Functional Fragrance:
Natural perfumery with essential oils
NEW live course with Hana and Robert Tisserand
Both perfumery and aromatherapy use aromatic materials, but despite their similarities, fragrances and aromatherapy blends are not the same thing. Two obvious differences are that most fragrances are made with a pleasant smell as the only goal, and that synthetic ingredients are prioritized. In aromatherapy, only natural ingredients are used, and how the blend smells may be secondary to its intended purpose.
But what if you could have both at the same time? Is it possible to make a functional aromatic creation based only on naturals that ALSO smells as beautiful, and lasts as long as a perfume?
Inside this course, Hana and Robert Tisserand walk you through the process Robert has been perfecting for decades. You’ll learn how to combine functional and fragrant elements to make effective creations that smell amazing.
Start date: November 24, 2026
Functional Fragrance
Payment in fullOne-time Payment
Functional Fragrance
Payment planFour no-interest payments of $95 over 4 months.
What makes a functional fragrance?
This course is designed for someone who is familiar with the properties of essential oils and wants to also understand the powers of their scent. Blending essential oils is a core skill for aromatherapists, but we are going a step or two beyond a nice blend.
As such, the course is primarily focused on natural fragrance creation. In five lessons, we will guide you through the steps that take you from a combination of two odorants to a beautiful fragrance – a balance of top, middle and base notes that evolve over time – without compromising on the benefits of essential oils.
We start with setting up your studio for composition, then move on to evaluation of your materials with a perfumer’s nose, before we start looking for pairs and more complex combinations. Whether you want to refine an existing blend, or start from scratch, we will guide you through the process from concept to final product.
There’s no essential oil kit that comes with this course. You will be given a palette of ingredients before the first lesson, so you can see the main odorants used and check it against your own inventory.
Robert Tisserand hasspent decades developing essential oil-based functional fragrances for global brands and personal products, and now he’s ready to share his expertise with you!
What You Get in the Course
5 LESSONS, OVER FIVE WEEKS
Five LIVE lessons with Hana and Robert Tisserand, recorded for review.
LAB DEMONSTRATIONS
Each class is followed by a practical demonstration.
Q&A SESSIONS
Five LIVE Q&A sessions.
GUIDES STUDY
Open online co-working sessions for practicing the skills.
RECORDINGS
Each lesson and Q&A are recorded so you can catch up and rewatch as needed.
PRINTABLE COURSE MATERIAL
Extensive downloadable handouts and course notes with links to additional resources.
DEDICATED GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Access to our private online forum to ask questions and interact with Hana, Robert, and classmates.
ONGOING COURSE ACCESS
Ongoing access to your instructors and active forums for three weeks after course completion, and access to recordings for a further four months.
Robert Tisserand
Founder | Speaker | Educator
Robert Tisserand is a British/American author, educator and consultant on the science and benefits of essential oils and their safe and effective application. In 1977 he wrote the first English language book on aromatherapy, and in 2014 he co-authored Essential Oil Safety, which has set safety standards for the aromatherapy industry.
Robert has over 40 years of experience in product development, and he has enjoyed creating hundreds of functional fragrances for rollerballs, and for skin and body care preparations.
Robert has traveled extensively and dedicated most of his career to passing his knowledge and expertise to keen audiences across the globe. Since 2014 he has been building the Tisserand Institute, an online learning space for essential oil education.
Hana Tisserand
Co-Founder | Educator | Administrator
Hana is the co-founder and director of operations and communications here at the Tisserand Institute.
She oversees the creation of course content and curricula, moderates live webinars and teaches her own classes. She has a unique perspective on how information about essential oils is sourced, processed and communicated due to her background in French and English translation and adult education.
She has been working at the Tisserand Institute for over a decade, but her love for science, essential oils, perfumes and fragrances runs even deeper, as does her appreciation for fine teas and coffee.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Start: November 24, 2026
Lessons are LIVE and will take place Tuesdays at 11am PDT and are followed by a Q&A session.
Lesson 1: November 24
Lesson 2: December 1
Lesson 3: December 8
Lesson 4: December 15
Lesson 5: December 22
Course Breakdown
Lesson 1 - Getting started
Course overview
Setting up
Raw materials
Excipients
Exercise: Make sure you have all the tools and materials you will need
Lesson 2 - Categorizing odorants
Likes and dislikes
The art of sniffing
Volatility & strength
Olfactive families
Exercise: Begin categorizing the odorants in your palette for volatility, strength and scent
Lesson 3 - Creating combinations
Calculating & measuring
Working with dilutions
Combining odorants
Refining an existing blend
Exercise: Evaluate binary combinations of odorants, testing different ratios
Lesson 4 - Fragrance creation
Setting goals
The process
Fragrance bases
Exercise: Based on your fragrance goal, create the first draft, and begin refining it
Lesson 5 - End use considerations
Final processing
Types of product
Stock formulas
Safety & storage
Exercise: Finalize your fragrance, and test it in different excipients
Also included with the course:
Live Q&A and practical lab demonstrations for each lesson
Live guided study sessions
TWO bonus pre-recorded single classes: Oxidation and Shelf-life of Essential Oils and Essential Calculation
Lab and digital tools reviews and recommendations
When You Complete the Course
CERTIFICATION
Based on weekly course assessments and a final exam, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion by the Tisserand Institute. Your certificate is signed by Robert Tisserand and issued by the leaders of evidence-based instruction. It demonstrates your knowledge of the topics covered, and counts towards continuing education for most relevant professional organizations (NAHA, AIA, IFA, IFPA, etc.). It does not constitute a license to practice.
This is an opportunity to study with one of the world’s leading experts on essential oils – don’t miss this chance to learn how to create a fragrance just like Robert Tisserand!
Ready to get started?
FAQs
Will there be notes for me to review?
I am a certified aromatherapist. Will I learn anything new?
I am new to essential oils. Is this course for me?
“The information presented is appropriate for all levels, and although I am just beginning my aromatherapy journey it all makes sense.”
Will there be assessments or exams? What kind?
Each weekly lesson is followed by a multiple choice quiz, and there is a summary test at the end of each course. Passing both the weekly quizzes and the final tests is a requirement for certification.
You will be given enough time to prepare for the test as well as three attempts to pass.
Will I be able to ask questions?
Absolutely! In addition to the live Q&A sessions, you can post your questions in the dedicated student forums where the tutor and the TI team will address them.
What if I cannot participate on a live session?
All of our live sessions are recorded and are posted on the learning platform within 24 hours so you can watch them, or rewatch as needed during the course.
How long will I have access to the recordings?
You will have access to all the videos for at least four weeks after the last lesson (see course description for clarification as this changes for individual courses). All the printable materials (notes, handouts, charts, etc.) are of course yours to keep for reference forever.
Do you offer continuing education credits?
Because we have students from all over the world and of many professions we are not able to offer credits for specific organizations – there are simply too many. However, we issue a confirmation of CE hours gained on the course that you can apply with your professional organization and will be happy to assist with any additional documentation.
At the moment, we are an Approved Continuing Education Provider with NAHA.