The fragrance world is an amazing place right now, especially for true artisanal brands! It’s more possible than ever to talk directly to your customer, and make the perfumes you believe in. Where would you say the fragrance world is in at the moment? I wrote 2 more books about perfume, most recently Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent, and am now working on a new book with Daniel Patterson about creating flavor. I wrote a cookbook with 2- Michelin star chef Daniel Patterson called Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Cooking and Fragrance, and also gradually developed my own line of Aftelier Perfumes. I realized that in the world of food, people care a lot about the quality of the ingredients. I decided to write a non-fiction book based on all my research I never did write that novel, but instead Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume.

How did your journey into perfume begin?Īfter following my nose into my first perfume line at Grandiflorum Perfumes in the early 1990’s, that business quickly came to an end and I didn’t expect to sell perfumes anymore.

I only developed a real interest later in life - inspired by the gorgeous materials and by my research, I started making perfumes and writing books.

I wasn’t overly interested in fragrance or perfumes, but I did like my mother’s perfume bottles - the whole array of mysterious glass bottles on her dresser. We started Grandiflorum Perfumes and got orders right away from Bergdorf’s & Neiman Marcus.ĭid you have a interest in fragrance growing up? The one perfume class I took was at a nearby aromatherapy studio, where I immediately fell in love with all the natural essences - so beautiful and transporting, so rich and complex, so stinky and alive! I felt completely connected and comfortable working with them, and on the spot created such a well-crafted perfume that a friend said we should go into business together. I began to research by getting ahold of every old book on perfumery I could find, eventually collecting over 200 of them.

Somehow the idea of having the protagonist be a perfumer struck me as a good idea - something about the mystery and allure. Over 20 years ago, I was working as a therapist and writer, and wanted to write a novel.

Essence and alchemy by mandy aftel