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Le Parfumeur Rebellee

Dear Parfumeur Rebellees,

Pondering perfumery:

When I was a kid, on the way to
baseball, basketball or football, I
checked out the fragrance of every stray
blossom, fruit, leaf and herb I came
across. My mom use to send me to the
Flower Lady’s house to buy Hyacinths
for 50 cents each. My feet barely
touched the ground when I carried them
home. At about the age of seven, I
discovered that the vein of a peach leaf
smells like bitter almond. I was quite
smitten by the aroma and nectar-taste
of wild honeysuckle. I even noticed that
apple blossoms smell like rose and that,
surprisingly, the blossoms of the lowly
Milk Weed rival Jasmine in brilliance. In
my research, I also found that
mulberries permanently stain a white
shirt (mine) and that the flavor of
blackberries is worth the risk of scaling
the dangerously steep sides of the sand
pits. As is apple pie.

When I was 12, we visited Old
Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts,
and a young woman dressed as an early
settler guided me alone about the
colonial herb gardens and explained
both the medicinal and aesthetic
properties of each of the various herbs. I
was completely blown away to learn that
herbs had medicinal properties! I was
staggered by the fragrance of the
rosemary, mint, sage and thyme. I fell in
love with both the guide and the herbs,
but my parents returned to fetch me.
They made me leave. On the drive home,
I had only my love of herbs to sustain
me.

To me, the process of natural perfumery
is pure magic. The idea that plants
create scent from sunlight and give up
their scent to the air in mysterious ways
and that humans and butterflies fall
under the same spell. This is
mesmerizing. The idea that natural
fragrance can romance, encourage and
inspire like ancient music. You walk
down the perfumed paths of scent, the

aromas blending and dancing together,
looking to find compatible partners in
the same way we have, at times in our
lives, searched the faces and minds of
others, trying to find The One. Searching
for the One Blend.

I work with the Badger blends. We have
a handsome Badger on the cover. We
have simple names like Baby Balm and
Sore Muscle Rub. But we are quality
fanatics and for our palate, we get to
choose from some of the finest
essential oils and herbal extracts the
world has to offer. Madagascar Vanilla.
Bulgarian Rose. Sandalwood, Cedarwood
and Vetevert. Neroli and Ylang Ylang.
We sure are lucky! I’m especially fond of
Cardamom, Ginger and certain varieties
of Rosemary. Our Muscle Rub is
deceptively perfumic. Sure, you can be a
truck driver, rub it in and it will warm
and soothe sore muscles. But there is
more-much more. Cayenne extract plays
the role of pepper in illuminating the
blend. Rosemary, Ginger, Cardamom and
Lemongrass seem to dance beautifully
together, in circadian whorls and swirls
of citrus and wood and spice. I think
this is for romantic warriors and poetic
wanderers. Alchemy. Worthy of high
court and dangerous intrigue.

OK. Sometimes I can’t help myself! I
just wanted to let you know that I
appreciate your appreciation of our
blends and I feel most honored to be
included in your naturally aromatic
rebellion. Thank you!

Best regards,

Bill

Bill Whyte
CEO & Head Badger
The W.S. Badger Company, Inc.
Gilsum, New Hampshire, USA
(603) 357-3409 ext. 31
Healing Products * Healthy Business