Custom Perfume Creation: The Story of Matcha Teatime
Custom perfume creation always starts with a feeling. For Matcha Teatime, it was the calm of a midday cup of tea: that pause, that breath, that small lift in spirit. This is how I turned that moment into a light, refreshing fragrance.
It is also a peek behind the curtain. The same steps I followed here are the ones our hosts walk guests through at every blending bar.
- Written by a trained perfumer
- Made in our New Lenox lab
- Real perfumery materials
- Tea and amber notes
Where custom perfume creation begins
Every fragrance at Glitters and Grace begins with a story. Matcha Teatime was meant to feel serene, clear and quietly joyful. Light and effervescent, but never sugary.
Before I reach for a single bottle, I write down the mood. Then I ask which materials can carry it. A note, in perfume talk, is one distinct smell inside a blend, like tea, citrus or wood. An accord is a few notes blended so well they read as one new smell.
Name the feeling first. It is much easier to choose notes when you know what you want the perfume to do.
The heart of Matcha Teatime: three teas
The core of the blend is a green trio: matcha, green tea and white tea. Each one brings something different, and together they feel grounding and bright at the same time.
Matcha is earthy, creamy and slightly bitter. It anchors the blend with depth. Green tea is crisp and leafy, and it adds a clean, refreshing clarity. White tea is soft, airy and a little floral. It lifts the whole composition and keeps it elegant.
To round out the teas, I added amber. Amber gives a warm, golden glow underneath, like sunlight through steam. It is the quiet hum beneath the sparkle.
Building effervescence with supporting notes
Making a scent feel effervescent without making it sweet is a delicate dance. I tried many supporting notes before the blend felt right. Four made the final cut.
Bergamot adds a citrus sparkle without overpowering the teas. Pear blossom brings a juicy, airy sweetness that softens the green edges. Linden blossom is a whisper of honeyed floral that suits tea beautifully. Hinoki wood, a dry, clean wood, sits at the base and keeps the blend grounded and grown-up.
Each change was tested in small batches, sometimes just one drop apart. I let blends rest, smelled them again the next day, and adjusted. Patience is a big part of perfumery.
Why precision matters in custom perfume creation
A good nose is about more than smelling well. It is about sensing balance, catching an off note and imagining how a scent will change on skin over a few hours.
I trained with master perfumer Karen Gilbert and at the Institute for Art and Olfaction in Los Angeles, and I keep learning through workshops and retreats. That training shows up in the small decisions, like how much bergamot is enough.
In the lab, we weigh in grams rather than counting drops. Converting a drop-based formula into exact weights means every batch of Matcha Teatime smells like the first one. We work with absolutes, CO2 extracts and essential oils, the concentrated natural extracts perfumers use.
How guests try custom perfume creation at our bars
You do not need a lab to enjoy this process. At our blending bars, guests start from a base, the foundation a perfume is built on. There are six: floral, masculine, fresh, musk, sophisticated and gourmand (sweet). Then they add notes until it smells like them.
Our Mini Perfume Bar offers 60+ fragrance materials, and the Full Perfume Bar offers 120+, including a family of signature scents for anyone who would rather not start from scratch. Signage suggests combinations, and a host stays at the table the whole time. See all three formats on our perfume bar experiences page.
Every guest leaves with an eau de parfum, a perfume-strength spray made at 50% fragrance material to perfumer's alcohol, in a 15 ml or 20 ml bottle. Formulas are not recorded at event bars. If you want a scent that can be remade, book a one-to-one fragrance consultation, where your formula is recorded. It is $650.
Try a tea-inspired blend of your own
If Matcha Teatime speaks to you, start with the fresh base at your next blending bar. Add a green or citrus note for lift, a soft floral for warmth, and a dry wood to settle it. Then smell, wait a moment, and smell again.
Curious about other notes? Our guide to oak moss explores a deeper, earthier side of perfume, and Ambree perfume at the perfume bar shows how a signature scent comes together.
Glitters and Grace was founded by Cheryl Gleason, a trained perfumer and cosmetic and skincare formulator. Every perfume, lip color and skincare base is made by hand in our New Lenox lab. Meet the founder.
Custom perfume creation questions
What notes are in Matcha Teatime?
Matcha, green tea and white tea at the heart, with amber, bergamot, pear blossom, linden blossom and hinoki wood supporting them.
Can I create my own perfume at a party?
Yes. Our Mini and Full Perfume Bars are blending bars, and a host guides every guest from base to bottle.
Can I buy my party blend again later?
Formulas are not recorded at event perfume bars. At a one-to-one fragrance consultation, $650, your formula is recorded so it can be remade.
What is a perfume base?
The foundation a perfume is built on. We offer six: floral, masculine, fresh, musk, sophisticated and gourmand.
What strength is the finished perfume?
An eau de parfum, made at 50% fragrance material to perfumer's alcohol.
Blend your own story
Bring a perfume bar to your next gathering, or book a one-to-one consultation. We reply within two business days.
perfume@glittersandgrace.com · 815.418.6740
With Grace,
Cheryl Gleason · Owner, Perfumer & Creative Director
Prefer to text? 815.418.6740 · or email us
