After studying History at university, in 1986, Sami Turki decided to pursue his great passion for perfume.
Initially, he devoted his time to learning the distillation process at Rivière Productions, a company manufacturing essential oils based in Banon, in Provence. During his time spent there he gained experience of harvesting the aromatic plants growing in the area: medicinal sage, sharp mint, lavender, rosemary…and of the distillation techniques used.
He then dedicated himself to the study of perfumery, whilst training at the prestigious Charabot perfume factory in Grasse, in the south of France, where the main industry, employing natural, raw materials for perfume making, is located. Soon after the Floressence company of Saint Cezaire took him on as a trainee in the quality control department, where he could analyse and appreciate, at his leisure, the various different essential, neat, pure, resinous oils...and compositions.
He traced the historical background whilst undertaking research into the raw materials of perfumery: their first appearance in connection with the perfume maker, their cultivation, methods of extraction, their use in well-known perfumes etc.
Study trips in the field, to the countries of origin of these natural materials, completing his research: in Mysore (India) discovering the mythic sandalwood and its long process of distillation, in Kyoto (Japan) in order to study the manufacturing of incense sticks, in Reggio di Calabria (Italy) taking part in the harvest and (expression) of bergamot, in Kazanlak (Bulgaria) marvelling at the tricentenial fields of damascus roses, again to India in Coimbatore, in order to understand fully the cultivation of jasmine and centifollia (cabbage) roses.
In 1995 Turki created an association, which he christened ‘Nerolia’, whose aim it is to introduce children to the art of perfume making as well as the creation of themed workshops for adults dealing with the raw materials used in perfumery.