ÇaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Michael Schrammel of For The Scent of It +and everything in between giveaway

September 21, 2022January 29, 2023

Michael Schrammel of For The Scent of It

Profile: In Wisconsin, where I was born and raised, people are often surprised when they hear, “I make perfume.” Some people get this look of bewilderment in their eyes as if I just crawled out of the rabbit hole wearing a top hat. The most frequently asked question: “How did you get into this”?

Mike and his Mom in Palmyra circa 1996

I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 11/11 of 1989. My father is a Marine Corps veteran, so being born on Veteran’s Day is serendipitous, if you ask me. (Sempre Fi) We didn’t have much money growing up and didn’t live in the safest neighborhood, but both of my parents worked hard to make sure my two older brothers and I had a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs and fun on the weekends. Growing up modestly, like many Americans, gave me an appreciation for hard work, friends and family.

Mike Schrammel hiking

When I was in the 2^nd grade, my parents decided to move us from the city to Palmyra, WI, a small town of 1,500. Surrounded by woodlands and fields, Palmyra would come to have the strongest impact on me. In a small town in the late 90’s, boredom was very real. Yes, there were video games, CD players, and even AOL!

Michael Schrammel of For the Scent of It Silhouette in a Tree

But, with CD players skipping your song as you walked and dial-up internet speeds, patience was tested, and my imagination could flourish. I wound up spending many days in the forests and fields, surrounding our town. I loved exploring the forest, climbing trees, and listening to the plants and animals’ gossip. There was an old white oak tree in the forest that I would climb often that later on would become the inspiration for the For the Scent of It logo. This oak tree is one of my earliest scent memories. The smell of the bark on my hands. The comforting smell of the leaves in the fall breeze.

Plenty of Space to Think in Wisconsin

In my high school years, I was an honor student, but I still found myself outdoors often and exploring new outlets. I also picked up the guitar and took to creative writing during these formative years. Minor details that would prove major to my creativity in the future.

Mike and his Lovely Wife, Laura. The Catalyst that led to For the Scent of It perfumes

It was around 2011/2012 when I was in search of a new signature scent after my bottle of Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio ran out. I was working in metal forming at a tool and die manufacturer at the time. I found myself watching fragrance review videos on YouTube and reading fragrance sites like CaFleureBon. This tumble down the obligatory rabbit hole led me to the scent that would change my life: YSL La Nuit De L’Homme. Up until that point, I had never encountered a perfume like that. This scent started me on an addictive journey of exploring and collecting new olfactive profiles. My perfume collection and my addiction to scent surprised my friends, family, and especially my the woman I married Laura.

Knowing how much I loved to figure things out, Laura said to me one day in 2015, “Why don’t you just try to make your own?” Sure, how hard can it be? Little did I know…

Clean Room Where Bottles Are Filled. Michael’s Mom painted those pictures for him.

My work schedule at the time gave me 4 days off. I found myself searching online for any and every bit of information I could find on how to create a perfume. I first purchased a few old books and some “fragrance oils”. The books were fun to read but didn’t reveal much about modern perfumery. The fragrance oils, I quickly learned, were not the answer. I wanted to understand how the perfumers I admired created their modern perfumes. I poured over every interview with perfumers, writing down every detail that seemed relevant. I studied materials and formulas, recreating them and deconstructing them, training my nose. I studied perfumes on the market that I loved, trying to pinpoint specific materials in them and mirror their aromas. My love for exploring and the addictive rush of discovery helped to drive me toward what would become For the Scent of It. I spent 5 years learning and creating. Coworkers and family started wearing scents I created. The first fragrance I created that I felt was well constructed for an actual launch was Forbidden Fig; a vibrant, green fig utilizing the stellar musk Edenolide® in the drydown.

Michael of For the Scent of It at a local Farmer’s Market

For the Scent of It as a name was born from two sources. One day a coworker asked me, “Why do you wear perfume?” My response was simply, “For the Scent of It”, a play on “for the heck of it”. It also stems from my views of where the world of perfumery was heading. I began noticing a trend where packaging and presentation were often being talked about more than the scent, especially with “unboxing videos”. I have always believed a perfume should be regarded for the scent itself and not the extravagant packaging it comes in.

Where the Magic Happens: The For the Scent of It Perfume Organ

On American Perfumery: I think with America having a do-it-yourself attitude that shines like a beacon, some of us were bound to point that beacon on perfumery. The fact that so many American perfumers are self-trained is testament to our spirit to “figure it out”. As a country, we have so many influences from around the globe that affect us in ways we don’t even register. I think that’s why you see such different takes here on what a perfume is, and what a perfume can be.

Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse via X96

Favorite American Artist: Isaac Brock, lead singer of my favorite band, Modest Mouse. He is one of the best lyricists. I have always loved his unique sound, his style of song writing and his view of the world at large. He sees this world through the eyes of a person who stopped closing them a long time ago.

–Michael Schrammel, Owner, Perfumer, and Everything in Between at For the Scent of It

For The Scent of It Oud Café

Thanks to Michael Schrammel we have a draw for a 30 ml of For The Scent Of It Oud Café for a registered user in the US only. To enter the draw, you must be a registered reader. Please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Michael Schrammel’s of For The Scent of It path to perfumery and where you live. Draw closes 9/24/22 and the winner is announced within two weeks later.

For the Scent of It Oud Café EDP Notes: Top: Espresso, White Pepper, Black Walnut, Bergamot. Heart: Oud, Coffee CO2, Iris, Bulgarian Rose, Oak. Base: Sandalwood, Labdanum Resinoid, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Musk

Editor’s Note: I can’t be everywhere. There, I said it. Often, I rely on our team of 14 global writers to bring an emerging talent to my attention. That is what happened with Michael Schrammel of For The Scent of It. I was on the phone with Contributor Michael Devine, and he said, “Michelyn, you have to check Michael Schrammel from For the Scent of It out. He is an amazing perfumer”. And I am so happy I did-Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Michael Schrammel is 168th in our American Perfumer Series, which officially began with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes on July 11, 2011

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