International Women’s Day logo
They say that it’s a man’s world / But you can’t prove that by me / —Aretha Franklin
This might be my new favorite quote. Not just because March is Women’s History month, and March 8, 2022 is International Women’s Day, but also because I believe it accurately speaks to the power inherent in all women, whether they’re homemakers, top executives, or perfumers. And after thirty years of working in male-dominated environments, I’ve witnessed this strength firsthand on countless occasions. In every case, the women who’ve achieved a high level of success didn’t compromise who they were in order to fit in. They didn’t try to be like the men in order to succeed. Instead, they simply focused on doing their best work and being their best selves.
Following are a few women who I’d like to honor for making a difference in both my personal and professional lives.
Sherri Sebastian with her mother Barbara
Barbara
First and foremost, I have to start with the most influential woman in my life—my mom! I was fortunate to have a stay-at-home mom who was there for me every day when I got home from school, cooked all of my meals, and even sewed my clothes on-the-fly when needed. “Banana pancakes!” I would yell from my bed, covers over my head and barely awake, when she’d come into my room to wake me up and ask what I wanted for breakfast. Most of the time it was cereal or scrambled eggs, but banana pancakes were my favorite, especially since they were made from scratch. The list of things she did for me was endless really, and what’s even more impressive than how much time she spent taking care of me and my sister was that she never once complained. She truly enjoyed being a mom and homemaker and made it all look easy. At the time I thought everything she did was normal and took it for granted. Today when I look back, I’m filled with gratitude for her selflessness and continuous support.
1993 notes on Heliotropine
Elizabeth
My first job interview at a Brooklyn flavor house gave me a taste of independence and everything that comes with it. I arrived at the interview after a slightly harrowing walk through an industrial neighborhood. A few minutes after sitting down, a woman came to greet me with a firm handshake “Hi, I’m Betty.” I didn’t know it then, but Elizabeth Burnett would forever change the course of my life and career in a very good way. I don’t remember details of what we spoke about but I knew by the end of our interview what a great opportunity this would job be, and how much I wanted to work for Betty. At the end of the interview she said, “I like your chutzpah, I’ll be in touch.” It was the first time I heard the word “chutzpah,” but as it turns out, that day was the first of many things for me, including the first opportunity to embark on a career in the flavor and fragrance industry. Needless to say, I accepted the job offer and went on to work under Betty’s tutelage as an apprentice flavor chemist for almost three years. Betty was the President of the Flavor Division at the time, and came with a long list of credentials including her work at I.F.F. as a flavor chemist. She was warm, friendly, funny, beautiful and smart and spoke with a distinct Brooklyn accent. During my time there, Betty was extremely generous and supportive, and was my very first mentor in the industry. Her knowledge of ingredients and formulations extended into her business acumen and her ability to hold her own in any situation. She encouraged me to catalogue all of my aromatic studies—and with flavors that included taste in addition to olfactive evaluations. To this day, I still have my original volumes which I’ve shared in past Notes From The Lab articles. I will be forever grateful to her for many reasons, including bringing me up to speed on all things Brooklyn. Not for nothing, but I would have never had a career in the industry if it wasn’t for Elizabeth Burnett.
Photo Fragrance Foundation and brand photos collage by Michelyn
Sophia Grosjman was Sherri’s Mentor here with a collage of some of her perfumes for International Women’s Day/ Sophia Grosjman was the recipient of The Fragrance Foundation Lifetime Achievement award in 2016
Sophia
Sophia Grojsman is a living legend in the fragrance industry. She will always be in a league of her own due to her unique perfumery style, her long list of massively successful fragrance wins, and her sheer talent. She’s best known for creating iconic fragrances like Eternity, Tresor, Paris, and White Linen to name a few. I was lucky to have the chance to apprentice with her during the last year of my perfumery training. A decade earlier, I’d purchased my first bottle of Tresor and couldn’t stop smelling it. Even then, I knew there was something inherently different about this perfume. Little did I know I would one day be working under the tutelage of its creator! Sophia’s perfumery style is unmistakable in part because of her bold use of ingredients, but perhaps even more impressive is her complete mastery over the rose accord. Look no further than Tresor to experience her signature peachy-rose that’s become synonymous with Sophia’s one-of-a-kind style.
It’s been over twenty years since my apprenticeship with her, but her passion for fragrance creation and mastery over composition and the techniques she taught me have left a lasting impression on me to this day.
Ana and Sherri at the American Society of Perfumers (ASP) Business meeting mentoring is an important part of International Women’s Day
Ana
I met Ana Morales in 2008, soon after I moving to Los Angeles where I moved to work as a senior perfumer at Fragrance West. She was being interviewed for an opening in the sample lab to work as a technician, and I was asked to interview her. At the end of the interview, I asked one last question about her goals. “It’s my dream to become a perfumer,” she replied without hesitation. This caught me off guard, since it wasn’t the position, we were interviewing for. But I always knew the day would come when I would be called to give someone a chance and pass along the experience I’d accrued in the same way that Elizabeth gave me a chance decades earlier. Ana was offered the job shortly thereafter. She began working in the sample lab, tirelessly compounding formulas to fulfill sample orders. I noticed how meticulous and organized she was. Her math skills were strong and she had a good “nose” as well. When it became clear that she was fully committed and dedicated to learning perfumery I began working more closely with her. She first became my assistant, and then my apprentice, working closely with me on all of my projects. It was clear that she was on the path to realizing her dream of becoming a perfumer. Ana and I worked together for many years and by the time Fragrance West was bought by Agilex she was a junior perfumer. All the while, she was honing her skills and building a strong perfumery foundation that would allow her creative talents to be revealed through her fragrance creations. Today, it gives me great joy to see Ana thriving in the industry. She now works as a perfumer at Agilex, and is a full member in the American Society of Perfumers.
As I look back at my career, I’m very grateful for the blessings I’ve received over the years, especially from all the amazing women who have impacted my life and others with their generosity and spirit of giving. Every day is International Women’s Day.
—Sherri Sebastian, Contributing Editor
Sherri Sebastian is an independent perfumer and founder of luxury wellness brand, Provision. provisionscents.com She’s based in Los Angeles and is the Vice President of the American Society of Perfumers.
Thanks to Provision Scents and perfumer Sherri Sebastian there is a draw for a USA registered CaFleureBon reader (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid) for her Ultimate Skin Duo worth $129.00 To be eligible please leave a comment with what you thought of Sherri’s Article. On International Women’s Day 2022 Draw closes 3/12/2022
all photos Sherri Sebastian© unless noted
International Women’s Day is celebrated March 8th of every year. You can learn more about it on the International Women’s Day site here. This Year’s theme is #breakthebias
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