Book Review: FRAGRANT The Secret Life of Scent by Mandy Aftel + FRAGRANT “The Companion Kit” Draw

mandy aftel secret life of scent

  A 'wunderkammen' Fragrant: The Secret Life of Scent author, Mandy Aftel teaches is a 'cabinet of wonders'; forerunners of the first Natural History museums. A 'Book of Secrets' she continues, is a forerunner to the modern cookbook or herbal grimoire. Fragrant is all this and more- an expansion of tale, personal perspective and DIY recipes of Essence and Alchemy to academic levels; each chapter offering a blend for solid, oil and alcohol perfumes as well as edibles and vintage formulations. Mandy's book of secrets, is one of revelation- using olfactory, psychological,literary, historical, medicinal and spiritual markers to point toward a singularity: fragrance. Working with archetypical aromas cinnamon, mint, frankincense, ambergris and jasmine- Mandy uses aroma as muse and guide into an exceptionally well documented unfolding of the human experience.

Merchants of the bazaar have always placed the pleasing and profitable within view and scent range of the passers-by… hidden within tents and spoken of in a language all its own were aromatic treasures, alchemical Books of Secret and the workings of things occult. Mandy's own book of secrets, Fragrant, is one of revelation- including a bibliography, notes and sources section which could leave one in an ongoing inter-library loan relationship for life back in the day before the internet. It is this Notes section I would like to offer as a means of hunting, of 'bringing back the goods.'

cinnamon illustration mandy aftel

Illustration for Cinnamon in Fragrant the Secret Life of Scent

 Each chapter's quotes are dutifully noted- each an emotional trigger which brings you to scent. Chapter II is Cinnamon, appealing to our sense of adventure, as perhaps every heroic myth is begun. It is also within the mythic framework when this staple has, alternately through time, been the cause of war, but of poetry and  brings us to the treasure of “The Cinnamon Peeler's Wife” by Michael Ondaatje, something based on but beyond the simple explanation of cinnamon essential oil.

mandy aftel in her studio

Mandy Aftel at "Home" Photo:Mandy Aftel

Chapter III presents Mint and the scent of home. Nothing could hold more true for me as I grew up in the Yakima Valley in Washington state where mint is still an indigenous way of life.  “Home is the source of all art,” Aftel cites poet Charles Keeler when describing her own Berkeley Bohemia. Within moments, the poet and I are both entwined in our mutual aromatic history

 Elevating  'home' to the divine with Frankincense, Chapter IV , gives perhaps the most poignant example of how fragrance has changed the course of humanity; Mandy delves into Kabbalistic/Old Testament exchanges of blood sacrifices for incense: “..sacrifice is a two way street… we breathe in what we burn… and are thus inspired.” One could, by navigation of emotional response, search through topics in the book as one takes an aromatic journey by visceral reaction to the presentation of perfuming materials. “Trees are sanctuaries.” A quote from Hermann Hesse might resonate with the Druid and the botanist alike- uniting them in the transcendent nature of frankincense. Those searching for something more tangible will find as much inspiration in the note for 'A formula for incense… Bare Boughs” from Perfumery Technology: Art: Science: Industry (Billot & Wells) as the many utilitarian yet technically beautiful compositions Mandy has offered. Quotes from Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen in the same chapter bring musicians, while the works of James McHugh and E.E. Slosson call to the spiritualist, philosopher and hallucinogenic alike.

a boat of foolish smells from badius

The Boat of Foolish Smells from Fragrant The Secret Life of Scent

Chapter V is about the obscure, unknown, animalics and perhaps unintentional commentary on the beauty which only age and 'rough waters' can provide,  Ambergris. We visit again the indelicacies of fragrance, the harvesting of animalic raw materials such as Civet, Castoreum, African Stone, and Musk may not be for the squeamish.

Reaching Chapter VI, a discussion of beauty iconized by Jasmine, we are indeed seduced by her sensuality, if not unfathomed history of the flower, itself. "Without Jasmine there is no perfume". Mandy Aftel does not rest at simple, ordinary beauty- revealing another secret- indoles. James McHugh explains their putrid importance from an Indian treatise on perfume: “…a perfume should be like a well-run kingdom, 'with the correct balance of allies… and enemies."

apothecary illustration mandy aftel fragrance a secret life of scent

Illustration from Fragrant the Secret Life of Scent

 From Sinners (Charles Baudelaire) to Saints (Saint Augustine), our primordial fifth sense has guided us through our evolution. The secret behind the illustrated book in your hands is Mandy Aftel has no secrets- she has given you keys to a kingdom of scented treasures from the beginning of written history.  Her own kingdom is comprised of a multiplicity of realms both within the text of Fragrant, and the myriad routes Mandy has traveled to bring this wunderkammern of raw materials, exotic tales of our human folly and fortune, a card catalog of further works to pursue- not because Aftelier Perfumes is her creation, but because fragrance, itself, is her purposed passion.

"Smell me.” -Michael Ondaatje

Disclosure: I purchased my book at The Institute of Art and Olfaction October 16, 2014.

The Companion Kit for FRAGRANT SECRET LIFE OF SCENT by mandy aftel cafleurebon

The kit includes .5ml cinnamon essential oil, .5ml spearmint essential oil, .5ml jasmine tincture, .25 ml ambergris tincture and 1 piece of frankincense

We have a draw for The Companion Kit which was generously sent to our Editor in Chief by Riverside Publishing. Michelyn believes that to best experience FRAGRANT The Secret Life of Scent, it is 'essential" to have the five heros of the book: Cinnamon, Spearmint, Jasmine, Frankincense and Ambergris at your side. We have one kit for a US Reader. To be eligible please tell us what you enjoyed about Einsof's review and if you are planning to read the book.  The Smell-A-Long Kit is available on Aftelier.com for purchase at $25 USD. You can also buy a signed copy of FRAGRANT on Mandy's site. Draw closes November 3, 2014 and there is no spilled perfume.

–Einsof, West Coast Contributor

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12 comments

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    The review is quite detailed and does a good job of sparking interest in the book. I admire the fact Mandy devotes so much time to writing and not just creating perfumes. This book may become one of the best works on the history of perfume. I thank Mandy for The Companion Kit draw. As someone who is quite interested in all aspects of the art of perfume, this book is on my read-list. I am in the US

  • silvrolive says:

    I absolutely plan to read the Fragrant, especially after having read the Einsof’s review. It can be difficult to summarize a book and maintain the lyrical feeling of the text and I think you did a great job! I am in the US. Thanks!

  • Daphne Gendrin says:

    Einsof has captured the essence of Mandy Aftel’s Fragrance very well. I especially liked the reference to the five special fragrances which Mandy has used in her book to tell her story and how those fragrances have been used in history.

  • Mel says:

    I’ve got the book already, and am slowly devouring it!

    This review is so thorough! I’m impressed at the author’s depth – you can imagine she enjoyed the book!

  • Mandy Aftel says:

    What a terrific review Einsof and Michelyn! I appreciate your vibrant, lively, evocative illumination of what I have put into Fragrant – I truly wrote from my heart about the things that are most important and dear to me in the world.
    xo Mandy

  • Sandi L says:

    Great review Einsof! This book is so full of fabulous fragrant & poetic history. I am currently reading with all of my senses! I loved this quote in chapter 4 in the subheading “Listening to Incense”” By burning incense we know the o’clock of the night.” I am a lover of the resins and woods as well as it’s allies and enemies. I agree fragrance is her passion, but also I would include education as she shares so much of her research on her passion. Mandy another great treasure in my library. Thank You! I am in the US.

  • Ferris Égoïste says:

    I love this review and makes me want to buy my copy and the fragrsnce companion kit immediately. Full of stories and rich history of fragrance makes perfumes and the creation thereof more intriguing. Another fabulous book from the talented Mandy! I’m in the U.S.!

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I greatly enjoyed reading Einsof’s review and learning that core scents trigger common emotions. I can especially relate to to Mint and the sense of home. I would like to read more.

  • Steve A says:

    I’d love to have this kit. And I do plan on reading the book. I just bought some cinnamon sticks so cinnamon is on my mind for sure. The review made the book enticing. USA

  • Valentine girl says:

    I really enjoyed how the book was compared to a cross between a wunderkammern & a Book of Secrets. I would love to have the companion kit to accompany me on my aromatic journey through Fragrant, when I finally have the opportunity to sit down and read it. I work for Amazon, so it’s pretty much 12 hour days from here on out until Christmas, but I can’t wait to curl up and relax with Mandy’s new book! US Resident.

  • mim says:

    I *love* the idea of a smell-along kit for a book! Especially this book, which deals with fragrance and these materials. Definitely want to read it, because the next evolution of an “herbal grimoire” which uses a multiplicity of perspectives and discourses to “point toward a singularity: fragrance” sounds amazing! I love ‘history of’ types of books, which explore all the ways that humans have interacted with a thing over time and across space. Thank you for the draw and awesome review!