A portrait in scent - Workshop

WONDERVELD APOTHECARY

A Portrait in Scent

A guided natural-perfume ritual — bottle a fragrance that is a portrait of you

2.5–3 hours   ·   Adults   ·   BELLHAUS Atelier & Galerie, 18 Bell St.

Some things can’t be said in words. A scent remembers for us—a person, a season, a room, a feeling. In this quietly luxurious afternoon, you’ll compose a fragrance that is a portrait of yourself, and carry it home bottled by your own hand.

Olfactory self-portraiture is the gentle art of translating who you are into scent. Guided by Marcii of Wonderveld, you’ll move slowly through a library of natural botanical essences—discovering which notes feel like home, which tell your story, and how they layer into something wholly, unmistakably yours. No experience needed; only curiosity and a willingness to follow your nose.

THE RITUAL

How the afternoon unfolds

I.  Arrive & Settle.  We begin with a warm cup of lemon verbena and rose geranium tea and a moment to slow down. Marcii introduces the craft of natural perfumery—the language of top, heart and base notes, and how a fragrance breathes and evolves on the skin over time.

II.  The Scent Library.  At your own pace, you’ll explore an apothecary of natural essences—citrus and herb, resin and root, flower and wood. Guided scent strips help you notice what draws you in and what you instinctively turn away from. This is where your portrait begins to take shape.

III.  Find Your Notes.  Through gentle prompts and reflection, we translate mood and memory into material—mapping the notes that feel like you across three layers: the bright first impression, the warm heart, and the lingering base that stays.

IV.  Blend & Refine.  At your station, you’ll compose and adjust your blend drop by drop, testing on skin and paper until it settles into something you recognise. Marcii guides the balance so your fragrance feels whole and wearable.

V.  Bottle & Name.  Your scent portrait is captured in two forms—a rich 30ml attar with depth and staying power, and a lighter 10ml Eau de Toilette for everyday wear. Both are bottled, labelled and named by you, sealed with your recipe card so your portrait can be recreated whenever you wish.

WHAT YOU’LL TAKE HOME

• Your signature attar (30ml) — a rich, oil-based perfume with depth and lasting warmth, worn close to the skin.
• Your Eau de Toilette (10ml) — a lighter, brighter version of your blend for effortless daily wear.
• Your recipe card — your exact formula, recorded so it can be re-made or refined again with us any time.
• The knowledge of the craft — an understanding of natural notes and layering you’ll carry into how you wear scent forever after.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A full library of natural botanical essences and carrier oils

• Professional blending tools, scent strips and glassware
• Guided reflection to shape your personal scent portrait
• Two finished fragrances—a 30ml attar and a 10ml Eau de Toilette—bottled, labelled for you to carry home
• A keepsake recipe card for re-creating your blend
• Lemon verbena and rose geranium tea to begin, and a KIN Table feast to close

WHO IS THIS FOR?

For anyone curious about natural perfumery, seeking a creative and reflective afternoon, or looking for a quietly luxurious experience to share. No background in fragrance is needed—the ritual meets you exactly where you are. Come alone for a contemplative afternoon, or gather a small group of friends to compose side by side.

AND THEN WE GATHER

As scents settle and the afternoon softens, we gather around the KIN Table to share in the season’s abundance—warm breads and dips, fresh seasonal salads, and herbal drinks. A slow, generous close to a slow, generous afternoon; a moment to compare notes, wear your new fragrance, and linger a little longer in good company.

CONTRIBUTION

N$1,000 per person

all materials, both bottled fragrances & the KIN Table feast included

Places are intimate & limited · Reserve your seat