The perfume revolution is underway! If you'd like to wear a fragrance that will leave you with a unique memory, we invite you to immerse yourself in the world of Sillages Paris, the perfumer who offers you the chance to choose a 100% personalized perfume!
The first thing you need to know about Sillages Paris is that, thanks to their concept, you're free to choose a perfume that's just like you, at the click of a button on their website. You can draw inspiration from your favorite fragrances, or directly target the notes you like if you already have some in mind.
Depending on your choices, you'll receive a personalized formula accompanied by three samples: two of them are additional fragrances you might like, and the third is a sample of the creation you've ordered, so you can test it on your skin before opening your bottle: if it matches, you keep it, if not, you send it back and you can then make an exchange or choose to be reimbursed.
But while this system is very practical, we suggest you take the experience to another level and make your own perfume directly in theSillages Paris workshop. Nestled in a listed courtyard in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, this confidential address, accessible by appointment only, invites you to immerse yourself in a world of olfactory discoveries that will awaken your senses.
All you have to do is visit the Sillages Paris website, reserve your slot free of charge, and before your appointment, don't be surprised to be asked for your favorite music. As you push open the doors of the studio, you'll see two touching attentions: A message on the wall personally welcomes you, while the playlist is tailored to your tastes.
You are warmly welcomed by the person who will be your guide in this olfactory universe. They'll explain the basics of perfumery, answer any questions you may have, and lead you into a world of scents both familiar and new. If you wish, you can even bring a friend or family member along for a chat.
In this charming cocoon with its youthful, uncluttered spirit, you'll discover a suspended perfume organ. The bottles seem to float in the air, and as you wander through the fragrances, you'll see notes that may surprise you. Rose, jasmine, bergamot, cardamom or, more surprisingly, cumin and milk - in all, you can choose from 64 fragrances, so the possible combinations are endless.
The strength of the Sillages Paris concept lies in its rigorous choice of raw materials. Say goodbye to synthetics and hello to natural ingredients! Here, we are uncompromising about the quality of the fragrances that will make up your perfume. What exactly does this change? We'll explain!
First of all, when you smell the different notes on the perfume organ, you'll probably be surprised to discover extremely realistic fragrances. Put like that, it may sound strange. Take jasmine, for example: here we smell both the embalming scent of its petals and the greenery of its stem, and are immediately transported to an oriental dream. The moss takes you for a walk in the forest, the Tonka bean awakens your sweet tooth... The rigorous selection of raw materials here is exemplary, and you can feel it!
Then, when your perfume leaves theworkshop, you'll realize that the fragrance is particularly lively. First you apply it to paper, and the top, middle and base notes stand out clearly, evolving to create a unique trail. Then, when you test it on skin, you'll notice that the fragrance really does change depending on who's wearing it (no, it's not an urban legend!). So even if someone else is wearing your fragrance, it won't smell the same. Your olfactory signature is totally yours - that's the magic ofhyper-customization. Finally, the other advantage is that the fragrance stays! And we all know how difficult it can be to find a fragrance that really goes with you all day long.
That's all well and good, but we're not perfumers, so how can we be sure we won't end up with a stinky perfume? Don't panic, everything has been carefully calculated. As you stroll through the organ, transported by the scents emanating from the bottles, you select the fragrances you like best, and you'll see on the tablet held by your guide that the list of fragrance choices is gradually narrowed down to offer only notes that match those already chosen.
Once you've made your choice, we leave you in the cosy lounge, while the magic happens in the workshop. Thanks to an algorithm fed by the creations of the 4 Sillages Paris perfumers (among the 100 haute-parfumerie designers working around the world), a formula adapted to the main notes you've selected is created. Your guide comes back to you with the signature bottle and three smaller formats.
Why do we do this? Well, quite simply because, as we said earlier, fragrance changes according to the skin, so you need to make sure that the fragrance suits you. What's more, you're dealing with an honest team here: if the fragrance doesn't look great on you, they'll tell you and suggest modifications if necessary.
That solves the mystery of one of the extra bottles: one allows you to test the fragrance before potentially buying it (remember, there's no obligation to buy). The other two contain other formulas inspired by the first and which you might like. If you end up liking one of them better than the original creation, no problem - we'll swap your bottle for another containing your favorite. If you don't like any of them, don't worry, you can try again or simply take nothing.
And if you do fall in love, that's great: you can choose between the pretty 50ml signature bottle for 83€, or a 15ml bottle (35€) which comes with three samples corresponding to your perfume and two other suggested fragrances, so you'll have time to make up your mind before falling for it again!
Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.
Dates and Opening Time
Starts May 12, 2020
Location
Atelier Sillages
5 rue Charonne
75011 Paris 11
Access
Metro Ledru-Rollin (line 8)
Prices
Atelier de création: Free
15 ml: €35
50 ml: €83
Official website
sillagesparis.com
Booking
calendly.com