FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Luminous lemurs!

August 26, 2020.

Luminous Lemurs to help Centre ValBio and Madagascar’s endangered lemurs!

P.S. Did you know that male ring-tail lemurs attract their mates with a scent gland on their wrists that exudes a lovely, fruity floral smell?

Making a new perfume is a delicious disappearance into a world of scent, intuition, and the story of a place. My newest perfume is Luminous Lemurs, and it is available in eau de parfum and as a solid, with whimsical packaging that includes a delightful, lemur-themed scent card. I have also added a face and body frosting, and bath salts!

ONE GIFT LEADS TO ANOTHER
Luminous Lemurs got its start when a friend who has traveled to Madagascar on many conservationist treks brought me ylang ylang essential oil as a gift from a distillery that she visited. She put this natural treasure in my hands and told me about the lemurs she saw there, and how the dense forests where they live are dwindling from deforestation. She told me about the people she met who are trying to reverse the damage through education and research. And she told me about Dr. Patricia Wright.

I inhaled deeply, and I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a perfume that would raise awareness about the lemurs of Madagascar. Luminous Lemurs is a hand-blended perfume that combines scents that are indigenous to this incredible island off the coast of East Africa. Ylang ylang, vanilla, antique clove, nutmeg, and my rare and amazing 20-year-old sandalwood… these are just a few of the natural treasures that unfold over time on the skin. I imagine the Madagascar lemurs leaping through the trees and being surrounded by these scents! 

https://purrfumery.com/products/new-luminous-lemurs

PURRFUMERY PROCEEDS FOR CENTRE VALBIO

Around the world, COVID-19 is changing our lives – and animals’ lives, too. For me, it created a path for how I could merge my art with animal conservation. A generous portion of the proceeds from Luminous Lemurs go to Centre ValBio, led by Dr. Patricia Wright, who since 1991 has been working to save Madagascar lemurs and help indigenous people through research and education. Before COVID-19, they were doing ok. Now, with tourism and study abroad programs put on hold, the center is at risk of losing decades of progress they made in the community. Purrfumery funds help build tree corridors for lemurs and other wildlife to roam, and help girls from remote villages attend high school. These funds will also help local villagers who work at the center so they can continue their efforts. 

Its funny how life works in a circle. I have always been in awe of the natural world, and my life-long mission has been to protect the Earth and animals from harm. I want this scent to make a difference for people and animals!

My year ended with some wonderful news! Luminous Lemurs and the Purrfumery caught the attention by some of the top international blogs last year. I’m beyond thrilled! 

Matt Morris from Fragrantica gave Luminous Lemurs the 2020 Best Perfume award:

https://www.fragrantica.com/news/FRAGRANTICA-Editors-Favorite-Perfumes-of-2020-14441.html

ÇaFleureBon named us the Best Natural Perfume House and Perfumer: 

https://www.cafleurebon.com/cafleurebon-best-fragrances-of-2020-ermano-and-michelyn-part-1-hall-of-fame-draw/?fbclid=IwAR36Seq5c_hb1hBUY01mPF58j8G3PUHfkaj0XYwq1Wmp7TH0xKF2Wmbz_pc

Michelyn Camen and Ida Meister of CaFleureBon put Luminous Lemurs on their 10 Best lists!
https://www.cafleurebon.com/cafleurebon-top-ten-favorite-perfumes-of-2020-ermano-picco-and-michelyn-camen-part-2-desert-and-dessert-draw/

https://www.cafleurebon.com/top-ten-2020-favorite-fragrances-ida-meister-and-despina-veneti-part-3-boston-london-and-paris-draw/

Peace, love, purrfume, lemurs and kitties!

XOXO~ Laurie Stern, Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

The Purrfumery’s newest scent inspired by the songs of The Highwaymen

and life’s wild road

EL CERRITO, Calif. (June 13, 2016) – After selling out of her first batch in December, artisanal perfumer Laurie Stern of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery is thrilled to announce that her newest perfume, Highway, an olfactory indulgence for men and women, is available again. With this limited edition scent, Laurie uses a botanical language to express her passion for life, love, and the wanderlust that we all feel now and again.

“I’d been listening to The Highwayman, a song sung by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings… It’s a song about reincarnation and life’s changes and heartbreaks,” Laurie says. “That rambling, roaming change and the fluid nature of our lives is at the heart of this perfume.”

And what serendipity! Laurie released Highway and then she heard about the PBS film “American Masters – The Highwaymen: Friends Till the End,” a revealing and entertaining documentary about the friendship between Nelson, Kristofferson, Cash and Jennings. Their music has inspired people around the world for generations, and it is the artistic pulse of Laurie’s perfume, a blend of fruit, flower and wood essences. Highway opens with a hint of tart citrus and finds its center in warm, rich heart notes. Like all of the Purrfumery’s products, Highway is 100% cruelty free and does not contain any animal fixatives or byproducts.

About Laurie Stern and Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

The artisanal perfumer behind Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery, Laurie Stern spent more than 16 years studying the world of perfume after leaving the wedding flower business. Laurie named her perfume business after two of her beloved cats, whose images are immortalized in her elaborate, fanciful packaging. Her cats can often be found lounging in the Perfumer’s Garden above San Francisco Bay, enveloped in the fragrance of the flowers that often end up in Laurie’s perfumes.

Laurie creates her perfumes from natural, organic and botanical essences without synthetics. Unlike commercial companies that impose an image of who the wearer will become when they use their perfumes, Laurie encourages her customers to have an authentic response that comes from within. Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery products change the wearer from the inside and transport them to a romantic, sensual and mysterious time before mass perfume manufacturing.

Laurie invites visitors to her website to also subscribe to the Purrfumery’s monthly newsletter, where they can learn about her new products and receive special gifts and discounts. To learn more about the Purrfumery, visit www.purrfumery.com. High-resolution, digital photos of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery are available on request.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Holiday shopping for a Beardsman? Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

High-End Beard Balms are Just the Ticket
Handcrafted blends spruce up the beard and feature
rare juniper, aged sandalwood and earthy vetiver essences

EL CERRITO, Calif. (October 15, 2015) — Beards are growing in popularity from coast to coast, and truth be told, some need a little love. This holiday season, give the gift of grooming with Mr. Whisker’s Beard Balm, a new product from Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery. Nestled in a scenic garden hideaway with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery is a scent boutique committed to creating cruelty-free natural perfumes, colognes, and cosmetics for men and women.

Mr. Whisker’s Beard Balm was inspired by natural artisanal perfumer Laurie Stern’s husband, Gary. One morning, he asked her if she would whip up something for his beardsmen friends who were looking a little scruffy. Laurie stepped into her magical Purrfumery and created a deep, earthy and super-nourishing beard balm for the guys. It just takes a small dab of Mr. Whisker’s Beard Balm to transform a rough and scruffy beard and deeply moisturize the skin.

“Now Gary’s moustache and beard smell like we’re hiking deep in the forest and he’s even more snuggle-able!” Laurie says.

One of the West Coast’s leading natural perfumers, Laurie drew on years of perfume-making experience to create her Mr. Whisker’s Beard Balm line in these scents:

Juniper & Cypress Forest — Laurie’s exclusive blend of French cypress, juniper, rose hip and avocado oils. Juniper & Cypress Forest is naturally anti-viral and anti-fungal.

Piñon Desert — An aromatic blend of Southwestern piñon pine and aged Indian sandalwood. Rich and warm, these fine woods are grounded in ceremony and healing.

Vetiver Breeze — A soothing blend of three distinct vetivers. Laurie finished the scent with a co-distillation of vetiver and a tropical flower, giving it a hit of sweet-spiciness. The balm gets its jeweled-green glint from Ruh Khus, a vetiver distilled in copper vats.

Laurie uses a base of organic carrier oils, cocoa butter, beeswax from her own bees, and essential oils to handcraft these soft, pliant, anti-aging balms. She meticulously crafts all of her scented treasures from natural, organic and botanical essences without synthetics.

 

 

About Laurie Stern and Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

Laurie Stern’s perfume-making process and Velvet & Sweet Pea products have been widely covered in national and regional publications including Oprah, the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Diablo Magazine. Known for her engaging and approachable speaking style, Laurie has also been invited to share her thoughts on nature and natural perfumery at Google, U.C. Berkeley, and classrooms across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Laurie named her perfume business after two of her beloved cats, whose images are immortalized in her elaborate, fanciful packaging. Her cats can often be found lounging in the Perfumer’s Garden above San Francisco Bay, enveloped in the fragrance of the flowers that often end up in Laurie’s perfumes.

Laurie creates her perfumes from natural, organic and botanical essences without synthetics. She sources her materials from around the world—her perfume organ features more than 1,000 bottles of natural essences and oils, some dating back to the 1890s. Unlike cosmetic companies that impose an image of who the wearer will become when they use their perfumes, Laurie encourages her customers to have an authentic response that comes from within. Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery products change the wearer from the inside, and transport them to a romantic and mysterious time before mass perfume manufacturing.

Laurie is known for her limited editions, eau de parfums and other creations, and is also sought by perfume lovers who want a custom scent for their own body and spirit. For Laurie, formulating a bespoke scent is an artistic adventure, an opportunity to create something beautiful and totally unique for one person’s celebration, life transition, or as a gift that will be treasured forever.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery Unwraps Delicious New Scent, Wins Awards

at San Francisco Fragrance Event!

EL CERRITO, Calif. (August 1, 2012) – Artisanal perfumer Laurie Stern of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery is thrilled to announce the release of her newest perfume, Fleur de Caramel, a limited edition scent that features a warm caramel accord with rich cognac and sultry, night-blooming frangipani. Laurie unveiled Fleur de Caramel in July at Taste TV’s Artisan Fragrance Salon in San Francisco and won a Bronze Best of Salon Award for Best New Product. Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery also took the Gold Award for Best All-Natural Scent, a Silver Award for Most Unique and two more Bronze Awards for Best Gift Set and Top All-around Product Line.

Perfume lovers have raved about Fleur de Caramel since its release. This is an indulgent perfume to savor slowly, from its tart red mandarin and spicy butterfly lily opening to a scrumptious finish as the Purrfumery’s secret caramel accord lingers on the skin. Wrapped like whimsical candy, Fleur de Caramel is a sweet, sensual treat created from some of the most incredible natural materials in the world.

Fleur de Caramel was born from Laurie’s daydreams about a sultry, beautiful and unexpected scent to celebrate summer.

“The weather in the San Francisco Bay Area where I live had been cooler than usual and I was craving something tropical and delicious,” she says. “I remembered a really pretty and warm caramel accord I created when I was working on my Bed of Roses perfume… I had put it aside and figured I would use it sometime – nothing gets thrown out around here!”

A Transporting, Hand-blended Treat… with a Kitty in the Middle
Laurie has used some of the most exquisite materials in the world to create Fleur de Caramel, including jasmine, tuberose and rare aged Tamil Nadu sandalwood she has held onto for the last decade. Perfume lovers can experience the luxury of Fleur de Caramel in both perfume and eau de parfum. Laurie’s eau de parfum is a sumptuous (and highly dosed) version of the original, packaged in a delicate Brosse crystal bottle and elegant candy wrapping.

As with many of Laurie’s products, Fleur de Caramel has a delightful kitty connection! Laurie named her first kitten “Caramel” after receiving it from a passerby when she was just 6 years old, launching an animal rescue career that has lasted a lifetime.

For Laurie, the Purrfumery represents a coming together of years of study and a wide range of passions: her love of flowers, of animals, of Victoriana, of making unique gifts, of using the finest materials the world has to offer, and of always making time to rejuvenate and smell the roses. In business since 2006, she creates wondrous perfumes, colognes, bod oils, bath salts and body frostings using natural floral, wood, seed, spice and citrus essences. Her business is certified by “Leaping Bunny,” a coalition of eight animal protection groups, who ensure that none of her ingredients or her supplier’s ingredients are tested on animals. Laurie collects many ingredients for her perfumes from her own Perfumer’s Garden, and even uses beeswax from her own bees. She blends each of her beautiful scents with organic grape alcohol and jojoba bases, and refuses to use synthetics or harsh chemicals such as phthalates. Her perfumes are 100 percent cruelty-free and do not contain even a trace of animal musk or animal fixatives.

Fleur de Caramel, in perfume or eau de parfum, makes a beautiful and indulgent gift. Prices for Fleur de Caramel follow:

 

“I was in the mood for a vacation so I decided to create one,” Laurie says of her newest perfume. “Fleur de Caramel is transporting, luxurious and soothing, not to mention tempting and delicious!”

To purchase Fleur de Caramel, email Laurie at laurie@purrfumery.com or call 510-528-8040.

About Laurie Stern and Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

The artisanal perfumer behind Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery, Laurie Stern spent more than 10 years studying the world of perfume after leaving the wedding flower business. Laurie named her perfume business after two of her beloved cats, whose images are immortalized in her elaborate, fanciful packaging. Her cats can often be found lounging in the Perfumer’s Garden above San Francisco Bay, enveloped in the fragrance of the flowers that often end up in Laurie’s perfumes.

Laurie creates her perfumes from natural, organic and botanical essences without synthetics. Unlike commercial companies that impose an image of who the wearer will become when they use their perfumes, Laurie encourages her customers to have an authentic response that comes from within. Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery products change the wearer from the inside and transport them to a romantic, sensual and mysterious time before mass perfume manufacturing.

Laurie invites visitors to her website to also subscribe to the Purrfumery’s monthly newsletter, where they can learn about her new products and receive special gifts and discounts. To learn more about the Purrfumery, visit www.purrfumery.com. High-resolution, digital photos of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery are available on request.

“…the resulting potion is a glorious fragrance that is so completely seductive and narcotic that it should be illegal!”

  • From Beth Schreibman Gehring’s review of one of Laurie Stern’s fragrances

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bed of Roses

New Scent from Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery is a Luscious “Bed of Roses”
Limited Edition Perfume Features Accord of Roses and Rare Ingredients from Around the World

EL CERRITO, Calif. (December 1, 2010) – Artisanal perfumer Laurie Stern of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery has unveiled her newest perfume, Bed of Roses, a limited edition rose scent she created using rare natural and botanical materials from around the world. Released in limited quantities in October at the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball in New York City, Bed of Roses parfum is now available at www.purrfumery.com. Perfume lovers who want to sample the scent may call the Purrfumery at 510-528-8040, or email laurie@purrfumery.com. Bed of Roses will be available in eau de parfum in January, in time for Valentine’s Day.

Stern followed a unique process to create Bed of Roses that combines the practices from ancient times and the modern era with her own innovative techniques. She started with a selection of nine rare rose materials that included Rose de Mai from Grasse, France; Indian roses from the Himalayas; and Damask Rose Otto from the Valley of the Roses in Bulgaria. She also located Persian and Moroccan roses and an exquisite Rose Alba extraction from Bulgaria. Stern then blended these distinct rose materials to create an accord that formed a harmonious and opulent new rose scent.

Stern cushioned her sumptuous rose accord with aged sandalwood, dark chocolate and rich cognac, and included accents of tuberose, boronia, orange blossom and green mandarin. She crowned Bed of Roses with a canopy of precious rose leaf absolute, a rare and incomparable material from the history of perfume, seldom made today.

“With Bed of Roses, I wanted to create a rich and gorgeous velvety winter rose,” Stern says. “This is not a light summer rose perfume – it’s a deep and mysterious creation that uses some of the rarest natural treasures on earth.”

Stern nestles each bottle of Bed of Roses in an opulent silk pouch and has adorned pouches for 30 ml bottles with intricate, semi-precious jewel beadwork. These elegant and distinct touches make Bed of Roses a work of art the wearer will treasure. Stern named Bed of Roses after her former wedding flower business and dedicates the scent to Raphaella Barkley, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sniffapalooza Magazine. Barkley is an avid rose perfume lover and champion of the niche perfumer. She is known for her support of the natural fragrance industry through her work with Sniffapalooza Magazine, which garnered four Top-Five Fifi Award nominations for “Editorial Excellence for a Blog” in 2009 and 2010.

For Stern, the Purrfumery represents a coming together of years of study and a wide range of passions: her love of flowers, of animals, of Victoriana, of making unique gifts, of using the finest materials the world has to offer, and of always making time to rejuvenate and smell the roses. In business since 2006, she creates wondrous perfumes, colognes, body oils, bath salts and body frostings using natural floral, wood, seed, spice and citrus essences. Her business is certified by “Leaping Bunny,” a coalition of eight animal protection groups, who ensure that none of her ingredients or her supplier’s ingredients are tested on animals. Stern collects many ingredients for her perfumes from her own Perfumer’s Garden, and even uses beeswax from her own bees. She blends each of her beautiful scents with organic grape alcohol and jojoba bases, and refuses to use synthetics or harsh chemicals such as phthalates. Her perfumes are 100 percent cruelty-free and do not contain even a trace of animal musk or animal fixatives. 

To purchase Bed of Roses for yourself or someone you love, email Stern at laurie@purrfumery.com or call 510-528-8040. To learn more about the Purrfumery, visit www.purrfumery.com. Prices for Bed of Roses follow:

About Laurie Stern and Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

The artisanal perfumer behind Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery, Laurie Stern spent more than 10 years studying the world of perfume after leaving the wedding flower business. Stern named her perfume business after two of her beloved cats, whose images are immortalized in her elaborate, fanciful packaging. Her cats can often be found lounging in the Perfumer’s Garden above San Francisco Bay, enveloped in the fragrance of the flowers that often end up in Stern’s perfumes.

Stern creates her perfumes from natural, organic and botanical essences without synthetics. Unlike commercial companies that impose an image of who the wearer will become when they use their perfumes, Stern encourages her customers to have an authentic response that comes from within. Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery products change the wearer from the inside and transport them to a romantic, sensual and mysterious time before mass perfume manufacturing.

Stern invites visitors to her website to also subscribe to the Purrfumery’s monthly newsletter, where they can learn about her new products and receive special gifts and discounts. High-resolution, digital photos of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery are available on request.

“…the resulting potion is a glorious fragrance that is so completely seductive and narcotic that it should be illegal!”

- From Beth Schreibman Gehring’s review of one of Laurie Stern’s fragrances