Transform & Channel Your Emotions Through the Alchemy of Scent

Transform & Channel Your Emotions Through the Alchemy of Scent

Full moon photo by Jon Hebert CreativeAre you feeling confused? Overwhelmed? Sad or angry? These emotions are powerful signals, a call to action rather than a cause for despair. What if, instead of resisting these feelings, you could channel them, transform them, and emerge with clarity and purpose? That was the idea behind “Through Flames“, a perfume I created during a confusing and overwhelming time.

In November 2016, under the glow of a full moon, I found myself grappling with events in the world that left me shaken, angry, and unsure of what to do next. I felt a profound need to transform those feelings—not by pushing them away but by inviting them in and using their energy to create something meaningful. With that intention, I crafted “Through Flames” and alchemized my feelings into something more generative.


The Intention Behind Through Flames

As I gathered my materials, I set my intention:  

“Bring me clarity. Burn away my fear and confusion. Let me see what my purpose is. Let me remember my work. Reignite my fire. Keep me rooted, heart-centered, and connected.”

Scent, like fire, has a transformative power. It can evoke emotions, memories, and shifts in consciousness that words cannot reach. With this understanding, I approached “Through Flames” as both an offering to myself and a tool for anyone seeking transformation.

I imagined the perfume as a fire, built deliberately and lovingly with elements that could support, ignite, and sustain the flame. Each ingredient carried its own medicine, energy, and intention, coming together to form a deeply grounding yet invigorating blend.


Building the Fire: The Ingredients and Their Benefits

The Foundation: Wood, Grass, and Resin

A fire begins with a steady base. These ingredients form the solid ground upon which transformation can take place.

Justine's hands touching the roots of a Vetiver plant

  • Virginia Cedarwood: Known for its grounding and stabilizing properties, cedarwood connects us to the Earth. Its warm, woody scent evokes a sense of calm and focus, making it easier to process difficult emotions and remain rooted in the present.
  • Vetiver: Often called the “oil of tranquility,” vetiver brings a deep, earthy aroma that soothes frazzled nerves and fosters emotional resilience. It encourages us to slow down and reconnect with our inner strength.
  • Opoponax (Sweet Myrrh): This resin has been used for centuries in spiritual practices to purify and protect. Its rich, balsamic scent clears negativity and supports emotional healing, making space for new clarity to emerge.

 


Igniting the Flame: Tobacco Absolute

Tobacco, in its pure form, is a sacred plant in many traditions, often used to carry prayers and intentions. Its dark, smoky essence adds depth to the blend, symbolizing the spark that ignites the flame within. Tobacco absolute connects us to our ancestral wisdom, reminding us of our innate power to navigate life’s challenges.

 


Stoking the Flames: Fir, Rosemary, and Lemongrass

To keep the fire alive, it must be fed. These ingredients bring fresh energy and vitality, encouraging us to move forward with renewed purpose.

  • Siberian Fir: Crisp and green, fir oil represents strength and endurance. It cleanses the mind, energizing the spirit and providing clarity during times of uncertainty.
  • Rosemary: A symbol of remembrance, rosemary stimulates the mind and sharpens focus. Its herbaceous aroma cuts through mental fog, helping us to reconnect with our purpose and stay motivated.
  • Lemongrass: Bright and citrusy, lemongrass uplifts the spirit and inspires action. Its fresh energy clears out stagnant emotions, making way for growth and transformation.

Adding Heat: Ginger and Black Pepper

Fresh ginger rhizome on a cutting boardEvery fire needs heat. These ingredients bring the warmth and intensity necessary to fuel transformation.

  • Ginger: With its spicy and invigorating aroma, ginger warms the body and mind. It stirs the inner fire, encouraging courage and action while dispelling fear and lethargy.
  • Black Pepper: Sharp and clarifying, black pepper cuts through confusion and helps us see things as they truly are. It adds a touch of boldness to the blend, reminding us of our ability to face challenges head-on.

Balancing the Medicine: Cardamom

To complete the blend, I added cardamom—a sweet, spicy seed that soothes and harmonizes. Its gentle warmth balances the intensity of the other ingredients, offering a sense of comfort and wholeness. Cardamom opens the heart, reminding us that transformation, while powerful, can also be gentle.


Through Flames: Remember That You Already Know

At its core, “Through Flames” is about remembering. The tagline, “Remember that you already know,” speaks to a profound truth: the answers we seek are already within us. Often, we become so caught up in external noise—fear, doubt, societal expectations—that we forget the wisdom we carry in our hearts.

This perfume is a tool to help you reconnect with that inner wisdom. When you inhale its rich, complex aroma, you’re not just experiencing a fragrance; you’re engaging in an act of self-empowerment. The scent serves as a bridge between the conscious and subconscious, helping you to remember your purpose, your strength, and your connection to something greater than yourself.


The Alchemy of Scent: How “Through Flames” Can Support You

Scent has a unique ability to bypass the analytical mind and speak directly to our emotions and memories. When you wear “Through Flames”, it becomes more than a perfume—it’s a ritual, a practice, a way of grounding yourself in your intentions and transforming your emotional state. An altar with flowers in a vase, perfume bottles and a glowing salt lamp

Use it When You Need:

  • Clarity: Apply “Through Flames” when your thoughts feel scattered or when you’re struggling to see the path ahead.
  • Courage: Let its fiery warmth remind you of your strength and ability to face life’s challenges with determination.
  • Connection: Use it as a tool for grounding and centering, helping you reconnect with your body, your heart, and your purpose.

 

 


A Ritual for Transformation with Through Flames

To deepen your connection with the perfume, try incorporating it into a simple ritual:

  1. Set Your Intention: Before applying “Through Flames”, take a moment to reflect on what you need. Clarity? Strength? Purpose? Speak your intention aloud or hold it silently in your heart.
  2. Apply the Perfume: Dab a small amount on your pulse points—wrists, neck, heart center. As you inhale its aroma, imagine the fire within you growing stronger, burning away fear and doubt.
  3. Breathe and Visualize: Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. With each inhale, imagine drawing in clarity and power. With each exhale, release fear and confusion.
  4. Carry It With You: Throughout the day, let the scent remind you of your intention and your power to transform.

The Power of Transformation: A Final Thought

The creation of “Through Flames” taught me something profound: transformation is always possible, even in the darkest moments. When we honor our emotions and channel them into something meaningful, we reclaim our power and step into our purpose.

Through Flames isn’t just a perfume; it’s a reminder of what you already know—that deep within, you have everything you need to navigate life’s challenges and emerge stronger, clearer, and more connected.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, remember this: you are the alchemist of your own life. You have the power to build your fire, to transform your emotions, and to emerge through the flames, renewed and ready to shine.

Shop for “Through Flames” here!

Photos: All photos taken by me (Justine Diamond) except the full moon photo, which was taken by Jon Hebert.

The Natural Perfume Path: Why I Started Making Fragrances

The Natural Perfume Path: Why I Started Making Fragrances

How Natural Perfumes Changed My Life

Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions? That was me in 2015, before I started making natural perfumes. It was a few years after I had returned from life-changing travels in South America. I felt trapped in a spirit-sucking job. How did I end up here? This was not what I envisioned for my life. 

I needed a change. Perhaps a creative outlet would help get my juices flowing again, help me to reconnect with my intuition…

Ever been mesmerized by someone’s scent? 

While working at this draining job and trying to figure out how to shift my life in another direction, I encountered someone whose scent was captivating. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wanted my own signature scent, something people would remember me by. I tried a few different commercial perfumes, but I found that they gave me headaches. I read about the synthetic ingredients used in many popular fragrances and decided to see if natural perfumes worked better for me. I had some essential oils on hand and began to experiment with combining them. I started with simple combinations- jasmine and sweet orange, vetiver and cinnamon. The results were promising and I found myself wanting to learn more about creating my own perfumes.

I made a New Year’s resolution to dedicate myself to a creative hobby and chose to pursue natural perfume making.

Natural perfume is deep!

At first, I honestly felt a little embarrassed about my obsession with finding the perfect scent. It seemed superficial, frivolous even, compared to the other substantial matters I cared about. But, everything changed when I stumbled upon “Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume” by Mandy Aftel

This book was a revelation, validating my interest in perfumery and opening my eyes to its depth and complexity. Perfumery, I learned, is simultaneously craft, science, poetry, and magic—a practice with roots that stretch back to the dawn of humanity. I devoured every page, soaking in the history, physiology, beauty, and alchemy of scent.

Intuition guides the way…

I began to construct perfumes. Intuition & experimentation formed the foundations of my early practice of natural perfumery. I applied the structures that I learned from “Essence and Alchemy”, and continued to research and study formal and informal sources. However, it was critical to me that I find and develop my own “voice” through this work. This included listening- to myself, to the plants, to the natural cycles around me. I found that my creative energy was strongest during Full Moons. I began to notice the nuanced scents of each season. I began to associate particular scents with particular energies. 

As I listened and wove scents together and transformed individual plant essences into complex compositions with their own archetypical essences, I found that I was also transformed.

Scent as medicine

For me, sharing Elspeth’s Airs perfumes isn’t just a business—it’s about the transformative power of plants and scent. It’s about reconnecting with our bodies, our senses, the earth, and our own inner wisdom and power. 

The first time that I wore one of my creations in public and witnessed what the scent stirred up in other people, I knew that my perfumes weren’t just for me. 

Since then, so many customers have told me how my perfumes make them feel, how the energies and intentions of the scents resonate with what they’re currently working on, how they help them to feel present and centered, how they use them to tap into the cycles of nature, and so much more.

Ready to embark on this fragrant journey with me? Shop our natural perfumes now or sign up for my newsletter to stay connected and be the first to know about new releases, behind-the-scenes peeks, and exclusive offers by signing up for my newsletter (below). Don’t miss out on the scent-sational adventures ahead!

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