Bukchon perfume class for experienced blenders: my own mix, Muhwawon

❤️ A recommended review of Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop ❤️

What is Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop?

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop (무화원 북촌향수공방) is a perfume workshop in Bukchon where you can make your own perfume with the feel and spirit of Korean nature: hanji (traditional Korean paper), herbal medicine, temple incense and more. Muhwawon means a scent blooming like mist in a garden, and this traditional-feeling workshop was inspired by the mist rising in the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung Palace ❤️

🔍 That's what makes it special!! I've never smelled scents like these..!!

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop is at 23 Yulgok-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, on the 3rd floor.

• Takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on average
• Reservation required

Which survey option should experienced blenders choose at Muhwawon?

When you arrive at your reserved time, the first thing is a survey. It decides how the class will run. I've blended perfume before and only wanted coaching on the important parts, so I ticked the checkbox for that option.

If you'd like photos taken, they'll help during the class, so tick that box too ✅️

Headset theory video and the premium 50ml eau de parfum

The class starts with a short lesson: you put on a headset and watch a theory video.

Today I did the premium perfume 50ml for 2 people. A 30ml premium perfume has reportedly been added too, so keep that in mind‼️ I made a 12% eau de parfum.

Some scents are marked with 🔴🔵. Apparently if too much of these is mixed in, they can lose their own character, so use them in moderation!

Which scents do you tick in the blending notes?

On the Muhwawon blending note, just tick every scent you like. Don't worry about the marks for now: if you pick the fragrances you like, the perfumer will blend and recommend a mix for you! Tick, tick on the note ✔️

I smelled the many scents they had prepared and ticked every one I liked.

The signature scents at the very bottom can only be smelled at Muhwawon. Really unique and fresh scents ❤️

Once each of you ticks the scents you want, the perfumer checks your taste and whips up a combination in no time.

How do the 1st to 3rd blending rounds work?

At Muhwawon, you smell blends of the scents the perfumer recommends. The class comes with explanations, so it was fun.

They brought over all the scents we needed from the back,

and in the 1st round I added one drop of each and smelled it.

❤️❤️ Mix the scents in a small container and give it a gentle shake! Then dip a bit onto paper and smell it. After that, add or swap whatever you like, and you're done!

Choosing my own 3rd-round hagyul flower blend over the perfumer's pick

The testing goes up to 3 rounds. In the 1st round the perfumer recommended a scent that suited me perfectly, and I already loved it. So in the later rounds I mixed my own blends however I liked.

I liked them all and agonized over which to make, then went with round 3!! The hagyul flower (hagyul is a Korean citrus) scent I'd blended myself was so impressive that I decided to make that one!

How is the final perfume made and when do you get it?

Muhwawon calculates the amounts you need to add separately, so you just pour into a beaker on a scale while checking the amounts.

Once everything's in, shake shake‼️

Pour it into the perfume bottle yourself and hand it to the perfumer, who fills the rest of the contents and packages it for you‼️‼️ See? Easy, right?

The finished perfume needs 2 weeks of aging, so I've put it away carefully at home. (Usable in 1 more week!!)

Naming your perfume for its label

At Muhwawon you can name your perfume however you like. I came up with a name that tells what the scent is, handed it over, and they printed it for me. I stuck it on neatly to match the perfume!! It's the perfect finishing touch‼️ Cool, right?

Is Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop a good date idea in Seoul?

The Muhwawon perfume packaging is so pretty that it would make a good gift for someone else too. This one is a gift to myself though 🎁

I also got a car diffuser for taking part in the review event. You can choose its scent too, so I picked the 1st-round scent I'd sadly passed up ❤️

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop is a great date spot, so I'd recommend a Bukchon walk followed by a date at the perfume workshop. It's perfect for photos too..