FRAGRANT – The Secret Life Of Scent by Mandy Aftel is not only one of those books that I immediately want to “decorate” my night stand with (its sumptuous and gorgeous bright red over is stunning), but it’s also a book that I want to give to every woman I love for a Holiday gift.
Many Aftel is a very special lady, who has written a very special book. In case you haven’t heard of her, she is a world-renowned artisan perfumer and a wizard with aromatic essences. Vanity Fair has called her the “Angel of Alchemy,” Vogue has praised her as “one of the fragrance industry’s most creative thinkers, not to mention one of its most prolific talents,” and Forbes has named her one of the top bespoke perfumers in the world. Mandy scours the world for the most exquisite ingredients (the sweetest jasmine flowers, or richest cassia bark), and has developed natural scents for celebrities like Lucinda Williams and Leonard Cohen. Her edible essences have been used at Michelin-starred restaurants like Jean-Georges and Blue Hill, and her unique expertise brings extraordinary projects her way, like recreating the perfume with which an Egyptian mummy was entombed. The “Mother of Natural Perfumery,” she pioneered and passionately advocates for working with natural materials, in a world currently dominated by mass-produced, synthetic aroma.
Everything about about her new book, Fragrant, has been thoughtfully considered – and being an author myself, I know this is no easy feat. My book arrived with “The Companion Kit” – a tiny box containing vials essential oils, tinctures and even a piece of frankincense resin. How awesome is that – so that we can “smell” our way through the journey that Mandy takes us on!
The book is beautifully written – I’m treasuring each chapter, drinking in Mandy’s prose, wisdom and insights. For an amateur perfumer (yes – I do fancy myself as one), Mandy even provides simple and beautiful recipes containing pure essential oils, which we can all get our hands on.
Treat yourself and the people you love to this gem of a book, which you will treasure for years to come.
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