Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes

Renowned natural perfumer, author, and pedagogue Mandy Aftel has worn many artistic hats over the years: she is sought after as a culinary collaborator, educator, mentor, and innovator amongst her multiple talents. Mandy and I initially met at her trunk show many years ago at the now-defunct Henri Bendel’s in NYC, where I became familiar with her singularly beautiful perfumes. It has since been my privilege to delve into her books, fragrances, skin care, and chef’s essences – and to share them with others along the way (they make marvelous gifts). She inspired me to create a slew of recipes from her perfume grade food essences: ginger/lemongrass/shiso vinaigrette for Indonesian rice salad, lavender café and cardamom/saffron/Turkish rose crème brûlée tarts, to name but a few. In short, I know of no Aftelier creation to date which has failed to spark joy.

Mandy Aftel at the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

Most recently, Mandy has turned her hand at yet another mode of embellishing our everyday life – the pleasure of reading. Aftelier Biblioscents are an imaginative, aromatic way to mark your place in a favorite volume. They are based upon a concept straight out of childhood, the “scratch and sniff” experience was an added bonus for young readers: you scratched an image in the book, and smelt any number of odors – freshly-cut grass or popcorn, for example. Unfortunately, the actual quality of these scents was poor, to say the least – and Mandy entertained the thought of creating truly lovely, authentic aromas from natural materials. Enter the Biblioscent, a fragrant bookmark elegantly emblazoned with 17th century botanical woodcuts which Mandy has meticulously painted with watercolor herself. These illustrations can be seen in The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents, where they are displayed in the herbalist tome Theatrum Botanicum.

Aftelier Biblioscents botanical bookmarks: frankincense, geranium, ginger and vetiver

I inquired how the four fragrances were chosen and the reasoning behind each one. The goal, overall – was to represent a variety of moods to correspond with your book: frankincense, for its ability to evoke a soothing spiritual experience; vetiver, for its grounding nature; ginger, to uplift and enhance focus; and geranium, for its calming rosy beauty. As is the case with every Aftelier product, only the finest essences are employed, making a delightful creation even better.

Aftelier Biblioscents Frankincense

Aftelier Biblioscents are an aromatic adjuvant for readers which manages to be aesthetically pleasing, practical, and a welcome source of functional whimsy. I can’t think of a lovelier way to brighten one’s day than these: charming, affordable, and an added bonus for both the eye and the nose. If you are an avowed book lover, or know someone who is – Biblioscents are a thoughtful token of friendship or affection. I treasure mine.

A set of Aftelier Biblioscents was kindly sent me for review – many thanks! My nose is my own…

All photos courtesy of Aftelier Perfumes

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

Aftelier Biblioscents set

Thanks to the generosity of perfumer Mandy Aftel, we have one set of Aftelier Biblioscents for one registered reader worldwide. The giveaway is for registered readers only, so be sure to register if you have not done so. To be eligible please let us know what appealed to you about Biblioscents and Ida’s review, and where you live. Giveaway closes 2/28/2025

Mandy Aftel received a ÇaFleureBon Best of Scent in the Hall of Fame category from Michelyn in 2021, 2023 Best Natural Perfumer and Best Book, as did Ida for The Museum of Scents – Exploring the Curious & Wondrous World Of Fragrances. Ida awarded Aftelier Perfumes Joie de Vert a ÇaFleureBon Top 10 perfume of 2021. Cepes and Tuberose is a ÇaFleureBon Modern Masterpiece. Please read Ermano’s article here.  Robert Herrmann’s (RIP) very first review was Amber Tapestry. Ida has reviewed many Aftelier perfumes spanning 15 year years which can be read on ÇaFleureBon amongst them Aftelier Alchemy, Antique Ambergris, Violet Ambrosia, Parfum Privé, Forest Bathing, Sacré Bleu, Hey Jude, Curious, Boronia Solid, Embers and Musk, Haute Claire, Joie de Vert, and Candide.

Please read Michelyn’s interview with Mandy Aftel here

You can purchase Aftelier Biblioscents on the Aftelier Perfumes Site

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