For me, the success of any creative project starts with one thing: passion. There has to be something about it that lights me up, something that feels meaningful on a deeper level. Without that spark, I find it hard to bring anything into existence. That energy—of being lit up, inspired, and connected—is what makes the work come alive.
The Scent Bar has always felt like it was meant to be at the heart of Florra. In fact, it has become so central to our boutique that it’s hard to imagine this space without it. What started as a simple idea has blossomed into a source of joy, creativity, and warmth that fills every corner.
As I approach nearly a year of hosting perfume-making experiences for our wonderful community, I want to pause and share the creative process that brought the vision of the Scent Bar to life—from the first spark to the space it has become today.
The Vision
Long before it became what it is now, I envisioned creating a space inside the store where people could sit down, pause, and connect. At one point, I imagined it might be some kind of mocktails bar—or something similarly interactive and cozy. But the idea wasn’t fixed. It was more of a feeling I had for what the store needed: a place for creativity, connection, and beauty to live permanently.
Then, during a conversation with a friend, the idea of a perfume bar came up—and it sparked something inside me. I’ve always loved essential oils and beautiful scents. So when the idea landed, it felt like everything clicked into place. I realized that instead of mocktails, we could blend aromas—inviting people to sit down and create something personal and meaningful through fragrance.
Grounding the Vision
Once the idea came alive, the first thing I knew I needed was a skilled perfumer to help guide the experience. And as often happens when something is aligned, the right person showed up almost instantly. Loreto, a talented artisan perfumer worked with me for five months, generously sharing her knowledge of perfumery and helping shape the foundations of the Scent Bar—from ingredients and structure to process and flow.
Meanwhile, I had to ground the idea into something real: the building of the physical bar, sourcing materials, creating collateral, planning the scent quiz, writing website copy, planning the launch… so many moving pieces. It could’ve easily felt overwhelming, but I broke everything down into manageable categories and tasks. That’s how I learned to work on huge creative endeavors—I anchor my vision by creating structure. One decision at a time. One step at a time.
Immersing Myself in the World of Scent
As I dove deeper into creating the Scent Bar, I realized the process wasn’t just about blending oils—it was about designing an experience that touched something deeper. To bring this vision to life, I immersed myself in the world of perfumery. I read books, studied fragrance structure, and learned about top, heart, and base notes—how they blend, evolve, and interact like an alchemical dance. That balance between science and magic captivated me.
I also drew on my decades-long love for essential oils—the way scent can ground, uplift, calm, or awaken you. That sensory connection gave me fuel during the process. It was a beautiful reminder that in order for any creative project to truly thrive, I need to feel personally lit up by it. There has to be something meaningful for me—something I love enough to carry me through all the details and unknowns.
At the same time, I wanted the Scent Bar to offer more than a fun perfume-making activity. I wanted it to reflect who someone is. Drawing from my background in transpersonal psychology and my work with archetypes, I wove in the idea of scent as creative self-expression—inviting each person to create something that felt like them. A scent that holds their essence.
This connection between fragrance, intuition, and psychology is what made the Scent Bar feel so alive from the very beginning—not just as a concept, but as a living, breathing space of beauty and meaning.
The Look and Feel
I always knew the bar had to feel like something special. Part cocktail bar, part apothecary—lined with rows of beautiful essential oil bottles that could be both functional and visually stunning. It also had to align with the store’s aesthetic: timeless, a little old-Hollywood, with a sense of glamour and femininity. Think vintage photographs, black and white elegance, and a softness that invites people to relax and stay a while.
There was even a moment—standing at our cash wrap—when I just knew where the bar belonged. That space was waiting for this idea all along.
The Unfolding
The entire creative process felt like what sculptors describe—how they see the final image in a block of stone and chip away until it’s revealed. That’s how this was for me. The vision was clear, but it took hundreds of decisions—each one made by tuning in, feeling into what was right, and keeping the essence intact.
My intuition played a huge role. Every choice, from the scent library to the labels to the flow of the guest experience, had to feel aligned. And still, fear was always there—whispering doubts about whether it would work, whether anyone would come, whether the idea would translate. But I’ve learned that fear is always part of the process. It shows up when something matters. So I kept going. One step at a time.
When It Came to Life
After five months of creating, building, testing, and refining—it was ready. And even as the person who built it, I was in awe. Seeing it finished for the first time was magical. To witness a vision become real is one of the most beautiful feelings I know. I genuinely believe we co-create with something beyond ourselves when we create from the heart. It still feels mysterious to me, and I love that.
The best part, though, was seeing the very first guests sit at the bar. Watching people blend their own perfumes, fully immersed in a sensory and creative ritual—it was everything I hoped for. The Scent Bar began as my creative project, and now, every customer who sits down makes it their own.
Following the Next Spark
This entire experience has reminded me to always trust the creative sparks that light up inside me. They don’t always arrive with a plan or a guarantee—but when they come alive in my body, I’ve learned to listen.
And as I continue to follow where creativity leads, I’m excited to share that something new is taking shape this fall—an offering that feels like a natural extension of the Scent Bar, but also something special on its own. Think pure botanicals woven into wellness, self-care, and ritual. I can’t wait to share more with you soon!
Making of the Scent Bar: An Inside Look at My Creative Process
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