We pride ourselves in being fully engaged in every process of running a successful natural perfume company, so we don’t outsource any of our product formulation, creation or packaging. All products in our collection are created in-house – from the inspiration behind each scent, through to design brief, experimentation, formulation, creation, storage, bottling and packaging. It all happens under our roof and under our own attentive eyes.

Here's how we make natural perfume.

Step 1. Find a fabulous perfumer who is obsessed with natural ingredients.

Meet Liz Cook, founder of ONE SEED perfumes. Liz is also a nutritionist, and is dedicated to creating beautiful fragrances that do not harm. 

Step 2. Find some inspiration.

" I am inspired most often by human experiences and emotions we all share, like the feeling of elation and freedom when you wake up clear sunny skies on a day off, or the sense that anything is possible, or even likely, when you're daydreaming. I am also moved by how connecting with other people and the world around us can elevate our emotions, and bring healing to our souls."

Liz says her fragrance design process usually starts with a beautiful word or quote that connects her to an emotion or experience, and from there she starts to think more deeply about how scent connects to these emotions.

"For example, what does having a sense of true freedom feel like? What does that smell like? Does is smell light and airy, or does is feel strong and empowering? And what fragrances capture those emotions and experiences?"

From there, she starts a list of potential ingredients, and fleshes the whole fragrance out on paper before heading to her studio. This part of the process can take from one day to a few weeks.

Step 3. Start experimenting. 

Liz says running trials can take anywhere from two weeks to six months. Experimenting to come up with a formula involves both science and art, using an understanding of the character, longevity and nuances of each ingredient and how it interacts with every other ingredient it is paired with.

"The process is much like writing a novel: I start out with an idea, and then I need to find ingredients that tell the story. How the story unfolds is really about the play between characters and the emotion they each bring to the story as well as to the blend as a whole."

ONE SEED uses a combination of 100% natural plant-derived ingredients, including some tinctures they make in-house from basmati rice and black tea.

Step 4. Blend and age.

Once a final formula has been determined, the ONE SEED manufacturing team create a large batch of the formula, allow it to age, then add it to organic alcohol and allow the batch to age for at least four weeks. This process of maturing scent is crucial to creating a fragrance that is smooth and ripe.

Step 5. Filter and fill.

The perfume is then filtered to get rid of any solid particles, and bottles filled, labelled and ready to send to you!