A one-to-one consultation with Samuel Sayre, fragrance historian and consultant with 25 years in fine fragrance. Tell me what you love, what you can’t stand and how you live, and I’ll come back with a short list of real fragrances worth sampling — and the reason behind each one.
A consultation is for you if…
- You keep buying bottles that smell wonderful on the strip and wrong on your skin.
- A favorite was discontinued or reformulated, and you want something that comes close.
- You’re ready to look past the department-store counter, into niche or vintage, and want a guide.
- You want a signature scent, or a small wardrobe for work, evenings and seasons.
- You’re choosing for someone else and want to get it right.
How it works
- 01Tell me your taste.
Fill in the form below, or take the Scent Match quiz first; your results carry into the form automatically.
- 02I review it personally.
No algorithm makes the final call. I read your favorites and dislikes for the notes and structures they share.
- 03We talk it through.
I reply by email with a first shortlist and times to talk, then we refine it around your skin, climate, budget and how much presence you want.
- 04You sample, then decide.
Everything I recommend is something you can sample before you buy. A fragrance that doesn’t work on your skin isn’t the right one, however good its reputation.
What you get
- A shortlist built around you. Real fragrances, currently available wherever possible, each with the reasoning behind it.
- Straight answers. Why a scent turns sour on you, why it vanishes in an hour, whether a reformulation is worth chasing.
- Help with lost favorites. The closest alternatives to discontinued fragrances, and if nothing close exists, ask about archival recreation.
- Smarter buying. Where to sample, how to spot a fake, and when a bargain isn’t one.
Choose your consultation
Every consultation begins with the form below: a written profile of what you wear, what you’ve abandoned, and why.
Scent Profile
A full written analysis with a shortlist of eight fragrances, sample sourcing notes and layering guidance.
One to One
Ninety minutes by video, working through a curated set of samples posted to you in advance.
The Curated Wardrobe
A complete fragrance wardrobe built across seasons and occasions, revisited twice over a year.
Tell me about your taste
Be as specific as you like: bottles, notes, memories, places. It all helps. Not sure which notes you like? The Fragrance Library is a good place to start.
I read every request personally. Your details are used only to reply to you. Privacy policy
Twenty-five years at the counter, in the archive and on-site
I’ve spent 25 years in fine fragrance: in luxury retail, alongside perfume houses, and consulting for hotels on their own scent identities. I’m also a fragrance historian — the Fragrance Help Library and the History of Perfume are my reference work — so every recommendation comes with context: where a fragrance came from, what it’s built on and what it’s related to.