Only 1/1000 people will have an adverse reaction to essential oils, yet 1/8 of all people have adverse reactions to synthetics.  Essential oils are  highly concentrated, living raw materials extracted from plants. Every drop contains thousands of molecular compounds.  This variation in the molecule supports health and well being for the body.  There was a time when plants provided our only medicine, and today they still provide the active ingredients for many drugs. Each and every oil is unique and to this day their molecular complexity fascinates chemists.  Essential notes are complex and can vary by region or organic conditions (think of a grape harvest and the wine produced: it is a bit different each year).   We use essential oils and other natural aromatics to create our perfumes.r pesss tntial n      

 Synthetics are chemicals which contain one molecular compound.  Their notes are consistent, linear and longlasting.  Their use has created record profits for the perfume industry and allows for novel fragrances that do not exist in nature, such as "cotton candy."  Many synthetic fragrances and additives are dangerous, not always alone but often in combination with other ingredients.  There are no regulations imposed on the fragrance industry which serves to protect the secret recipes of perfumers. Sadly for the customer, that means that you may never know which perfumes are dangerous and which ones are safe.

Plants not only play a vital role in the balance of our planet, they have also been linked to the well-being of humanity since the beginning of time.  Each essential oil serves a different healing role for the body and mind, and when oils are mixed together they produce new synergistic effects. 

Our 2012 Spring Collection is being sold at David Lawrence at the Shops at the Bravern in Bellevue, Washington. 

Our vintage fragrances can be found here on our site, and we offer private labels for retailers interested in carrying our fine fragrances.

We enjoy working closely with our clients for a personal touch, so all meetings are by appointment.   We are certain you will appreciate the difference this personalized attention will make.  

Please contact us for your appointment today.   

It is an industry fact that perfumes are marked up by thousands of percentage points.  Most of the time customers pay hundreds for only two or three dollars worth of actual perfume.   Almost always, more is spent on the bottle and package than the perfume itself.  We think that is just terrible, because to us, perfumery is an art form! Unlesss you are planning on carrying that bottle around all day long, who really cares what it looks like? Our bottles are made of beautiful and refillable glass which works well for us and the environment. 

Yes and no. The formula will always be exactly the same, however since we are dealing with natural ingredients, there will be slight variations in the molecules created by the growing season (back to the wine comparison). This is a good thing, since variety is healthy and the slight differences should go unnoticed. 

You will notice small bits of organic material in the bottom of our bottles.  This is known as "the mother", and 99.9% of all perfumers filter it out.  We preserve it as a reminder of the organic nature of our product, plus it acts as a fantastic fixative, extending the life and vibration of our perfumes and colognes.

The perfume house is the "OEM of fragrance."  They are corporate entities established to hold an inventory of ingredients, trade secrets and recipes from which they create formulas either for their own use and distribution or for the use of others who resell them under their own "brand."  Of the tens of thousands of scents on the market, there are surprisingly just a handful of large perfume houses in the entire world that supply the majority of the perfume sold.  The House of Matriarch is not one of them.  We are a small, niche perfumer catering to the fragrance connoisseur.

Yes! Perfume is a luxury, so treat it like expensive flowers, gourmet chocolate, or your new puppy! Not too hot, not too cold. 

To avoid evaporation of the precious contenets, the cap must be tightly closed.  Do not expose the bottles for any length of time to sunlight, as the  light and heat with will speed up the degradation process, altering the scent.  Proper storage is up to you.  Your vehicle is the very worst place to keep perfume as the temperature extremes are impossible to control. You can cook it in just one afternoon altering the scent forever.

Keeping your perfumes in a closet or dresser will prolong their life.  Never keep them on the bathroom counter.  Remember, authentic botanical perfumes are ALIVE.  With proper storage they will last indefinitely.  They are still digging up tombs in Egypt filled with aromatics that have not lost their scent even after thousands of years.  The key: they were properly stored in airtight clay jars:  perfectly preserved.

Top notes provide the first scent impression of a perfume once it has been applied to the skin. They are usually lighter, more volatile aromas that evaporate readily. Their scent usually lingers for between 5 and 30 minutes.

Middle notes, sometimes referred to as “heart notes,” make up the body of the blend. They may be evident from the start, but will usually take 10-30 minutes to fully develop on the skin. They are the notes that classify the fragrance family (floral, oriental, chypre, fougre, etc.)

Base Notes are those with the greatest molecular weight. They last the longest, and are also important as fixatives, that is, they help slow down the evaporation rates of the lighter notes, giving the fragrance holding power. Common base notes include oakmoss, patchouli, woods, musk and vanilla. 

A fragrance which does not have traditional top, middle and base notes is usually described as “linear.” Most synthetics fall into this category.

Alcohol is indispensable to perfumery. Alcohol helps to bind the oils in the perfume together into one cohesive blend, and keeps them from separating.  Alcohol also makes the perfume emanate from your skin.  Without alcohol, you would be the only person who knew you were wearing any perfume at all.  We import the finest quality 'Perfumers Alcohol' from France to make our perfumes.  Some people mistakenly believe that you can make fine perfume from vodka or Everclear.  That may work for a fun craft project, but falls short for fine fragrance creation.

Glad you asked.  "Matriarch" is a title given to a woman who is highly influential.  Simply being the oldest as many mistakenly believe, does not make one a Matriarch.  A true Matriarch has a special confidence in her value, so she moves through the world with dignified authority and without apology.  Be it in the business arena, within her family or out in the world, she is a leader.  She takes care of herself and as a result, she is available as a resource to others. 

The Matriarch's most notable attribute is her ability to heal both herself and those that she loves through medicine, art, courage, beauty or even sacrifice.   A few Matriarch icons you will recognize from history are Mother Mary, Mother Teresa, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Princess Diana, Helen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jackie O.  Modern day examples include Madonna, Oprah and Melinda Gates. Don't be discouraged, you don't need to be famous to be a Matriarch.  It is a universal energy available to us all. It is not about age, it's about influence.

Until around 100 years ago (and in almost every culture) all women were looked to as healers.  They instinctively used herbs, oils and concoctions to heal one another.  It worked marvelously, and their art evolved into the modern science of pharmacology.  Current statistics show the highest rate of healing from disease is found among patients who seek NATURAL healing as their FIRST method of treatment. We at Matriarch believe that this is very important evidence, and we have made it our purpose to connect our clients to that healing energy.

Matriarch products are specifically designed to restore our connection with the ultimate Matriarch; Mother Earth who will never fail to sustain us.  We hope our products inspire you to claim your healing power and be the Matriarch that you are, every day.