The vials on the display rack bear curious labels like Rose Otto and Osmanthus Absolute. If you ask about them, you are likely to get some fascinating back story. The lavender, for instance, which boasts 1,200 natural compounds, is harvested in the Alps by delinquent French teenagers from Nice who are sent to the floral farm for emotional healing.
— The New York Times checks out Manhattan boutique Enfleurage, which specializes in aromatic materials. Read more at The Sweet Smell of Osmanthus Absolute (and see Alyssa's interview with the owner, part 1 and part 2, or Jessica's review of a few of their finished fragrance blends).
Enfleurage is the kind of shop that seems somewhat endangered on the streets of Manhattan’s West Village these days: intimate, independently owned, and quirkily specialized in its merchandise. If you’re walking past its open door, you might be lured in by the colorful focal point of brightly tinted and patterned soaps arranged on a central table. Once you’re inside, you’ll realize why this business is particularly well known for its selection of essential oils, which the owner of Enfleurage has gathered from locations around the world.