Preparing the ground.
February is never a loud month.
In the Northern Hemisphere, It is the month of choosing seeds.
Of turning soil.
Of deciding what we will commit to growing this year.
Some seeds are planted.
Some are selected.
Some are quietly germinating out of sight.
At the Academy, this is a month of preparation and refinement.
And there is quite a lot happening.
📖 Sunday Study Group, Beginning February 22
Starting February 22, every Sunday with Ane Walsh who will be reading in Portuguese, discussing, studying, asking questions and exchanging ideas.
All students of the Natural Perfume Academy can join. Ane has a few spaces left. Here are the details and how to join:
To Sign up for the Book Study Link with Ane Walsh
NPA Open Studio, Monthly Global Drop-In
February 23 - Early until Late
This is our recurring Open Studio space, informal, thoughtful, supportive.
No recording.
No obligation.
Just presence.
You can drop in from anywhere in the world.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85344430178?pwd=YLOllKCjxRloPf6FaILYKLEJ7zV7Tu.1
Meeting ID: 853 4443 0178
Passcode: 19102025
This is a mentorship space.
A thinking space.
A space for perfumers at all levels.
A New Tool, Building Real Perfume Vocabulary
While correcting assignments recently, I noticed something interesting.
The students who excel are not necessarily smelling more.
They are articulating more.
So I built something simple and structured to help.
It guides you from:
Sensation → Description → Structure.
You can try it here, it is in beta Mode and your feedback is welcome.
https://npacertification.com/build-perfume-vocabulary/
This may help and inspire you to build a reliable language bridge between what you smell and how you communicate it.
Hopefully this tool will be useful.
🧧 The start of the Chinese New Year 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse
February also brings the Chinese New Year, this year we will be moving into the Year of the Fire Horse.
Traditionally red dominates the celebrations.
This year, perhaps soften into greens and cooler tones.
Less urgency. More steadiness.
Let it be a year of clarity rather than combustion.
If you are blending or wearing scent to mark the New Year, consider:
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Cool incense accords
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Soft resins with lift
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Gentle citrus over grounded woods
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Calming compositions with movement rather than density
Nothing heavy.
Nothing aggressive.
Let the scent rise and move.
And perhaps, if tradition allows, skip the cleaning tomorrow.
Let joy be the ritual.
I hope the year begins well for you.
Substack, February Essays
We’ve published some strong pieces this month on Substack.
If you haven’t visited recently, you might enjoy reading them.
They expand on scent, language, and the deeper thinking behind what we do.
You can find them here and subscribe
https://substack.com/@naturalperfumeacademy/posts
February is about preparing.
It is about refining tools.
Selecting seeds.
Strengthening roots, before we step through the doorway of our journey.
And above all, February is about continuing to learn, create and inspire.
With warmth,
Ruth
Natural Perfume Academy of Ireland