Essence and Alchemy

Download or read book Essence and Alchemy written by Mandy Aftel and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2002-05 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For centuries, people have taken what seems to be an instinctive pleasure in rubbing scents into their skin, and using them to pray, to heal, and to make love. Yet in many ways perfumery is a lost art, its creative and sensual possibilities eclipsed by the dominance of synthetic ingredients. In "Essence and Alchemy," winner of the Sense of Smell Institute's Richard B. Solomon Award, Mandy Aftel unearths a forgotten world in which scent was celebrated by poets, contemplated by philosophers, and universally appreciated for its profound resonance with body, mind, and soul. And she seduces the adventurous into experiencing firsthand the pleasures of working with natural essences.