Henry David Thoreau via wiki
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die – discover that I had not lived.” ~ Henry David Thoreau, Massachusetts Transcendentalist philosopher and author.
Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes (October 2019)
I doubt if anyone might venture to express this sentiment more succinctly than New England native son Henry David Thoreau – so beautifully interpreted by Award-Winning Artisan Natural Perfumer and Author Mandy Aftel in her latest release Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing. I should mention that the relationship between Forest Bathing and Thoreau is in my mind – although I’m fairly certain that Mandy wouldn’t object. She has sought to encapsulate the experience of a forest en plein air, evoking the immeasurable joy of finding oneself under the conifer canopy and inhaling every bit of it. The concept alone is very close to my heart; sylvan settings have always been nourishing for me, just as the ocean is for others.
giclée print pine bough from John Biebel Walden series (purchased for me; it hangs over my bed)
Capturing one’s impressions of the complete sylvan ambience might be trickier than you surmise: not simply a conifer aroma, but the vagaries of air, a certain subtle artistry which will unfold over time. There exist any numbers of aromachemicals which will conjure damp soil, intensely woody odors. Mandy Aftel has chosen several varieties of botanical absolutes in order to create a complete scent profile for Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing: the exquisite jamminess of fir absolute (it’s so fruity and delectable!); suave Japanese cypress (aka hinoki), delicately resinous; cypress, with its balsamic undertone hinting of amber; the unctuous sugi wood, a velvety aroma. For the coolness of atmosphere, arid Namibian myrrh is employed, liltingly accompanied by violet-tinged beta ionone and soothing linalyl acetate (the latter is a component of both bergamot and lavender, and increases the uptake of GABA in the body). A pear note compliments the fruitiness of fir (I have a few mls. of a French natural pear mélange tucked away and can attest to its beauty) with both richness and delicacy.
Photo via Euronews.com
The air which we breathe in gratefully is neither too dry nor is it moist as ocean air is, thanks to the tender balance of carefully chosen materials. Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing provides an ephemeral experience shot through with shafts of light, much as one might feel as they wander through the woods on a fine clear day. It is the portrait of a singular moment of time, trapped in resin.
Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing Notes: hinoki, fir absolute, cypress bioabsolute, sugi wood, Air notes: Namibian myrrh, pear, linalyl acetate, cypress, beta ionone
Sample provided by the perfumer – it’s beautiful! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing via Mandy Aftel
Thanks to the generosity of Mandy Aftel we have a mini perfume valued at $50 USD of Aftelier Perfumes Forest Bathing for one registered reader anywhere in the world. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review and where you live. Do you have a favorite Aftelier Perfumes scent? Draw closes 12/15/2019
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