FAQs

Natural perfumery is the art of creating beautiful luxury fragrances using only natural essences. The botanical essences come from flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, and barks. Natural essences, unlike their synthetic counterparts, contain minute trace elements, which is why Moroccan rose smells different from Bulgarian rose or Egyptian rose.

It took centuries to evolve ways of extracting scent from aromatic materials. While the synthetic fragrances can sometimes approximate the dominant qualities of the natural essences, they cannot capture the same subtlety or softness, nor can they mimic the way natural perfumes evolve on the skin, uniquely in response to body chemistry.

Since they don’t contain any of the synthetic extenders found in commercial perfumes, natural perfumes will last about two hours on the body, gently fading away. They evolve on the skin fascinatingly, with different notes coming to the forefront from the moment they are applied until they are gone.

Like vintage wine, these perfumes will improve over time as the essences marry.

Apply the perfumes on your wrists and knuckles, in your cleavage, on your neck, and on all your other pulse points. Try dabbing some on your hair, which acts as a marvelous fixative for perfume and intensifies the fragrance.

Many of the botanical fragrance essences used in natural perfume cost between $2,000 and $14,000 per kilo, much more than synthetic essences. This higher cost of materials makes natural perfume a true luxury item.

On the basis of their relative volatility—how long they remain perceptibly fragrant—essences are classified as top, middle, and base notes.

Head notes reach our sense of smell first, forming the scent's initial impression and quickly dissipating. Many of them are familiar from cooking: herbs and spices such as coriander, spearmint, black pepper, cardamom, juniper, basil, tarragon; citruses such as lime, bitter orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit.

Flowers—geranium, rose, jasmine, orange flower, tuberose, violet leaf, ylang ylang—have always provided the most precious middle (or heart) notes. Heady, dramatic, intense, sometimes sickly sweet, middle notes give body to blends, imparting warmth and fullness, and they bring out the best in the other notes.

Intense and profound, base notes evolve over the course of hours or even days. They are often thick and syrupy, and most are derived from bark (sandalwood), roots (angelica), resins (labdanum), lichens (oakmoss), saps (benzoin, peru balsam), and grasses (patchouli, vetiver).

Botanical essential oils and absolutes, are intended for use in blending perfumes. They should not be put on the skin undiluted, as they are very potent and can cause irritation and allergic reactions.

Natural perfume shares the ingredients of aromatherapy, essential oils, but with the goals of commercial perfume – that is, to create an aesthetically pleasing and modern fragrance.

I, Mandy Aftel, make Aftelier Perfumes in my studio in Berkeley, California. I hand-blend each perfume from my collection of extraordinary essences, which I have gathered with uncompromising standards for only the finest quality 100% pure and natural materials. I will often smell a dozen versions of the same oil, searching for the one that surpasses the rest. I seek out exotic, unusual essences from hidden corners of the world. Finding the essences is like a quest, and I enjoy it as much as the act of creation. Through years of searching I have amassed a comprehensive and strikingly beautiful palette to work from.

In each perfume, I try to capture a feeling and aesthetic experience that is modern and luxurious. With some perfumes, the first iteration is almost perfect. Others take endless revisions and weeks of blending until everything comes together in the ideal balance.

Once the formulas are developed, I hand-blend and bottle in small batches, in the same studio in which it was created. I am involved in every aspect of the process, and it makes me very happy when people incorporate Aftelier Perfumes into their lives. It is my hope that they give a feeling of luxury, well-being, and beauty.

I have designed elegant bottles and compacts for my perfumes that are spillproof and easy to carry, so you can easily reapply them throughout the day, an immensely pleasurable ritual in itself. Aftelier perfumes are made to be experienced by people who are close to you – and by you! They do not broadcast themselves aggressively.

Our perfumes are also designed to be layered on top of each other, giving you the opportunity to vary your fragrance throughout the day.

The liquid perfumes are made in a base of pure 200 proof corn alcohol, which is clean and fresh on your body. These liquid perfumes have more lift and a radiant top note compared to the liquid essences.

An essence is based in fractionated coconut oil; they have a deeper aroma than the perfume, and last longer on the skin. The essences come only in the mini (2 ml) size.

Solid perfumes are made in a base of organic unfiltered beeswax and jojoba oil, in an elegant handmade sterling silver compact, which comes in a silk pouch to keep safe. These sensuously textured perfumes are applied with the fingertips; they can be worn alone or layered with any other Aftelier perfume. They do not spill and are easy to carry along and apply anywhere.

All Aftelier Perfumes are considered to be unisex, as some men actually prefer floral scents to spicier scents and some women prefer muskier scents to sweeter scents. Our fragrances that have been most popular with men are Tango, Cêpes and Fig, and the Amber Eau de Parfum spray with hints of pink pepper and bergamot in a organic grape alcohol base.

Our liquid perfumes that are easiest to like are ranked below in order from left to right. As you move across the list, the perfumes become deeper, more complicated, more distinctive. The solid perfumes are all easy to like.

Liquid Perfumes

The bottles are small because of the high cost of the ingredients. By offering Aftelier Perfumes in three sizes -- quarter-ounce (8 ml), Mini (2 ml), and Sample (¼ ml) -- we are able to offer the experience of these unique and authentic blends at a range of prices to fit a range of budgets. We base the cost of each size on the actual cost of the ingredients in that volume of perfume. The Sample, which fills a 1 ml bottle (the smallest available to us) about a quarter of the way, should be enough for a few applications.

Our samples are tiny because the perfume is quite exensive. We base the cost of the sample on the actual cost for that volume of perfume. The ¼-½ ml provided should be enough for a few applications. The smallest bottles available to us are 1 ml, so it is ¾ empty when we ship it.

Our Fig perfume contains tincture of Africa Stone, a fossilized excretion of the hyrax that is sustainably collected. Our Parfum Privé contains ambergris, which comes from a secretion of the sperm whale and is sustainably collected in clumps that wash up on the beach.

None of our products are ever tested on animals.

As with any cosmetic, it is wise to patch-test products for sensitivities or allergies before using them freely. If you have any concern about using a particular product, we advise you to speak with your doctor prior to use.

The safe and proper use of Aftelier products is the sole responsibility of the user. Aftelier Perfumes assumes no responsibility or liability for any condition or reactions that may arise from the direct or indirect use of any of our products, or from any information provided by Aftelier.

No. Aftelier products are free from parabens, SLS, SLES, PEGS, glycols, petrochemicals, synthetic colors and fragrances. All fragrance materials are 100 percent pure and natural.

Our studio is open to the public only during our annual Holiday Sale, so please do come visit then; subscribe to our newsletter to be notified about the Holiday Sale, new products, and more. [link to newsletter sign up]. Custom perfume clients visit the studio as part of the formulation process.

Mandy loves to create custom scents for clients. Each formulation is based on the client’s unique preferences, elicited in a guided scent tour of the essences in Mandy’s Berkeley, California studio.

Mandy has also worked out a process for those who want a custom perfume but can’t visit the studio in person. She sends a kit of eighteen scent chords for clients to smell and rank, a mini version of the scent trip through her studio. For more information, visit the custom perfume page.

Mandy does not recreate existing perfumes. As an artist she leans toward creating something new rather than replication.

Additionally, it’s not possible to recreate synthetic perfumes with natural essences; they do not equate and couldn’t be used in the same way.

Mandy offers a course of study for anyone interested in learning how to create pure and natural perfumes. The foundation of study with Mandy is the Level I workbook offered through our website. After completing the Level I workbook, students are eligible to take the Level II and Level III courses offered in person in Mandy’s studio. The courses can ultimately lead, after extensive study, to practicing perfumery professionally.

The Level I workbook covers the basics of creating perfume, and is the equivalent to learning scales as a beginning musician: it is a foundation for further study. The Level I workbook covers the basics of setting up a workstation, including what supplies you will need and how to organize them; it introduces the process of creating basic perfumes of up to six essences. More complex perfumes are covered at higher levels of study.

If you have or have access to the exact essences listed in the essence kit, you do not need to purchase the kit. But it is very important to use the exact essences listed, in the form called for (essential oil, absolute, concrete), as one form might be a top note while another version might be a middle note, a key difference when it comes to perfume construction. Some essences - such as nutmeg absolute, jasmine concrete, clove absolute, and lavender absolute – can also be difficult to find.

The Level I workbook is entirely self-paced. You can move through it as quickly or leisurely as you’d like. If you are dedicated to studying each day, it would take approximately one month to complete.

The Advanced Workbook covers how to select work with a broad array of essences, exploring how they complement and clash with one another. The Advanced Workbook can be started at any point after completing the Level I workbook. Some students work through it immediately after completing Level I, and others wait until they are in Level II or Level III workshops.

Mandy offers Level II and Level III workshops twice a year. They are most often scheduled once in the winter and once in the summer, depending on her availability. Once you have purchased the Level I workbook, you will be added to our mailing list for Level II course dates, and likewise for Level III.

Occasionally Mandy teaches perfumery classes at other venues. If these courses are open to the public, they are announced in our newsletter. [link]

You may place your order through the website or by phone, email, or fax, providing us with your credit card information and shipping address. Contact Aftelier by phone at 510-841-2111, 10am-6pm PST, Monday – Friday, or by email at info@aftelier.com.

Our website accepts credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX) and PayPal. For other orders, we can either take your credit card information or email you a PayPal invoice.

The Aftelier checkout process is fully protected by the latest SSL technology. Furthermore, all credit card information is processed directly by PayPal and never stored on our site. Any other account information that you register with us (name, address, email, etc.) is not shared with any other companies or individuals.

Essential oils, absolutes, samples, custom fragrances and workbooks may not be returned. All other products may be returned for a refund up to one week after they have been received. Returned products must be in their original packaging, and in their original unused condition.

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Yes, that’s one of our favorite things to do. Please notify us if any part of your order should be gift-wrapped, so that we can exercise our repertoire of fancy cards, sealing wax, metallic pens, and cute stickers.

e-certificates can be purchased through our website and emailed to any email address. If you would like to send a gift certificate to someone who does not have an email address, please phone us (510-841-2111, Mon-Fri 10-6 PST) to purchase. Shipping charges will apply.

Yes. We will be happy to work with you on options and pricing. Please contact us at info@aftelier.com or at 510-841-2111 to obtain information about a customized gift package or to inquire about other gift possibilities.

We ship using either FedEx or USPS. You will be asked to choose your shipping method when checking out. For domestic orders, shipping with USPS Priority Mail is the least expensive option, but it does not include insurance or tracking, so the customer assumes responsibility in case of loss or damage. FedEx Ground Service costs slightly more than USPS Priority Mail and does include insurance and tracking services, For faster shipping, we offer FedEx two-day service.

For international orders, we offer USPS Priority Mail International, which does not include insurance or tracking, and FedEx International Economy or International Priority, which do include insurance and tracking. The shipping time estimates do not include any delays in customs. We are not responsible for additional charges that may result in customs.

Since our liquid perfumes contain alcohol, these products cannot be shipped via USPS. They must be shipped via FedEx with appropriate packaging and labeling. All of our other products, including liquid essences and botanical oils, may be shipped via USPS or FedEx.