Your first trip to the ocean. A dusty old book. Your mother’s silk scarf. An English rose garden. These are the fragrances you remember, have internalized and equate with a memory. Perfumes are nothing more than the scents that become a part of us, are at once an embodiment of these momentary memories.

Natural fragrances, those straight from nature like frankincense, orange blossom, jasmine and vanilla, reach deep into our core and storied biographies, conjuring to mind poignant memories that comfort us. Long before the Industrial Revolution such scents were all we knew.

“Up until the turn of the last century, perfumes, like Mille fragrances [worn by the ladies of Versailles], were blended in apothecaries for royalty from nothing but natural essences,” says renowned natural perfumer Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes.

“When synthetic chemicals were created in the 1880s, perfumes became a subconscious art,” says Aftel, referring to brands like Coty, Chanel (beginning with Chanel No° 5) and Guerlain. But, she says, their perfumes and all other synthetics lacked complexity, mystery and emotional depth.

“There is no romance in perfume without its close relationship to nature,” Aftel believes.

It’s a simple equation that seems to add up: humans, are natural beings craving the primitive and organic. Ayala Moriel, whose eponymous line of perfumes was originally inspired by Aftel’s book Essence & Alchemy, describes the attraction of scent and our ties to it.

“What’s really unusual, is that it’s not actually our nose that smells. Our sensory system is really part of the brain – part of our unconscious. Our nose is just a breathing organ connected to our olfactory bulbs [our sensory organ that detects smell] at the front part of our brain. That’s why smell is so immediate, and that’s why we have such a strong memory with scents. This is also where our most primal emotions and functions live, things like appetite, libido and fear,” says Moriel.

It’s no wonder that intrinsically, the journey lived by natural essences is entwined with our own. Aftel and Moriel agree that there is a truth to naturals, an authenticity that is connected to our past and even used by our ancestors to perfume their temples and to heal.

Amanda Walker of A Perfume Organic, who also studied with Aftel, takes a modern meets old age approach to perfumes.  She began her boutique and certified organic perfume house after working in the fragrance world with the likes of Victoria’s Secret.

“I have really bad allergies and asthma, and I realized it’s from these [conventional perfumeries] putting acetone and unnatural ingredients in their products,” says Walker.

According to an Investigation of Chemicals in Perfumes conducted by Greenpeace, of 36 unnatural eau de toilettes and eau de parfums, all but one contained phthalates and synthetic musks, linked to health concerns such as hormone disruption and lung restriction, along with environmental toxicity concerns.

Simple as it may sound, the realm of naturals is vast – from the variable types of ingredients to the way in which they are extracted. Some perfumiers like Walker, eschew alcohol or a chemical solvent known as hexane, widely used to extract the complete and complex plant essence. Others, like Aftel appreciate their depth.

“With a good absolute, you get the richness and rounded, voluptuous smell of lavender for instance, compared to the pointy, sharp top note of pure lavender essential [extracted via steam distillation—an age old method].  And, all traces of hexane are removed.”

For Aftel, she feels like a painter picking just the right color from her palette, knowing when to use a certain essence or isolate, like geraniol, one of more than 200 components in rose oil and also found in the geranium plant. Moriel advises the super natural at heart, “The purest form of perfume is to just take rose petals and rub them on your wrists.”

True to nature and the volatility of plants’ precious essential oils, natural perfumes tend to blend with the skin, fading from top note, to heart and base note without strong staying power.

Kate Growney, a former beauty magazine editor and now founder of Saffron James Parfum, also takes an “inspired by nature” approach to her line. While not a perfumer herself, she has a clear vision for her line of perfumes, based on exotic flowers like the treasured Pakalana from her native Hawaii. Growney says that her perfumes contain between 80 to 99 percent natural ingredients, depending upon the blend. The mixture of synthetics and naturals is discernable, with her more potent fragrances lasting for hours on end.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, of DSH Perfumes, offers both mixed media and 100 percent natural perfumes to her clients. As a painter, she also takes a unique approach to aromatic storytelling, pairing perfumes with wall art to create what she calls “aroma art expressions.”

Some, like Aftel, Moriel and Hurwitz, offer clients a bespoke fragrance experience. Each essence these perfumers create, like each wearer, has its own traveled journey. The art is in finding the perfect marriage between the two.

“We take you on an olfactory journey,” explains Moriel.

“We stroll along the different essences, starting with the top notes and moving through the heart and the base, and we select the ones that you really love. It’s really interesting to see people connect to a part of their life they might have left. And the perfume is yours. We will only re-blend it upon your request.”

Coco Chanel once said: “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future,” these perfumiers might add or olfactory connection to their memory.

The post Creating Organic Perfume, One Memory at a Time appeared first on EcoSalon.

Amanda Walker approaches her jewelry box with the same kind of statement-making spirit she does the creation of scents.

For her company A Perfume Organic, Amanda Walker designs scents using equal parts experience and imagination.

She’s inspired by memories as wide-ranging as the jelly bracelets and cherry Chapsticks of her childhood to a current weekend walk in the woods smelling tree bark and dirt. Besides being incredible, layered and sophisticated, Walker’s scents are all certified organic, a step she saw as an extra assurance to herself and her customers of her awareness and commitment to sustainable principles and true health. Whereas many mainstream perfumes contain potential toxins, Walker’s scents are designed to possess health benefits. “Anything you apply to your skin,” she says, “is absorbed into your blood stream and can therefore benefit you.”

Walker approaches her jewelry collection with the same statement-making mentality as she does her scents. Her favorite pieces are a ring that has been with her for a long time and a newly acquired necklace.

“The ring was my first piece of ‘real’ jewelry. It’s by Stephen Dweck, made from bronze and faceted amber. I purchased it with my first couple paychecks from my first job in New York when I first moved here. I was doing marketing for Perkins Eastman Architecture firm and it was a super difficult job, seriously tough boss and I really wanted to spoil myself. Without fail, I’m always complimented on it. It constantly reminds me of how hard work can be rewarding.”

When it comes to jewelry, it’s incredible how “power-pieces” like this can work wonders for our confidence.

“The second piece is by House of Waris. I just discovered this brand and it’s the newest addition to my wardrobe. I was first introduced to Waris when a colleague wore a similar necklace to the office (hers was red and her desk was right next to mine). I was instantly obsessed and searched for days trying to find a similar piece. The words on the necklace means ‘Love Conquers All’ in Latin. I totally agree. I never wore it to the office though… and never told my colleague I bought it.” (See top image.)

Sometimes, what we wear closest to our hearts can possess meaning that is a secret to everyone but you. Keeping some mystery on our everyday lives is what makes it all so much more interesting.

The post Closet Stories: Organic Perfumer Amanda Walker’s Power Jewelry appeared first on EcoSalon.

Art and fashion picks to green your Saint Patrick’s Day 2011

March 17^th might be the only day out of the year when head-to-toe ‘greenwashing’ is universally accepted. As an Irish American lass born on Saint Patrick’s Day, I have been bathed in green since my stint in the womb. I also had a mother who resorted to drops of emerald food coloring to tint the raw milk on our dairy farm in honor of my birthdays. It is perhaps no coincidence that I now write about sustainable fashion and design, as my rural upbringing also found me crawling around on hands and knees in our alfalfa fields searching for the elusive and perfectly formed four-leafed clover. As a means of honoring all shades of green this Saint Patrick’s Day, here are a few of my favorite art and fashion finds to help you create some good green sheen, now and into the future.

Izzy Lane Cable Roll Neck Sweater £259.00

Awarding winning ethical fashion label Izzy Lane is an alluring example of how to responsibly pull the wool over your eyes for Saint Patrick’s Day with this luxe ‘Emerald Green’ hand-knitted cable rollneck sweater. Lane is an outspoken voice in the campaign for animal welfare and also an advocate for rare breed preservation and the use of British Wool in the British Textile Industry. This specific knitwear piece is made from Wensleydale yarn from rescued sheep.

The Andean Collection’s Açaí Cluster Chain Earrings $29.00

Amanda Judge and her amazing team of artisans in the Andean regions of South America have been unstoppable as as a force in the fair trade fashion and accessories movement. The Andean Collection’s jewelry and textile designs just keep getting more stunning with each season. This is not a function of simply getting lucky but of dedicated team work and genuine talent of several local artisans: Nancy, Olga, Viviana, Carlos, Cesar, and Christian. These naturally dyed açaí seeds and loops of metal chains are strung together to create a pair of one-of-a-kind cascading earrings.

JADEtribe Nina Clutch with Charm $85 from Juno and Jove

Kimberly Hartman of JADEtribe always knows how to sprinkle the textile goodness around with her ethically crafted handbags and clutches fairly made by women in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Unique details such as the hand-braided beads and jewelry that jingles on this Nina Clutch or the incorporation of organically dyed and hand loomed traditional textiles makes each design a timeless expression of colorful, cultural storytelling.

LeAF Shimla Dress from Kaight $108

One cannot celebrate any holiday on the calendar without checking in to see what Kate McGregor at Kaight is offering as the truly green alternative to innovative and chic downtown dressing. This LeAF (Love The Earth Fashion) Shimla Dress is cool and versatile, and as Kate describes, “Can be worn either loose and breezy for hot days or cinched with a belt for a pulled together look.” Ethically made out of 100% organic cotton voile in India, it is a smart summer staple with year round layering possibilities.

A Perfume Organic GREEN perfume $65

On the beauty front, Saint Patrick’s Day would not be complete without the certified organic perfumery of Amanda Walker. A Perfume Organic‘s new signature perfume, GREEN, is an intoxicating herbal mixture of rose (New York’s state flower), black truffle, blue, Roman Chamomile, and an overdose of ylang ylang with a smooth woody finish. Ingredients are certified USDA organic. Now that’s something to get intoxicated on.

Scotch Naturals ‘Leprechaun Lynch’ polish $14.99

Just released in time for March 17th is this latest installment in the Scotch Naturals palette, ‘Leprechaun Lynch’. These non-toxic, water-based formulas contains none of the tongue-twisting chemicals found in typical nail polish: toluene, dibutyl phthelate, formaldehyde, acetone, and heavy metals. This cool mint creme color might be just the right way to don a hint of green without having to wear the entire head-to-toe shamrock get up.

Sculpture by Audrey Lavallée & Chloé B. Fortin, of BJIOS collective

But in all honesty, in addition to some dark ale and a possible pedicure for my winter weary feet, I will most likely spend Saint Patrick’s Day and my birthday dreaming about art, wild landscapes, and ways to green my life for the entire year, not just on one solitary day. With that in mind, I wanted to share these magical fiber, scrap textile, and rock sculpture forms handmade by my friends the French Canadian artists, Audrey Lavallée & Chloé B. Fortin, of BJIOS collective. I find these simple expressions to be wondrous in the identifying of green in the small things that we often trample underfoot or cast off like stones in well that has no bottom.  This represents the best of respectfully fashioning the future with resources at arm’s length and with a delicacy that demonstrates strength.

Image: Jennipenni

The post 7 Shades of Green for Saint Patrick’s Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

Last week, we told you about our upcoming June event called EcoSalon Shops!, and promised to let you get an inside track on the designers involved. We have about 21 people to showcase, so in an effort to be fair, we’re going to do it alphabetically.

First up, A Perfume Organic.

Amanda Walker, founder and perfumier offers “exquisitely crafted perfumes blended from the finest USDA certified 100 percent organic botanicals, hand-poured locally in Manhattan in small batches to maintain purity.”

Perfume became an obsession for her while working for a Manhattan based, multi-billion dollar beauty corporation. Amanda wanted to offer a healthier alternative to synthetic perfumes full of acetone, petroleum, and phthalates (used to make plastics).
Her signature perfume GREEN bears notes of fruity rose (New York’s state flower), black truffle, chamomile, and sweet ylang ylang with a spicy wood finish. And the petite bottle and flower seed-embedded box can be recycled and planet as an effort to reduce wasteful packaging.

Sommelier, Katherine Marlowe, “©is collaborating with A Perfume Organic to select wine notes for the new Perfumed Wine Trio.

The first release in the trio, Rosé, is a fresh berry, crisp apple, dark oaks, and rich spices blend beautifully and is available June 1, 2010, for pre-order only. Being a perfume junkie, I can’t wait to lather in all the non-synthetic goodness. Fingers-crossed she has Rosé at the event!

The post EcoSalon Shops! Presents: A Perfume Organic appeared first on EcoSalon.

Hey there, lady readers! For over two years, we’ve been bringing you stories about the stylish side of sustainable living. We’ve been chatting, we’ve been tweeting, we’ve been friending something fierce – but we’ve never met in person! It’s time, don’t you think?

Join EcoSalon’s EIC Sara Ost, Fashion Editor Amy DuFault, and a host of other EcoSalon writers when we host our first ever event, EcoSalon Shops! at Green Spaces on June 4, 2010, from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. at their 394 Broadway, New York, NY location.

Our susty soiree will be haven to 20 sustainable clothing and accessories designers including Lara Miller, Study by Tara St. James and Cri De Coeur shoes, four eco-boutiques, Buddha Nose organic body care and A Perfume Organic. Designers from all the lines will be on hand to chat with you as you peruse new looks and try on your favorites.

You should come prepared to shop, mingle, sample sustainable goodies and organic cocktails – and participate in a Twitter #FollowFriday eco-fashion tweet up.

In addition to shopping, Save The Garment Center’s Erica Wolf will be on hand with Save The Garment Center t-shirts to answer your questions about the status of New York City’s historic Garment Center and how you can help the cause. Though there won’t be an admission fee to the event, we do suggest making a donation to our friends at Save the Garment Center.

Whether you’re in the market for a sexy strappy number or a new pair of kicks, you can do it all in eco style with us as we toast to green fashion with delicious organic wine, Divine Chocolate and Fair Vodka, and much more. Swag bags filled with sustainable gifts are available for the first 50 shoppers. Throughout May, we’ll be featuring all the participants for EcoSalon Shops!, and answering any questions you may have about the event, so stay tuned. (You can also bookmark this post for daily updates about each designer.)

For more info, check out some of the designers we’ll be showcasing:

• H. Fredriksson
• Feral Childe
• Ecowrist
• Doucette Duvall
• Divine Chocolate
• Fair. Vodka
• Cri de Coeur
• Buddha Nose
• A Perfume Organic
• Ryann
• Lara Miller
• NatureVsFuture
• Rebecka Froberg
• RESTORE
• Tara St. James’ Study
• T-Luxe Lingerie
• Zhena’s Gypsy Tea
• Foundfuture
• Juno & Jove
• Mission Savvy
• Feisty Elle

We can’t wait to meet!

The post Join Us for EcoSalon Shops! appeared first on EcoSalon.