I hate Valentine's Day. It's not a popular position for a perfumer to take. Instead, I should be selling you something sexy or sentimental. Or something with lots and lots of pink. But that's not my speed.

When I'm feeling uneasy, I usually reach for vetiver. The scent is soothing and soulful. Vetiver speaks to my whole self and all my mixed feelings: the sun and the clouds. This isn't just my thing: vetiver has been used to soothe anxiety and lighten depression for thousands of years. 

"We sometimes confuse potency with quality... It is easier to make a perfume that shrieks than one that is lovely and pleasing." –Edmond Roudnitska. Have you ever over sprayed a perfume? Discover how stronger concentration doesn't always equate to stronger scents and how occasionally the opposite is true.

I’m formally trained as a painter and self-taught as a perfumer. One of the most frequent FAQs I get asked at parties is some variation of “How did you get into perfume-making?” The honest answer is all about joy, people, and service.

What does galbanum smell like? Galbanum essential oil and galbanum resin are important perfume ingredients. They're usually described as "green," but smell them carefully and you're in for a surprise.

I had a great time making this short how-to video with Sebastian of Looking, Feeling, Smelling Great! It shows how easy it is to make vanilla tincture.