ÇaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Heather Sielaff of OLO Fragrances + The Landscape of the Pacific Northwest Draw

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

Photo: Jonathan Sielaff

When I read The Silver Fox's evocative reviews of Perfumer Heather Sielaff of Olo Fragrances' Erastus and Lightening Paw  I wanted to learn more about Heather Sielaff as I was unfamiliar with her scents; I wanted to learn more about her path to perfumery. Heather is one of the perfumers in the growing  community of creative olfactive artisans in Portland, Oregon. The Silver Fox has a way with words and I was intrigued when he wrote, "Heather Sielaff has created a portfolio of particular aromas that enhance skin and senses with a wild palette of familiar and compelling references. Grass, weather, forest, water, rain, bloom, storm, fire, smoke. Who doesn’t know these things? Wearing them integrates us, we feel accepted". – Michelyn Camen, Editor In Chief

heather sielaff

Heather Sielaff  of OLO fragrances

I was born and bred from a long line of North Carolinians.  Both sides of my family are a mix of British, Irish, German and miscellaneous Northern European.  They’ve been in North Carolina for many generations though, so my family is decidedly Southern.  I have retained two Southernisms, my accent and the ability to talk about nonsense for hours on end.

heather_smellflowers

Heather as a toddler

I have fond memories of my grandparent’s home.  They grew everything in the garden so I was always helping snap beans or shuck corn.  I spent hours wandering around the yard entertaining myself. My cousin and I used to climb the plum trees and waste so many plums throwing them at each other!  I would also lie under the scuppernong vines when it was really hot. I loved the smell of the warm fruit and dirt.  I didn’t realize at the time how grounding it was for me to go there and connect with the rhythms of nature. My grandparents would wake up really early, way earlier than at my house.  Saturday morning breakfast was always at the kitchen bar, lit with one overhead light.  It would still be dark outside. The smell of buttered biscuits, sausage patties and coffee filled the air.  I would drag myself up and into the kitchen, half asleep while I ate.  I was allowed to go back to bed for little while but then I had to help clean while I watched cartoons.  Dusting was my favorite chore because I loved the smell of Lemon Pledge.  I’ve always loved to smell everything.  I collected scratch n sniff stickers and owned every Strawberry Shortcake doll.  I was often annoyed when the dolls didn’t smell like I thought they should, I’m looking at you Miss Lemon Meringue.

heather sielaff working on olo fragrances at her studio

Photo: Jason Kinney- Heather blending OLO fragrances

OLO Fragrance was born after many years of using aromatherapy in my massage practice. I took my first aromatherapy course in 1998.  I used essential oils in my practice and private life and sold them in the wellness center I co-owned. They were such a large part of my daily life but I never thought of essential oils in the context of perfume.  I made an aromatherapy blend for a client a few years ago and it smelled like Fruit Loops.  This was the first time I thought to myself, “Oh, if I blend these oils together a certain way I can get different smells!”  I knew this already but the idea finally stuck with me that it was something I wanted to try.  I ordered some supplies to get started and started playing around with blending.  What was supposed to be a hobby took on a life of it’s own.

photo-12

Photo: Jonathan Sielaff

The Pacific Northwest has a huge influence on me in terms of what scents I try to capture.  The smell of the ocean air combined with the forest on the Oregon coast is my all time favorite smell.  It is such a cleansing experience to hike the trails along the Pacific Ocean and feel the mist on your skin.  The tree resins, moss and wet dirt are my combination of choice.  I’ve tried to capture it as closely as possible in a fragrance blend. I love it when people recognize the exact area I’m trying to recreate.  I’m extremely grateful to be able to connect with people in this way

 

OLO fragrances cafleurebon Heather Sielaff

Photo: Jonathan Sielaff

On American Perfumery: I am inspired by American perfumers ability to capture the essence of the various landscapes of this country.  We don’t have a long history in perfume so it’s great to see the different perspectives.  The identity of the perfumer and where they live is often a part of the story of the perfume, part of the narrative.  It’s nice to see American perfumers put themselves forward on their own terms and as the artists they are.

james turrell

James Turrell

Favorite American Artist: I am currently most inspired by is James Turrell.  His work is a completely immersive experience.  He has talked about light being the material and perspective the medium.  We all interpret what is around us to create our own realities.  Light appears to be almost tactile in his work.  I love how it envelops you, how you become a part of the light around you.

Heather Sielaff, Founder and Perfumer for OLO Fragrances

olo fragrances portland sampler perfume kit

 For our Draw: USA, CANADA, EU a sampler set of all ten OLO fragrances: Toji, Violet Leather, Valens, Lighteniing Paw, Dafne, Dark Wave, Erastus, Forêt, Nationale 6/7, Tulare, and Victory Wolf

 olo fragrances  roll on perfumes dark wave valens lightening paw violet/leather nationale 6 victory wolf toji cedar& rose foret

OR reader's choice of a 9 ml of any of the ten scents above.

To be eligible, leave a detailed comment with what you find fascinating about Heather Sielaff and your choice of either the OLO sampler set or the name of the 9 ml OLO fragrance you would like to win.  Draw closes August 5, 2014

Support our American Perfumers!!!

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery on Facebook and your entry will count twice (we haven't noticed alot of new liking activity, what is up with that)?

olo workshop and store milk milk lemondade

Milk Milk Lemonade is a store owned by Heather Sielaff and is located at 1407 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97214. The shop is currently open by appointment and on weekends.   Hours are posted daily on Twitter.  Regular hours will start in September.

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

− 6 = 1

29 comments

  • I found it fascinating that Heather almost seemed pre-destined to be a perfumer: from spending a lot of time in the garden and collecting scratch-and-sniff stickers as a child; to beginning to explore aromas in her massage practice; and now being inspired by the landscapes surrounding her home and working to capture them in scent. Valens sounds to be the most intriguing to me. I live in the US.

  • I just wrote a nice long response and the internet ate it. I think it is great that people can identify the place that inspired the scent, it shows a real understanding on the part of the perfumer. I am in the US and would love to try the sampler. I have liked the Facebook page (but I can’t like it more than once, maybe that is the reason for the slow-down).

  • From the title, I was not expecting Heather to be from North Carolina, which is my home state! There are so many beautiful places in this country on both coasts (as well as in the middle), so I am very glad we have talented perfumers who can represent our landscapes in scent. I would love to try the sampler, and I am in the US.

  • Another southernism Heather kept is her good manners. I ordered a fragrance from the website and she hand wrote the sample she was including and her thanks. It was a nice touch. I liked how she described Turrell’s work. One could say the same about her work with scents. I would like to try Nationale 6/7 and I am in the US.

  • From this profile, Heather seems like a down to earth person. One who was guided from an early age! In “Natural Perfumery ” it seems Aromatherapy is a necessary part of the journey. I love the southernism’s that she has kept.. 🙂 and yes manners would be one of those Steve. Looking forward to bigger and better things from OLO.. Best of Luck, Heather. I am in the US and would love Lightening Paws.

  • I found most fascinating the way she talsks of James Turrell’s work. I’m not familiar with the artist but the descriptive language makes me want to find out.
    I would like to try the sampler set, I’m in the EU,
    ty

  • Sherri Volf says:

    I love how Heather recreates scents from specific places. I find it absolutely fascinating that people can really recognize the place she is referencing! I would love to experience the smaller set if chosen,
    Thank you!

  • Reading about Heather’s childhood- particularly her fond memories of life at her grandparents’ house- was a beautiful experience. It reminded me of my own memories of being young. I live in the US, and would choose the sampler.

  • It’s amazing how often I read that perfumers were always very aware of scents in nature, even when they were infants. I can totally relate to that. Although my perfume obsession only started a few years ago, my love for the scents in nature is since I was very little. Love that Heather is trying to translate these scents of nature into perfumes.

    I live in the EU and I would love to try all of Heather’s fragrances, so my choice would be the sampler set.

    Thank you Heather and ÇaFleureBon for this lovely draw!

  • I love how she captures scents from places and nature! It seems that she was destined for perfumery starting at an early age.
    I would choose the sampler, and I live in the US. Thanks!

  • I love what she said about James Turrell, is exactly what I feel looking at all the lights and forms that he creates

    I choose the sampler set and I live in EU

    Thank you for the draw!

  • I find very fascinating of Heather Sielaff, that she really love the nature. My choice would be Dafne.
    I live in Europe.

  • I like of Heather Sielaff, that her job is that, what she wanted to do since her childhood, this is a very great thing. My choice would be Erastus.
    I live in Europe.

  • I very like of Heather Sielaff, that she enjoys of her job, because that is very important for a good work. My choice would be Victory Wolf.
    I live in Europe.

  • I find Heather’s entire story interesting. I really like the images of her at her grandparent’s house. I am especially intrigued by the scent of place. It makes me start imagining my favorite places and the scents connected with them. I would like the OLO sampler set. In US.

  • Donna Spiegel says:

    I like the path that brought Heather to making perfume. From growing up in North Carolina, another fantastic fondness of scent memories at being at her grandparents to the blossoming from the massage oils to perfumes. It’s fantastic to find yourself in a completely different place from where you were before. I love that. I’m really surprised I’m not mixing potions myself. I certainly am smelling them all day long. I would love the sampler set (again, more to smell). I have also liked the facebook page separately. Thanks for the draw and for sharing your story. I’m in the US.

  • silvrolive says:

    I was interested in Heather ‘s “Fruit Loop” blend and her transition from aromatherapy to perfume. I admire her willingness to just start blending! Love to try the OLO sampler set. I am in the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • OLO seems to be everywhere this year. I first heard of OLO on a different blog, raving positively about Victory Wolf, which also was about to sell out of its original blend. Heather treated its passing and eventual rebirth with humor I found very appealing. Reading more about her here, I’m surprised to learn she stumbled into perfumery as an extension of her use of aromatherapy in massage. It seems to me that someone who has always been keenly aware of smells would have dabbled in creating fragrances before that!

    I’m in the US. I’d love to try the sampler!

  • Jeannie 07 says:

    What I find fascinating about Heather Sielaff is her love for mother Nature the smell of the woods and the ocean which she has tried to capture in her own perfume creations because I am also a true lover of Nature (Pino Silvestre an old italian cologne for men was my first love in perfumery although it was made for men it was my cologne for its smell… the wonderful smell of the woods….. perfectly captured in a green bottle resembling a pinenut).

    My choice if I win would be the OLO sampler set since I would love to have an idea about all of her perfume creations. I live in EU and I thank you for this lovely draw.

  • I just had the same experience as Liz K. The internet swallowed my comment. However….trying to reprise…. I found Heather’s comment about her early love of scent, aka the Strawberry Shortcake dolls and her aversion to the Miss Lemon Meringue scent funny. I am that way with strawberry scents. It never smells right to me. I also find it interesting that so many perfumers are gravitating to the Pacific Northwest and finding inspiration there. If I should win I would love to try the sampler. I am in the US. Thanks for an intersting article on a perfumer that was unfamiliar to me.

  • I have fond memories of spending time at my grandparents’s house and farm, too. My cousin and I would spend hours playing with my grandma’s costume jewelry and all her Avon products lined up on her dresser. I would love to try the sampler set and I live in the U.S. Thank you for bringing another American perfumer to our attention.

  • There is nothing wrong with having the ability to talk nonsense for hours on end.
    Sampler please, USA

  • I love the thought of the tree resins, moss and wet dirt of the Pacific Northwest as fragrant inspiration. I spent many summers visiting my extended family in Oregon, and the smells of the forests are forever with me. I think Heather honors the sea, the earth, the air, the trees, and even the stones around her as she shows how each holds a unique fragrance. I would love to try the sampler. Thank you for this interview. I am in the US.

  • loving/fascinated by heather’s impressions of turrell’s work. i work on campus at university of washington where there’s been a long-standing mesmerizing light installation by turrell. i’d love to be included for the draw for valens & live in the US. thank you for the draw!!

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I found it fascinating that Heather Sielaff’s favorite fragrance combinations involve tree resins, moss and wet dirt. Everyone has a favorite childhood scent memory involving those notes; however, mine in the desert is probably different from hers in North Carolina and now the Pacific Northwest. And yet, everywhere we go, we recognize those same universal notes. I also appreciate the art of being able to talk nonsense for hours on end! I would choose the OLO sampler set. I Like you on Facebook.

  • It’s great Heather is inspired by American perfumers ability to capture the essence of the various landscapes of the country. If I win the sample set I look forward to trying to figure out her place of inspiration.

    I too choose the OLO set of samples. 🙂 US

  • As I love my own olfactory memories, I also enjoyed reading Heather’s memories from childhood. I’m very happy to read her positive thoughts on American Perfumery because, thanks to huge influence of Cafleurebon, I’ve become a big lover of it. I’m in Croatia. I’d love to win Erastus, I’m stunned by the description I read at OLO page. All the Cafleurebon’s sites on FB liked a long time ago. 🙂

  • “I ordered some supplies…and started playing around with blending. What was supposed to be a hobby took on a life of it’s own.”

    I love this! How fantastic that Heather was able to turn something she was interested in into a full-fledged business. And she clearly has a knack for it – her scent combinations are stunning.

    Great interview and fascinating read, thanks for sharing! I would be so thrilled if I was able to win a full-sized Dark Wave.

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    i chuckled when i read how Heather says she has inherited two southern traits which are accent and talking for long time…the story of Fruit Loops reminded me of a story of Jean Ellena in which he imitated a particular scent on the request of his son. My choice will be sample set. Best of Luck Heather on your perfumery journey. I am in the US