Begin by soaking a fresh batch of herbs or flowers in grain alcohol.

Remove and squeeze the oils from soaked flowers, shrubs, and herbs every month. New flowers, shrubs, and herbs are added to the alcohol, and the process begins again for another month. Dry and compost any detritus.

The grain alcohol has pulled the oils and scents from the foliage for almost 18 months. What remains is a potent tincture perfect for the base of a perfume.

I determine if more grain should be added along with new greenery. Out with the old, and in with the new.

I collect my greenery (herbs, flowers and branches) from a few locations. Pine Needle is found in my backyard. I head out anytime of year and cut branches. The most intriguing aspect of the pine branches is when I break a stem off, a spray of pine needle scent flows through the air. You can actually see it flowing.

I sift out the old pine needles and squeeze out the oils. I collect the potent tincture in a bowl below the old pine needles.

I never clean out the jug. I simply insert new branches and then carefully pour the tincture back into the jug. Extra care is taken in this step, as I don’t want to waste a single ounce.

The jug of tincture is kept in a cool location in the lab for protection, then the exchange process begins again.