Guest Profile

Mandy Aftel

Today, almost every perfume is created from synthetic essences. Although synthetics approximate the odors of natural ingredients, they have none of the complexity, mystery or emotional depth. We bring an inexplicable emotional intensity to the experience of an authentic smell and the memories it sparks and creates.

Mandy's approach to creating artisan natural perfumes is based in the quality and integrity of the ingredients. Unlike most commercial perfumes, for each of her hand-crafted liquid and solid perfumes, she choose's from among more than five hundred of the finest natural essences found anywhere in the world, using organic or wild-crafted oils whenever possible. The all-natural fragrance materials that she loves working with are often expensive, and she wants the creative freedom to use not just one or two but several in a blend. Mandy sources from all over the world, and uses no artificial colors, no synthetic fragrances, no petrochemicals, no phthalates, and no parabens.

Mandy is the author of three books on natural perfume: Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume which has been translated into seven languages and was the winner of The Sense of Smell Institute's Richard B. Solomon Award. Aroma a cookbook co-authored with chef Daniel Patterson which focuses on the essential link between food and fragrance and includes recipes for both. Scents And Sensibilities guides the reader through the history and creation of solid perfumes.

Her work has been featured on CNN and in Vogue, Vanity Fair, In Style, Time, Body and Soul, Natural Health, Alternative Health, Gourmet, Bon Appetite, Food and Wine, W Magazine, Self, O Oprah Magazine, Allure, Health, Elle, and 7 by 7. She was named "best scent" in San Francisco Magazine's "Best of the Bay", included on the "it list" of perfumers in Perfumer and Flavorist magazine and was chosen as one of the twenty-five most influential people in perfume by Basenotes.net.