Hi there Posse. Recently I introduced you all to a new business called American Perfumer. The name says it all. Independent Artisan  American Perfumers being put on display so you can find a large selection of them in one spot. Genius! From that initial post I was inspired to meet some of the people behind the perfume brands that are for sale at American Perfumer. They all get the same 10 questions so we can see how they differ and how they are similar. After I will give you a quick review of one or two of their perfumes. Today let’s meet Sarah  of Sarah Horowitz Parfums

Sarah Horowitz Parfums: American Perfumer Interviews

What do you recall of your families fragrances as you grew up?

SO much. For the women, it was all about the Oriental fragrances. My grandmother wore Youth Dew; I can still see that hour glass shaped bottle with the gold sash around its wait, and smell the deep, amber-y warmth of her. Mum wore Shalimar – and to this day if I smell it, it brings me back to being 8 years old, watching in awe as she got ready to out with my Dad. My Father smoked a pipe – and how I hated that he smoked, and how I LOVED the smell of it, the scent of his vanilla or cherry tobacco always made me feel safe.

Where is your dream vacation spot?

I have 2 – I have never been to Hawaii, although I have interpreted it countless times in a bottle with my clients as they recount their favorite moments. I am told the air is perfumed there, and I am dying to experience it myself. The second is Tuscany… I love all things Italian.

How do you like to start your day?

Sleep in, coffee in bed with my husband, reading a good book, kids HOME. Pretty simple?.

Tell us about your life, family, business or career before perfume?

Hard to remember a ‘before perfume’ as this craft found me when I was 18 – but my life an family before it was pretty typical Long Island girl. My parents, brother and I are very close, and we spent time with my aunts uncles and cousins quite a bit. LOVED going into the City, where all cool things happened in my teen aged mind. Even then I wanted to move to California. I wanted to be an actress when I was little… oh how times change!

How did you find yourself in perfumery?

I found Perfumery while I was a freshman at Emerson in Boston. I was walking on Newbury Street in between classes, and I stopped into a store called Essence that made custom fragrances using fragrance and essential oils. Enya was playing, crystals were laced around the bottles on the bar, and I was asked if I wanted to be anointed. It was my life before that day, and my life after that day. I was engulfed in this new world, the sensuality of it, the intimate nature of it – It has never left me.

What is your favourite perfume note and why?

This is going to sound SO basic… but I love Vanilla. I do – I love it. Love it with patchouli, with oakmoss, with musk and amber and sandalwood. I think it adds warmth and depth and a hint of sensuality, and I just love it.

How did you decide on your companies name, what is its relevance?

OK this is funny. Today, my business name is Sarah Horowtiz Parfums – my name. BUT -this is actually a d.b.a. that I have been using for the last 10 years – my actual business name that I founded my company with in 1994 and is still officially on al my paperwork, is Creative Scentualization, Inc. I named it when I was 24 after the book from Shakti Gawain called Creative Visualization, which spoke of the concept of creating your reality through meditation and visualization. Fully believeing then – and now – that scent is a key component to this, that it can be a took of self-remembrance, and can assist you in creating and expressing yourself in the reality you chose to create. Essentially, no one could spell it, and it was a bit to complicated – my name became more straightforward – so there ya go?.

What was the last novel or biography you read (current if appropriate)?

The last novel I read is called Into The Water by Paula Hawkins. It was beautiful and sad and complicated and centered around women, both past and present. I am currently re-reading an old Stephen King, because, well, its like comfort food and I love him.

Hypothetically: If you had to pick a Signature Perfume that you didn’t create, what and why?

When I was a teenager I wore Coco by Chanel and oved it. But today, If I had to pick a signature, it would be Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan. I just love its velvety smoothness. And I just realized – it brings me back to my matriarchs… perhaps the amber note reminds me of the glamour of my grandmother and mother when they were getting ready to go out into a more sophisticated world a little girl could only imagine.

Who are your fragrant heroes?

Cleopatra for being obsessed with fragrance and soaking her sails of her battle ships with rosewater so her sailors would smell her whenever the wind blew and think she was watching them, as well as to announce her arrival before she would appear, Mandy Aftel for paving the road, and Anette Green for revolutionizing the way American women wear fragrance today by coining the phrase Fragrance Wardrobe.

Thanks Sarah for letting us see a little into your head and heart.

You can buy Sarah Horowitz Parfums at American Perfumer

Hereafter by Sarah Horowitz Parfums

Who knew that heaven would be a tropical paradise, filled with flowers, vanilla coconut and fluffy, puffy, powdery clouds? Well, it was Sarah Horowitz that first discovered this truth and made it into a sensual, elegant fragrance. Even Scott thinks it’s nice (hard crowd) and I agree. Dry down is delightfully bro.

Origin Story by Sarah Horowitz Parfums

First whiff is of sweet bedhead surrounded by a sharp blackcurrant and white flowers.A couple of minutes in and we are finding it very old school French perfumery done in a 21st century style. The resins and vanilla keep it sweet but not saccharine or bakery. It is the smell of clean humanity in fresh sheets, cuddling. Scott is creaming his panties, quite literally in front of me. I will need surgery to remove the image. He is reminder heavily of MFK APLS. Both Scott and my personal favourite.

The Now by Sarah Horowitz Parfums

Crisp, green citrus, like zest with the dry ache of tea. On Scott there is a real lean towards a coffeed amber, his hairy, manly skin throws a much more human/animal scent. I get way more fig and the citrus is crisper. and my musks seem laundry clean.

 

Portia also writes for Australian Perfume Junkies