True Gifts From Independent Perfumers + Holiday Gift Guide 2021 (Part 2) Draw

 

Holiday Gift Guide True gifts

 True Gifts Gift Guide illustration by the brilliant artist Massimo Alfaioli

 

These past few years have greatly impacted my perspective on gift giving and on my personal consumption habits altogether. Instead of the obligatory last-minute purchases just so I “have something to give,” I’ve become even more intent on choosing gifts whose meaning and purpose extend far beyond the wrapping paper.

Sherri Sebastian of Provision Scents

Sherri Sebastian: Independent Perfumer, Vice President of the American Society of Perfumers and Contributing Editor

So, it was fortuitous timing when I was asked to curate Part 2 of CaFleureBon highly coveted Holiday Gift Guide.

If you’ve read my past entries to “CaFleureBon Notes from the Lab” then you’ll know I’ve worked behind the scenes as a hands-on formulator for the past thirty years.  I’m also a lifelong consumer and lover of high-quality products and scents. I have a deep appreciation for products and scents that are truly unique, masterfully crafted, and most of all, that are inherently good as a result of their creators’ motivation and intention. For this gift guide, I’ll give you some ideas of what to buy – but I’ll also let you know what you might want to avoid.

Persesephonie Lea of Persephenie studio creates true unique fragrances

Persephenie Lea, artist and perfumer photo © Persephenie

True Creativity and Small Businesses: The same reasons that give me great appreciation for inspired products also allow me to easily detect brands selling recycled marketing, products, and especially recycled fragrances.

Today, virtually anyone can launch their own brand. Sometimes it’s just a matter of having numerous connections with buyers, press, and the ability to spot good products and ideas that already exist.  Add a new label, brand name, change the scent ever so slightly, and voila—a new brand is born with an array of tacked on products to go along with it.  Thinking about it makes me long for the “old days,” when new product launches were far and few between and the fragrances were unmistakably unique.  Brands like Calvin Klein and Oscar De Renta were able to successfully launch iconic fragrances while staying true to their calling as designers. In reality, there’s no getting around the blood, sweat and tears that goes into learning and mastering one’s craft. I personally worked as an apprentice, then junior perfumer for ten years before I was even able to call myself a perfumer. Now, many years later as the Vice President of the American Society of Perfumers, I can attest to this level of commitment being the standard for professional perfumers across the country.

Brands of the past were largely inspired by an expert, whether a designer, perfumer, or artist, whose mission was to promote the result of their work — without the distraction of endless marketing claims.  Without that you’re left with a mountain of marketing jargon to sift through, with no real substance or inspired reason for the creation.

Sanae Barber

Sanae Barber of Sanae Intoxicants photo courtesy Sanae©

 

There’s Nothing Like a Little of the Real Thing

If you want to understand more about a brand’s motivation for creating products, you can simply ask yourself a few questions: Is the brand’s foundation built on familiar-sounding marketing catch phrases?

It might feel good to buy products that are sustainable, cruelty-free, paraben-free, fair trade, and so on, but with increasing transparency today, most brands could also easily make these claims if they wanted to. Not to mention, there isn’t a standard definition for many of these claims—”sustainable” for instance— so how do brands built on claims like this alone differ from others?

 

 Sarah Horowitz Thran of Sarah Horowtiz parfums

Sarah Horowitz Thran of Sarah Horowitz Parfums (our Hall of Fame Perfumer 2020) photo via the perfumer

Does the brand’s founder have a background as a hands-on creator, and if so, what exactly have they created themselves?

If the brand’s founder is not a hands-on creator, then what is their experience? And how does it differ from other marketing-based brands?

Ultimately, once you decide what matters to you most, it’s easier to find brands that align with your own style.

  True Holiday Gems: The good news is there are still many wonderful brands and small businesses with authentic and unique offerings. You can find many of them right here on CaFleureBon, thanks to Michelyn and the CaFleureBon global team of fragrance aficionados. In honor of small businesses founded by creators with hands-on experience, here are a few picks that deliver benefits beyond the gift wrapping:

True holiday gifts are made by small business owners

Vetiver Rosewood Candle by Sanae Intoxicant

Vetiver Rosewood Candle by Sanae Intoxicants. Sanae is an independent perfumer who creates exotic blends inspired by her love of high-quality botanicals, a deep passion for music, and a desire to evoke nostalgic memories with scent.  I was excited to learn that she will open her doors in Nashville on January 1st, where she will have endless musical and scenic inspirations to draw from.  The candle is made with essential oils of rosewood and Vetiver, soy wax, cotton wick and will make an excellent gift to create fresh memories for new beginnings. $65

 

Perfect Veil by Sarah Horowitz Parfums

Perfect Veil Eau de Parfum. by Sarah Horowitz Parfums. 

 A true classic: Perfect Veil Eau de Parfum. by Sarah Horowitz Parfums. I remember meeting independent perfumer Sarah Horowitz-Thran for the first time and being drawn to the alluring mix of amber and musk that surrounded her.  Sarah’s been in the business since 1989 as a result of her hard work, hands-on approach, and of course, her mastery over her beautiful signature scents. $75

 

Persephenie studio incense

Photo courtesy of Persephenie

Juniper Medallions Incense by Persephenie Studios. Persephenie is a true artist who creates highly-crafted offerings that are unique and exclusive, including elegant incense and precious attars. Her artistic work is inspired by her dedication to nature.  I was excited to learn that her brand-new incense medallions were just made this week! Each one is a work of art with beautiful and precise details, not to mention their heavenly scent. 14 per container, $24.

 

Provision Manifest

Photo courtesy of Sherri

Manifest Body Oil by Provision. This is my brand!  With an egg for a logo, I like to believe that my one-of-a-kind scented products inspire the rebirth and renewal of your senses with each new day. I formulated this body oil with amla oil, which has unparalleled results due to its super fruit properties. I spent countless hours perfecting its unique and sensual scent.  Manifest body oil features Provisions’s exclusive Triple A complex with precise ratios of almond, avocado, and amla oil to keep skin supple and glowing. Shea butter extract conditions to leave skin feeling silky. Notes include Labdanum essence and vanilla $68

A New Year Awaits

I’d like to thank you all for tuning in to my “Notes from the Lab” series this past year.  And a special thanks to Michelyn Camen, CaFleureBon Founder and Editor-In-Chief and the team, whose support of the independent community is a true gift to us all.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and Happy New Year ahead.

–Sherri Sebastian, Contributing Editor

women indie perfumers

Our “True Gifts” perfumers Top: (Left) Sherri and Sarah; Bottom (left: Persephenie and Sanae

Thanks to each of the above four independent perfumers of all four brands we have ALL four true gifts for ONE registered CafleureBon reader in the USA. To be eligible, YOU MUST REGISTER and leave a comment on this site with what you thought of Sherri’s article and curation of true gifts from small businesses. How important is it to you that there is creator behind a brand.  If you want your comment to count twice, please follow us on our new Instagram page @cafleruebonoffical and tell us your Insta name; and please follow all our perfumers). Draw closes 12/19/2021

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @persephenie_studio, @provisionscents @sarahhorowitzparfums, @sanaeintoxicants @massimoalfaioli

Please see Part 1 here 

This is our Privacy and Draw Rules Policy

We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like ÇaFleureBon and use our blog feed, or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume…

 

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13 comments

  • AleksCipri says:

    I really love small brands and I am particularly happy buying stuff from them. I aways feel that small brands, especially those where the creator is the perfumer and runs the whole show, appreciate all of their customers and they need our support to keep doing what they are doing. Plus you can find so many unique, different and daring fragrances and other scented products form these brans. They are doing their own thing and I think this is great. One example of that are these really cool looking incense medallions here. Having a creator behind the brand is important to me but I am also not too extreme with that rule. I do not like if the brand uses too many flashy terms in their marketing, I tend to distrust those brands a bit. I’m from Illinois, US, and I am of course following you on tweeter too (alex_supernova).

  • Kevin Pedrazs says:

    I enjoyed a lot Sherri´s article because I used to be the typical consumer of big brands perfumes. Is not that big brands do not create good things, but taking a look on small business and independent perfume artist can make you discover true gems. This Christmas i will be sure buying new perfumes from independent perfumers. I am in the U.S. IG: (kevpedrazas)

  • sav17 says:

    I agree that it’s so easy for anyone to launch their own brand nowadays. I always appreciate the uniqueness of niche and indie houses (and other small businesses in general). I greatly appreciate when there is a creator behind a brand and love products that come from the creator’s unique vision. I love the products featured in the article. Perfect Veil sounds quite beautiful with amber and musk. Sherri’s Provision Manifest Body Oil sounds addicting, as I love labdanum and vanilla. Thank you, Sherri, for this article and giveaway! I am located in the USA. I follow Cafleurebon on Instagram and my IG is sleeprokop.

  • Nelly A says:

    I quite enjoyed Sherri’s article and much appreciated the focus on indie perfumers/perfumery. I think it’s increasingly important for us to support small independent houses especially during these difficult times that we are facing or have faced in 2020/2021 Also for the sheer creativity and art! Based in the US

  • xoe says:

    Wow. I love Sherri’s products and writing. It is very important to me that there is a creator behind the brand, unless the product is just WOWZA!. I really like that she iterated what to avoid. The gifts she’s curated seem perfect. They are each unique and sound incredible. I used to make incense myself, so I am definitely going to check out Persephone Studios. I am in the US.

  • GennyLeigh says:

    I love receiving gifts from small businesses. It shows that the giver has put effort into finding something unique and personal I would appreciate. Often, small businesses produce their items as a labor of love. The creativity is high with a gift from an artisan. Great list Sherri! I would love to receive any of these. I’m in MD, USA.

  • gracet07 says:

    I appreciate Sherri’s round up of worthy Christmas gifts. All products here sound lovely and luxurious. I haven’t had an opportunity to try out an incense medallion before, but I almost always have incense lit in my home so I’m curious! It’s really important to me to shop small as much as possible. I also really love that Sherri has highlighted female-founded brands here! That as well as the size of the companies shows the true value of the products we make. Big brands are pumping out lower quality, slight reformulated and rebranded products, so it’s hard for me to choose to support those corporations. I know they have huge profit margins, and I also know they tend to make money wherever possible, off of labor, off of materials, often short cutting wages of employees who deserve better. Not to mention environmental impacts. As much as possible, I try to purchase from local, small, women or bipoc owned/operated businesses. I know they choose quality over profits and often commit to more community-minded goals. It may mean paying more for a particular item of clothing, a fragrance, or a gift, but personally, it means supporting a cause I appreciate, contributing less to harmful business and environmental practices, and allowing a small business to take my money and contribute it to a team that I know is passionate about what they make/do! It also really helps when you have curators such as Sherri to point out the true gems so we can appreciate and support them. Thank you Sherri!

  • drjedi says:

    I agree with Sherri’s idea about how Calvin Klein and Oscar de La Renta created iconic perfumes and they spent the time and energy that goes into creating masterpieces. Unfortunately there is so much hype and marketing these days, and such inflated prices, that either one just doesn’t buy perfumes or one relies on previously tested brands, or uses reviews and articles such as Sherri’s for help. Doesn’t every brand have a creator behind them, so I am not sure what the question means. I am assuming it means a creator with hands on experience, good lineage, having learned from the masters, and having spent time learning their craft – in this sense, having such a creator is extremely important. This duration of true gifts from small businesses is very important, especially as there are great, vetted perfumers behind them. To avoid distractions and clutter from my life, I don’t have an Instagram account, so won’t follow the perfumers there, but only on Cafleurebon. Thanks for your excellent article – I am intrigued by the attars and incense Persephenie creates and look forward to getting it, if I am lucky enough to win this draw. From USA.

  • alleycat says:

    I really like feeling like I am supporting individuals and their artistry by buying from small brands. It’s so much better to have a name or even a face to pair with the product rather than just another corporation. I am from New England.

  • sephrenia300 says:

    Fantastic article Sherri! I really enjoyed the insight I gleaned from the article on how to detect brands selling recycled marketing and bandwagoning onto trends without an authentic artistic vision – things like is the brand built on very familiar marketing “catch phrases” and buzzwords, and examining the brand’s founder’s story and background as a creator. It is very important to me that there is a creator behind a brand, and more importantly, an artistic vision that I can get behind. My favorite perfume brands are creator-founded and run, such as the stunning Teone Reinthal Natural Perfumes. I am following your new Instagram page @cafleruebonoffical and my Insta name is momo.liu.121 and I live in the US.

  • Brian says:

    I found this article to be informative. I certainly would benefit from the body oil by Provision- I would like to see what Sherri’s creation is like. I’ve certainly heard of Sarah Horowitz Parfums, and I’d like to try one of her EDPs. I’m very interested in trying the candle from Sanae, and I’m interested to see what Persephenie’s incense products are like. I certainly search for what I like, and in some cases, it’s the “small” businesses which have what I’m looking for. I like to find creators whose works I’ll most likely keep enjoying. I live in MD., U.S.A. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thank you for the great article Sherri. I have enjoyed your “Notes from the Lab’ articles for a long time.

    As a long time (and maybe obsessive wetshaver), I enjoy supporting and purchasing from a lot of small artisans. Sure, things go awry occassionally, but I truly enjoy my interactions with them as businesses and individuals and have learnt so much from them.

    I loved this curation of gifts and while I have heard of 3 of them, Persephonie Studios is new to my years and I am going to check them out.

    Cheers from WI, USA