Beauty as Resistance : Seminar on Ukrainian Perfumery

On perfume blogs you sometimes see lighthearted polls like “what perfumes would you grab if your home were on fire?” Now imagine a real-life situation where your city is bombarded and you escape with only limited belongings. That’s what happened to Olga Gritsenko, a Ukrainian perfume lover and blogger. In 2022, she was forced to flee her native city of Kharkiv at the start of the Russian invasion and travel across Ukraine to the western town of Mukachevo. Her story is inspiring, because not only did Olga save her perfume collection, she also established herself in a new place, launched a popular YouTube channel called Olfattivo and created a subscription service called “Ukrainian perfume boxes” to support indie perfumers.

This amazing woman will join me for a special seminar. In March, I’ll be visiting Olga in Ukraine. Our seminar will be broadcast from her new home and we will talk about why Ukraine is such a perfume-obsessed country and how scents provide powerful emotional support. It’s going to be relevant in the current climate, as many people around the world face political upheavals, economic problems or personal setbacks.

Our other topics will include:

• the fascinating world of vintage Ukrainian perfumery
• what perfumes are popular in Ukraine
• how does one build a perfume collection and preserve it in times of adversity
• how do people shop for perfume in Ukraine
• how to use scents for emotional support
• what kind of fragrances represent Ukraine
• Olga’s “Ukrainian perfume” boxes and more.

As a special offer from me, the first 5 people to sign up for the seminar will receive a set of Ukrainian perfume samples.

Our encounter has another reason–I’m gathering funds to support community projects in my region. While there are plenty of charities and government-level programs, the only way to ensure that money goes to the people in need is to locate those communities and help them directly.

• Purchasing art supplies for the free-of-charge art studios and local art schools that rehabilitate children suffering from post-traumatic shock. One such school in Kyiv also works with war veterans.
• Working with local outreach programs to respond to the lonely elderly and their needs.
• Supporting local cultural preservation projects and traditional crafts.  This war has had devastating consequences on Ukraine’s culture and environment and I organize efforts to support artisans and local museums who continue their work despite the harrowing circumstances. On my Instagram, I will record my travels and my work.

The session will take place online via Zoom and will last for 1 hour. If you have questions for me and Olga, you can email them beforehand. The seminar will be in English. Recording will be available to those who can’t join in person.

IMPORTANT: Your email confirmation with joining instructions will arrive within 24 hours after payment. 

Location: Zoom
Class duration: 1 hour
March 14, Friday, 12:00-13:00 EST (17:00-18:00 CET–note the daylight savings hours starting early in the USA)
50€ Book Now (recording available)

Photo: Olga and her treasures. You can also follow Olga via her Instagram.

If you simply visit to donate to support the Kyiv Children’s Art School, a remarkable place that gives free classes to children traumatized by war, you can do so via this link or QR code. Any amount will make a difference. They need more brushes, pencils and paints.