Renovating

I have been working, working, working on the new website day and night and feel it is finally fairly ready for some input before the official launch. Thus, if you feel inspired to give me some feedback please head on over here.

Although Paypal is a slimy, corrupt corporation that I detest, I have put it as an option for purchases since so many are devoted to it. There is still product to add, listings to tweak and pages missing. I'm also looking at a few apps to improve a few things, but, in the meantime the site is fairly meaty and there's plenty to critique.

Like my fragrances, the site has been "handmade" by me using a standard Shopify template with a little help from Luke over at Tweaky when things got too over my head. I look forward to making it a grand experience for each of you although what I'd really like to get back to is illuminating your lives with beautiful, botanical scents.

Round and round

I've been on a quest to get rid of as much plastic from my line as possible. At this point I don't see the little pink pots leaving the scene since the are much loved. However, there are several possibilities for replacing the natural honey pot tubs.

One is glass jars, which are currently on their way and the other is simple round tins. I'm not sure if the tins are quite right with the branding, thus I am not going to offer them in the shop as of yet. However, I would like to offer them to all the readers of this blog. There is a contingent of loyal patrons that is only considered with the end product and not the packaging, thus the tins are perfect for you.

These round, steel tins have the honey bee wax seal on the top of the smaller sizes and a letterpress label on the top of the large size. Here is a list of the sizes I have and what they might hold. I'm still running experiments of the quantity of solid perfume that will fit into each one, but this will give you an idea...

2 oz round tin, letterpress label: holds about 28 grams of solid perfume, more or less.
1 oz round tin: holds about 14 grams of solid perfume, more or less.
1/2 oz round tin: holds about 7 grams of solid perfume, more or less.
1/4 oz round tin: holds about 3.5 grams of solid perfume, more or less.

The tins arrive in a velour or velveteen pouch with the little informational cards.

The prices will be based on the 5 gram honey pot size, for example 5 grams of Aumbre is $30, thus 10 grams of Aumbre will be $60. If you desire pricing on a specific amount, send me a note and I will give you the price. I just wanted to post this here now since I am already making these for several customers.

I have a new sampler set of the little pink pots in the tin with the letterpress label, here are a few photos, this option is now available in the E-shop.

The Cimbalom Moon

Cimbalom liquid will be formally released on the full moon transpiring Friday, October 22nd. This lunar event is often referred to as the Harvest or Blood Moon. In the northern hemisphere it is a time of the last harvest and honoring the fruits of our labors.


The fragrance features a limited edition tincture of jasmine sambac blossoms from my woodland garden paired with three different jasmine absolutes. Generally associated with the planet Venus, jasmine also has a magical affinity with the Moon due to her watery, heavy, sweet fragrance combined with the aromatherapeutic properties of balance. Nothing compares to pure jasmine absolute, even perfume artists who work with synthetic counterparts augment their accords with the pure plant essence. The aroma is available as a Certified Organic extract, a concrete which is then distilled to produce an absolute, a C02 extract and an enfluerage.

According to a wide variety of aromatherapy books on my shelves real jasmine essence is attributed to having a sedative quality on the nervous system. The aroma of jasmine may assist with menstrual cramps, insomnia, depression and is a powerful aphrodisiac. Famed aromatherapist Marcel Lavabre writes that jasmine "..has the power to transcend physical love."


Throughout many different countries this season is filled with celebrations of light as we transition to the cold winter months that lie ahead. Cimbalom is a vibrant warm floriental that provides nourishment for the soul and illuminates the spirit during times of darkness. Like my other formulations this is an organic vital plant perfume made by my own hands in my studio.

The liquid aspect contains the same melodic notes of jasmine with percussive beats of amber and resin, the main difference is that the citrus top notes are much more vibrant.
Fragrance family: FLORAL, ORIENTAL = FLORIENTAL
Labdanum, Indonesian Patchouli, Indian Jasmine, Ginger and Orange.
The base is plant tinctures and Certified Organic grape and grain alcohol.
The vibrant colored crochet pouch, pictured above, is made by the hands of my very skillful mother, Martha.

Images: Cimbalom photos ©Roxana Villa, Harvest Moon photo by Tracey of Raceytay on Etsy.

New York, NY

I'm in Connecticut and New York at the moment...since Sunday actually. We are staying with our buddy Ric Meyers, a friend from Comic Con. I thought I'd be blogging regularly but it has been a bit of a challenge. I'll be back shortly with stories and pictures.

Image: December 15, 1931. "River House, 52nd Street and East River. Shoreline with clouds." 5x7 safety negative by Samuel H. Gottscho.

The Faery Ring

The silver shimmers of this full flower moon feels like an auspicious time to evoke the Faery Ring. Initially called the Inner Circle, the Faery Ring is a select group of patrons that have been invited to participate in illuminated feasts of pure fumes.

To join in the dance:
1. Become a patron of Roxana Illuminated Perfume by making a purchase.
2. Sign up for your once a year Birthday Gift.
3. If you have done the first two and are an individual who is a regular patron and/or has purchased full sized compacts and flacons you will be entered into the Faery Ring for the term of 2010. Members will be gifted a special, handmade package in June.


As part of the Faery Ring members will receive advance samples of all new Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ releases. Since this has been set up in conjunction with the launch of three new solid perfumes current members will shortly receive the new solid sampler trio, albeit not in advance. Other benefits will arrive for the summer and be announced through out the year as the program is refined. In the meantime, make sure to sign up for your once a year Birthday bonus!

Images: Fairies of the Meadow by Nils Blommer and Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes

California Dreaming

In late 2008, while in the midst of filing the trademark on the word chaparral for my perfume by the same name, I received a phone call. It was a writer who was doing a piece for a magazine. She asked me lots of questions, which I answered most graciously. I didn't hear back until an e-mail a few months back. Seems the magazine was interested in revisiting the story but with a different angle.

The writer is the very talented Elizabeth Khuri Chandler and the magazine is C, for California. In the May 2010 issue I am mentioned in an article called Top Notes within the Beauty section of the sophisticated, glossy periodical. The sub heading reads..."A growing set of CA perfumers is bucking the trend of mass fragrance production with small-batch scents."

The Mark of Trade

I received official word that the trademark filing for the word chaparral within the use of perfumery has gone through. Hurray!

It was back in October of 2006 that this perfume was birthed, shortly after creating the Oak perfume currently known as Q.

The word Chaparral refers to a a community of distinctive plants, known as a biome, characterized by specific climatic conditions. Besides California the chaparral biome is found in South America, South Africa, Australia and the Mediterranean.

Solve et coagula

I had discovered,
early in my researches,
that their doctrine was no mere chemical fantasy,
but a philosophy they applied to the world, to the elements, and to man himself. - W.B. Yeats

The last batch of the solid perfume samples from the Illuminated News giveaway will go out this morning along with orders. It's been a rather interesting week, definitely a little alchemical transformation going on.

The samples are of the fragrance created on August 16th with the temporary title Birthday Balm. Read about it here at are journal. It is the fastest perfume I have ever crafted. The twenty little samplers have gone off far and wide to all parts of the globe. A few more have been dispersed to friends and those that placed orders this week.

So...what do you think of it?

At the NYC Sniffapalooza Fall Ball I will be debuting solid perfumes as a new addition to the Roxana Illuminated Perfume family. Above is a picture of the current antiqued metal compacts I will be using with one of the handmade, crochet pouches.

Happy Mabon!
I'll be back in a few days with a post about the Fall Equinox
and some thoughts on a Mabon perfume.

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

Feeling the Energy

I have a little blurb in the July issue of Illustration Magazine. This publication comes out of Japan. The little feature is in the news from foreign illustrators' pages.

We were all excited to peruse the magazine when it arrived, as we adore Japanese culture and illustration. During art school days this was one of the magazines that we would all check out on a monthly basis for its excellent worldwide coverage of the field.

For those that do not read Japanese, like me, the editor was kind enough to e-mail me the translation. She apologized for the translation from one language (culture) to the other. I don't feel it sounds awkward at all.

"Feeling the Energy of Peace in Painting
(or, direct translation was "Healing Power Composed in her Painting" )

Roxana Villa is an illustrator known for her spiritual images
beautifully painted in mixed media. 15 years in aromatic study and
certified in Aromatherapy, she started her company "Illuminated Perfume".
Her studio and home are in the Santa Monica Mountains where she walks
and collects plants in her own hands, they become her own botanical
perfume. One of a kind aroma is completed with the combination of her
artist's spirit and her wisdom about nature. Quote from her website,
"Roxana melds her love of nature into an authentic self expression
as an artist working in several mediums"

Thank you Keri and the publishers of Illustration Magazine for including me in the wonder filled publication. It is an honor and I so look forward to visiting Japan one day soon!

Image of painting above Botanicus©Roxana Villa and a montage of the little blurb with the cover of the magazine.

Illustration Magazine
Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

To Bee

On {{{8-8-8}}} at a farewell hula party for some dear friends moving to Hawaii we met a super interesting fellow. Turns out he is a local beekeeper. Greg asked him what he thought was happening to our honey bees. To our surprised he informed us that the fiasco is due to a pesticide called "Gaucho", created by Bayer (yes, Bayer aspirin). In America this information is slowly entering the mainstream news, unlike Europe where the pesticide has already been banned. I so wish America could be visionary like so many other countries. Read more at this link

Aspirin was created in a lab during the 1800's when the active ingredient in white willow bark was discovered as being salicin. History tells us that the Egyptians and Greeks utilized the analgesic white willow for inflammation and pain relief. Typically the tea of willow leaves or chewing of the willow bark were standard remedies. In todays modern pharmacopeia of botanical origin we have white willow available as an extract. Check with your natural practitioner before using an herbal remedy to make sure it does not conflict with other conditions or medications.

In journals of Aromatherapy we have quite a few essential oils listed as analgesics. Even dentists routinely recommend clove for tooth aches.

So, you see, there are many botanical options to pain relief where we can coexist with our valuable pollinator, the honey bee.

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™
Image: Bee on textured tile background ©Roxana Villa & Greg Spalenka

Perfume at WCWP Expo

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ will be at the upcoming Whole Child, Whole Plant Expo in Los Angeles. The super green event features notables in the green movement such as Ed Begley Jr, Amy Brenneman, Stephen Stills, Erin Gray, Sandra Tsing Loh, Cambria Gordon, Laurie David and surprise guests.

The booth number for Roxana Illuminated Perfume™ is 262 in the Grassy Field, Exhibit Area #2. We will be there with our botanical perfumes, artwork, and music. Greg Spalenka, the artist creating the visuals for our perfumes, and jewelry artisan Lori Patton will be on hand.

Roxana will be participating in a panel discussion to take place on the Saturday of the event at 2pm.

Whole Children, Whole Planet Expo takes place 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat. and Sun., May 17-18 at Highland Hall Waldorf School, 17100 Superior St., Northridge, 91325.

Tickets are $10 single day, $12 two-day pass for adults; $8 single day, $10 two-day pass for seniors; $5 single day and $7 two-day pass for children 12-18 years. Free for children 12 and younger.

The first 200 people to purchase tickets will receive a free gift. Tickets are available on line or by phone through Brown Paper Tickets, the first and only fair trade ticketing service. Call (800) 838-3006 or visit the Brown Paper Tickets website.

For more information about the WCWP Expo, call (818) 781-8989 or visit the website.

Image above, “Pollinate” ©Roxana Villa, is an acrylic painting originally created for Childrens Hospital.

Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

Roxana Illuminated Perfume: NEWS

Due to the weather and limited covered spaces
at the Highland Hall Winter Faire, we will not be attending.
The Faire will go on as intended with modifications due to potential rain.
We encourage all to attend this delightful event,
especially with the little ones.
The Candelight Celebration is inspiring and beautiful.

Highland Hall Winter Faire

We are happy to meet with you here at the studio
to fill all your aromatic needs.
Call us to set up a time that is convenient for you.

Wishing you splendid luminosity
as we move into the numerous festivals of light.

Image above: "Heaven" ©Roxana Villa, from H2 Illuminated, acrylic veils on prepared board. Posters of this image are available, please inquire info@illuminatedperfume.com