I had the pleasure of speaking with natural perfumer Mandy Aftel about her work on the phone because she prefers to express herself through talking rather than writing. As I had no recording device and my shorthand is non existent the “answers” that follow my questions are what I heard from Mandy and should be taken as such and will by nature have some of my personality in them.
I’m feeling like with the introduction of your Fir Solid Perfume into my life I’m going to start enjoying Christmas again…to me it smells like everything that’s right with Christmas..evergreens, tinsel, candle wax and minced fruit pies. Do you like/celebrate Christmas?
Mandy: I do. My favorite part of Christmas is the tree. I’m Jewish but I used to celebrate Christmas with my daughter.
What do you get out of teaching? Have any of your students pulled off something well (a perfume) that never occurred to you as a blend?
Mandy: All the time! I love to teach, I love to nurture my students and pass on the technical aspects of perfumery. I love it when a student “gets it” and starts putting together combinations of their own in the accord class. I enjoy watching them pick out notes from my perfume organ to see what they will do with them. Everybody is unique. Building a finished perfume is another matter, however. It is much more technical and takes time.
I notice that your perfumes Trevert and Fig are beautiful colors. What do you think plant pigments, as found in essential oils and resins have to offer a person as their body absorbs them through their skin?
Mandy: To me the colors are part of the aesthetic beauty of the perfume. The texture, viscosity and color of the perfume materials all add to the pleasure of working with them, and to the beauty of the finished product.
Do you use botanical isolates and offer them to your perfume students as part of a natural palette?
Mandy: I’m certainly in favor of them. I have a few that I offer for sale on my website and at my studio and may offer more in the future. I spend an inordinate amount of time sourcing strange and unusual botanicals- I also try many oils of the same flower (for instance I may try 5 different rose absolutes) before settling on one.
Is there a natural that you have not been able to find (to your satisfaction) that a farmer might grow and an chemist might extract in this country? (USA)
Mandy: Shiso (Perilla frutescens). I’m putting in a special request if you want to grow it ! (laughs) I think perfume and essential oils should be like food, like Artisan cheeses made special to their region in small batches.
Some people keep perfume for years, how do you suggest customers store your perfumes?
Mandy: Alcohol based perfumes age well. My liquid perfumes can be stored for years , but of course I would prefer if they were used up and the customer ordered more! For my solid perfumes use the ball of your finger to apply (not the finger tip) and keep the lid securely closed.
What metals can you store solid perfume in that don’t react and change the scent?
Mandy: Sterling. Gold or gold filled is good too or even silver plated.
Is there a new bottle design in your future?
Mandy: Yes! it’s been in the works for about a year so far. It’s a long process to get it just right. I’ve wanted for a long time to commission a bottle that fulfills my aesthetic desires completely. I had an antique bottle that I liked but it needed to be re-sized and the stopper is taking time to perfect.
Your love of perfume must have taken you to some interesting places on this planet. Off the top of your head is there a favorite perfumers paradise that you recommend?
Mandy: I love my work. I love to put my work out there in the world. When I travel it’s usually to give a talk or teach a workshop. I get so much pleasure from working that no, I don’t travel much for pleasure. Of course my materials come from all over the world and I have great relationships with suppliers. Like I said, I spend an inordinate amount of time sourcing new materials. It’s an obsession.
Monica: I had a lovely time talking with Mandy Aftel and came away from the conversation feeling richer.
As I drove around Martha’s Vineyard later I kept having a vision of a Morgan horse. I love horses, the smell of their hair and sweat. Morgans are very agreeable and willing to work, they are willing to drive as well as ride. Not all horses will do that. The original Morgans were small and black, just gorgeous. silky. They looked a little like an Arab with small heads. Very aesthetically pleasing. They smell wonderful like a person of pleasing scent.
Mandy Aftel is willing to teach perfumery as well as being fully immersed in her own creative world. I think that’s a rare thing. A creative master who will share themselves with you. I think the world is a richer place for having Mandy in it. And Mandy’s studio itself would be the perfumery student’s paradise that I would recommend.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Mandy is tip tops as far as I’m concerned, and I could never tire of reading about her! Thanks Skye for another dose!!
i wonder if more people were into natural perfume, would nature matter more to them?
Skye this was such a pleasure to read. Your blog is simply lovely. I am so very impressed with Mandy. Her soul shows through her work … something that you captured well. I have just recently been introduced to her perfumes and they are astounding to me. I am waiting for my sense of smell to return after a long illness. I have truly loved perfume all of my long life along with botanicals. Those I have dabbled in. Anyway if my sense returns and I truly hope that it does, I shall purchase her workbooks and begin. Thank you again for this interview.