Help & FAQ

Natural Perfumery is the art and science of creating perfumes using natural essences only. These are essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extractions, concretes, tinctures, infusions and at times also isolates that come from natural sources – not from petroleum. Those essences come from organic life forms such as plants - flowers, leaves, seeds,roots, bark and fruit – and occasionally animal ingredients – including beeswax and honey absolute, civet absolute, castoreum absolute,ambergris tincture, musk tincture and African stone tincture. Because of the fast rise of synthetics since the end of the 19th century, natural perfumery has been dormant for many years. Currently, the market is saturated with perfumes that are overly synthetics and dominated by several perfume companies that are mostly concerned with profitability; on the other hand there is a renewed public interest in natural products due to a rising sensitivity to commercial products, aromatic ingredients have become more accessible (partly because of therise of aromatherapy). In response – many artisan perfumers and small perfume houses are returning to using natural ingredients, and a movement has started several years ago to revive the long forgotten art of purely natural perfumery - by discovering new materials and techniques, and re-discovering ancient aromatic traditions.

Natural perfumes and mainstream perfumes or perfumes that contain synthetics differ from one another not only in the building blocks they use, but also in the qualities that define the end product – the perfume.

1) Sillage: Natural perfumes tend to have less sillage than perfumes that contain synthetics. A well composed natural perfume will have a remarkable lasting power, and a gentle sillage that does not stretch much further from the individual personal space (within the person’s arms reach). Therefore, natural perfumes are a lot more acceptable, even for some people that tend to be more sensitive to scents. Natural perfumes usually are worn by the person – rather than wear the person.

2) Evolution: Natural perfumes, much like the perfumes of the Golden Age of Perfumery – evolve on the skin and interact with the wearer. The reason for that is that the higher the ratio of natural ingredients in a perfume, the less predictable it becomes. Hence, perfumes that contain more naturals interact with the body and skin chemistry and will develop differently on different people. It is nearly impossible to create a “linear” scent from natural ingredients only.

3) Repertoire of Notes: Natural perfumes use different notes that are not widely used in modern day perfumery. Because of the artisanal nature of Natural Perfumery, there are quite a few notes that are notfrequently used in mainstream perfumery due to their cost orpopularity, but can be found in natural perfumes. On the other hand, natural perfumes have a limited palette because there are many notes that cannot be extracted naturally and can be only re-produced withchemicals. For instance: most of the fruit (such as strawberry, apple and peach) cannot be made into an essential oil, and their extracts (or tinctures) will not resemble the fresh fruit. Also, many fresh flower notes (i.e.: lily of the valley, lilac) cannot be distilled or extracted – or the process is not cost effective (as is the case of violet flowers). To overcome this obstacle, natural perfumers create accords that imitate the fruity or floral characteristics of those scents – while using only natural oils, absolutes and tinctures. For example: the perfume Viola is a violet flower Soliflore that contains not even one drop of violet flower absolute – but rather, violet leaf absolute in combination with iris, rose and other notes to create a violet flower accord. Natural perfumes do not contain aldehydes either, nor can you find an “ozone” or “oceanic” natural perfume as natural perfumes do not use chemicals such as calone to create that effect.

4) Complexity: Natural perfumes are more complex than perfumes that contain mostly synthetics. Most high quality perfumes contain a very high ratio of naturals, and therefore are very complex and rich, and as mentioned earlier – do interact with the skin chemistry. 5) Consistency & Dynamics: Natural aromas vary from one location or grower to the other, and also have a slightly different aroma from crop to crop. While the use of synthetics can help regulate those subtle differences, a perfume that is solely natural will be affected by those changes and varieties in aroma. Although this is usually seen as a challenge by mainstream perfumers, to the Natural Perfumer – this is a unique advantage that makes their perfume distinct, dynamic and evolving. Just as a blooming living flower is a passing beauty – so is its aroma, which is even more cherished for the few frozen moments of eternal beauty just before it fades away and makes room to a new aroma.

6) Aesthetics: Perfumers and perfume houses have many different aesthetic approaches to perfume. I personally choose to use the unpredictable, fleeting nature of all-natural aromatics (i.e.: the scent changes from crop to crop, etc.) as an aesthetic and philosophical guideline which determines the quality and scent of my perfumes. The differences in crops add excitement and variety, and instead of seeing them as interfering with the “formula”, I create formulas that embrace those changes and make room for them to happen and create a subtly new beautiful fragrant moment. Very much like Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangements), the dry and dead flowers are considered just as beautiful and valuable for the entire arrangements as the unopened buds and the flowers in full-bloom.

Although both natural perfumes and aromatherapy synergies blend together several natural aromatics, there are a few important differences:

1) Composition: The shortest answer to the question is that Natural Perfumes are PERFUMES, where as aromatherapy synergies are simple BLENDS. Perfume combines different aromas to create a new scent that is more than the sum of all its ingredients. Aromatherpeutic synergies do a similar thing with the healing properties of the plants – a synergyis more effective therapeutically than each one of its essential oil components when used on its own.

2) Complexity: Aromatherapy synergies usually combine between 2-5 different essential oils, while a natural perfume is usually composed of 5-20 or even more different aromatic essences.

3) Building Blocks: The aromatherapist uses only a limited amount of essences that are chosen for their therapeutic benefits. The Natural Perfumer has a much wider selection of over 300 aromatics, chosen for their olfactory properties and the unique effects that they contribute to a perfume composition.

4) Purpose: Aromatherapy blends are prepared for therapeutic purposes, and although they are usually pleasant smelling – this is not their purpose. Natural perfume is created first and foremost for the sensual enjoyment of the scent – and while the therapeutic benefits of the oils used are still effective, a natural perfume is not prepared as a remedy to heal ailments.

5) Olfactory Evolution: Aromatherapy synergies are prepared for healing and therapeutic benefits, and may or may not have a satisfactory lasting power. Natural perfumes are composed to have an olfactory evolution from top notes through heart notes to base notes and dry down.

Making a signature perfume is a pleasurable and creative process, in which you will explore your fondest memories through fragrance. I believe that each individual should have the means to express themselves through their personal scent.

We start with a brief Fragrance Questionnaire to learn more about each other – you will be asked about your scent preferences and how does scent interact with your body chemistry. You will sample a few of our perfumes from Ayala Moriel’s ready-to-wear line and get acquainted with my perfume style.

The following step is a hands-on 90 minute Fragrance Consultation, in which you will experience some of the most precious building blocks of natural perfumery. Ayala will guide you through the process, and together we will select the most alluring notes to compose the theme for your Signature Perfume. Your vision for the perfume will also be recorded, and up to three samples will be made for you to try within the following 6-8 weeks.

Once the samples are ready, we will meet again. You may need some time to experience the scent on your own and will receive samples to try on your own. Once you have experienced the scents, any necessary tweaking will take place, and within 2 weeks your perfume will be ready, bottled in a beautiful French flacon. Solid perfumes are also included in your Signature Perfume set, packaged in our beautiful Perfumed Jewelry.

All Signature Perfumes require a 50% advance payment of the price listed on our website. The remaining 50% should be paid in full prior to receipt of your Signature Perfume.

Please note that we will perform only up to three tweaks to your formula. If you are still not satisfied at this point, you will receive a full refund for your down payment. You may also choose to commit to the process and pay additional fees for the labour and materials needed for completion of your Signature Perfume. If this is the case, you will be required to make a second payment before proceeding.

Sorry, there are no refunds, credits or returns for Signature Perfumes.

No. We do not replicate perfumes, for three reasons. Firstly, we want to create new perfumes, not copy others perfumer’s work. We can create a perfume that is inspired by your old lost favourite scent, but cannot and do not want to replicate it; Secondly, since only natural ingredients are used, there are many notes that cannot be made using only natural aromas (i.e.: aldehydes and many of the fruity notes); Lastly, there are quite a few other perfumers who specialize in replicating scents and can do an incredible job at it. If this is what you are looking for - we will be happy to refer you to them.

Yes. We offer samples for all of our liquid perfumes. Samples are 1ml each and come in the pure parfum concentration. You can select the sample size for each perfume and proceed to the checkout, or order a sample pack, by selecting the sample package size you like (we offer sample packages that include 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 samples). These are packages in a lovely box and make a beautiful gift. If you are ordering these as a gift, let us know and we will bow-tie it with a satin ribbon for an extra touch!

We accept all major credit cards and PayPal payments, which are instantly processed through our checkout system. For clients who have a Canadian, US or Israeli bank account, we also make available the following additional payment methods: Interac email transfers, wire transfers, personal cheques and money orders from Canadian bank accounts. Wire transfers and personal cheques or money orders also are possible from US and Israeli bank accounts. Please allow for 4-6 weeks for the cheque to arrive in the mail and clear through the bank before your order will be eligible for shipping. Please note: If you don't have a Canadian, Israeli or US bank accounts please DO NOT place an order with "Custom Payment Method" as this is only available to Canadian, US and Israeli customers who choose to pay with wire transfer or personal cheque.  

We highly recommend you go to the Questionnaire section on our site and receive a free fragrance consultation. Simply fill out the questionnaire form ands submit it to us. Our Fragrance Consultant will get back to you within 24 hours with a list of fragrance recommendations. You can than purchase the perfume of your choice or get a sample pack.

We ship to Canada, the US and Internationally. We offer samples, so you can try the perfumes before buying a full size bottle. We also have a special modified program for Signature Perfume for out of town clients– using the mail and conducting the interview on over the phone. It’s as personal as it could get!

We generally do not accept returns and do not issue refunds or credit. We do everything we can to ensure the quality of our perfumes before shipping them to you, and guarantee their freshness and quality for 12 months from date of purchase. Our sample program ensures that you can try the scents and decide to purchase a full size bottle. There is no refund nor exchange on samples. However, if the product was damaged during shipping, or if the perfume have turned before 12 months of the date of purchase - despite following our careful storage instructions - we will replace the defective merchandize with a new product, and will not charge you for the shipping (you will, however, need to ship the damaged goods to us at your own expense). To qualify for such exchange, you must contact us immediately upon arrival of your order, submit proof of the problem you've encountered with the order (i.e.: if parcel or contents were broken/leaked), and the defective product must be returned back within 30 days of receipt of the order.

If your parcel has already been fulfilled, we're afraid no cancellation would be possible. Changes and cancellations can only be made to orders before they have been packed and shipped to you. Be sure you know what you want before finalizing your order - there are several opportunities to review your order and make adjustments to your shopping basket before you check out. 

Yes, we include at least one free sample for every bottle of perfume you purchase online or on-sight at our studio. But no, we can't possibly fill the demand for free samples we get on a daily basis. As much as we'd like to - if we'll do so we'll go bankrupt and won't be able to make perfumes for you again. Please understand that we are not a big company with a giant budget for marketing and promotional items. We make and package everything by hand, and filling sample orders takes just as long if not longer than preparing a full bottle of perfume.

If you want samples, please refer to the samples page in our shop. They come either separately in adorable and easy to use and carry little 1ml vials, or in a beautiful gift package you can select yourself - containing 6, 8, 10, 12 or 15 samples! Plus, if you order a full bottle (or a candle), mention in the comment box in the checkout form which sample(s) you'd like us to include with your order. We like to treat our customers and tease your nose with new scents from our perfumery!

We ship using postal services, which are the most affordable. Our shipping rates are based on your package's volume, weight and value. Our prices reflect exact shiooing costs and do not cover our postage and packaging materials (i.e.: boxes and bubble envelopes), and no added handling fees.

In the event that your package is heavier than usual, and for some overseas destiations, shipping cost might cost extra. In this event, you will be contacted and kindly requested to send additional funds via PayPal, using a Payment Request that will prompt you to use your credit card (or other sources of payment, if you have your own PayPal account). You do not need to open a PayPal account in order to complete this transation (or any other transactions in our cart).

However, if you would like your package insured, you must ship it Express at an additional cost (see estimates below). Please note that if your package is not insured, i.e. - if you don't pay extra for Expedited or or Xpresspost, you are doing it at your own risk of lost/damaged package.

* Most smaller packages (sample packages, single bottle order, or orders of up to 3 minis) are between $10.00-$20.00.

* For international orders, packages must be shipped Expreee in order to be insured, which usually will cost around $50 or more, depending size of package.

If you do not pay extra for Express, you are doing it at your own risk of lost/damaged package.

Larger orders (heavier than $250gr):

* In Canada and the US cost $38.00

* International orders over 250gr will be quoted based on the specific package size, value and content.

Yes, we ship to anywhere in the world, via postal services. The prices vary depending on the size and weight of package and its value. Here are the prices for shipping world wide:

* Sample packages and small packages of orders up to $100 are generally priced at $10.00-$12.00

Please note that orders of heavier items (i.e.: candles, soaps, bath salts and chocolates) might cost more based on their weight.

* In Canada and the US orders over $100, or when you order 2 or more bottles of perfume, or place any order valued over $100, shipping is between $20.00-$50.00

* Please note, that for international orders, packages must be shipped Express in order to be insured, which usually will cost around $50 or more, depending size, weight, value and destination of the order.

If you do not pay extra for Express, you are doing it at your own risk of lost/damaged package.

Please allow for at least 1-2 business weeks (i.e.: 14 business days - not including weekends and statutory holidays in Canada and the country of desitnation combined) for a package to arrive to anywhere in the world - Canada, USA or anywhere else on the planet, including Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. We pride ourselves in giving excellent customer service and ship your order out as soon as possible - usually within 2-5 business days, and if for whatever reason we will require longer than 7 days to fulfill and ship your order - we will contact you to notify you of a delay.

Ayala Moriel is a one-woman-show. That means that every perfume is hand made, hand packaged and labeled and than shipped by Ayala Moriel herslef. This does not leave much room for personal email notification for every order that comes in. I prefer to spend that time getting your order ready and out as fast as possible instead, and I ask that you please wait patiently to receive your package and contact us only if you haven't received your package within 2-3 weeks of ordering. You will receive an email from PayPal confirming that your order has gone through. So please be sure you received that email and if you did rest assured your order will follow. If there is any problem with your order (i.e.: shortage of inventory etc.) we will contact you and let you know as soon as your order comes through.

We do our best to ship within 2-5 business days from the day of ordering. In any case, we ship about once a week - usually on Thursdays. 

You will receive an email from us with a tracking number as soon as the order is dispatched. Please check your spam box in case the notice landed there... 

Courier options (via FedEx also is available, starting at $70/package). If you prefer to have your order shipped express, please contact us immediately after placing your order and let us know so we can bill you the additional total for express courier services and so that we can arrange for an earlier pickup for you. 

Please note that postal services generally take 1-2 business weeks (aka 14 business days - not including weekends and holidays in the country of origina AND country of destination), and even up to a month in some cases (including North America). If you wish to receive your order faster, please contact us about faster shipping options. If you paid for Expedited parcel, it will still usually take 7 business days, but bear in mind that custom delays are a possibility when ordering outside of Canada.If your order was Xpresspost, it will take 2-4 business days within Canada, and up to 4 business days to the USA (additional custom delay may apply).

Please note that business days end at 12noon (so if you place your order on Friday at 1pm - even if your package is prepared super fast and is ready to ship that night, it will technically be considered as if it was shipped on Monday).

International orders will take about a week when sent Xpresspost.

Also note, that business days do not take into account possible delays at the border or with customs.

If you need your order by a specific date, please let us know when, and we will email you with the options available for shipping it with courier if necessary. We work with FedEx as our courier, which is the fastest and most reliable.

The curious question of how exactly were my teas "perfumed" gets brought up often. Contrary to the intuitive (yet outrageous) guess that a perfumed tea is made by a mad perfumer who likes to dip their tea bags in perfumes - the term "Perfumed Tea" is a rather ancient concept in tea culture and not nearly as dangerous as it may sound.

I’m not surprised that the term "Perfumed Tea" seems mysterious or strange; however, perfumed tea is an esteemed and ancient art that is well know to the tea connoisseur. Here I would like to take the opportunity and attempt to clarify and shed some light on this enchanting phenomenon in tea culture. Perfumed Tea refers to a tea that is flavoured with the true and pure plants and flowers. Rather than get their aroma and flavor from artificial and natural flavouring essences (which is what the more commonly consumed and often tea-bagged Aromatized Teas are all about), Perfumed Teas are perfumed with fragrant plants, fruits and flowers. For instance: a perfumed jasmine tea is made by layering tea leaves with fresh jasmine flowers and replacing the flowers with new ones until the tea is completely immersed with the jasmine's aroma.

None of the Perfumed Teas in the Ayala Moriel line are aromatized - there are no essences (artificial or natural) in any of those teas, but rather they are perfumed with the herbs and flowers contained within them.

The Perfumed Teas in the Ayala Moriel collection are perfumed with the raw plant matter that was chosen for its unique aroma and flavour profile - all selected and proportioned carefully as to represent the perfume in the form of tea. There are no artificial flavouring or essences – only pure tea leaves that were organically grown and prepared and processed without any chemicals, which we later on blended with freshly dried fragrant flowers, fruit, leaves and herbs.

For instance: Tirzah tea is perfumed with linden flowers and osmanthus blossoms among others, to bring across the fresh, green floral notes of the perfume of that name. Immortelle l'Amour tea has vanilla-infused rooibos. The vanilla beans are present in the tea blend itself, and when you finish your cup you may find some vanilla specks at the bottom... And lastly, Gaucho tea, has an interesting array of herbs that bring across the aromatic fougere coumarin character of the perfume, created by the use of herbs such as clover flowers and damiana leaf.

Ayala Moriel’s Perfumed Teas are made from top quality botanicals that were organically grown and wild crafted. We pick only the best of the crops of teas and freshly dried botanicals from around the world. They are than hand-blended and aged until the flavours marry. Our teas are individually packaged and labeled in very small batches to ensure quality and freshness.

Perfumed Teas are a dying art and we take pride in maintaining it and supporting the knowledgeable local tea master who creates them especially for us. We believe that putting so much love, care and attention into what we eat, drink or put on our skin we can transform your life and make our world a better place to live. We hope that we will infect you with our passion for purity, integrity and quality of fragrant botanicals so that we can continue to do what we do.

Each tea is different and we have specified brewing instructions and serving suggestions on the packaging for each tea, as follows:

Immortelle l’Amour:

This tea is rooibos-based, which benefits the most from longer brewing time in boiling water. For best results, you may either steep or simmer 1tsp. of tea blend for every 5oz of water, for at least 10 minutes. Immortelle l'Amour makes a magical dessert tea when sweetened with Canadian maple syrup, which perfectly matches the harmony of the perfume that inspired it. A touch of whole milk or cream is also recommended. Immortelle l’Amour is naturally sweet though, and can be also served on its own with no sweetener or any additives, and since it is caffeine-free it makes an excellent beverage for children when served in room temperature.

Tirzah:

This tea is based in Japanese Sencha green tea leaves, so it is important to use water that is not too hot in order to not scorch the delicate leaves. Bring water to a boil. Wait a few moments before steeping the tea leaves to avoid bitterness. Steep 1-1/2 teaspoons in 8oz of boiled water, for 1 minute (if you prefer a stronger tea, you may steep it for 2 minutes; longer steeping will result in a bitter tea. Tirzah tea is best served unsweetened, and its flavour improves even more when it cools down to room temperature. It is an excellent meditation tea as well as a light rejuvenating tea to be enjoyed throughout the day.

Gaucho:

This tea is based in both Yerbamate and Japanese Sencha green tea leaves. Both become very bitter when steeped for longer periods of time. If you are new to Yerbamate or prefer a lighter tea, follow these instructions: Bring fresh water to a boil. Let cool for 1 minute. Infuse 1/2 tsp. of tea for every 5 oz. cup. Steep for 1 to 2 minutes.

However, we feel that this tea brings out its coumarin characteristics the most when it is steeped for longer period of time. In which case, infuse 1 tsp. of tea for every 5oz. cup of water that has just boiled, and steep for 2 minutes. Strain and enjoy as is, or sweeten with raw green stevia leaf, honey or sugar.

Ayala Moriel’s Perfume Candles are scented with beautiful and intriguing perfumes from our collection. Each candle has a scent like no other, and in very high concentration. They are in fact a wax-perfume and produce a beautifully fragrant throw both when unlit (cold throw) and when burned. We pride ourselves in creating candles that smell good and are also good for you. After all, you are what you smell!

Our candles are perfumed only with pure essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extractions, concretes and floral waxes. These essences originate in plants and flowers and when burned release a beautiful aroma that has aromatherapeutic benefits. We do not use any petroleum-based chemicals and odourants in our candles. Our candles are made of soy wax and pure cotton wicks, which are both better for you and the environment when burned and produce less.

Ayala Moriel’s candles are made only of pure, natural materials from start to finish, and the result is a clean-burning, environmentally friendly candle. Each of the materials the candles are made from have their unique benefits:

We use food-grade soy wax base for our candles. Soy wax has many benefits and advantages over paraffin candles and beeswax candles:

- Soybeans are a natural and renewable resource

- Soy wax is vegan and cruelty free

- Soy wax is biodegradable

- Soy wax is colourless and results in a beautiful, clean-looking candle

- Soy wax candles burn 3 times longer than most other candles

- Soy wax candles are clean burning and produce less soot than other candles

- Soy wax is easier to clean and wash than other types of waxes. Once you used up your candle, you can easily clean the container and send it back to us to refill, or use it for other purposes.

Our candles are perfumed only with pure essential oils, absolutes, CO2 extractions, concretes and floral waxes and are free of any petroleum or coal derived chemicals. The result is a beautiful, clean-burning candles that:

- Smell lovely! Each candle is perfumed with a unique scent from our collection. You won’t find these scents anywhere else.

- Make you feel good: The essential oils and plant essences in the candles offer you the aromatherapeutic benefits of the plants. Burning the candles will make you feel better – relaxed, revived and rejuvenated – without the damaging side effects of breathing in petroleum-based chemicals and soot

- Keep germs away: Many essential oils are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, so burning a scented candle in a close environment can help reduce the risks of passing along germs and diseases

When buying our candles, you are supporting the two women who created and invented them. Ayala and Nikki are truly passionate about their art and want you to enjoy your candles to the last flame. We truly put our heart and soul in what we do and we believe that it makes an impact on the end result you take home with you.

You are also supporting two businesses that strive to contribute to sustainable, local economy and are environmentally conscious. Our candle glass containers can be easily cleaned and refilled with a new candle. Contact us for more information about our recycling program.

- Our candles contain around 20% essence and are scented with many precious essential oils as well as floral absolutes.

- A quick look at our ingredient list pretty much says it all: we use only botanical sources for our candles and no petroleum-based components. These materials are more expensive than those use in petroleum and synthetically scented candles.

- Our candles are made in small batches by our artisan candle-maker. Each candle is individually poured and packaged to ensure the best quality.

When burning your candle for the first time, burn it for 4 hours straight, or until a melted wax pool forms on the entire surface of the candle. This will help avoiding the formation of a hole or a “tunnel” in the middle of the candle.

Soot occurs when there is an enlarged flame and ineffective, uneven burning of the candle’s wax as a result from lack of oxygen. Enlarged flames also cause increased sooting in the candle container and around it. Oversized flames are usually a result of either oversized wicks or wind that blows the flame sideways causing it to use up too much “fuel” from the sides of the candle and become larger than necessary.

To ensure an even burn and reduce soot in the candle’s glass container and around the burning area, follow these three simple guidelines:

1) Always trim the wick before burning, and ensure it is centered.

2) Place the burning candle away from sources of draft or wind (i.e.: open windows or doors, fans, etc.)

- Never leave a burning candle unattended

- Place burning candle away from any flammable materials

- Place the candle away from reach of children and pets; keep matches and lighters away from children as well.

- To avoid large flame, always trim the wick before lighting your candle to the recommended length of 1/8”

- Burn the candle away from open windows and other sources of wind or drafts

Ayala Moriel currently offers a Foundation of Natural Perfumery Course. This is a flexible program, allowing long-distance students who come from all over the world attend in person and learn at their own pace. The program is broken down into 8 week-long courses, each covering a different fragrance family and tackling from all angles the skills, information, resources and problem solving required for mastering the art of perfumery.

The program is tailored to different levels: from complete novice to advanced studenrs; as well as working perfumers who want to deepen their skills working with the complex, challenging natural raw materials and master the art of natural perfumery. For most courses, there are no pre-requisite, and students from all levels can attend. Other courses, such as the Leather, Soliflore and Floral Bouquet weeks are only offered to advanced students (who have completed at least 3 of our multi-level courses) and working perfumers.

The program may be followed by a 1 year internship program at Ayala Moriel Parfums Studio, offered to qualified students only, who completed the program's requirements and were found suitable for the internship program.

In this program, you will learn the fundamentals of natural perfumery, and will lay the foundation to develop your own styleas a natural perfumer later on. We recommend the course for those interested in pursuing a career in natural perfumery, although students with personal interest and no professional aspirations in the field are also welcome. Many of our students are attending the program for personal growth and for getting connected through their senses. We have students from all ages and walks of life and all parts of the world - as far away as Finland, England and Australia. Many of our students lead careers as nurse practitioners, marketing experts and aromatherapists who wish to add natural perfumery to their set of skills and to enrich their lives. So you are sure to meet wonderful people from around the world!

The sessions take place 2-3 times a year, on site at Ayala Moriel Parfums studio in Vancouver, where you will get to interact with rare essences and learn from Ayala’s first hand experience in the industry. Each student also receives one-on-one personal sessions in the lab that will focus on each student’s individual needs and development as natural perfumer, to prepare you for working in the field. Our week-long courses usually take place on the 3rd week of September and 2nd week of May; and sometimes there is also a summer school in July.

As class size is extremely limited (only 6 students per course), we have a screening process in place. Please contact us with your CV and a cover letter explaining why you want to study natural perfumery at Ayala Moriel's studio. You may also send sample of your work if you have created any perfume, blend, aromatherapy synergy,soap, scented potpourri etc. (only ONE sample please).

Your application will be followed by a phone interview and if you areaccepted into the program, a $540 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot for the next session. This deposit is non-transferable and non-refundable. The course must be paid in full no later than 30 days prior to the course in order to ensure the course is running and to allow ample time for the instructors and other students to prepare and make travel arrangements.

"Foundation of Natural Perfumery", Ayala Moriel's new book published November 2014 and that accompanies the course contains 55 formulae and recipes, glossary defining over 250 terms, 7 useful tables and charts and 52 exercises for guided self-study.

The following is a summarized Table of Contents:

1.0. PREPARATION: SPACE, TOOLS & MATERIALS

1.1 Space

1.2 Tools & Equipment

1.3 Materials

2. METHODOLOGY AND RECORDING

2.1 The Importance of Recording

2.2 Observing the Materials

2.2.1. Fragrance Note Study Guide

2.3 Recording Formulas

2.4 Keeping Track of Modifications

2.5 The Formula Book

2.6 The Perfumer’s Journal

3. OLFACTORY JOURNEY: EXPLORING THE BUILDING BLOCKS

3.1 Unveiling the Mystery of Aromatic Extraction

3.2 Sniffing Techniques

3.3 Developing an Olfactory Vocabulary

3.4 Expanding your Olfactory Repertoire and Olfactory Literacy

3.5 Building Blocks Observation

4. ODOR CLASSIFICATION and CATEGORIZATION

4.1 Perfume Notes and The Fragrance Pyramid

4.2 The Different Roles of Notes

4.3 Odour Classification by Odour Type

4.4 Integrated Table of Note Classification & Volatility Rate

5. INTRODUCTION to FRAGRANCE FAMILIES

5.1 Oriental

5.2 Floral

5.3 Chypre

5.4 Citrus

5.5 Fougère

6. APPROACHES TO BLENDING

6.1. The Architectural Approach

6.1.2 Horizontal Blending

6.1.3 Vertical Accords

6.1.4 Integrating Horizontal and Vertical Blending

6.2 Central Theme

6.3 Intuitive or Exploratory Blending

6.4 Abstract Concepts

6.5 Vision to Perfume: Working From Briefs

6.6 Principles of Blending

7. FORMULATION

7.1 Units and Measurements

7.2 Standardized Formulas

7.3 Concentrations

7.3.1 Formulating for an Alcohol Base

7.3.2 Formulating for an Oil Base

7.3.3 Formulating for a Solid Perfume Base

7.3.3.1 Recipe for Solid Perfume

8. THE HISTORY OF PERFUME

8.1 Prehistoric Times

8.2 Antiquity - The Fertile Crescent

8.3 Ancient India & China

8.4 Ancient Greece

8.5 Alchemy in the Middle Ages - Persian, Arabia & Europe

8.6 The Renaissance in Europe

8.7 The 19th & 20th Centuries

8.8 The Late 20th Century

8.9 The 21st Century

9. DEFINITIONS

9.1 Natural vs. Synthetic

9.2 Perfumery vs. Aromatherapy

10. FORMULAS & RECIPES

10.1 Tinctures

10.2 Bases & Accords

10.3 Colognes 10.4 Perfumes

11. PROBLEM SOLVING & TROUBLESHOOTING

11.1 Solid Perfumes

11.2 Alcohol Perfumes

11.3 Oil Perfumes

11.4 General

13. GLOSSARY

13. SUPPLIERS AND RESOURCES

13.1 Raw Materials Suppliers

13.2 Packaging, Equipment & Lab Supplies

13.3 Trade Organizations & Publications

13.4 Safety, Licensing & Regulations

13.5 Sources for Vintage, Niche & Rare Perfume Samples

13.6 Information, Database & Resources

13.7 Olfactory Education& Perfumery Training

13.8 Perfume Trade Shows

13.9 Perfume Gardens, Museums & Archives

14. SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED READING

There are no refunds whatsoever for courses that are booked. If you have booked your spot and cannot attend it and haven't provided an ample notice (see below), you will not be refunded for classes that you paid for but missed.

Because of the nature of this course and how small the class size is, we require a minimum of 3 students attending. Therefore, if you cancel, this has an imapct on all the other students and whether or not the course will run.

Most of our students travel from far away to study here, and therefore an ample notice is required if you must cancel your participation in a session you have applied for, been accepted to and paid for. You must give your notice no later than 45 days prior to the commencement of the course week long session you signed up for.

Because most students need to book flights and hotels (not to mention childcare and other arrangements while their away from their jobs or businesses), we require such long in advance notice, so that the other students can make proper arrangements and re-booking if necessary should class be cancelled.

If you do withdraw from the course 45 days prior to its commencement, you will receive a credit towards another week long course.

Also, you will receive a credit if the class is cancelled or re-scheduled by the teacher (Ayala Moriel).