ENFLEURAGE

By Andrej Babicky, Natural Perfumery Expert and Teacher 

A Beautiful Way to Capture the Scent of Flowers

 Have you ever wished you could bottle the scent of fresh flowers straight from your garden? Some flowers, like roses or lavender, can be distilled into essential oils, but others—like lilacs, gardenias, and jasmine—are too delicate for traditional extraction methods. That’s where enfleurage comes in—a centuries-old technique that allows us to capture the pure, natural fragrance of flowers in a way that no other method can.

The Enchanting Scent of Lilac
One of the most magical flowers to experience in spring is lilac.. As soon as its blossoms appear, the air fills with a fresh, powdery sweetness that feels both nostalgic and uplifting. Lilac has a complex fragrance—a mix of honeyed florals, soft vanilla undertones, and a slightly green freshness that makes it truly unique. Walking past a blooming lilac bush on a warm day is like stepping into a cloud of pure springtime bliss.
But as beautiful as lilacs smell, their scent is heartbreakingly fleeting. Once picked, their delicate fragrance fades quickly, and unlike roses or lavender, lilacs do not yield an essential oil through steam distillation. This makes enfleurage one of the only ways to capture their true scent and preserve their beauty beyond the blooming season.
Imagine being able to enjoy the fragrance of lilacs long after their short-lived bloom is over—whether in a perfume, a solid balm, or a scented oil. With enfleurage, you can do just that. This method gently absorbs lilac’s aromatic molecules into a creamy fat base, preserving its scent exactly as it exists in nature.

How Enfleurage Works
The process is simple but requires patience. Fresh lilac flowers are placed onto a layer of fat (such as refined coconut oil or a blend of vegetable waxes) spread across a glass or ceramic surface. The flowers are gently pressed into the fat, where they release their fragrance over time. Then the spent flowers are replaced with fresh ones until the fat becomes saturated with their beautiful aroma. This fragrant pomade can be used as-is or further refined into a tincture or absolute for perfume-making.

Want to Learn More? Join Our Courses & Workshops!
And, if you're passionate about natural perfumery, we invite you to explore The Natural Perfumery Course and The Raw Material Extraction Course where you’ll learn various extraction techniques, including enfleurage, maceration, tincturing, and distillation. These courses are designed for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of natural fragrance creation.

And if you love lilacs, don’t miss our special Lilac Enfleurage Workshop this spring!
This hands-on experience will teach you step-by-step how to preserve the enchanting scent of lilacs using traditional enfleurage. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced perfume lover, this workshop will give you the skills to create your own botanical extracts.

Stay Connected & Subscribe!
Spring is the perfect time to start your journey into natural perfumery. Subscribe to our courses and workshops to learn the art of capturing nature’s most beautiful scents.

More info about the courses: www.teachers-academy.org
​More info about the workshop.