Mandy Aftel
Mandy is the author of three books on natural perfume: Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume which has been translated into six languages and was the winner of The Sense of Smell Institute's Richard B. Solomon Award. Aroma a cookbook (co-authored with chef Daniel Patterson) which focuses on the essential link between food and fragrance and includes recipes for both. Scents And Sensibilities guides the reader through the history and creation of solid perfumes.
Her work has been featured on CNN and in Vogue, Vanity Fair, In Style, Time, Body and Soul, Natural Health, Alternative Health, Gourmet, Bon Appetite, Food and Wine, W Magazine, Self, O (Oprah) Magazine, Allure, Health, Elle, and 7 by 7. She was named "best scent" in San Francisco Magazine's "Best of the Bay", included on the "it list" of perfumers in Perfumer and Flavorist magazine and was chosen as one of the twenty-five most influential people in perfume by Basenotes.net.
Class description:
Creating Natural Perfume. Mandy will discuss the history of natural perfume; how a perfume is constructed, and then demonstrate the creation of one of her perfumes. She will be creating her famous Parfum de Maroc and offering a book signing after the class.
Mandy’s approach to creating artisan natural perfumes is based in the quality and integrity of the ingredients. Unlike most commercial perfumes, for each of her hand-crafted liquid and solid perfumes, she chooses from among more than five hundred of the finest natural essences found anywhere in the world, using organic or wild-crafted oils whenever possible. The all-natural fragrance materials that she works with are often expensive because she wants the creative freedom to use not just one or two but several in a blend.
We will also offer a book signing after her class and Mandy will have some of her rare natural and exotic perfumes for sale!