A Special Experience of Preserving Memories Through Fragrance
During a trip to Korea, the most impressive souvenir may not be a photo or an object. Fragrance is one of the most powerful carriers of memory. Many perfume workshops in Seoul offer one-day classes where you can create a custom perfume that reflects your own taste, and this is quickly gaining popularity among K-beauty travelers. There is an appeal in seeing trending scents on social media and being able to make them yourself with your own hands.
How Is Perfume Made?
A Structure Easy Enough for First-Timers
A perfume-making workshop is simpler than you might expect. Most classes take about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours, and a professional perfumer guides you from start to finish. Because they are designed for first-time visitors, you will learn the basics of perfume creation step by step. Once you understand the basic notes of a fragrance, such as the top note, middle note, and base note, you are already halfway done with making perfume.
Find Your Scent Among More Than 50 Fragrance Ingredients
Although it varies by class, you can usually sample more than 50 premium fragrance ingredients. Well-known workshops use top-quality ingredients from the Grasse region of France or carefully selected safe materials that comply with IFRA (International Fragrance Association) standards. You will also smell scents recommended by the perfumer, choose the ones that suit your taste, and write your formula (recipe). Usually, the final perfume is completed by combining 5 to 12 fragrance ingredients.
Test It First, Then Complete Your Final Perfume
You first test the blended scent with a small sample. At this stage, you can adjust the ratios or add more ingredients. If you are satisfied with the scent, it is completed by filling the final perfume bottle, usually 30 to 50 ml. Some workshops also offer options to create the same scent as a diffuser or fabric freshener in addition to perfume. The perfume you make can be used right away, but if you let it mature in a cool place for about two weeks, the scent becomes more refined.
What Travelers Should Know in Advance
Reservations and Time Checks Are Essential
Most perfume workshop classes require advance reservations. Some places accept walk-ins on the day, but because of the perfumer's schedule and participant limits, booking ahead is the safest choice. Major Seoul classes can be easily found on online platforms such as Moca Class, MyRealTrip, and SsumSidaang, and if you need an English guide, you should specify this when booking. Some workshops, especially in the Gangnam, Hongdae, and Mapo areas, run separate classes with English guidance available.
How Much Does It Cost?
For a 30 ml perfume, one-day classes generally start at around 40,000 to 60,000 KRW, while classes making 50 to 100 ml premium products cost around 50,000 to 100,000 KRW. High-end workshops in the Gangnam area or classes that include personalized consulting may be more expensive. The class fee usually includes the lesson, all materials, and packaging, so there is no need to worry about extra costs. Many workshops also have a system that allows you to reorder the same perfume later, so if you run out after returning home, you can reorder online.
Aftercare and Coordinating with Your Travel Schedule
Perfume should be kept away from direct sunlight and stored in a cool place, so you can pack it safely in your hotel luggage and carry it with you. Since there are liquid restrictions before boarding a plane, it is recommended to schedule the class on the last day before returning home, or plan to pack it in your luggage. After making perfume, it is also best not to expose it to the high heat of a sauna or jjimjilbang for a few days, because the fragrance ingredients may change.
Why It Is Good to Visit Early or Midway Through Your Trip
A perfume workshop can become a moment to reflect on yourself during your trip. If you visit early in the trip, you can create a scent that represents your Seoul journey ahead; if you visit midway, you can capture the emotions up to that point in the fragrance. If you continue traveling with the finished scent for a few more days, the moment you smell it again after returning to Korea, memories of Seoul will come vividly back to life.
Recommended Places
Rainbow Blossom Bouquet Drying Candle Perfume Workshop
Located in Misa Riverside, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Rainbow Blossom is a workshop that offers a variety of handmade experiences such as bouquet drying, candle making, and more, in addition to perfume. It operates Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 20:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 21:00, with prices starting in the 50,000 KRW range. Since it is inside a stylish shopping complex by the river, it is easy to fit into a travel itinerary near Seoul.
