A ‘perfume created early in my career’, intended to utilize as many best beloved aromas of the finest quality available …

Such was Mandy Aftel’s aspiration for her solid perfume Alchemy.

 

She needn’t have fretted.

 

Alchemy is a fragrant jewel- spicy, soignée, and rapturously ambrosial.

 

It is truly olfactory music; being a musician and a lover of lieder, I hope Ms. Mandy [and you, dear reader!] will forgive the auditory associations her scent inspires.

Melodies, images all intertwine with my nose.

 

Bitter orange / bigarade is juicy and inviting; black pepper both tickles the senses and adds a particularly dry spiciness that keeps fragrances from waxing too sweet.

 

They feel like Schubert to me; so playful, melodic, tonic…

Sparkling, like Die Forelle [The Trout ] !

 

 

 

In a clear stream, swims the playful trout; but he is caught in the end, alas.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk-TXzUlJhs

 

 

Rose and jasmine share center stage, and they don’t quibble over pride of place. As in any fine duet, each singer merits equal value and importance.

 

 

These are lyrically sumptuous, a quality one only finds in high caliber natural essences.

They are the Mozart in the middle….

 

 

 

Enter : Sull’Aria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaVIwwNhocg

 

If Mozart is the heart, then Brahms is the base.

 

 

He was said to have covered up the rest of the score, exposing only the melody and the bass, saying: “this is what really counts”.

 

Vanilla, dear mistress of the spices- and soft resinous amber, which gladden the heart.

They ground and sweeten everything they touch.

 

[The late, exquisite Hermann Prey- singing ‘Sonntag’]

 

How the lover has missed his beloved, waiting all week to catch a glimpse of her!

And how beautiful is she…

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noGlGnEIeoo

 

All of this makes me such a happy girl.

I feel anointed, from my skin to my nose to my eyes and ears.

 

 

 

I hope you feel the same!

 

Thank you, Mandy.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credits:

 

Alchemical lovers: spiritandflesh.com

Wheel of the Year: newmoon.uk.com

Alchemy Solid perfume : aftelier.com

Leaping trout: cep.unt.edu

Schubert : carus-verlag.com

Renoir Roses and Jasmine in a Delft Vase :comparesite.com

Mozart : blogs.scripps.com

Sull’aria :michelyung.com

Brahms : boisephilharmonic.org

Parting lovers: bavsuk.org

Tarot Lovers :clinamen23.blogspot.com

Ingres’ La Grande Horizontale : artementary.com

Single rose: redbubble.com

 

–Ida Meister, Senior Editor