Ask the Perfumer 5/19/2013 and 100% Natural Fragrance and the Guild
Originally published May 19, 2013 I welcome any questions about what constitutes a 100% natural fragrance today. The Natural Perfumers Guild, which I head, will be seven years old on June 1st. It’s the only trade association devoted to 100% natural perfume. That simple sentence hides a lot of controversy, challenges, and, ultimately, rewards. Every major controversy, and there have been a handful, within the Guild has centered around members, or outsiders, defining what natural is, on their terms. Sometimes it’s a “greenwashing” issue, sometimes it’s naiveté, and on a few awkward occasions, subterfuge. The Guild members have worked on various committees and writing projects to help us move forward in defining natural perfume and set standards for member compliance. The ultimate goal is to preserve and enhance the art, educate the public and promote our artisans, and make us a self-regulating Chinese honeysuckle: a fragrant, beautiful new addition to the natural perfumer’s palette a