From Accords to Artistry: My Journey Through the World of Fragrance One of the highlights of my journey has been discovering the innovative concept of a Mobile Perfume Bar, which…
From Accords to Artistry: My Journey Through the World of Fragrance
One of the highlights of my journey has been discovering the innovative concept of a Mobile Perfume Bar, which brings the art of fragrance to new and exciting places. This is the story of the mobile perfume bar from New Lenox, Illinois.
There’s a moment in every perfumer’s life when scent becomes more than sensation – it becomes language. For me, that moment arrived early, sparked by a lifelong love affair with perfumes and a fascination with the invisible architecture of fragrance. I’ve always been drawn to the way a scent can evoke memory, emotion, and identity. It’s no surprise that Chanel has long been my hero. Coco Chanel’s fearless innovation and her ability to distill elegance into olfactory form changed the course of fragrance history. Her legacy, alongside the bold romanticism of Valentino and the refined heritage of Creed Aventus, continues to shape my own approach to perfume creation.
Training the Nose: The International Perfume Academy
My formal journey began at The International Perfume Academy and followed with Karen Gilbert’s training. It was here that I learned to treat scent like music, layering base, heart, and top notes to create harmony and contrast. I became obsessed with crafting base accords that could be mixed and matched, forming the foundation for endless olfactory possibilities and eventually the foundation for Glitters and Grace Signature Mobile Parties and my personal perfumery brand, Petal and Pulse Perfumery. The Petal and Pulse Perfumery brand is launching in 2026.
Some of my favorite base accords include:
These bases became the building blocks for more complex compositions, allowing me to experiment with layering heart notes like rose, jasmine, or ylang-ylang, and top notes like bergamot, pink pepper, or grapefruit zest.
Inspired by Icons: Valentino, Creed Aventus, and Coco Chanel
As I began creating full-size fragrances, I found myself drawn to the DNA of iconic houses. Valentino’s romantic yet modern sensibility inspired one of my early creations, Velour Noire, a sultry floral-amber that echoes the elegance of Valentino Donna but with a darker, moodier twist. Creed’s mastery of freshness and refinement led me to develop Citrine Reverie, a citrus-wood fusion that pays homage to Aventus while carving its own path.
But it’s Chanel’s legacy that continues to guide me most. The aldehydic sparkle of No. 5, the boldness of Coco, the modernity of Chance—these fragrances taught me that perfume is not just chemistry, but storytelling. I often deconstruct these masterpieces to understand their structure, then reimagine them through my own lens.
The Science of Scent: Aromachology and Beyond
My passion for perfume goes well beyond aesthetics. I’m deeply invested in the science of scent and its psychological impact. Through my perfume and advanced training, I’ve explored how fragrance affects mood, memory, and wellbeing. This knowledge informs every formula I create, whether it’s a calming lavender accord for stress relief or an energizing citrus blend to boost focus.
A Perfume Bar on Wheels: Sharing the Craft
After creating my own master fragrances, I realized I didn’t want a traditional perfumery yet. I wanted something more interactive, more personal. That’s how Glitters and Grace Perfume Bar was born. It’s a traveling fragrance lab where custom scents are created and built upon my base creations. I also teach guests the art and science of perfume making while they craft and curate their own personal fragrance.
Think of it as a mobile Perfume 101 course, where guests can:
It’s not just about making perfume for me. It’s about evangelizing the craft, sparking curiosity, and empowering others to explore their own scent stories.
Glitters & Grace Perfume Bar: Where Scent Meets Soul
Glitters & Grace Perfume Bar was born from a dream. to make the art of perfumery accessible, personal, and deeply transformative. After years of training, learning to master accords and full fragrance compositions, I realized that perfume wasn’t just a product—it was a journey. A story. A science. And most importantly, a shared experience.
So instead of opening a traditional perfumery, I created Glitters & Grace, a mobile perfume bar and educational experience that travels to events, pop-ups, and private gatherings. It’s part atelier, part classroom, and part sanctuary for scent lovers.
The Vision Behind the Bar
The name Glitters & Grace reflects the dual nature of perfume itself—its dazzling allure and its quiet power to evoke emotion and memory. I wanted a space that felt luxurious yet grounded, scientific yet soulful. A place where people could not only create their own signature scent but also understand the why behind every note.
How It Works: Blending Your Signature Fragrance
At the heart of Glitters & Grace is a hands-on blending experience. Guests are guided through the process of creating their own 30 ml or 60 ml fragrance using a modular system of base, heart, and top note accords. Each blend is customized, documented, and can be reordered or recreated at home.
Step 1: Choose Your Base Accord
The base is the soul of the fragrance—rich, grounding, and long-lasting. I offer a curated selection of base accords, each pre-blended for ease and consistency. Guests select one base accord, which forms the foundation of their fragrance.
Step 2: Add Your Heart Notes
The heart is where the emotion lives—floral, spicy, or green. Guests can choose from a palette of heart notes such as:
Step 3: Finish with Top Notes
Top notes are the sparkle, the true first impression of a fragrance. Options include:
Final Composition
Each formula is recorded in a personalized fragrance card, allowing guests to reorder their creation or recreate it at home using the same measurements.
A Mobile Perfume Course on Wheels
Glitters & Grace isn’t just a blending bar, it’s a mobile perfume school. As guests create their fragrances, I guide them through:
I answer questions, fill in knowledge gaps, and share stories from my own journey, for instance, how Coco Chanel revolutionized perfumery with aldehydes, or how Valentino’s romanticism inspired my Velour Noire fragrance.
Why It Matters
Perfume is deeply personal. It’s identity, memory, and mood wrapped in molecules. At Glitters & Grace, I help people discover not just what they like, but why they like it. They leave not only with a bottle, but with a deeper understanding of scent and self.
Book our Perfume Bar today or feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]
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