difference between perfumes and attars — the latter being alcohol-free fragrances — before passing around scent strips featuring citrusy lime, delicate rose, warm vanilla, and earthy turmeric. Coffee beans were provided to reset the olfactory palate before participants began crafting their own perfumes.
After cleaning their beakers of residue, attendees learned about the five types of perfumes, categorised by their oil-to-alcohol ratios. The focus of the session was on eau de parfum — a blend composed of 20% essential oil and 80% alcohol. Harish also demystified the layered structure of fragrances. “For the first 15 minutes, you experience the top note. Then, over the next six to seven hours, it evolves into the middle note, and finally, the base note provides lasting depth and character,” he shared.
With recipe cards in hand, a variety of essential oils, and guidance from the facilitator, each participant embarked on creating a signature scent. Fragrances such as ‘classic date night’, ‘woody citrus’, and ‘spicy floral’ emerged as both seasoned connoisseurs and first-timers explored their preferences. The second creation of the day was inspired by premium fragrance houses such as Armani, Burberry, and Versace. Harish discussed the industry shift from natural to synthetic ingredients, encouraging attendees to blend their favourite essences into bespoke luxury scents.
By the end of the workshop, every participant walked away with two 10 ml bottles of custom-made perfume — a personalised expression of scent and self. “I wear perfume every day, but customising one allowed me to choose the notes I truly love and create something uniquely mine,” expressed Chandini, an attendee. Her sister Shalini added, “I doubt we could find the exact blend we created anywhere else.”