ALIVE Magazine Interview

In November 2008, I was contacted by Sonja Zoeller, an intern at ALIVE Magazine, to do an interview about Natural Perfume. Please Pick up your copy to see the beautiful job they did on the layout and graphics. For those of you who are not local, here is the pdf to view: http://www.scentofnature.net/Interviews%20%26%20Reviews.htm#Professional%20Interviews:

Doing an Interview

Lyn E. Ayre, Canadian Natural Perfumer

As is my habit, I always ask for a list of questions beforehand so I can be prepared. These questions are answered below:

These perfumes are created in my beautiful (if small) Atelier.

I have searched the world for beautiful packaging...

... to contain my natural perfumes.

LA - Thanks so much for the opportunity of an interview with your magazine, and for your interest in Coeur d’Esprit Natural Perfumes.

Only natural ingredients go into my Natural Perfumes.

NJ -1. What types of ingredients are found in natural fragrances?
LA - All types of plant material are represented in a Natural Perfumer’s palette, including: roots such as Vetiver, Angelica, and Orris; wood – Agar, Cedarwood, and Muhuhu; seeds – Coriander, Ambrette, and Anise; leaves – Patchouli, Cypress, Cinnamon; pod/bean – Vanilla; fruits – Bergamot, Litsea, and Black Pepper; flowers – Rose, Jasmine, Lavender; and gums/resins – Frankincense, Galbanum, and Labdanum. As well, in my perfumes I employ cruelty-free animal essences: Hyraceum from the Rock Hyrax, which represents the element of Earth; Honey Bees’ Wax, which represents the element of Air; and Ambergris, which represents the element of Water.
I am ethically and morally against the use of Civet, Castoreum, and Animal Musk as the creature is either tortured or killed in order to get the desired product. The animal essences I use add a lovely earthiness, are very grounding, and I can use them with a clear conscience.

NJ -2. Are all of these ingredients considered eco-friendly (including production/ transportation)? How are natural fragrances more sustainable than commercial ones?
LA - Where available (and this is becoming more prevalent), I buy organic essential oils and absolutes and trust that my supplier makes the right choices in transportation and the grower makes the right choices in production.
I'm not sure how, or even if, natural fragrances more sustainable that commercial ones. Certainly, commercial perfumes have a goodly amount of natural essences and so there are commercial productions all over the world that serve the commercial perfume houses. They contain a whole lot of synthetic chemicals, too, which are created in the lab and therefore presumably 'sustainability' is not an issue.

NJ -3. What is a scent circle?
LA - A ‘scent circle’ is generally considered to be a little more than arm’s length from one’s physical body, so that when someone leans in to say something personal to you, give you a hug, or whisper a secret, they will be able to detect your perfume. The perfume scent doesn’t invade the surrounding area and cause a disruption to others.

Essential oils create accords that add variety to Natural Perfumes.

NJ -4. What are the benefits of using natural fragrances? What are some therapeutic benefits of essential oils?
LA - Our bodies more easily recognize natural aromas because they smell of nature and so are made of the same stuff we are – flowers, trees, water, animals, grasses, roots, and fruit. These scents make us feel at home and we don’t fight them. There are therapeutic effects from the essential oils used in Natural Perfumes… for instance both Sandalwood and Lime have an uplifting effect on our mood. Lavender and Chamomile are relaxing and balancing. Rose and Jasmine create feelings of love and sensuality. Fir needle and cypress make us want to go for a walk in the woods. These fragrances bring us back to earth, grounding us into the gifts of Gaia. They are gently mood-altering, not in a druggie way rather in a natural way.

NJ -5. How do commercial fragrances cause olfactory fatigue and allergies?
LA - I’m not sure about commercial perfumes as I have no experience in creating them. Although some did not bother me, most cause me to sneeze and have a feeling of pressure in my forehead. Naturals can cause olfactory fatigue, as well. This is why we keep some freshly ground coffee beans close by so we can refresh our olfactory palette.
Working with essential oils on a regular basis has offered me the opportunity to create a safe work environment in my Atelier. Working with them is a safe manner and limiting my exposure to these highly concentrated essences is key for longevity in this business.
It has been said that one can use Lavender and Tea Tree essential oil ‘neat’ or undiluted. I strongly advise against this practice of using any essential oil ‘neat’. I have read that it takes 2,000 rose petals to yield a drop of Rose oil. I was at a lavender farm and saw the wheelbarrow full of dried lavender going into the alembic for the steam distillation process. It took half a wheelbarrow to yield a few mils of essential oil. These essences are to be respected and used with caution. Each essential oil and absolute has its own set of cautions. Some can cause skin sensitization, some are photo toxic, most should not be used by women who are pregnant or lactating, by people who are very ill, or by people who have some kind of major organ disease or damage.

NJ -6. Where do your ingredients come from?
LA - I buy my essences from trusted suppliers who work hard to ensure their product is of a very high quality and ethically harvested and, as I replace my current oils, I look for organic options.

Shown are the one ounce and two ounce size.

NJ -7. How do you create special perfumes for people? How much does this cost?
LA – When someone is interested in having a perfume made especially for them, the next step is to determine whether they want a mini ($150.00) or the full ($375.00) consultation.
For the mini, you come in and just over an hour later, you leave with an ounce of perfume and are asked to allow it to age in a dark cool place for a month before using it. We work with an idea, for instance, you love Jasmine and want that aroma to be featured in your final perfume.
For the full, we will begin with a 90–minute consultation and create a brief – a set of images and concepts you envision in your final perfume. I will set about formulating a couple of versions and send samples for you to try out for a week. When you decide which one you’d like, we will have another consultation to finalize the formula. Then I will make up two ounces of it for you and keep your formula on file so no one else will have it.

NJ -8. What ingredients do people need to look out (potentially harmful) for with natural fragrances?
LA – There are several plants that are known sensitizers, for instance: Costus and Fig Leaf. They can be dermal and cause skin problems or respiratory and cause breathing problems. There is no law against using any of these oils. The point is to use them in high dilution, do not use them all in the same formula, and do a skin test on your client or yourself. I do not use ingredients that are known sensitizers. There is now a way to extract the offending constituents and it is called spinning cone distillation.
Some essential oils are photo toxic – ie: Bergamot, Lime, Melissa. The offending constituent is the furocourmarins. These are organic chemical compounds that are created by many plants ie: Saint Johns Wort, Ginger, citrus fruits, and others. When the plant material is extracted by cold-expression or is ‘cold-pressed’, the furocourmarins come across into the end product. There are steam-distilled versions of several of these oils and one should use them to limit the possibility of photo-toxicity. As well, one could spray the perfume on the hair or clothing, or only use that perfume in the evening when you won’t be exposed to the sun. It is suggested to stay out of the sun for 24 - 48 hours after using an essential oil that is photo-toxic.

NJ -9. Why were synthetic fragrances introduced in the first place (Chanel No. 5 first 100% synthetic)?
LA - Commercial perfumery has never been that interesting to me as I generally had a bad reaction to them. This is why I love to create naturals, and I love to teach others how to create them, as well.

NJ -10. Do you see the trend in perfumes moving back towards natural fragrances for good (or is this a short-lived trend)?
LA – Everything has a cycle, as you are likely aware – a time for every season, as it were. Right now we are, as a consciousness in the western world, striving to come back into balance both globally and personally. We are becoming acutely aware of our impact on the environment and are looking for ways of minimizing or even eliminating our personal and collective footprint.
Going back to nature and natural products allows us to maintain our personal grooming habits in a more eco-friendly way. It is my hope that this trend will become engraved in our psyche once more and we will go forward with it, ad infinitum. I don’t feel it is likely that we ‘independent natural perfumers’ will put the big commercial houses out of business. We are simply offering an option and when we do that, we empower people with choices. That is always a good thing.

NJ -11. Do people have allergies toward certain essential oils? How severe could the potential reaction be?
LA – People have allergies towards the most innocuous items such as oranges or peanuts. We are all so very different in our chemical make-up, strengths, and weaknesses. Potentially, at least, a person could be allergic to anything. And, it has been shown that, for instance, even if you have been stung by a bee a dozen times, the next time might be the time when you’ll have a bad reaction. It is difficult to make beautiful perfumes and think about this at the same time, just like it is would be difficult to carry on making peanut butter sandwiches, and give them to your grandkids, knowing that the smidge they licked from the spoon could kill them. We cannot live that way. Instead, we do our very best to create in a safe environment and leave the rest to Spirit, ensuring that we have a good first aid routine in place, just in case.

NJ -12. Do all synthetic fragrances emulate naturally occurring fragrances? Are there any natural fragrances that can’t be replicated: jasmine?
I'm not sure as I am not into the commercial scene.
I do know that naturals cannot produce a peach scent or a pear scent and so commercial perfumers turn to synthetics to add these notes to the perfume.
Nothing can compare to the scent of real Jasmine, Rose, Patchouli, or Orris Root. Real Ambergris cannot be replicated. The gifts from Gaia are unique, sensual, healthy, and authentic. How can they be replicated?

NJ: Lyn, thanks for seeing us today and for giving me a lovely perfume sample to remember you by.
LA: Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Essences and Accords in my Perfumes

Animal essences impart unrivalled depth, strength, and sensuality to any perfume formula. They have been used since ancient times. I use Ambergris, Hyraceum, Honey Beeswax, and non-animalic leather notes such as blonde tobacco, Muhuhu wood, and a leather accord I created. Please know that no animal was experimented on or injured in any way to produce my perfumes. If you do not wish animal essences (Ambergris (water), Hyraceum (earth), or Honey Beeswax (air) in your perfume, simply let me know. As each batch is made fresh, it is no problem at all to make it just right for you.

Floral essences add a luscious full body to perfumes. Using myriad combinations of Rose, Jasmine, Carnation, Iris Root, Frangipani, Ylang Ylang, Tuberose, Golden Champa, Geranium, Lavender, Orange Blossom, Linden Blossom, Mimosa, Chamomile, Pink Lotus, Ginger Lily, Exotic Osmanthus, Genet, Neroli, and various accords I’ve created to mimic other flowers such as Honeysuckle, Magnolia, Hyacinth, and Heliotrope, the heart of a perfume is created.

Fruity essences lend a yummy juiciness to the perfume formula. I use Davana, Caraway, and various citrus such as Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Bergamot fcf, Lemongrass, Lime, Litsea, and Melissa. The citrus oils used are steam distilled so non-photo toxic and are therefore safe to use on skin that will be exposed to sunlight.

Spices such as Cinnamon Leaf, Pimento Berry, Turmeric, Anise, Mint, Ginger, Cardamom, Coriander, Black Pepper, Green Pepper, Pink Pepper, White Pepper, Rosemary, Sage, Clove Bud, Allspice tincture, and Clary Sage add zest and texture.

Woods, seeds, grasses, lees, gums, and resins, such as Ambrette Seed, Cabreuva, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Green Cognac, Hay absolute, Labdanum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver make up the bulk of the base, grounding the fruits, florals, and spices into Mother Earth once again. These act as an anchor, along with animal essences, to 'fix' the perfume and keep it close to the body and long-lasting.

Various accords have also been created to give further personality, charm, and character to the formulation – smoky, dry, green, fruity, ambery, spicy, Chypre, powdery – all have their place in the process of creating an aroma that you will love.

Natural Perfume Formulation & Blending

A one-day workshop is being offered on the topic of formulating and blending pure & natural essences. We will create a natural oil and an alcohol-based perfume that you will take home. Topics include: How we detect aroma, Methods of Extraction, the Essences, Safety, the Bases, Formulation, Scent Profiling, Skin Types, and Fragrance Families. This is an introduction into the fragrant world of Natural Perfumery using essential oils to create perfumes for yourself, friends, and family.

Date: Tuesday 23May2009 (in time for gift-giving)
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Investment: $150.00 plus supplies
Instructor: Natural Perfumer Lyn E. Ayre, Ph.D.
Location: Coeur d'Esprit in Coquitlam, BC

Please call or email me for the Supplies List and directions to our location.
604-524-8565 or LynAyre@telus.net
You will receive a Certificate of Attendance

Interview about Perfume Course-Le Parfeumer Rebelle

Le Parfumeur Rebellee
Working the Bench: Interviews With Alternative Perfumers
Lyn Ayre & Tonie Silver take a Rebelle Rendezvous
11September2008

http://www.leparfumeurrebelle.com/working_the_bench.html

Perfume Interview with Sniffapalooza Magazine

Raphaella Brescia Barkley, Editor of Sniffapalooza Magazine asked for an interview and some samples to review on August 12th. I sent it back on August 17th and it came out on August 29th.

Perfume Interview/Reviews: After you go to this link http://www.sniffapaloozamagazine.com/NATURALSPAGE.html go to Edit, then Find on this page, and type in Lyn Ayre. It will take you to the article.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this article. It's not been out for 24 hours and I've already had a few calls and email orders.

Thanks, Raphaella.

Warmly, Lyn

Natural Perfumery Course

My first order of business is always: DO NO HARM, which is why I include the following statement and I make it up front.

When making natural perfumes, we are dealing with the wondrous, powerful, and generally medicinal plant essences. Please refrain from taking this course if you are: have major internal organ damage, have severe breathing or skin allergies or sensitivities, or your health is otherwise severely compromised.

Those who are pregnant or lactating and those who are waiting for their supplies to arrive, can complete and email the following paper projects for the correspondence course: 1 on Anosmia, 4 on another descriptor for rose oil, 6 on descriptive words or phrases, project 16 on tincture and infusions, project 19 Passion for Perfume, project 25 philosophies; half of the following: 3, 8, 12, 14, and 21 on accords. The reading, gathering of supplies, and preparation of a safe Atelier can also be accomplished while you are waiting to begin the course.

"Attention Professional Registered Aromatherapists"

Work from home to earn your Continuing Education Credits. Achieving a Certificate of Completion for this six-month correspondence course in Natural Perfumery may satisfy the requirements for the 24 CEC's that you need to maintain your professional membership.

Check with your association for more details."

Natural Perfumery Course
~a path to the Heart of Spirit~
Introduction to the art of Natural Perfumery.
We will be covering twenty-one oils/absolutes; various bases;
scent profiling; the language of natural perfumery; formulation;
accords; scent-similars; tinctures; macerations; and many other aspects.
Specific assignments are given for each of the six sections.
In order to attain a Certificate of Completion for this course, you will
need to do these twenty-six assignments and reports, sixteen perfume samples,
and the final proctored written exam, and practical exam. The exam can be taken six months after you begin your studies. This is an in-depth course and there is no need to rush.

Perfumery Course Goals & Objectives
At the end of this perfumery course, you will know how to make perfume in various bases. You’ll be given recipes for all of these bases, and some of my perfume formulations I've created for this course. You will know where to get top quality oils, absolutes, concretes, and attars. You will learn the vocabulary needed to describe the scents you are creating and sniffing.

You will learn how to create vertical and horizontal accords, preparing parts of future perfumes in advance of needing them. Learning about tincturing, infusing, and maceration will be included as part of the course, as well. Some plants do not yield up their scent so you will also learn how to make a doppelganger of the desired scent.

We will not spend much time on the history of perfume though several links are included in the resources section. It has been romanticized and theorized about in books, magazines, and on the internet, and you may read this material at your leisure. It is all very interesting, exciting, and wonderful to know where we’ve come from, as a population of people who have loved perfumes since the dawn of man. However, for my course, I am opting to leave that aspect of writing to those more deeply involved in it. I just love to make perfumes and I want to share that with you.
Creating a natural perfume today is quite different from how it was created a hundred years ago simply due to the myriad botanical ingredients that are now available to us. We live in a time that is ripe for the making of our own household, bath, and beauty products. We are very fortunate, indeed.

In this course, we will simply concern ourselves with the art of making perfume, the science and chemistry behind it will be included in the resource section. Again, there are many great books that one can study about the structure of essential oils, and botanical components. There is a reading list included in the courseware.

The book called: The Scent Trail provides a wonderful olfactory journey into the origins of some of the materials we will be using in this course. It is recommended reading, though there are no projects or exam questions arising from it. See my review for http://www.amazon.ca/ The Scent Trail Review

You will learn how to work with the energy of the substances you are holding: their colour, viscosity, tenacity, scent profile, and how they operate with one another. We will create a Scent Song as we look at the work of Piesse. There are several supporting .pdf files that I can email to you for further learning. We will create a perfume for use in spiritual rituals.

The profiles of the twenty-one oils and absolutes covered in this course are given in three parts: aromatically, therapeutically, and spiritually. This includes safety information, as it is key to a wonderful product. Here are the essential oils and absolutes we will be covering in the course so you can go ahead and begin to order them. It's easier on the budget when you don't have to do it all at once. As well, if you look at my links page, you will see many tried and trusted suppliers to get you started. Make sure none of these essences are diluted in jojoba as they won't mix with alcohol if they are. You want 100% not a 10 or 20 % dilution. Purchase small amounts (2-10 ml) to start. You will be making your own dilutions.

Base Notes: Ambrette Seed CO2, Frankincense, Labdanum (Ambriene 1), Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla absolute, and Vetiver

Heart Notes: Cinnamon Leaf, Jasmine grandiflorum absolute, Lavender absolute, Litsea, Neroli, Rose Moroc, and Ylang Ylang extra

Head Notes: Bergamot fcf, Black Pepper, Clary Sage, Coriander, Galbanum, Palma Rosa, and Rosewood

*****
Registration and Investment
All students must complete a Registration Form, which I will send upon receipt of payment.

The Course: I am offering an in-depth, correspondence course on the basics of natural perfumery, so you can work at your own pace. The manual is well-written, professionally edited, with good photos, tables, and interesting assignments and experiments. I am also available on the phone, at no extra cost, for those students who are more auditory in their learning patterns. There is on-going email support, again at no further cost.

If you would like to order this informative and aromatic course, please email LynAyre@telus.net with any questions you may have. It can be ordered through the PayPal on my website at www.scentofnature.net There is always a lot of solid information in my courses. You will need to purchase supplies, essential oils, and absolutes, so when you email, request the Supplies/Suppliers List.

The Investment: Going green? Great. The entire manual comes to you via email and we can save a lot of trees by using this method. Just think, very shortly after ordering your course, it will be in your email. Unless we are away, this happens in less than 48 hours. All projects can be sent to me by email and so can the Exam. Investment: $325.00

The Exam: I don't offer the proctored exam until the six-month point as there are 26 projects and 16 samples to complete and send in. This doesn't happen overnight. There should be no rush to complete this course. The exam consists of 57 questions. There are no multiple choice so no option for guessing the right answer. You need to know your material before you write the exam. It takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete this exam and you will need a Proctor to be with you. There is a form they will need to fill out attesting to the fact that you did the exam from memory. When you request the exam, you will need to let me know where to mail it to your Proctor. You will then sit the exam at their home or office.

Return Policy
This is a correspondence course and as such may be started at any time convenient to you. I do not offer a refund once the course has been emailed out as, by that time, you have the full course material hence all that you need, and that I have put my heart into creating, to learn the art of perfumery.

Thank you.