Archive category from earlier years; perfumery topics, awards, reviews, regulations, events.
I’m very happy to announce that Sonoma Scent Studio Bee’s Bliss is a Finalist in this year’s Artisan Category of the Art and Olfaction Awards! I’m so pleased and excited — this recognition really means a lot to me. The 2018 Finalists were announced in a special press event at Esxence in Milan today. The Fifth Annual Art and Olfaction Awards event…
How does a perfumer turn a fragrance concept into a finished perfume? Why are many months required to bring a new fragrance to life? This description of the fragrance creation process is written from the artisan point of view since that is what I know best, but the steps are similar whether done on a large…
Tickets are on sale for Jessica Murphy’s presentation titled Pleasures, Taboos, Magic: Art History in Perfume Advertising held in NYC at 7 p.m. on July 19. You might know Jessica through her writing for Now Smell This, but she also has a Ph.D. in art history and has worked in the museum field for many years. She also…
Recently I was asked if I wanted to test an Aera home scenting device with fragrances that were created by top perfumers such as Christophe Laudamiel, Annie Buzantian, Sabine de Tscharner, Raymond Matts, and Brian Wilcheck. Some of my readers might be interested in this unit and my testing results, so I’m posting a review. The…
The Perfumed Plume Awards just announced the 2017 finalists for their fragrance journalism awards, and the Perfume In Progress post What Goes Into Running An Artisan Perfume Business? was named one of the 10 finalists in the digital category. (Note: The Perfume In Progress blog became The Artisan Insider in 2019.) The winners in all categories…
Concern has been growing over the last few years that natural perfumery oils could be regulated out of existence because natural oils are complex mixtures of aroma chemicals and often contain chemicals that are limited by safety rules. A recent Perfumer & Flavorist article about a possible new way to safety test natural ingredients caught my eye, partly…
Equestrian was included in Fragrantica’s Best of 2016 post, which was a wonderful surprise for me on Thursday morning. The post includes picks from many Fragrantica editors and also features photos of the editors in fun holiday-themed poses. The end-of-year posts always inspire me to buy samples of the scents I have missed during the year….
Have you dreamed of creating your own perfume brand? Or wondered what keeps artisan perfumers busy behind the scenes? Maybe you have taken classes and developed some formulas, and now your friends say that they want to buy your fragrances. Should perfumery remain a hobby or should you take it to the next level? I often receive emails from people who request advice about…
For several years, Taste TV has sponsored an annual awards program for artisan perfumers. I have not entered before, but I submitted three entries for 2016 (you are allowed to enter 1 to 3 entries each year, and they can be any scent that you have not entered before). Entries were due before the new…
The Perfumed Plume Awards for fragrance journalism were just announced, and the Perfume In Progress post Ten Tips For Exploring The World Of Perfume was named one of the top submissions. I’m honored to be included in such good company! (Note: The Perfume In Progress blog became The Artisan Insider in 2019.) Mark Behnke of…
I wanted to check in on this rainy first day of spring. I’m working on a new scent with hay and leather notes (more on that to come!). I’m planning to take part in the AIX Scent Fair May 6-8 in Los Angeles. If you can be in the area at that time you’ll want…
I was one of four artisan perfumers interviewed for a post on Cafleurebon about creating rose accords. You might enjoy reading about that topic, and as of this posting you still have time to enter their drawing. I enjoyed being included with Elise Pearlstine of Tambela Perfumes, Maggie Mahboubian of Lalun Naturals, and Jane Cate of Wing…
If you have just recently discovered the world of niche and artisan fragrance offerings online, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. The internet has encouraged an explosion of options, from large niche lines that are sold worldwide via specialty boutiques to small artisan lines like mine that are sold through brand websites. Here are some…
Julie of The Redolent Mermaid blog just posted a review of the new SSS Amber Incense. Her blog, which has a pretty new format, features reviews with gorgeous product photography and fun DIY project tutorials. I also wanted to post a link to a recent article about scent perception because we’ve been covering that topic…
For those interested in perfumery and essential oils, Dr. Robert Pappas has made his video series “The Chemistry of Essential Oils” available for free on youtube. He also maintains a free database at EOU (Essential Oil University) with information about the chemical constituents in many essential oils.
I’m making progress on all fronts here (dishwasher installation is in progress at this moment, I’m researching medical insurance, we’re hosting some family visits etc). I’m working on Amber Incense in my spare moments. I’m very appreciative to see that Robin included Incense Pure on her fall 2014 incense list yesterday along with some other…
I received notice about an event in California that I thought I would mention in case anyone is interested. The American Society of Perfumers and The International Fragrance Association, North America are sponsoring an “Evening of Perfumery” event on August 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Sutter Club, 1220 9th Street, Sacramento, CA. The…
Reports are coming out that the EU has decided, at least for now, to continue to allow the low atranol version of oakmoss and tree moss while only banning moss that has not had the allergens atranol and chloroatranol reduced. Most perfumers (myself included) already switched to the low atranol version of oakmoss years ago…
I posted on Feb 13 about the latest round in proposed EU restrictions on perfumery ingredients, and I posted again shortly thereafter to give the address for emails to the EU commission for those who wanted to voice their concerns. There is now a petition you can sign on parfumo.net if you would like a…
The top ten finalists were announced today for the artisan and indie categories of the 2013 Institute For Art And Olfaction Awards. This is the first year for the award program and they did an outstanding job of putting together a distinguished group of judges for the blind judging. I did not enter this year…