Tijon perfume creation offers a fun learning experience that is a bucket list must-have!
Falling in love with that delicate ocean breeze smell? Why not take it home with you? When most people picture St. Maarten, they picture white sand beaches and sea excursions. That image might even come with a beach-side margarita (or two). However, one hidden gem in St. Maarten is something that few come for, but many come back to do. Making your own perfume is a great way to spend an afternoon or kill a rainy day in St. Maarten. Step into the laboratory of Tijon and let your nose do the rest of the work. The experience is for anybody from complete perfume newbie to a seasoned perfume or cologne connoisseur. Anybody can come and have a blast learning to make their very own personalized fragrance.
The Berglund family runs Tijon’s. It’s also a boutique shop that sells handcrafted fragrances for men and women, making perfect gifts to take back home for friends and family. Their delectable fragrances are big hits with tourists and locals alike. The Berglund family puts extremely intricate detail into making their scents, from ingredients to create a memorable scent to packaging to help preserve the high quality of the fragrance within.
However, at Tijon, you don’t have to be a connoisseur of fine fragrance to make a knockout perfume that will have all your friends asking where you got it from. Here at Tijon, they have a laboratory specifically for those with an interest in learning the trade either just for fun or to take seriously as a new skill. The Berglunds teach classes to those of all skill level and help them to understand the fine art of making fragrances.
One of the best things about Tijon is its methods of not using any animals or animal by-products in the creation or testing of their products. So you can have a blast without any guilt at all. In their classes and in their products alike, Tijon uses the finest ingredients. You can especially find here ingredients found only in the Caribbean, meaning that you can always take your vacation to St. Maarten home with you to reminisce whenever you please. If you run out of a perfume that you love, they even have a web shop that you can visit from far-away lands.
Looking to dawn the white lab coat and create your own scent? Take a stroll into the Tijon laboratory and learn about the history or perfume and the art of its production. Experts are standing by to help you make a scent you’ll adore. There are 300 different scent oils to choose from, making your creation unique and completely yours to keep. The classes happen between Monday through Friday and are available on weekends by appointment only. It’s highly recommended, and in some cases required, that you reserve your class spot ahead of time. There are three different classes to choose from:
- The Mix & Match Class (about one hour long) – Starts three times a day from Monday through Friday, 10:30am, 1pm, and 3:30pm. For €89, students get to create their own fragrance from 12 premixed oils and choose 3 oils to add from Tijon’s collection of over 300 oils. Each student also receives a €45 Tijon VIP Gift Bag and a perfume workbook.
- The Perfume Class 101 (two to three hours long) – Classes begin at 9:30am and 1:30pm and happen every weekday. Handcrafted perfumes are made by students with their own mix of any of the 300+ oils in the Tijon collection. Students also receive the gift bag, perfume workbook, but also receive a lesson on the history of perfume, sense of smell, raw materials, and composing your own fragrance. This is easily the best value class at only €139.
- The Fragrance in a Flash Workshop (under 30 minutes) – For those who don’t want to take a full class, no worries! For €65, you can still make your own perfume or cologne. Tijon staff help you choose 4 of their delicious smelling oils and they’ll bottle it right up for you to take home.
Where is Tijon located?
Tijon is easy to find, located conveniently in Grand Case. So, if you’re lacking inspiration, you’re in the right place to find it in the culinary capital of the entire Caribbean. It’s located at the intersection of French Airport Road and the beach road on 1 L’Esperance Road. Visiting Tijon’s is easy. After you finish shopping or even making your own fragrance, there’s a delicious award winning Italian restaurant located right across the street. Can’t argue with that!
Hours of operation
Tijon is open from 9:3am to 5pm every weekday. Weekends are possible by appointment only.
Contact info
- Email: [email protected]
- Cell Phone: 0690 22 74 70 French side
- Cell Phone: 721-581-4586 Dutch side
This is a classic St. Maarten experience that you won’t want to miss!
Those who have experienced making their own perfume or cologne with Tijon have loved it, and have rated it one of the best things to do in St Martin. Learning to make your own scents is an experience and education that will last you a lifetime.
