One of the first articles I had written that won me an award for Editorial Excellent was titled Scents of Kyiv, a walk through my native city and a story of its scents. Returning to Ukraine, I keep cataloging aromas that I encounter during my travels–coffee and cigarettes in Lviv, poppyseed rolls and lindens in Poltava, expensive perfume and car exhaust in Kharkiv. So it was with much delight that I discovered a candle collection by Sofiya Dolna, an independent perfumer based in Ternopil, western Ukraine. Sofiya’s candle collection paints the olfactory portraits of three different Ukrainian regions–the south (Acacia Odesa), the east (Rosa Donbas), and the west (Cedr Gorgany). The scents are evocative. The presentation is gorgeous. The candles make a fantastic holiday gift. And yes, Sofiya ships her products all over the world–one of the best things about Ukraine is its amazing array of postal services.

The candle collection was developed a year ago in collaboration with two other artists, with each contributing their own interpretation of their native place.

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The Bois de Jasmin new class schedule includes new classes on Amber, Vanilla and Musk. We will decode these fundamental perfume materials and analyze fragrances that use them. I also invite you to explore perfume accords and classical fragrances using them in our classes on Jasmine & Woods and Rose & Incense accords. I’ve selected seasonal themes for these sessions to inspire your explorations and give you ideas on what to try next. The classes are for all perfume lovers, regardless of their level of interest, and since the class size is small, the lectures are tailored to the audience.

The class size is small to ensure that everyone gets attention and a chance to interact. The class is run as a lecture interspersed with guided smelling exercises. My style of teaching is personal and interactive. You will have a chance to ask questions throughout the class and there will also be an allotted time at the end for your questions on any fragrance-related topics. These classes are for students of all levels of interest in perfumery.

To register for the online courses, please go to the Online Perfume Classes page or take a look below:

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Amber
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: December 14th, Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55  Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Vanilla
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: December 15th, Sunday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Musk
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: December 18th, Wednesday12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now

3-Class Package: Amber, Vanilla, Musk
Take all three classes and save!
Price: €155 Book Now

Perfume Accords Online: Jasmine & Woods
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: December 21st, Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55  Book Now

Perfume Accords Online: Rose & Incense
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: December 22nd, Sunday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now
 

Brussels Studio Classes

We will explore perfume materials, rare fragrances, talk about history and legendary creators who made our favorite perfumes. Together we will learn the evolution of perfume history by studying some of the most iconic examples of the perfumery art in their original formulations. You will also perform exercises to sharpen your sense of smell. Some of the workshops include creating your own perfume accord.

Perfume Workshop (Brussels Studio): Vintage Perfumes and Stories

Journey into the captivating world of rare vintage perfumes. Uncover the history and artistry behind some of the most sought-after fragrances from past eras. Participants will learn to identify and appreciate the unique characteristics of vintage scents, explore the evolution of perfume-making, and gain insights into the cultural contexts that shaped these timeless creations. Hands-on sessions will include sampling rare perfumes and understanding their complex compositions. Perfect for fragrance enthusiasts and collectors alike, this class offers a rare opportunity to experience the magic of vintage perfumery. Students will have access to my perfume collection and try iconic fragrances from Caron, Guerlain, Coty and Chanel.

Class location: Brussels
Date: December 15th, Sunday, 11-13:30 CET  BOOK
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person   (50€ to be paid as a reservation deposit, the rest is payable in person on the day of the class)
Please contact me for other available dates

Perfume Workshop (Brussels Studio): Rose
We will smell natural and synthetic rose materials, vintage and modern fragrances that use rose. I will then show you how a classical rose accord is constructed. You will have a chance to create your own rose composition.

Class location: Brussels
Date: December 22nd, Sunday, 11-13:30 CET BOOK
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person   (50€ to be paid as a reservation deposit, the rest is payable in person on the day of the class)
Please contact me for other available dates

To request another date, please  email me.

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Happy Thanksgiving! This year I have much to be thankful for, despite the tragedies unfolding around me and taking place in the world. I’m back from Ukraine and I’m slowly settling into my routine. I still listen attentively to any low, deep sounds and get startled by the jarring roar of motorbikes. Yet, I also don’t get bothered by the things that used to annoy me. Three months in Ukraine were a life-changing experience. More on that later. For now, let’s talk about perfume and scents.

Our “Recommend Me a Perfume” thread is open this week. You can use this space to find perfume recommendations, to share your discoveries and favorite scents, and to ask any questions about scents, aromas and flavors. Or you can just tell us what perfume you are wearing.

How does it work: 1. Please post your requests or questions as comments here. You can also use this space to ask any fragrance related questions. To receive recommendations that are better tailored to your tastes, you can include details on what you like and don’t like, your signature perfumes, and your budget. And please let us know what you end up sampling. 2. Then please check the thread to see if there are other requests you can answer. Your responses are really valuable for navigating the big and sometimes confusing world of perfume, so let’s help each other!

To make this thread easier to read, when you reply to someone, please click on the blue “reply” link under their comment.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

Uncle Vladimir, diadia Volodya, passed away in his sleep in his home in Israel. He was in his 80s. He fell ill with polio when he was a child during WWII. The first doctor he ever saw, a German surgeon in another occupied village, told my grandmother that her son was as good as dead. “Just leave him here.” My grandmother was exhausted after a long journey and her own illness and at first she did. She put her child on a bench and started walking away. Volodya remembers seeing her leave. He didn’t cry. He didn’t call out to his mother. He just held his breath. My grandmother had already lost one son to a fatal disease. Her sister was shot in front of her by the Nazi troops. She remembered feeling nothing but numbness and complete depletion. She walked and walked and then she turned around and ran back to the bench. She picked up her son and returned to the village.

Volodya didn’t die. He survived polio with almost all of his muscles atrophied and his spine twisted. He spent his childhood and teenage years in a wheelchair. Then a friend gave him a bootleg copy of a yoga manual and my uncle studied it until the book fell apart and he stood up on his own. He never learned to walk straight and he never regained control of his right arm, but he enrolled into the university, learned engineering on his own and built his own sound-recording devices. He married and fathered a daughter, my cousin Marina, who eventually moved him to Israel.

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Today we have a generous giveaway courtesy to Linda. She is giving away a bottle of Chanel No 22 EDP (75ml, sprayed a couple of times only, box included). Linda says, “I would like to give it away to someone who might enjoy it more, because I tried to enjoy aldehydes and I just can’t. But it’s definitely beautiful.”

Linda is kind enough to ship anywhere in the world. The only issue is that you will be responsible for any customs charges, if any are to occur.

Disclaimer: Bois de Jasmin is not responsible for leaks or damage during transit or for lost packages.

Please answer all of the questions below to be entered into the draw. I will create two groups and randomly draw one winner from each.

1. Linda would like to ask for your recommendations of perfumes that evoke autumn (in the northern hemisphere.) She’s open to try anything, but she prefers to avoid overly sweet gourmands.
2. May I contact you via email to notify you of your win and share your email with Linda?

The winner is EileenD. Congratulations! I will contact the winner via email shortly.

I would like to thank our entire Bois de Jasmin community for your generosity and kindness, whether it means giveaways like this, advice or comments.