CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes + Reader’s Choice “Mini” Draw (Includes Parfum Prive)

What can I write about Mandy Aftel and not repeat what I have written on Cafleurebon, Beauty News NYC and LA, Basenotes, Sniffapalooza Magazine, and Fragrantica?  I have ,"gone behind the bottle ", tested and blogged)  about nearly every one of her scents, (with the exception of Haute Claire); I was the first journalist/blogger to interview Mandy when naturals were being dismissed by most "established" writers and critics. Senior Editor Ida Meister goes back even further; she has been wearing Aftelier Perfumes since they debuted, and was the the first to review Honey Blossom, a FiFi finalist in 2011 (at Mandy's request). I was  so happy to have a cameo  appearance in  Mandy's Second Act for Yahoo.

 

 I awarded Honey Blossom  Best Natural Fragrance of 2010.

It is an amazing testimony to the fact that natural perfumery is here to stay when you NOW read in almost every "mainstream blog", 'micro-blog"  and  beauty magazines (many written by a new generation or those who had little knowledge of natural and botanical fragrances before the Fifi awards) about her fragrances and natural perfumery; the Art of Natural Perfumery is all the better for this increased awareness. Her best selling book, Essence and Alchemy (translated in seven languages) is one of the three books on perfumery that I recommend every perfumista should own (along with the Essence of Perfume by Roja Dove, and Michael Edward's Perfumes of the World).

 

Profile: My grandparents came over from Germany on my father’s side and Russia on my mother’s. My parents, both born in 1905, met late in life and had me when they were 43 years old. I grew up in Detroit in a conventional mid-western Jewish household. Before meeting my mother, my father was a band-leader; he played in speakeasies and had his own radio show. I loved looking through his scrapbook from his band days. Before marrying my father, my mother was an independent career woman: an accountant. As a child, my mother crossed the country with her family in a covered wagon from Michigan to Oakland, inhopes of better financial prospects, but soon they returned back to Michigan.

 

 

American Perfumery: American perfumery is free to be independent and to invent itself! I love the emphasis on artists creating perfumes with an independent spirit and their work representing their own aesthetic rather than an impersonal corporate entity. We’re free to take part in the blending of Western & Eastern philosophies. I have found a wonderful articulation of my own unstated aesthetic in the traditional Japanese sensibility of Wabi-Sabi, based on appreciating the transient beauty of the physical world. It stems from, and even heightens and celebrates, impermanence: nothing is perfect, nothing is finished, and nothing lasts. What could be a greater expression of that than the smelling of perfume? Perfume is about impermanence; it is about something fleeting, volatile, there-and-not-there. There is also an authentic sparseness – pare things down to their essence, but keep the poetry.

Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

Editor's Note: my favorite from the line is Parfum Prive which is also being offered in this draw (RARELY DONE)  and is as lush as a tropical garden at midnight. It is the most extravagent fragrance in her line and is created with ambergris, osmanthus and of course my favorite note of orange blossom.

To be eligible for this draw , please  comment about your favorite Aftelier perfume, what you learned about  Mandy from this article!  Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery because this series will run throughout the remainder of the year; and your entry will count as two. We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize wil be just spilled perfume. Draw ends Oct 13, 2011 EST .

You must specify your choice.(hint the more entries for parfum prive, the less likely you will win as I am going to judge each comment on content  (it is the most expensive) and if you truly can make a case for it……be creative. So 2x entry for liking cafleurebon profiles, 1x additional for making your case on parfum prive, and 1x LIKING Cafleurebon on Facebook . I tally it all up and to random.org it goes.

 

Joseph Cornell (December 24, 1903 – December 29, 1972) was an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. Influenced by the Surrealists, he was also an avant-garde experimental filmmaker.

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31 comments

  • I absolutely love Mandy’s work. My favorites are Cepes and Tuberose. Tango and Shiso (which i own)

    I didn’t know the bit about her parental history and I found that very interesting.

    I have never smelled Parfum Prive and am absolutely dying to. But after your hint, I am inclined not to choose it…lol So my choice, if I win will be Tango (though I will be very tempted to choose Cepes)

  • Oh- just saw the edited hint bit. Now, I have to make a case for Parfum prive! (btw, I ‘like’ both cafleurebon profiles and the page).
    I’ve already said before that Mandy’s perfumes make me feel like they were made for me. And they excite me both emotionally and intellectually. there is something private and very personal about them. I can only imagine how much more like a personal piece of wearable luxury, Parfum Prive will be , considering that she made it for herself. Plus all the reviews make it sound like I MUST have it..:D

  • Ok so I want to say first that she had me a Cepes and Tuberose. Mentioned on her website as a top 100 perfumista’s must try and I am a perfumista so I feel I must try it.
    I can not make a strong case to have such a special scent such as Parfum Prive…I am still just a little baby apprentice of scent so I humbly bow to anyone who is able to make a case for that one. Though it is certainly an experience that I would hope is treasured by its winner:)
    I like the two hour lasting power because I love to refresh alot I like to stay connected with the scent of the day. My scentual persona. I would be honored to be the winner. I learned about Mandy I had not heard about her creations but I think that it is quite awesome to trace your family roots to a covered wagon trip that is the type of lives you read about in textbooks so its totally cool to know someone who was part of that history:) thanks Cafleuerebon XO

  • I like several of Mandy’s scents and own both Cepes & Tuberose and Honey Blossom, but Honey Blossom won my heart instantly. I love linden, and Honey Blossom captures that hot summer-ness linden reminds me of really well.

    Mandy is a wonderfully sharing artist – I had so much fun at her open studio last year and didn’t want to leave!

  • Well, the more I think of it, the more she not only makes wonderful perfumes, but has had the guts to be a true pioneer for the entire art form, brava.

    I’d love some Tango..

  • I have Honey Blossom and adore it. I loved learning about Mandy’s take on American perfumery, most especially her correlation to Wabi-Sabi and the ephemeral, ever changing beauty of perfume!
    After that great review by Ida am inclined to choose Candide, as it was inspired by that wonderful novel of optimism by Voltaire. Perfume and great literature-great works of art that really do go together! Thank you for this draw!

  • Parfum Prive must be fantastic, I am sure from the composition and sure would like to try it. Mandy’s life and work is very rich and fruitful. I have special affiliation to the Jews, having many friends among them. Considering tuberose my fav basenote, I would choose Cepes & Tuberose. Thanks!!

  • I have never tried an Aftelier fragrance. I have heard about Mandy and her line, of course, but I have just never had the opportunity to try any of her creations.

    I looked at her webpage, and it is Shiso that makes me the most curious. I do love a good parfum vert, and I am quite taken with the traditionalism of the Japanese fragrances and the innovative playfulness that Mandy brings to the genre.

    I often fall for Japanese perfumes. I suspect I will fall for this one as well.

  • Thanks to this article I have learnt that Mandy’s father worked on the radio, when radio was the most important media. That must have been really “cool” for her 🙂

    Some years ago, when I started to feel really interested in perfumes, my boyfriend (now husband) gave me Mandy’s book “Essence and Alchemy” and it opened my eyes to the world of natural perfumes. I have learnt so many things thanks to that book… Thank you, Mandy!

    I have only tried Haute Claire and, even though it starts too strong for my liking, the drydown is lovely.

    I have been wanting to try Honey Blossom for a long time, so please enter me in the draw. Thanks!

  • I could vividly imagine the story of Mandy’s parents early years in America, and really liked that bit of the profile.
    I have yet to test Mandy’s work, but a very dear perfume friend of mine suggested that I’d love Tango, so I’d be overjoyed to win that, since if she says it, I’m sure it’s true. (I’m not sure there can’t be much better arguments than perfume friendships;-))
    Thank you, as always, for the wonderful write-ups and draw.

  • I have not tried any Aftelier Perfumes but have read several reviews and comments (all wonderful) about her offerings and have visited her website on a few occassions to learn more. After reading this article, I learned that Mandy grew up in Detroit…I have a soft spot for people from my home state of Michigan.

    I am most intrigued about 2 of her perfumes: Prive (of course… I bet it’s divine!) and Honey Blossom. If I have to choose, though, I’d go with Honey Blossom because I love Mimosa, Linden and Orange Blossom! It’s so difficult to capture these notes in perfume. A few I’ve tried are fleeting or just smell artifical somehow. I’d love to try Aftelier’s version. It would be a great introduction to the line!

  • I have tried Parfum Prive (splurged for a sample once, I had to know!) and it is certainly made of the best ingredients. But I didn’t love it. What I did love was Honey Blossom, so that would be my choice. Honey Blossom IS the embodiment of lightness of being, and I had an immediate emotional connection to it. It also seems unlike others of Mandy’s work that I already own. (Also a fan of and own Shiso). I was surprised to learn that Mandy grew up in Detroit, that’s quite a long ways from Berkeley in many ways. I was also interested to learn that the Japanese concept of wabi sabi informs Mandy’s work overall. I will think about that trying all of her scents again.

  • Such a thread of passion runs in Mandy’s family! The Artist, Trailblazer and Businesswoman lineage goes way back. So generous of her to share this personal history.

    Learning about Wabi-Sabi here and celebrating impermanence strikes a note with me now. Perhaps it’s the stage of life I’m in, but the sense of loss with the fleeting that accompanied my past has succumbed to the joy of the adventure that plays with my present. For this reason, I am most interested in wearing SHISO to reflect this transformation. I suspect it’s a perfume the owner must be ready for… besides, my adoration for greens may be one of the most enduring loves of my life.

    Thank you, Mandy and Michelyn, for leading me on to the fragrant dance floor once again. I think I’ll turn the Big Band Radio Station on now 🙂

  • It was because of Mandy that I started to make natural perfumes my own. Her book was an inspiration and guidance to me. I respect her work and contribution to perfumery.
    However, I haven’t had the chance to try any of her fragrances. I would be very happy to try Honey Blossom, since I love Mimosa and Linden.

  • My favourite of Mandy Aftel’s perfumes is Cepes et Tuberose. In fact, i recently treated myself to a bottle. I love the tension between the notes and it always smells sligthly different on me each time I wear it. I did not know about the interesting lives of her parents. If I were to win the draw I would choose Honey Blossom – I tried a sample of this and it is such a joyous fragrance.

  • P.S. I own CEPES AND TUBEROSE, CACAO, LUMIERE and CANDIDE, and, let me tell you… they are a treasure!!! I simply adore them. PARFUM PRIVE and HONEY BLOSSOM sound luscious, but I covet SHISO most of all right now. Thank you for the chance!

  • I have not had the pleasure of trying any of Mandy’s scents. I would choose Honey Blossom since I love a honey scent in fragrances. It was so interesting reading about the early lives of her parents, especially her mother, who was a career woman at a time when there weren’t many women with serious careers. Fascinating!

  • Thank you so much each of you for your comments here. They are so interesting to read and I am glad to hear that my family history is of interest. I appreciate all your kind words about my perfumes more than you know.

  • Thank you Mandy for participating in our profiles series
    I enjoyed learning about your Japanese aesthetic which was quite new to me
    and the young Mandy photo was quite special
    Honey blossom is quite an achievement and we all are looking forward to your next fragrance

  • tomatefarcie says:

    Not only a perfumer but a writer as well, en plus translated into seven languages. I’m definitely going to check that out! While I’m sure I would love Honey Blossom, I’ve got to choose the Fig, from the website description it sounds delicious and I love all things slight of hand!

  • It was an April Sunday morning. I was 7 years old and trailing behind my parents as we strolled through the botanical gardens. A light, misty rain began to fall. To this day I remember those moments of inhaling deeply and thinking that the rain had a distinctive aroma. Of course it was informed by all the lushness around me, but to my youthful sensibility, the rain simply smelled pretty.
    When I first applied Lumiere, tears came to my eyes because Mandy Aftel had captured that childhood memory for me. My heart belongs to Lumiere at this moment.
    For those who have not experienced the beauty that is Parfum prive, I would be remiss if I didn’t share my feelings about this creation. Frankly I believe Mandy must have channeled this from the fragrance gods/goddesses themselves! It is truly a testament to her talent as a perfumer. When I first sampled this, I heard the first few piano notes, then the guitar tiptoeing in — the beginning of Elton John’s “Where to Now St. Peter.” Next the lyrics, “I took myself a blue canoe, and I floated like a leaf. Dazzling, dancing half enchanted – in my Merlin sleep…” I’m in that part of the song, wearing parfum prive. Magic.
    As much as I have read by and about Mandy Aftel, this article revealed the fact that she embraces the wabi-sabi aesthetic in terms of perfume. She is an amazing artist. I deeply appreciate her fragrant contributions to the world. Merci Mandy, merci Michelyn.

  • Z. Boudreaux says:

    Mandy a Michigander (like me) and a bay area transplant (also like me). I love many of Mandy’s perfumes Orchid,Fir,Rose – solids are all in my collection but no alcohol based scents as of yet. My first choice would be Fig- every Aftelier open house I’ve visited and every visit to Henri Bendel’s has told me that Fig is the next on my Aftel shopping list. I’ve liked the profiles, I’ve done the facebook… I won’t try to fight for Prive I do love it but Fig is more for me at the moment. Thanks for this draw!

  • I had a feeling that Mandy came from a strong family – one with initiative and creative talents. Reading about her father and mother only confirmed this. Mandy has succeeded in an area that many only dare to wander. She is a pioneer in spirit like her parents.

    As for her appreciation of Wabi-Sabi, we know our world is always incomplete, forever changing, and many items in our world are beautiful yet fleeting. It’s finding beauty in the everyday details, like a sunset. Every sunset is fleeting and different, but is still pretty. Like Mandy’s creations, they are amazing, yet they don’t last forever. But, I would rather have two hours of substantial beauty than 20 hours of something not so enchanting. I think Mandy knows and applies this concept to her creations.

    Perfume Prive’ tends to last a bit longer on me than some of the others. Perhaps it’s the ambergris – perhaps it is my skin chemistry? I’ve always been an orange blossom lover. My parents had an orange tree in their backyard and I would pick a few blossoms and take them with me to school. The darker floral of osmanthus deepens the orange blossom, but there is something smoother, darker, maybe a bit spicy that lingers with the ambergris. I splurged to get a sample of the solid perfume and it was worth it. It reminds me on when I toured Hearst Castle. The “castle” is lush and unique, ornate and timeless. If I had my sample of Perfume Prive’, it would have complemented the tour perfectly. I had taken the special night tour, which shows parts of the “castle” not seen in other tours. The scent of blooming night-time flowers at the castle matches Parfum Prive’ in luxury.

    It is hard for me to pick a specific Aftelier perfume I like the best. I want to say Parfum Prive’ but I don’t want to rule myself out for lack of written substance. Lumiere is my second favorite due to the Boronia in it. Parfum de Maroc or Tango are next. I love them all!

    On Facebook, I “like” Cafleurebon profiles, I hope I have made my case on Parfum Prive’, and I love Cafleurebon on Facebook!

  • Unfortunately I do believe Parfum Prive will probably be my favourite Aftelier perfume. Only because it happens to contains all my favourite perfume materials in one. Ambergris, osmanthus, (and I believe Oud & Baronia too, though I’m not certain). And that’s going only by the notes I know, I can only imagine what other marvelous precious essences are also included !? ~ I suppose I’ve always had expensive tastes, even when it comes to perfume, without even being aware they were particularly “expensive” ;o).
    I was interested to hear that Mandy follows a Wabi-Sabi aesthetic. I too am a sufferer of “mono no aware”, which are pretty much extensions of one another. They basically both about “impermanence”.
    I would therefore luv to make a case for Parfume Prive, but quite honestly believe that someone else will make a better case for it. I’m not feeling in a very “poetic” frame of mind. Still, I thought I’d give it a try anyway.
    I am also very curious of Mandy’s “Fig”, and well actually, all the other scents I’ve not yet tried. Of the ones I have I luv “Cepes & Tuberose” and “Shiso” best. (Yum oud !)

  • Prive- it can be nothing else!
    Everything in nature is exquisite. Take the Dung Beetle, with its wonderful suit of armor. Perfectly proportioned and yet what does it eat? Feces. To some the prized Ambergris is no more than a whales vomit. There is balance amongst imperfection, there is humbleness and great beauty. The Lotus flower’s journey begins in dark muddy waters. It pushes through the slime towards the light and emerges radiantly exposing its petals and fragrance. The Japanese are wise. They understand the compassion in Nature. Prive as I perceive it has all these elements, The wildly creative, untamed beauty, ugliness, imperfection, kicking and screaming its way to the surface like the Lotus. Then all who see it emerge stand in wonder at its purity, agast at how it has become perfect. To the Alchemist!

  • My favorite Aftelier scent is Amber. The way it opens with a citrus sparkle and works into that yummy labdanum base is pure genius. That is the Aftelier fragrance I go back to again and again.

    I learned about Mandy how she identifies her work with ” Wabi-Sabi, based on appreciating the transient beauty of the physical world”. That is a very appropriate way to look at perfumes, but I have to say Amber will last a good 24 hours for me!

    As for the scent I would like to try, Parfum Prive, while quite popular in the draw, really peaks my interest as well. The rare and costly ingredients definitely add some appeal, but I think the biggest reason why I want to try it is because it is the one that Mandy made for herself. Scent can be very personal, and learning about and experiencing someone’s personal fragrance can say a lot about that person I would think. Mandy is fascinating, from psychology and writer to world-renowned perfumer. Maybe I am also hoping a little of that amazingness will rub off on me via Parfum Prive!

    Thanks!

  • My favourite Aftelier (though I haven’t tried them all) is Haut Claire which is that moment when you sniff the air and you know it’s Spring or when it’s a cloudy day and all of a sudden there is a ray of sunshine like a rainbow and then it’s gone again. It’s pure light. Of course I haven’t tried Parfum Prive… The one I would like to win is Honey Blossom because I love how I think it would smell. I am hoping it will be the earthbound version of Haut Claire.

  • I liked Mandy’s talk about the impermanance of perfume and how it is a fleeting pleasure. That is my favorite thing about perfume…that rush of pleasure you get when the notes form on your skin to give a pleasing scent, which can sometimes disappear almost instantly, then reappear in a new form. It is a living thing, scent!
    I would like to try the Honey Blossom because I love linden, and it received so much press last spring when it was nominated for an award.

  • I loved this quote from the article, “Perfume is about impermanence; it is about something fleeting, volatile, there-and-not-there.” I totally agree. It is fleeting, and also changing, and I love that about perfume. I am loving Cepes and Tuberose, and just eating up the descriptions of this as so earthy and sexy- would love this in a mini!

  • My favorite Aftelier scent if Cepes et Tuberose; a generous swapper sent me a small amount, guessing most correctly that I would love the interplay of creamy florals over that delicious earthy, loamy base!

    This scent represents such creativity, I was thus not at all surprised to learn from this article that Ms. Aftel embraces the freedom and creativity of American perfumery. I will definitely have to find her book; I loved finding out that Ms. Aftel is both a perfumeur and writer, an author of both scent and words!

    If I am lucky enough to win this draw, I would love to try Tango, as I have read many exultant reviews of the floral/earthy champa and seashell combination, though more Cepes and Tuberose would be a close second! I also simply love the name – Tango – again Ms. Aftel’s creative and creator spirit shines through!

    Thank you for the great article and giveaway! (PS I liked this article in Google Reader – I tag and like many Ca Fleur Bon articles, as your reviews have helped me find several new loves, including some of the new Mona di Orio’s (Oud and Vanille).)