IlluminatedPerfume

Botanical Perfume, Organic, Sustainable and Natural

Santa Fe, New Mexico On Etsy since 2008

8,373 Sales | 5 out of 5 stars

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IlluminatedPerfume

Botanical Perfume, Organic, Sustainable and Natural

Santa Fe, New Mexico | 8,373 Sales

5 out of 5 stars

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Announcement    Welcome, I am a devotee of nature, hand crafting PURE botanical perfumes by melding alchemy with modern artistic wisdom. ♻ Eco-luxe perfume!
Every single natural perfume is handmade by me, I use authentic vital materials to create pure, perfume for you.

Check out my feature here at Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/featured-shop-illuminated-perfume/
and this one on Holistic Beekeeping:
https://blog.etsy.com/en/holistic-beekeeping-with-illuminatedperfume/

All Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ imagery and text is ©Roxana Villa and ©Greg Spalenka. Any usage is considered infringement. Bee conscious.

Announcement

Last updated on May 15, 2018

Welcome, I am a devotee of nature, hand crafting PURE botanical perfumes by melding alchemy with modern artistic wisdom. ♻ Eco-luxe perfume!
Every single natural perfume is handmade by me, I use authentic vital materials to create pure, perfume for you.

Check out my feature here at Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/featured-shop-illuminated-perfume/
and this one on Holistic Beekeeping:
https://blog.etsy.com/en/holistic-beekeeping-with-illuminatedperfume/

All Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ imagery and text is ©Roxana Villa and ©Greg Spalenka. Any usage is considered infringement. Bee conscious.

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About IlluminatedPerfume

Sales 8,373
On Etsy since 2008
  • I graduated with a BFA from Otis when it was in downtown LA. The crown was handmade by Marilyn Neuhart.
  • My first perfume making studio was in a mid century modern house in the Santa Monica Mtns, I am now in Santa Fe, NM
  • As a holistic bee guardian, I care for 2 hives of feral bees which I saved. I use beeswax for the solid, cream perfumes.
  • Once I have an idea I formulate, make and pour each and every perfume by hand.
  • The raw materials that go into making my perfumes come from the nature, I use whole plant essences as my palette.
Video summary: This video was shot by Brain Oh when I lived in Los Angeles and my perfume lab, studio & school were located in Agoura Hills, CA.

Roots and Wings

Roots in aromatherapy and the visual arts give Roxana Illuminated Perfume a unique foundation. Professional training in aromatherapy cultivated the nose and a firm knowledge in healing aromatics. As an award winning artist Roxana brings her gifts of storytelling, conceptual thinking and a strong visual aesthetic to her work in perfume. The two disciples weave seamlessly into an authentic expression of olfactory art.

“The botanical perfumes I create are very concept driven and fabricated by my own hand. In keeping with the spirit of the exquisite handmade artifact, the quarter ounce perfume flacons arrive in a couture crocheted pouch. Each fragrance is illuminated with an image by artist and concept designer Greg Spalenka. All these aspects create an intimate interaction with the beauty of nature. While studying in art school I took classes on bookmaking and letterpress printing. Later when I lived in New York I owned a Van der Cook flat bed Letterpress housed in a brownstone in Greenwich Village. The love of craft is embedded in my artistic psyche. As William Morris, I embrace the primacy of the handmade object and wish to bring that heritage and romance to my fragrance line.”

The video was shot by Brian Oh, in January 2015, when I had my workshop in Agoura Hills, CA. I currently live in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Shop members

  • Roxana Villa

    Owner, Maker, Designer, Curator, Alchemist

    I live in Sante Fe, NM with a perfumers garden and two hives of feral bees in Los Angeles. The botanical perfumes I create, by hand, resonate with the vitality of the land.

  • Apis mellifera

    Alchemist

    The European honey bee is the pollinator, gatherer of nectar and creator of the organic beeswax I use for my perfumes. She is crucially important to the existence of natural perfume since she and nature are intimately linked.

  • Eve Neuhart

    Assistant

    My daughter Eve gives me pointers on trends, evaluates fragrances and helps me out with photos. This photograph is of Eve and was art directed by her.

  • Greg Spalenka

    Illuminator

    My husband, Greg Spalenka, is the illuminator of my fragrances. His poetic imagery is perfect for conveying the romantic mood and old world quality of the perfumes. Greg is an award winning illustrator, concept designer and educator.

  • Martha Villa

    Maker

    My mother, Martha, creates the exquisite crochet pouches that house our higher end products. She taught Natalie Wood to crochet, made Charo's knitted dresses & Ali MacGraws Juliet caps. She also tends to the perfumers garden in LA.

Shop policies

More information

Last updated on Mar 21, 2019
Frequently asked questions
Custom and personalized orders

At this time I do not create custom perfumes. I can however customize some orders and offer classes to make your own custom perfume, contact me with your ideas.

Sizing details

Most items contain the size in the listing, if you need more information feel free to send me a convo or e-mail.

Care instructions, storage & lifespan

The authentic botanical perfumes I create are handmade with very simple and whole ingredients. If they are not exposed to heat and light, with little exposure to oxygen they will get better with age.
To extend the lifespan of the item purchased we suggest storing them in a cool (50-75 degrees F), space away from light.

• Liquid Perfume Extracts, Eau de Parfums and Colognes are in a base of 190 proof alcohol, like wine, they will get better with age if the above criteria is met.

• The Solid Perfumes are made with jojoba and beeswax, which have the ability to last indefinitely like the alcohol perfumes but are slightly more sensitive to exposure to air and heat.

Gift wrapping and packaging

We pride ourselves in the beauty and presentation of our work, each package is wrapped with great care and attention to detail. Take a look at the photos in each product listings to see what is included.

If you desire anything special, like a short note included, please let us know how we can be of service to you or your gift recipient.

To save trees we do not include paper receipts.

Wholesale availability

Not at this time.

How pure are your fragrances?

My career as a botanical perfumer started in the early 90's after attending the first aromatherapy conference in the US. The only aromatics I have ever used have been essential oils, C02 extracts, absolutes and my own infusions & tinctures.

What is the difference between the solid and liquid perfumes?

The main difference between the two formats is the base material, the liquids are made with 190 proof, organic alcohol where are the solids contain beeswax and jojoba oil.

The alcohol in the liquid perfume extracts and eau de parfums allow the essences to fully express all the layers, subtleties and melodies of their voices.

Solid perfumes are a much more sensual experience with their creamy base of jojoba and beeswax. Since the base tends to trap the aromatics, the top notes can sometimes get a bit muted compared to the alcohol perfumes.

The formulas for the different formats are generally, not always, the same. The alcohol perfumes contain tinctures and the solids infusions, which will often influence the aroma of the perfume.

Which of your fragrances last the longest?

In general the alcohol perfumes contain more silage & tenacity than the solid perfumes, but it depends on the chemistry of the skin. Our perfumes with the most tenacity, both as liquid & solid format, are Aumbre, Cimbalom and To Bee. Figure 1 Noir and GreenWitch are next on the list.

Sometimes layering both the liquids with the solids will increase longevity.

Keep in mind that longevity is a notion that has been made popular by using animal ingredients and later by the synthetic fragrance industry. I'd like to shift that consciousness to thinking of perfume like a fresh bouquet of flowers. There is something quite special in the ritual of anointing oneself with a pure plant fume and taking a moment to inhale the precious molecules.

Which of your fragrances are best for men?

The western world has told us that woody, earthy and "sporty" fragrances are for men while florals are for women. However, in other countries this is not the case. Now in the new era of gender neutrality these archetypes are finally changing and I encourage everyone to step out of the box and into circular thinking where there is more self expression.

Most of the men who purchase our fragrances prefer: Aumbre, Figure 1 Noir, Figure 5 Bois, Chaparral, Impromptu, To Bee and Q. I have others who wear GreenWitch, Rosa, Mellifera and Vespertina and a few in Asian countries that enjoy Aurora.

Lost Packages

All orders are sent with insurance. If your order does not arrive in the timeframe expected please check the tracking information and speak with both your local postal worker and the headmaster at your post office. Many times just those simple things will resolve the challenge.

If the item is lost I will file a claim which will require a note from you, the customer, stating the item was never received. Insurance carriers ask for 15 to 30 days from the date the item was sent before the claim can be filed.