Perfume Design Map: A Scientific Framework for Creating Accords Formulation from Fragrance Families

Abstract

This research focused on developing a scientific perfume design map by systematically combining different fragrance families to generate structured accords. The experiments involved selecting representatives from four main aromatic family‟s floral, fruity, citrus, and spicy (with woody as a complementary option) and mixing them in graded proportions represented by drops on blotting papers. Through this systematic approach, approximately 1187 possible accords were created, including 150 accords from mixing two families, 500 accords from three families, and 625 accords from four families, with a small number of duplicates identified and excluded. Additional experiments demonstrated the special role of oud as a dominant “mold” rather than a decorative element, producing 60 unique oud-based accords. The study also established three key construction rules for perfumes: proportion gradation to avoid clashes, maintaining a dominant identity (mold vs. decoration), and ensuring balance for attractiveness. The most important result was the creation of a quantitative and reproducible framework for perfume formulation, showing that from just a few raw materials, hundreds of harmonious and diverse perfumes can be designed efficiently using this systematic mapping method. This study proves that perfume creation can move from chance and tradition to a reproducible scientific process, enabling the design of thousands of innovative fragrances from just a few raw materials.