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    Olfactory NYC

    4.5 (49 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Heather B.

    I'm always looking for fun things to do that are crafty like. After doing research on Yelp for things to do in Georgetown, Olfactory came up. About a month in advance I made an appointment for an afternoon in a Saturday. They do take walk in's but, I was not going to chance not having an opportunity to do this. As you got closer to the store you could smell it. It was beautiful! We walked in and checked in. We were instructed to spare 10-12 perfumes on a separate tab paper. Turns out there was seasonal sent just past the row, but so was unaware of that. They you take those papers outside and start smelling. We were out there for maybe 5-7 minutes smelling away picking ones we liked and disliked. Back inside we went with our choices. From there we were asked questions in scents we like and disliked. From there our mixologist out samples together. We smelled again, picked ones we like. Then from there were did the skin test. It's important to let that dry and work with your body's chemistry. Once that's done, viola! You were able to name your scent , pick out a color for the tape in the bottle and the tape in your box. The details that went into making this "yours" was special. When done you have an account that saves items bought and they can mail you more if you want. I did opt for a hair spay/body mist of the scent I liked at my #2. The staff were engaging and polite. The , I'll call her "mixologist", was great. She really seemed to know her stuff. Which made us feel comfortable that the job was being done right. She listened to our like and dislikes and was able to pull things from that. The store is small and is very cramped. It makes me think of a long galley kitchen. I understand offering to walk-ins, but it was just too much. People everywhere. It was hard to hear at times. It felt personal and intimate, but like at a wedding reception where everyone is around and watching you. I think I'd like to come back and bring my daughter. She would enjoy this activity.

    Shaelyn H.

    Came here with a few friends and it was so fun! We made our own perfumes and the workers were very patient and helpful as we built our scents. I love the fragrance I was able to make!

    Shernell H.

    What a great experience! So, I first heard about Olfactory NYC late last year, but missed the opportunity to attend with my friends. All of my friends who previously attended the girl's night at Olfactory NYC had nothing but great things to say about their experience. I must say, when I eventually got the opportunity to go, it definitely lived up to the hype. I went as a walk in on Sunday and had the best experience! All the workers here were genuine, engaging, and warm. Since we went as a walk in, we had a bit of a wait, however, the hard decision of picking one scent for the base definitely made the wait go by fast. Eventually, we were seated and asked a series of questions to get to our perfect, personalized scent. Then, after those questions, we got the opportunity to smell each paired scent on our skin to make our final decision. My scent came out absolutely lovely with other options that made my decision hard. After we were committed to our scent, our perfume was packaged in a personalized manner via the picking of a bottle and the creation of our scents name. They also saved the scent in their system for when our perfume runs out, which is super great! Needless to say, I will be back. The experience's total cost was $85.

    Ambiance
    Jazzmyne T.

    I loved my first time here! I've done a perfume class before but I really appreciated the approach here. The space was clean, vibrant and had good energy. It wasn't too busy even though it was a holiday week, but they provided us with great customer service! Shoutout to Morgan who helped us out! Her attention to detail was amazing! She carefully explained how the process works and took her time every step of the way. I would highly recommend visiting and please ask for Morgan! I love my new custom scent and lotion!

    Inside bar
    Neha M.

    This is a very cool concept to to as a solo date , couples date or girls night / day out . You make your own scent and body just . Plenty of options to choose from . A overall very cool experience z

    Interior
    Nicki J.

    Came here to create my wedding scent for my wedding in Greece! From the moment I walked in, all the staff were welcoming and helpful. You start by picking a base scent (they encourage you to also step outside to smell as well). Then I was able to tell them what type of scent notes I was going for. I loved that you also get to choose a name and color for the bottle. At $85, it absolutely was worth the price. I am already planning on ordering another bottle!

    Beginning base scents along the wall
    Kathryn J.

    I wish I had better things to say about Olfactory because it's such a cool concept! I went with my sister for her birthday and it was just not a good experience. We both agreed halfway through to actually leave- luckily it got better. She had a reservation for her birthday and things just didn't start on a good note. They told her to start with the samples on the wall but the staff seemed too busy to really explain why. Because it was full the store was really loud and it was hard for us to talk to each other. When an employee came to get her for her reservation, we sat at the counter. The chairs are flimsy and tightly packed together- we felt very squished. Again, it was so loud it was hard to hear the employee. The first employee that helped us was kind but checked out. She would set up the samples without explanation and then chat with her coworkers in a different language while we waited for the samples to dry. She named each scent but didn't explain anything else. She made some awkward small talk but spent more time talking with her coworkers. It turns out you need to pick at least 4 samples the employee prepares for you. My sister only picked two. She sent my sister back to the start with some brief suggestions. After going through another round of samples without at least 4 selections, she turned to another employee and walked away without explanation. My sister and I agreed that at this point we were both ready to leave. Luckily the new employee was super helpful. She had in depth knowledge of the scents, gave many suggestions of what to look for, and offered general tips about perfume. She guided my sister successfully through finding the right scent. The final product was beautifully packaged and my sister was happy with the results. Personally, I think it wasn't a lot of customization and the perfume could match something else you purchase for a lower price. We both agreed that this experience depends on which employee helps you. I would add that the cramped and loud store means you should try to come by at a less busy time.

    Dana M.

    Very neat experience, love the aesthetic inside the shop, we decided to create our own fragrance. Nearly $200 for 2 perfumes but I think that's reasonable considering you'd spend that even without the experience. We did have to wait 30 minutes+ even with a reservation, and I wish it was more hands on for the customer. As a customer you only get to smell and choose the best smell and they mix it for you and do the rest.

    Savannah M.

    My sister and I booked online. We had to book months in advance as the times filled up pretty quickly. We ended running late due to parking, but discovered they take walk-ins! The wait isn't long at all either. The shop is quite small but the counter seats about a dozen people at a time and there are multiple associates that help you mix your custom scent. You start with a base scent from the options on the wall. I do wish there were more options. Then you take that scent to the counter and start building based on your preference (i.e. floral, smoky, fruity, etc.). The associate helping us out was nice but seemed distracted at the beginning! She let us take our time, smell the scents on our skin inside the store and also recommend we step outside the store to see how the scents change while outside. It was a fun and quick experience. Funny enough, my sister and I picked the exact same concoction. We got to name our scents and were also told we could return for a refill, which I definitely will. I highly recommend. It's great for guys and girls (perfume and cologne).

    Tony G.

    This is such a fun experience! I got a gift certificate for Christmas and I was so excited! I went online to schedule a time, which I highly recommend because they are super busy. Parking in Georgetown is terrible, but there is a parking garage right around the corner. You pick your base scent and from there, the employee will add some notes for you. The employee who helped me was named Doug and he was super cool! He put some great combinations together for me. I ended up with a cherry and pear fresh scent that smells amazing. Overall, such a fun experience and also an experience you can do multiple times. I would recommend going during the week because Georgetown is just super busy on the weekends.

    Emily S.

    So obsessed with the energy and vibes in this place. We made a reservation to create our own perfume and got started right on time. Our rep (I wish I caught his name) was funny, attentive, and explained everything in great detail. My friend and I both made a scent that we loved, and we were so happy with the overall experience. It is pricey, but the perfume is good quality and the experience is worth it!

    Lama H.

    Amazing experience! Brought my best friend here for her bday and she absolutely loved it, Kristian was amazing and made the experience Memorable we had so much fun! Would def recommend !

    Kelci S.

    Olfactory was a lovely experience! My sister and I had a fabulous time with Brianna our fragrance expert. First starters, the vibe was on point. The music was selection was perfect while were creating our new fragrances. You start off by picking your base scent from the fragrance wall. After that, your fragrance expert will asks what other type of scents you like. This helps build your perfume with other complimenting notes. From there, you end up going outside to test the different scents. Once you pick your signature scent, you get to select your bottle and name the fragrance. This was a fun and unique activity to do in the city!

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    Very fun experience!! The space was very small and busy but the staff was so attentive and helpful with any questions!

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    Review Highlights - Olfactory NYC

    We chose a base and after a consultation Kristian created 9 mixtures for us to sample and narrow down to 4.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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