ÇaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Loreto Remsing of L’Aromatica Perfume + Golden Gate Girl Draw

Loreta Remsing of L'Aromatica

Loreto Remsing of L'Aromatica

Profile: I remember it all vividly, the scorching central valley heat, juicy homegrown tomatoes, the sound of trains on warm nights that smelled like dry grass. I was 18-months old. It wasn’t a glamorous place to land, but we were lucky to escape the clutches of the military regime which had seized control of Chile in 1973 and imprisoned my father for political reasons. My mother told me I was conceived during a conjugal visit, and that her pregnancy led to my father’s eventual release. When I drive through the central valley at night, I always roll down the windows. The warm night breeze carries my earliest childhood memories of our first years in California.

Central valley Loreta at 2

Loreto, Age 2 in Central Valley

My father is an agronomist and my mother is an instructional aide. I am the eldest of four children. After our brief stint in the central valley, we relocated to Steinbeck Country, which is where my parents still reside. I grew up mostly on and around farms. We didn’t have much growing up but my parents managed to take us camping and on the occasional road-trip (some even as far as Baja). They were the kind of parents that encouraged us to play in the mud, stay outside all day and even when we lived in tiny apartments, they always grew their own food. My dad taught me to respect nature. My mom passed on her herbal folk wisdom and green thumb.

My first year of community college, I was convinced I wanted to study cultural anthropology. I dreamed about living and working in the bush as an ethno-botanist. Instead, I enrolled at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, in 1995 to pursue my other passion, graphic design. My early years as a single mother at the Academy were brutal. I was burning the candle at both ends and my health began to deteriorate. On a fateful trip to Santa Cruz, I discovered a book on Aromatherapy and began learning about the therapeutic properties of essential oils. As my health improved, so did my mental and spiritual wellbeing. My essential oil collection soon began to grow. A single drop of Mysore sandalwood oil, turned a hot bath into a sublime, life-changing experience. Suddenly, one of life’s greatest mysteries was unfolding before me.

When I was 9, I tried boiling rose petals to make rose “perfume” but was frustrated with the results. I was always fascinated with perfume but had never unlocked the door to that world. I had not imagined that I could ever make perfume, until I started teaching myself natural perfumery with essential oils. In 1998, I moved back home and got a part-time job at a bookshop in Carmel. There was a lovely new age section in the back where I released my first line of aromatherapy products which included massage oils, lotions, room mists and dream oils. I eventually moved back to San Francisco  to finish my degree and put my aromatherapy line on hold indefinitely.

L'Aromatica at West Coast Craft in San Francisco

L'Aromatica at West Coast Craft in San Francisco

Many years later, after burning out as a graphic designer in the corporate sector, I decided to take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do. I decided that one of the things that makes me the happiest is making perfume, so I decided to try to turn my hobby into a career. I opened an Etsy shop in 2005 and the shop took off. Loreto Aromatica had made 1000 sales in less than a year. Around the time I got pregnant with my second child, I closed the shop but re-opened it after my son was born with a new look, new philosophy and new name: L’Aromatica. My intention with the new brand was to make a higher-quality product, so I completely abandoned fragrance oils and began learning to make key accords using aroma chemicals. The packaging was re-designed with a rustic and gender-neutral vibe. I began selling L’Aromatica at local craft fairs and wholesaling to small shops.

L'Aromatica studio perfume oils and essences

L'Aromatica studio perfume oils and essences

L’Aromatica Perfume is made in small batches where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Much of the line is all-natural, I create hand tinctures, and use organic grain alcohol but some of my perfumes also contain synthetic materials. For instance, I love musk, but I don’t currently use any animal-derived ingredients in my products. My inspiration comes from places, people, flowers, and even food and drink. I would say that my blends are complex and every perfume contains a broad assortment of rare and precious ingredients.

loretaremsing indie perfumer

Loreto blending essential oils in her studio

On American Perfumery: Being an Indie American Perfumer means being a part of a movement that is helping shape the landscape of American perfumery. I think there is a large number of people that have never been interested in perfume who are starting to discover and enjoy fragrance thanks to indie brands. Walking into a large, brightly-lit department store to choose a perfume can be intimidating for some. Discovering a niche brand at your favorite local boutique or while on vacation, is like discovering a hidden treasure. There is something about indie brands that is intimate and personal.

Ruth Asawa in her studio

San Francisco Artist Ruth Asawa in her studio

Favorite American Artist: My favorite American artist is Ruth Asawa, a San Francisco-based artist who sadly passed away on my birthday, three years ago. Asawa was a sculptor best known for her woven wire sculptures and fountains all over San Francisco. Her humble beginnings as one of seven children of a farming family who were interned in the 40s speaks of overcoming hardship and making your own way in the world. After a successful career as an artist and sculptor, she was committed to making public art education accessible to children.

Loreto Remsing,  Founder and  Perfumer of L’Aromatica

offical 7th taste tv award partner fragrance

Editor’s Note: L’Aromatica Perfume: Animus was awarded a silver medal in the  2015 Taste TV Artisan Fragrance Salon and is an official Artisan Fragrance Salon 2015 partner. I am thrilled that Loreto is now featured in our American Perfumer series, as now every American artisan perfumer winner since the  inception of the Taste TV Artisan France Awards in 2012 has been included

Thanks to Loreto we have a worldwide draw for a registered readeryou must do this or your comment will not count) as follows:

L'aromatica perfumes

L'Aromatica 30 ml perfumes

USA: Your choice of a 30 ml atomizer of the award winning Animus, Big Sur (all natural), Desert Man, Kulfi, Chanteuse (all-natural) or Yellow Rose (all-natural) or a sampler set of all six.

Worldwide: Sampler set of Animus, Big Sur (all natural), Desert Man, Kulfi, Chanteuse (all-natural) or Yellow Rose (all-natural)

To be eligible please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Loreta Remsing’s path to perfumery, where you live and your choice of fragrance should you win. There will be one winner. Draw closes October 22, 2015

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery and your entry will count twice.

You can follow L’Aromatica on Facebook here and on Twitter @laromaticascent

 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

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32 comments

  • I like that she embraced natural perfumes and herbal fragrances at the beginning of her career as a perfume maker. I respect that she’s straightforward about which fragrances are all-natural, and which use synthetic ingredients, too. I love the sound of her Big Sur — I visited California with my parents when I was a teen, and remember the smell of the air along that drive. I’d love to capture that in a bottle!

    US resident. Thank you for the draw!

  • Wow. What a great article. I would love to win a 30 ml bottle of Big Sur.
    I live in the U.S. And my favorite part of the article is this.
    The warm night breeze carries my earliest childhood memories of our first years in California.
    Thanks for the draw!!

  • pursejunkie says:

    Interesting: Ms. Remsing is not the first perfumer I’ve read of who credits Santa Cruz with a pivotal role in her career path.
    I’d like to win Desert Man and I’m in the U.S.

  • fazalcheema says:

    Loreta turned out to be a lucky child as her birth led to her father’s release in Chile. Like Loreta, I also have fascination with anthropology as taking this general education course really expanded my thinking horizon. Loreta’s profile also shows SF has become a breeding ground of natural perfumers. Many natural perfumers come from SF or choose to reside there. My choice for this draw will be Kulfi, thanks a lot for the draw and best of wishes on your perfumery journey. I am in the US

  • Simply a great read on the biographical story of Loreto. From birth, through Etsy, to today. I’d like very much to win the Animus. US.

  • Her origin story is fascinating. Indie and niche perfumers always seem to have such interesting paths leading to their discovery of scent-making, and Loreto is no exception. From a dramatic conception and pregnancy to a career in graphic design to wading into aromatherapy and finally indie perfuming, it’s clear her experiences and background have very much informed her brand.

    I’m interested in Chanteuse, and am in the US.

  • Her story is very inspiring to me. My enthusiam about perfume always encourages me to find the way to a perfumer. I’d like to win Desert man and I’m in the US.

  • I really enjoyed reading Loreto’s amazing story! Form Chile to SF, very powerful and wild too. Thanks for this great story of a great local and talented perfumer!

  • I loved reading this story, kind of a dream come true. The perfumer’s art was something always in the background it seems….and then to move from the corporate drudgery to the art of perfume is so romantic! I live in NYC in the US and would choose the sampler set so I could try as many scents as possible!

  • I love this story in part because I love how accessible Loreto seems. I also really love to hear stories about the rambling paths we sometimes take to get where we belong. Thanks for the draw! I’d love a sample set so I can pick my favorite and share the love.

  • It’s interesting that the night breeze awakens Loreta’s scent memories, though not surprising. Night can be a lovely, dreamy time. I can see how aromatherapy led her to perfume creation – playing with oils, mixing them, experimenting. Yellow Rose sounds like it would be the one for me, so that would be my choice. USA

  • I laughed at Loreto’s story of boiling rose petals, as I did something similar in my childhood. Her scents sound so nature inspired, I would love to try the sampler set should I win. Thank you. USA

  • What a fascinating story from Loreto. She started small and progressed slowly, but never gave up. Her respect for nature shines through and most of all, she does what makes her heart sing, which is the secret! Well done Loreto. I am in the UK and if i was lucky enough to win, i would like to try ‘Yellow Rose’. cheers and thanks.

  • I am especially interested by the way that dirt is mentioned several times as a scent memory for Loreto – the dry valley, playing in mud, gardening. That close relationship with the earth is a great background for a perfumer. I’m glad to discover this line, thanks CaFleurebon! And thanks, Loreto, for the opportunity. I’m in the US and would like to win Kulfi, it sounds delicious for cold weather. Liked on Facebook!

  • I’m inspired by the fact that Loreta up and left her graphic design job to truly pursue her passion! It must be daunting but also rewarding as well. I’m in Canada. Big Sur would be lovely.

  • Loreto, instead of reading something where you were interviewed you wrote this thorough and compelling biography yourself. I’m going to choose Animus should I win because you personally love musk and I want to see what you’ve done here. 🙂 USA

  • Iuno Feronia says:

    I like her story, especially her attempt at Nine to produce rose perfume. Ist Reminds me of my first attempts with camomille… And almost dying because I forgot that I have hay fever… 😉 i live in Europe, thanks

  • Interesting to hear of her courage in dropping out of the corporate world, that takes some guts. I live in Canada

  • Fantastic, always a treat to learn of another artisan perfumer. I’m in the Us and would love to win the sampler.

  • Wonderful article. I found everything fascinating about Loreta Remsing’s path to perfumery. I like that she use all natural ingredients for her perfumes. My choice would be Yellow Rose. I already liked CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery, and I’m a registered reader. Thank you for the chance. I live in Europe.

  • I like how her calling seemed to choose her, at such a young age and persistently through her life. I live in the US and would love to try Yellow Rose.

  • I like this series because I think American Perfumery is so much more interesting and daring. Loreto impressed me by her connection to nature and taking her petfume to the next level using better ingredients. Also her father’s story I am a US reader and Big Sur appeals to me but so does the sampler

  • Valentine Girl says:

    I was intrigued to read about Loreto’s interest in cultural anthropology as I share the same passion, and ended up with my degree in it, with my focus being more on the anthropology of food & cuisine. I also started my first herb and vegetable garden around the same age, and being an only child, spent almost all of my free time outside playing with my plants. So I feel a kindred spirit in hearing about her childhood playing with plants and respecting nature too. I would like to try the sample set. USA. resident.

  • This is kind of inspiration to me! I am in some kind of burn-out period, and things ain’t getting better.
    Moreover, I find Loreto’s way of thinking she is a part of a new-age movement for changing the face of USA. Sometimes, small steps can lead you further!
    Thanks for sharing!
    I am in Bulgaria (EU), so I can only apply for the sample set, but still Kulfi, Madrone and Yellow Rose sound most appealing to me!
    Thank you for the chance!

  • Loreto Remsing’s path to perfumery was indeed fascinating. I agree that “Discovering a niche brand at your favorite local boutique or while on vacation, is like discovering a hidden treasure. There is something about indie brands that is intimate and personal.” I live in the US and my choice of fragrance would be the sampler set of six.

  • I love anthropology just like Loreto. I’ve taken many classes on it throughout my life. There are so many talented indie American perfumers, and that list is only getting longer and longer. I’d love the sample set and I live in Canada. Thank you for the draw!

  • I enjoyed reading about Loreto’s journey, and was reminded that no matter how frustrating it can be, it pays off to follow our dreams. Like how she became frustrated when she tried boiling rose petals, and look at her now! I would love the chance to win Animus. I’m in the US.

  • I love anthropology too, and find it interesting that she once dreamed of being an ethno-botanist! Her outdoorsy childhood served her well. My attempts at rosewater turned out pretty meh also.
    I would like to try the sample set. USA.

  • Great read. I’m always a fan of indie perfumers. They always have such a passion for fragrance. Loreto sounds like an amazing person and I wish the best of luck in the future. I choose the sample set

    Canada

  • I think it’s really neat how she was able to pull herself away from stability in a cooperate world that was draining her to pursue her dreams! Her success is a great example of following your passion ^^

    I’m in the US and would love some Chantruese or Kulfi.

  • SF is a place I’ve always wanted to go! Loreto is doing a great job with her house. I haven’t heard of the brand but its definitely something I’d buy in the future. I’d love the sample set and I’m in Canada