What is Natural Perfume?

What is natural perfume?

Fragrances made from natural ingredients such as essential oils and absolutes.  Some incorporate handcrafted tinctures of flowers and/or spices created by the perfumer.

What's the difference between natural perfume and perfume I buy at the mall?

"Mall perfumes" are mass produced and include synthetic aroma chemicals.  When these perfumes list notes of rose or sandalwood for example, they contain very little or NO actual rose or sandalwood.  These notes are created from synthetic aroma compounds, often from petrochemicals and can include phthalates.

Why are natural perfumes so expensive?

The materials used to create these, are more expensive.  Many utilize beautiful rare natural extracts that are costly and difficult to source.  Rose oil (for example) is currently priced at just under $500 for 1 ounce and the price is expected to rise 25% this year!  Unlike the mainstream perfume industry-which spends more on advertising than on the actual perfume-natural perfumers spend most of their budget on obtaining these incredible essences.

Why are some of the perfumes colored?  Do you dye them?

We do not dye or color, mother nature does!  Many natural essences are brightly colored, just as many flowers are brightly colored.  When working with these colored botanicals, the perfume takes on its hue.  If wearing a dark colored perfume, we recommend spritzing before dressing.

What are solid perfumes?

Created from wax and oil and have a balm like consistency.  They are perfect for travel (no spills) and great for discreet application throughout the day.  They wear close to the skin and never overpower the wearer making them perfect for work wear.

What is the shelf life of natural perfumes?

Ideally approximately 2-3 years.  After this time, it doesn't go "bad,” merely the top notes tend to dissipate over time leaving it with less sillage than when it was first created.

What is the best way to store my perfume?

We recommend storing in a cool dark place away from heat, humidity and light.  This will help maintain its original state.

Do natural perfumes last as long on the skin as synthetic perfumes?

In a word, no.  Natural perfumes wear for a few hours and then need to be reapplied at the wearer's discretion.

Are your perfumes organic?

While we utilize many organic materials in our perfumes they are not 100% organic.  We strive to create beautiful natural perfumes and choose our natural essences based on aroma.  Our body oil line is made with 96% certified organic ingredients.

Do you ever discontinue a perfume?  If so, why?

Being a small independent perfume house means we can create in smaller batches and utilize our creative spirit.  Occasionally we will be forced to discontinue a product if we have difficulty in obtaining a particular component.

Do you offer samples?

We offer samples of all our products for sale on our website.  We are not able to offer free samples of our artisan perfumes due to our small size, but do often include free samples with most orders.

I'm interested in learning how to make natural perfume, where do I begin?

We recommend beginning with education.  There are many wonderful books available to the budding perfumer.  In addition there are a plethora of perfumery blogs and online groups which discuss creating natural perfumes that can be helpful.  Perfumery classes and tutorials offer hands on experience and guidance through the education process.  To learn more, visit our “perfume classes” section of the website.

Author: Charna Ethier
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