Jeanette Price  Perfumer for Wax Poetic

Profile: I’ve always had a love of stories and the language used to tell them. From early on my parents worked very hard to entertain my spunk, which was not an easy task in our rural Virginia town. Like many children of my generation, a viewing of The Karate Kid had me sold on martial arts.

Young Jeanette catches a  BIG fish with her Mickey Mouse Pole, (with her dad)

When I wasn’t practicing defensive moves I was either reading or wandering around outside with my dog in the dense forest and neighboring farmland. Later in my youth I met my best friend who lived on a horse farm, to cool off during the summer heat we would ride the horses into the pond until we all had to swim. Though it has taken perspective to recognize, so much of what I remember about growing up was simply outside in nature. I love the olfactory overload of summer in the South: wild blackberries, cut hay, honeysuckle, cow farms, ripening tobacco, and thunderstorms.

Jeanette and her friend visiting the Sahara Desert

By adolescence I was audacious and curious, but outright bored. I was a writer and my rural town had simply run out of stories. I was finally given a focus for all of my creative energy when I arrived at Hollins University. Though I focused on creative writing, the program was flexible enough to allow me to indulge a long-time goal of learning French. The extra courses would ultimately lead me to study abroad in Paris. On a trip to southern France I visited Fragonard in Grasse and the formality of the French fragrance house intrigued me however made perfumery feel distant and inaccessible. I later studied in Rabat, Morocco where I was immensely impressed with its effervescent culture and friendly people. Though I had to leave it to work a summer job in Paris before returning to my senior year of college, I had an instinct that I would soon be returning to it.

Atlas Mountains near the base of Toubkal Morocco:'s highest Photo Jeanette Price

I graduated in the height of the economic recession and I returned to Paris in the summer of 2009 to work as a tour guide with full intent to save my Euros in order to move to Morocco. I reconnected with friends in Rabat and within two weeks of arriving I had secured an apartment and teaching job in Tangier. During my free time I would wander the souk and visit the perfume stalls where I would get my introduction to making fragrances with Morocco’s finest aromatic materials. I will forever have a soft spot for Atlas cedarwood, Moroccan rose, eucalyptus, and argan oil. After 6 months in Tangier I returned to the capital of Rabat with its own unique souk and perfume stalls. I would eventually move to teach in Casablanca where trips to the southern region are easier. On those trips I discovered a few co-ops and farms that are true hidden gems of aromatic materials. A short-term goal for my business is to return to Morocco and source directly from them.  Perfume would not register as a career option until a few years later. I applied to graduate schools to pursue a Master of Teaching, and in the quest to continue gaining new experiences I had a teaching job in Bangladesh lined up if I was not accepted. The University of Virginia kindly obliged, and I was happy to return to my home state. Social justice is one of my core beliefs and education gives others the ability to create their own life story. There is no greater gift you can give to someone else.

Wax Poetic  natural perfume essences and ingredients

After graduate school I moved to San Diego where despite all of my experience I could not find a full time teaching job. It may very well be the best disappointment of my life. I started to blend perfume again and my love for it had never left, within a few months I was researching how to establish a business in California. I launched my debut brand Peachy Keen Perfume in the spring of 2014 and it has quickly become a local favorite.

 

At the beginning of 2015 I began developing Wax Poetic, my ultimate passion project that combines fragrance and language. Each fragrance has been developed around a poem, or vice versa. I believe storytelling and fragrance can seamlessly connect and the collection is a representation of that. I want the line to lend itself to unique interpretation and meaning just like all great pieces of literature and art. To prove that the product is handmade I dip each bottle in wax making each of them unique. Wax Poetic will launch in July of 2015.

Jeanette Price of Wax Poetic in her studio

On American perfumery: The increasing amount of interest in independent and artisan perfumery is certainly making it a movement. From my experiences overseas I have become highly patriotic of the freedoms afforded in America and I think that liberty is present in the diverse and nonconformist styles that are ever developing in American perfumery. It’s necessary to state that the greater interest in independent perfumery is beneficial to everyone involved. It feels that the biggest challenge is for more people to be open to the idea and spreading love for it is what will sustain the current trend. I feel very fortunate to be in such good company on the west coast and get to learn more about mixed media at classes the Institute of Art and Olfaction offer.

 Candy Cigarette 1989 Sally Man

Favorite American Artist: Sally Mann. Each of her photographs is an intense narrative. Her Immediate Family collection was shot in rural Virginia in the late 80’s; it’s no wonder that a part of me relates to the bold attitude and youthful ennui that she captures so well.

Jeanette Price,  Perfumer and Founder of Wax Poetic.

Jeanette at FRAGments Photo Ellen Covey

Editor’s Note: Jeannette debuted her soon to be released fragrance line at FRAGments  May 30th

Wax Poetic Ember and Fruition- note the bottles are hand dipped in wax

Thanks to Jeanette we have a worldwide draw as follows. For US  registered readers we have a pre-launch bottle of Wax Poetic Ember a fougère with a distinct blend of galbanum and fir needle. Ember is a story of renewal after a loss, emulating the scent of maturing wheat after the earth was scorched in the spring.

For ALL our  registered readers worldwide Jeanette is offering  draw of three Wax Poetic sampler sets  of Fruition, Flight, Ember, Mercy (this option is open to our US readers as well). To be clear, we have four perfume prizes. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Jeanette Price path to perfumery, where you live and the fragrance choice. Draw closes June 17, 2015

Follow Wax Poetic on instagram @waxpoetic

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery and your entry will count twice.

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume