Where the PNW meets India: The magical world of Anjali Perfumes
Perfumer Anjali Vandemark is making magic in her studio in Bainbridge Island, WA. Born in India, Vandemark combines the sensuous scents of her youth like fragrant florals, juicy fruits, incense and resins, with the woody, watery inspirations of the Pacific Northwest.
Launched in 2021, Anjali Perfumes uses both synthetic and natural materials, and combines each fragrance with original artwork commissioned by an independent artist, or an existing part of their body of work. Artists featured include Hemraj Bhabor, a Bhil indigenous artist and Chris Loud, a self-taught abstract painter out of Colorado.
Anjali currently features a robust collection of 12 perfumes, each retailing under $120 for a 30ml bottle.
I recently picked up a discovery set from Anjali which included the following:
Chai Chai Chai - a photorealistic fragrance that captures the warmth and spice of a cup of chai.
Top Notes: Biscuit (Cookie), Cardamom, Ginger
Mid Notes: Warm Milk, Tonka Bean, Kadak (Strong) Black Tea
Base Notes: Sugar, Soft Musk, Mitti (Clay) Accord
Under the Mango Tree - a sweet and tart representation of the perfumer's memories of eating fresh green mangoes under a lush canopy of trees.
Top Notes: Green Mango Skin, Tomato Leaf, Grapefruit, Bergamot
Heart Notes: Wild Roses, Rose Water
Base Notes: Fir Balsam, Pine Wood, Dust & Hay
Iconic Island - Inspired by Bainbridge Island, a fresh, woody take on the scents of the Pacific forests that cover much of the island.
Top Notes: Lavender, Fresh Cut Grass, Grapefruit, Fir Needle
Mid Notes: Rose, Juniper Berry, Fir Balsam, Violets
Base Notes: Atlas Cedarwood, Ambergris, Oakmoss, Musk
Monsoon Madness - A floral bomb of a fragrance inspired by India's monsoon season
Top Notes: Tuberose, Jasmine Grandiflorum
Heart Notes: Bulgarian Rose, Iris
Base Notes: Musk
Spice Accord: Saffron, Vanilla, & ‘Gulkand’
Sea Glass - an ode to the PNW, salt spray on your lips, a clean, modern aquatic fragrance with personality
Top Notes: Sea Breeze, Salt, Ozone
Mid Notes: Seaweed, Driftwood
Base Notes: Ambergris, Oakmoss, Musk
This may be one of my all time favorite discovery sets, with at least three that I plan to upgrade to full size (Chai Chai Chai, Under the Mango Tree and Sea Glass (I'm a sucker for an oceanic fragrance). However, any of these artfully made fragrances would be an asset to any indie fragrance collector.