Deep Midnight Perfumes: Artisan Perfume Oils Inspired by Fantasy, History, Legends and Lore™.

"Perfume oils became my way of telling a story in a unique medium. I want my scents to transport the wearer to another time and place—just as they would be by reading a good book or looking at a fine painting—because of the strong interaction between scent and memory. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I believe a scent is worth ten thousand." ---Cat Marx, from Interviews with Middle Earth News and Faerie Magazine

Greetings! My name is Cat, and I am the owner of Deep Midnight Perfumes, an indie perfumery located in Minneapolis, MN. I am passionate about creating fascinating fragrances and I love sharing this grand obsession with my customers. I adore creating perfumes that are unique and deeply complex in character and others that are enchanting in their simplicity. When I describe my blends, I want each perfume I create to tell a scented story.... to create a dreamscape in your mind that will connect with your sense of smell and transport you to where you want to go. I am inspired by the fantasy genre, a variety of historical eras, people and characters - both real and imaginary, places of old, legends, lore, literature, romance, spiritual arts, and theater.

I started creating perfume oils in 1996 and sold them at local artist co-ops and boutiques. Over the years I discovered Etsy, and opened my shop on June 3, 2010.
I spend a lot of time thinking about the unique scents I want to create, and what feelings I want to evoke through the sense of smell. Often the creative process turns into a dialogue between me and the scent. I coax its story out of it, asking it about its environment, the things that are around it, and what story it begs to be told. I find myself adding notes that I never anticipated or considered at the beginning of the process because of this dialogue. It’s all part of the joy, satisfaction, and surprise of creating. Creating a perfume oil blend and perfecting it can take me several months. I am constantly experimenting and trying usual combinations and I literally dream of scents day and night! My customers come from 20 different countries and have also included stars of movies and TV, directors, and authors, some of whom I have been fortunate enough to meet in person.

My perfumes are vegan, preservative free, alcohol free, and cruelty free. My carrier base is beautiful scent free organic jojoba oil from plants grown in the USA. Jojoba oil is the gold standard of carrier oils. I use both fragrance oils and essential oils of premium quality in my blends. All of my ingredient sources also pledge to be vegan and cruelty free. My bottles and tester vials are solid amber or cobalt blue glass to keep the perfumes from being damaged by sunlight and ambient room light.

My main Master’s Degree background is in Integrative/Complementary Medicine in the form of Acupuncture, Shiatsu, and Fire Cupping. I also have Bachelor's Degrees in Anthropology, History, and Legal Studies, as well as minor studies backgrounds in Literature and Chemistry. These studies have contributed to my perfume inspirations in their own special ways.

I have a great love for animals, and I donate a portion of my monthly sales to the animal charities I support. Donating to these charities is something very important to me. I believe we can all make a difference in this world by caring for the environment, and the people and animals within it.

I love educating my customers on what to look for in perfumes and the chemistry behind the processes. I am happy to answer any questions they may have. I appreciate my customers and enjoy interacting with them. I believe in excellence in customer care, personalized service, and the highest quality products.

I hope you enjoy the perfumes that I love to create for you.

With Gratitude, Joy, and Love---- Cat

Photo credits: Thanks to everyone!
Cat and workshop, body cream photos: Katina and Katya of Crowning Images
Perfume photos: Jen Perez of Jupiter's Haven
Sampler Set photos: Cat Marx of Deep Midnight Perfumes