How to evaluate perfume on a blotter

Make the comparison answer one question

The most useful evaluation starts before the strip meets the liquid. Decide what you want to learn: whether one version is more citrus-like, whether a floral idea remains after an hour, or whether a new material changes the drydown. Pick a reference and one or two variations. A crowded row of unrelated strips makes the question harder to answer.

Use clear batch IDs rather than similar fragrance names. If you want to reduce expectation, give samples neutral codes and keep the key elsewhere. Blind coding is optional; consistent preparation and an honest record are the essentials.

Prepare comparable strips

Use strips of the same type, with the same marked dipping depth or loading method. Label the dry end with the sample ID, evaluation strength, solvent and start time. Prepare the label first: once several wet strips are lying together, memory becomes a weak identification system.

Keep the wetted ends from touching each other or the bench. The Institute for Art and Olfaction describes bending a scent strip so the loaded end sits above the surface. Give samples enough physical separation to avoid transferring liquid or confusing their odors. Follow the materials’ handling instructions while preparing them.

Choose an observation schedule

For a beginner comparison, an opening observation, a later observation during the session and a next-day check can reveal useful differences. Add more timestamps when your question needs them. Use the same intervals for the samples you compare and record actual times rather than treating “later” as a measurement.

The schedule is a study design, not a universal promise about how long perfume should last. A strip’s behavior depends on the material, loading, dilution, environment and observer. What remains on paper is also not a prediction of performance on skin or fabric.

Write what changed

Separate identity, intensity and preference. Identity is “citrus, floral, dry wood.” Intensity is how apparent that impression seems under your conditions. Preference is whether you like it. A trial can be less intense and more pleasant, or more recognizable and less balanced.

Use a few consistent prompts: What is most obvious? What appeared since the previous check? What has faded? Does an unwanted association emerge? A short specific sentence usually beats a long list of perfume vocabulary. “The fruity opening drops away and leaves a sweeter floral impression” explains a sequence another reader can follow.

1. Write the dominant impression in your own words.
2. Add one contrast: sweet/dry, dense/airy, warm/cool or another pair that helps you.
3. Record intensity on a consistent personal scale.
4. Compare with the previous timestamp and the reference trial.
5. Finish with a proposed next experiment.

Take breaks and preserve uncertain observations

Repeated smelling can make the session less informative. Work in short sessions, step away from the samples and return with a clear question. If the room contains another strong odor or you are struggling to distinguish the samples, record the limitation and reschedule the decision.

“I could not reliably distinguish A from B today” is a valid result. Do not turn a weak impression into a precise performance claim. Repeat a meaningful comparison on another occasion if the decision matters. Keep both records so you can see whether the result is consistent.

Turn notes into formula decisions

Link the observation to a change you can test. If version B seems too sweet at the later check, the next trial might reduce a sweet component while keeping other variables fixed. Write why that particular change follows from the evidence. Avoid changing five materials in response to one vague impression.

A journal becomes valuable when it connects material, formula, batch, conditions and decision. Export or back up the record if you rely on it. A saved title without the composition and stock strengths is not enough to reproduce the scent that prompted the note.