Scent Test Strips

Also known as blotter strips, perfume test strips, and fragrance test strips, these are the most accurate way of performing organoleptic evaluation of aromas. When smelling an aromatic oil from the bottle you mostly detect top notes which are the shortest lived.   By using scent test strips, you can study the aroma immediately after application for top notes and then see how the aroma changes after a couple of minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes and after several hours or a day have passed.  This will allow you to experience all the notes for tenacity.  Using a test strip allows you to experience the full range of notes the oil actually has. There are different styles of strips but we prefer this paddle style with its narrow end used for testing and the wider end for writing the name of the scent being evaluated, along with the date and time.  Writing the date and time on the larger end allows you to discover the tenacity or longevity of the aroma notes on the strip.  An aroma that disappears from detection within a short time would indicate it is mostly comprised of top notes and has no tenacity.   If formulating a blend, after putting each oil on its own test strip you can then hold them all fanned out in one hand and waft in front of your nose to get an idea whether the oils you selected actually work well together.