"Ask the Perfumer" - a Feature of Anya's Garden Perfumes - May 2, 2010

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Just a reminder to everyone - post your questions to me tomorrow, Sunday, May 2, 2010 in this thread.

Comments

  1. AnyasGardenPerfumes5/02/2010 7:43 AM

    Ok, it's Sunday, the 2nd of May - please ask your question in this thread

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5/02/2010 8:21 AM

    Hi Anya, Hi All
    how do you care for your nose, and olfactory system?
    Do professional perfumers do regular neti pot cleansing or similar?
    Or anything else?
    Or nothing much at all?
    Thanks*

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnyasGardenPerfumes5/02/2010 9:55 AM

    Hi Margi:

    I take reasonable care of my nose. I went into a store yesterday and a man was sitting outside smoking, and he asked me a question as I left, and without comment or apology, I put my forefinger under my nostrils as I answered him. I didn't want to breathe in the smoke, as I am very sensitive to it.

    I am very lucky as I never get a cold or flu. I can get irritation from pollens, but not too much.

    I keep my home practically scent free. I occasionally "warm" incense on a "warmer" gadget, I never "burn" it.

    Of course, my garden is full of beautiful scent, and I enjoy that every day!

    I know of *no* perfumer who uses a neti pot. It can be damaging if used too much, it's just too much force, and it disrupts the natural mucous lining. If I have a slightly clogged nose, I will sniff a few drops of water up my nose. I just wet my fingertips and sniff.

    In general, if I'm out and about, and I smell something that I know can be abrasive or damaging to my nose, I walk the other way.

    Just good, common sense ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sheree Tompkins5/02/2010 11:37 AM

    Greetings Anya,

    Over time, I have developed a chemical sensitivity from working with fragrance oils and so now I'm using all essential oils to create scent blends for the goat milk soaps I make. Recently, I ordered some essential oils from a large company that I have never used before and I am having sensitivity reactions to them like I did with the fragrance oils. I can't help feeling that something synthetic has been added to these essential oils.
    My question is this....how do I know if my essential oils are pure or not?

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnyasGardenPerfumes5/02/2010 11:54 AM

    Hi Sheree:

    It's great you're switching to natural essential oils, and I'm sorry you're having a problem with your latest supplier.

    You gave the biggest hint with "I ordered some essential oils from a large company that I have never used before". Please, never do that again! Always get samples first.

    Are you a member of the big natural perfumery group I host on Yahoo? http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalPerfumery/

    We often discuss "safe buying" on the group, and discuss suppliers. You should, in the meantime, contact the supplier with your concerns and ask if they will accept returns. Many supplier do not, however, hence the sampling is in place. If you wish, you can write me privately with the supplier's website and I'll give you my feedback on them, if I know of them. My contact email is on my website, I don't put it on the web to avoid spammers, so you can write me via Anya's Garden.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Natalie5/02/2010 11:55 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Natalie5/02/2010 11:59 AM

    Hi Anya,

    I recently invested in some oils from white lotus. My question is how to best store(temperature-wise in particular) the rose damascena absolute.

    I've been keeping it at room temperature in the dark, but the scent seems different then when I first received it a few weeks ago..

    Thanks Natalie :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. JoAnne Bassett5/02/2010 5:02 PM

    Hi Anya,

    Do you know of a manufacturer who will make 10,000 bottles of 100% natural fragrances in alcohol- the formula is made but making the juice and bottling it? Also possibly be a certified lab.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnyasGardenPerfumes5/02/2010 5:52 PM

    Hi JoAnne:

    You need to locate a cosmetics contract manufacturing lab/plant. There are lots in the So. Cal area. I can't recommend any because I haven't used any there. I always say go local whenever you can for communication and quality control.

    All professional labs are certified, will have label consultants, an on-site chemist, etc. You'll need to interview them as to their production facilities, see if they can handle the size bottle you are using, etc.

    ReplyDelete

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