For those Natural Perfumers who are attending or contemplating attending the trade event in Houston, Texas August 14-16, here are three event strategies that can make your participation a complete success!

1. Develop a pre-event plan

• The number one strategy for event success is the use of business cards, both yours and everyone you speak with at the event. Bring plenty of cards and don’t be shy about handing them out.
• Find out as much information as you can about who will attend the event. Consumers?  Media?  Students?
• Develop distinct messages for whomever you think will be there. 
• Develop a plan that will allow you to have a successful event even if you talk very few people there. More on this later.

2. Maximize the use of time spent at the event

• Remember, you are at the event for business and for no other reason than supporting your business’s success.
• Qualify everyone you speak with before you begin your presentation. Why are they there?
• Give your business card to whomever you speak with. 
• Get a card from every business or media person you connect with inside or outside the booth. If they say they have no card, write their name and contact information on one of your cards. Make quick notes on the back of their cards about what was discussed.
• At the end of each day, review each card and make notes on what follow-up will be needed.

3. Complete the after-event follow-up
The most under-appreciated but necessary key to event success is the strategy of after-event follow-up. It always amazes me that this most important event strategy is nearly always neglected or entirely forgotten. It probably has a lot to do with people returning from a trade event having to catch up with things put off by their event attendance. Even so, proper follow-up has to be immediately scheduled and completed within one week of returning, since the effectiveness of proper follow-up rapidly declines over a very short period of time. Here are a few suggestions to get the most out of your follow-up strategy:

• Keep every business card you get. Decide which people should be immediately contacted, but don’t throw any cards away. You never know when someone you spoke with at an event will become important to you later on.
• Follow up every event sale with a personal note thanking them for their purchase.
• Write a “Sorry we missed you letter” explaining how great you did at the event and what they missed. It doesn’t matter if they intended to attend the event or not.
• Write a blog or article about your event attendance, which is an act of leadership that will build consumers’ trust if you let them know.
• Now, about having a successful event even if you talk very few people at the event: what most people fail to realize is that more sales can be made after the event than at the event. At an event, people are pressed for time since there is a lot for them to see. After the event, you can contact or message not just those that were there, but those that weren’t there as well.

These are proven strategies can make your event attendance less stressful, knowing that you will be immediately following up and making your event a complete success!
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Please email me at [email protected] with any questions you may have on successful event management. IPF is here to help!

The Olfactory Experience of perceiving scents and the use of language for describing
scents have been present in all Ancient Civilisations and in this era. This means that Olfaction has been the most important sense used for survival, communication, protection, healing, and beauty, used in sacred rituals ceremonies and connection to the Divine.

Since pre-history, human beings discovered fire, and then, the fascinating experience of smelling the particles of wood and resins being burned through smoke.
The word “Perfume” comes from this concept in Latin “Per - fumum” that literally means “through smoke”.

In Literature, the language of scent has been used to describe events, places, persons,
gardens, palaces, dresses, the country-side, the misery and the richness, the sacred places, the abundant places, the simple places that trigger our memories, all in  descriptive, poetic, and historical ways.

We have used Language to describe the reality around us and pass the experience to
others, by categorisation of plants and flowers, olfactory properties, health properties, and uses in other aspects of our lives, like traditions. Additionally, we have used Scents as well as Body Language for Healing and Sacred Ceremonies to communicate with our inner-self and align better with Nature.

In pre-history and ancient history, humans had a bigger Limbic System in our brain
than today's human beings.
The Limbic System is responsible for managing our Memory, Emotions and Identification. In this era of immediacy, screen interaction, isolation, scent restriction or phobia, we are evolving with the risk of developing a smaller Limbic System and this is already bringing a society that does not retain concepts or places or historical factors, and also a society that has less empathy and less need for identifying with others and identifying risks by themselves without the use of technology. Society is been driven by Visual Communication mostly, while one sense is being on demand, this eclipses the other senses.

Aromatherapy has been part of a millenary wisdom and it is very much linked to the
Connection with Nature, using this wisdom to identify healing plants and flowers and different methods of healing. Natural Aromatherapy is defined by the use of Natural Raw Materials, not synthetic fragrances. The best Natural Aromatherapy starts by going out to a Garden, the Bush or Countryside. Experiencing the smell of the actual plants and flowers makes Olfaction a powerful tool, as the aromatic molecules will go to the Olfactory system in our brain and Limbic system, but also will act on our Sympathetic and Para-Sympathetic Nervous Systems in our body.

There are various methods of Natural Aromatherapy applications like:
aerial diffusions, baths, oil applications through massage, food, patches, creams or lotions, shampoos, and clay compresses. The scent and properties of each raw material,  plant or essential oil will manifest in their own healing language.
By using the different parts of the plant, sometimes the roots, sometimes the leaves, and sometimes the flowers, the healing therapeutic properties and methods may change.

Understanding the use of essential oils, their potency, contra-indications and application methods is paramount for producing synergies that will act on specific area of our body, organ, or enhancing mood and emotional wellbeing. Plant maceration is also a method for creating oils that are not that potent as essential oils, but provide therapeutic synergies. Essential oils have to be treated carefully, always dilute before application, otherwise, only smell from the bottle. Essential oils are not meant to be drunk; they can irritate our throat and internal organs. Only specialised oil capsules can be used for internal use.  Always consult your medical practitioner.

Another aspect of Natural Aromatherapy is the use of reputable quality of essential oils
that are neither adulterated, nor mixed with other blends or fragrances without indication for the guarantee of high degree of healing properties.
Nowadays, we are blending the experience of Natural Aromatherapy with Natural Perfumes. In the last century, the focus of Perfume was aesthetic, was part of fashion and was no longer made of natural raw materials, but with synthetics and isolates.

Natural Perfumery plays two roles:
1. Expressing beauty, transporting you to a place or emotion; and,
2. Bringing the therapeutic role of each accord of the Perfume construction.
This blend of these two disciplines and Olfaction Training is called Natural Perfumotherapy, a new way to go in Perfumery bringing Scents to Emotions, Wellbeing and aligning us to Re-Connect with Nature.

More info about Perfumotherapy 

There is a quiet intelligence in the horse that every rider comes to recognize.
Before the rein is shortened, before the leg gives a cue, before the body speaks, the horse has already felt the room. It has read the breath, the tension, the intention. Horses do not respond only to movement. They respond to presence. To atmosphere. To the invisible language that surrounds them.

This is what makes scent such a remarkable bridge between horse and human.
For centuries, horses have lived close to the aromatic world of plants. Wild herbs under hoof. Resin in the wind. Dry grasses warmed by the sun. Bark, roots, leaves, and blossoms carried through the landscape. Long before modern stables, horses knew nature through scent, and still today, their instinctive relationship to aroma remains deeply intact.

A horse does not analyze fragrance. It senses it, it chooses. it reacts, and it remembers.
Aromatic botanicals can influence the equine nervous system with surprising subtlety. Certain scents may encourage calm in moments of tension. Others may support focus before work, ease transitions during retraining, or help create a more harmonious atmosphere in the stable. For sensitive horses, scent can become a language of reassurance. For performance horses, it can support concentration, confidence, and emotional balance.

This is not about perfume for horses.
It is about understanding the horse through its most instinctive sense, and learning how botanicals can be used with intelligence, precision, and respect.
For riders, trainers, and caretakers, this opens a new dimension of communication.
One that does not force, but invites. One that does not dominate, but listens. When used correctly, scent becomes part of the environment around the horse—supporting wellbeing, trust, and connection.
This course was created for those who wish to work more intuitively and more consciously with horses. For those who understand that performance begins with regulation. That trust shapes response. That true horsemanship is not only physical, but emotional, sensory, and deeply relational.

Whether you work in dressage, rehabilitation, retraining, therapy, or daily stable care, the intelligent use of botanicals offers a refined and natural way to support the horse’s wellbeing while deepening the quality of your relationship.
​
Discover the art and science of using essential oils to support the emotional and physical well-being of the horse. ​Scents Loved by Horses explores how thoughtfully selected botanicals can be incorporated into training and daily care to encourage calmness, improve focus, support retraining, and enhance performance. Students will learn the principles of safe aromatic application, the horse’s instinctive response to scent, and the foundational techniques for crafting their own individualized equine blends.

Eucalyptus has 3 species:
Eucalyptus radiata (Peppermint like gum scent, NSW, QLD, VIC, 
TAS, Australia)
Eucalyptus citriodora (Lemon like gum scent, Queensland, Australia), Eucalyptus globulus (Woody camphoraceous like gum scent, Tasmania, Australia). 
Each of these 3 different species of Eucalyptus will have a different aroma profile and therapeutic use. Eucalyptus radiata is used to treat congestion in the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, pharynx), while Eucalyptus globulus is used to treat congestion and infection in the lower respiratory tract (lungs, bronchi, trachea, bronchioles). Eucalyptus citriodora has been used as an insect repellent, also it is decongestant in the upper respiratory tract, use in pain relief as an anti-spasmodic treating arthritis, muscle pain; and it is an antiseptic used for treating wounds and cuts. 

The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) and the International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) have 114 classified existing botanical families, including: 

• 40 prominent botanical families of medicinal plants 
• 20 prominent botanical families of perfume plants 
• 12 prominent botanical families of essential oil plants 

Aromatherapy is based on the 12 prominent botanical families of essential oil plants. 
These families’ names are in Latin: 

• Abietaceae (Conifers, Resins)
• Apiaceae (Angelica, Coriander, Fennel)
• Asteraceae (Chamomile, Daisy, Helichrysum, Tarragon)
• Cupressaceae (Cypress, Juniper); Ericaceae (Wintergreen, Lemon)
• Geraniaceae (Geranium, Pelargonium)
• Lamiaceae (Lavender, Mint, Marjoram) 
• Lauraceae (Cinnamon, Laurel, Ravintsara)
• Myrtaceae (Myrtle, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus)
• Poaceae (Grasses like Vetiver or Cymbopogon) 
• Rutaceae (fruits, citrus like Lemon, bigarade petitgrain, sweet orange)
• Zingiberaceae (Roots like Turmeric, Ginger and Cardamom). 

Essential Oils used for Aromatherapy must be “pure essential oils” and high quality. 
This means that it is a genuine botanical source and contains no fillers, additives or other impurities or adulterations. 

The Chemotype or Chemical Race  is like an ID card of a plant.
The “chemotype” makes it possible to distinguish two or more essential oils of different chemical compositions produced from plants of the same species. For instance: 

Basil Chemotypes: 

• Exotic Basil : Ocimum basilicum L. - Extracted from flowering top - Contains Chavicol methyl ether, linalool - Used as a tonic for the central nervous system, revitalizing and anti-stress, powerful antispasmodic, digestive tonic.
• Holy Basil : Ocimum basilicum L. - Extracted from Leaf - Contains metyl-eugenol, beta-caryophyllene - Used as a stimulant of the nervous and physical system, anti-infectious, used in acne treatment, or antioxidant.

A Chemotype is defined, either from the country or region of origin, or from the part of the plant being extracted. 

For Cedarwood, there are four Chemotypes: 

• Atlas Cedarwood
• Virginian Cedarwood
• Himalayan Cedarwood, 
• Texas Cedarwood.

The most used are the Atlas and Virginian. 
Both have lymph-tonic and draining properties, significant lipolytic skin regeneration and scalp tonic. Beware, these varieties have abortive and neurotoxic properties in the long term. 
Each country grows local, ethnical aromatic plants, and this is important to know  regarding diversity and the use of essential oils sourced locally. ​

Finally, we are emerging from winter’s cold and doldrums, and now we can begin embracing the positive spirits of transformation and renewal - giving Natural Perfumers significant marketing differential advantages.

Spring can provide us with these key lessons:

• Embracing Renewal & Growth: Just like plants developing and flowers blooming, spring represents personal and business transformations, discarding old habits, and starting fresh with newly discovered knowledge and energy.
• The Power of Patience: Because transitions are gradual, spring teaches that meaningful growth takes time, consistent effort, and trust in the process.
• Resilience & Hope: Spring arrives after the coldest days, symbolizing that warmth and life will return, encouraging positive outlooks within yourself, your suppliers, and consumers. 
• Letting Go & Decluttering: The "spring cleaning" tradition applies both mentally and emotionally, encouraging us to clear space for new opportunities to present themselves.
• Taking Action: It is a time to plant seeds—both literally and metaphorically—by setting goals and taking action on new marketing projects.

For those wishing to have a better understanding of marketing, compare it with growing spring flowers properly from germinations, to seedlings, to robust plants, and finally, to colorful flowers. Each stage of plant development is like a link in a supply chain, with each stage completed using optimum flower growing standards to produce superior and sustainable blooming plants.
Like spring flower growing, marketing also involves understanding the complete supply chain from production to processing, to distribution, to consumer purchases, consumption, satisfaction, and repurchases. Each link has a responsibility to add value and then pass on that added value to the next link: all to maximize consumer satisfaction with our natural essence products.

Here are some thoughts that can help you Spring Forward this year:

• Balance the need for internal goals and direction with external needs as well.  Your business purpose and mission are vital, but so are other links in the supply chain. Improve your knowledge of sourcing and then link what you’ve learned to what current consumers’ current purchasing priorities are, including products that can give consumers healthier lifestyles.
• Increase your knowledge of the value of your suppliers to consumers. Every source of natural products should also be sources of valuable information you can use to better tell your story to consumers. Supply chains are like living things that need to be continuously cared for and improved to better satisfy consumers and deliver profitable sales.                             
• Take advantage of IPF’s growing momentum aligned with education, wellness, sustainable sourcing, supply chain standards, and visual storytelling with emotional connectivity to Natural Perfumes.                                                                                                                                                                      

IPF's Natural Perfumery Teacher's Academy is full of opportunities to Spring Forward armed with superior knowledge and renewed energy to help you better compete in the marketplace.

Christmas time is celebrated throughout many days, even after Christmas Day. In some countries, they extend it up to the first days of February.
Christmas time, in Winter time, is decorated with beautiful Christmas ornaments,
lights, and listening to Christmas Carols, Classical music or any other music that invites us to reflect and relax, sometimes, we also get music to gather with family and friends and enjoy the time sharing love, food, songs, games and gifts. Christmas time, in Summer time, in some places they like to have similar Christmas decoration, music and food than the people from Northern Hemisphere, but in general, due to the warm season, people are more relaxed about decorations, and more attuned to go out and swim, smell the flowers in bloom from Spring, experience the breeze and humidity and enjoy the birds and flying insects pollinating flowers and plants.

What is the Scent of Christmas Celebration made of?
Depending of our culture of origin, this Scent will vary.

In Western Christian Culture is generally a cozy blend of warm spices (cinnamon, clove,
nutmeg), fresh conifer greens (pine, fir, cypress, spruce), sweet baked goods (ginger bread,
almond bread, vanilla, anise), bright citrus (orange, lemon) mixed with peppermint, all in
harmony with mulled wine and cider with cherries, cranberries mixed with the smell of turkey, ham, beef or chicken and potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, beans, chick peas, green peas. Inside the churches, the smell of tuberose and myrrh, frankincense and candles accompanied with Anthems and Christmas Carols.
In Southern Europe, the smell of fish and seafood with peppers, olive oil harmonises
with sweet nuts deserts, dried fruit, red and white wine or mulled wine, cider, brandy to drink. The Christmas decoration also include fresh conifer greens adding a fresh earthy smell. The Christmas style of sweet bread is puffed yeast-based, like in Italy, they have Panettone, in Greece, something similar to Panettone, they have it also for Easter, in Spain, they have “Rosca de Reyes” for the 6th of January. These sweet puffed breads have lots of sugar and dried fruits and usually are taken with frothy warm cocoa drink. The smell in that time is sweet almond, vanilla, fruity, icy sugar, cacao, vanilla like.

In Mexico and some Latin-American countries, the European and Spanish influence is
there in Christmas, but at least in Mexico, we have added some other dishes and aromas into Christmas, like the powder of dried prawns mixed with cooked rosemary and spicy and hot “mole” paste and cooked small potatoes. Some people may cook prawns as a tradition too. Another traditional dish is “Chiles en nogada”, a delicacy of stuffed capsicums or “Chile Poblano” with minced pork meat, blended almonds, covered in an almond sauce and pomegranate seeds. This dish mixes the green spicy chilly with the sweetness of almonds, pork meat and the bitterness of pomegranate seeds. Some more indigenous alcoholic drinks are also part of the tradition like Pulque, Tequila.
Some other Latin-American countries in South America, will cook “ceviche”, based in
fish, seafood, potatoes, lime juice, peppers, salt, tomatoes, coriander, cucumber, avocado, red onion, garlic, and orange juice. This is a very fresh, oceanic smell dish.

In Australia and New Zealand, similar Christmas Celebration custom as the Northern
Hemisphere, with some more simplicity and flexibility adding as a desert “The Pavlova”
a Meringue based fruit creamy desert with strawberries, black berries, kiwi fruit, mango slices. It is soft, easy to digest, sweet combined with the bitterness of the fruit white wine, cider or rose wine are served as drink, seafood is also popular and fish with potato chips and lots of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, spinach, sweet potato, parsley, coriander, mint, orange, lime, lemon, beetroot, red onions, garlic, mushrooms, all blended in black-pepper, marine salt or pink pepper. After dinner, the scents from black tea or herbal tea infusions with milk or coffee or chocolate milk are enjoyed.

In the Middle East, Christmas celebration dishes feature with roasted lamb or chicken,
usually stuffed with spiced rice and nuts (pine nuts and almonds) combined with fruits like dates, also hummus, tabouli, baba ganoush, kebbeh with coriander, peppers as garnish for the dishes. The Baklava is a very sweet festive cake that also is added into the Christmas Celebration. There are regional variations including the Syrian stuffed turkey, Palestinian Qedreh (lamb, rice, chickpeas) and Egyptian Fatta, all seasoned with spices like cinnamon, allspice and baharat.

In Asian Countries, they adopted some of the Western Christmas traditions blent with
their own particular dishes for festivities:
In Japan, they use KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) nuggets with a desert dish “Strawberry
shortcake” which it is a fluffy sponge cake with cream and fresh strawberries. Other sweets
more into the Japanese custom are “Wagashi”, are moulded traditional sweets in the shape of snowmen.
In Philippines, they have baked rice cake with coconut milk, salted egg and cheese called
“Bibingka”. The “Puto Bumbong” is a purple rice cake steamed in bamboo, served with butter, coconut and sugar. Also they have a variety of pastries. They also have many Spanish influence savoury dishes for this celebration made of pork, chicken and beef.
In Vietnam, they have noodle soups, savoury crispy rice cakes with meat and for desert,
chocolate log cake with French influence recipe.
In India, they celebrate with hearty meat dishes with spices like “Biryani and Curries”, accompanied with sweets like “Nankhatai,Bolinhas and Karanji”. For roasted meats, they use goose and duck.
In Thailand, they use spicy red curry with coconut milk, herbs and meat. As a desert,
mango sticky rice with coconut milk.
In Korea, there are savoury pancakes with vegetables, meat or seafood, braised short ribs.
As a desert, rice cake soup, traditionally for New Year celebrations but also shared on
Christmas celebrations.
As decorations in Asian countries, Mango Trees are decorated for Christmas and oil-
burning lamps are used in India.
In China, people prefer to have Christmas celebration outside, instead of cooking at
home. Their food varied from hot pots to Western foods. People give apples to friends and
love ones. Apple signifies “fruit of peace” to Chinese. Some of the staples for Christmas dinner are chicken, duck or dumplings. As a desert, they have coated hawthorn fruits with malt sugar on a bamboo skewer.
In African Countries, there is a vibrant feast of spiced rice dishes, roasted meats (chicken,
goat and turkey) with flavour stews and sides of fried plantains salads and small chops like rich fruitcakes, sticky fruit puddings.

As you can see, Christmas time scents are varied wherever you are.
This is an aromatic glimpse of the World Christmas Celebration Season in food and aromas and decorations as part of the way people stop and value community, reflection, and gathering for peace and harmony. These scents throughout the world are made for us to enjoy, to recover that vibrancy and motivation, and to reconnect with Nature and with ourselves!

The origins and history of Poinsettias ( Euphorbia pulcherrima) take us to the Aztec
Civilization, where this flower was called cuetlax ōchitl, meaning "flower that grows in residues or soil”. This plant only grew in Winter from the lower altitudes in Mexico, in what is now Taxco, Cuernavaca.  As with the higher altitudes of what is now Mexico City, previously called Tenochtitlan, it was not possible to grow this plant, and just got imported in that time from these low altitude areas.

These flowers were used by the Aztecs in ceremonial sites and temples. As the Spaniards were trying to vanish any pagan rituals and beliefs from the Aztecs, they used the Poinsettias or cuetlaxõchitl flowers for the Celebration of Christmas. The Spaniards took the poinsettias as a symbol to get rid of the original pagan traditions of the Aztecs and replace them with friars of the Franciscan Christian religious order in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations.  The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, the red colour represents the blood shed during the sacrifice of Jesus' crucifixion, and the white leaves represent the purity of Jesus.

Today, Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is known in Mexico and Guatemala as
“flor de nochebuena” or simply “nochebuena”, meaning "Christmas Eve flower”. In other countries, like Spain, this plant is called “flor de pascua ”, meaning “Pascal flower” (Spanish people say “Pascua” to Christmas and “Pascua de Resurreción” to Passover or Easter). In Chile and Peru, this plant is known as “The Crown of the Andes”.

Poinsettia is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. The flower was originally called either “Mexican flame flower” or “painted leaf” by people in United States, then, in 1836, the plant was named taxonomy after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States minister to Mexico, who also was a botanist, spoke many languages and was credited with introducing the plant to the USA in the 1820s.