An Aromatic Life

#168: In this episode, Frauke sits down with Jeffrey Paul Ames, aka The Aromatic Gourmet, to explore the deep connection between fragrance, flavor, and beauty. Jeffrey shares how scent has guided his life, from his Italian family’s aromatic kitchen to teaching sensory classes at the Institute for Art and Olfaction. You’ll hear how he merges gastronomy and perfumery, creating “edible perfumes” through salts, syrups, and spices, and how sensory awareness can bring color, joy, and mindfulness back into our daily lives. Jeffrey also offers simple ways to make your meals, or any moment, more aromatic, which is perfect as we head into the holidays. If you’ve ever wanted to cook like a perfumer or use scent to anchor memories, this episode is a feast for your senses.Follow Jeffrey Paul on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thearomaticgourmetJeffrey Paul Ames at The Institute for Art and OlfactionFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#167: In this week's whiff of wisdom, Oud Artisan Rahel Ali helps us understand the different grades of oud on the market so you know what to look for when you buy the chips or oil. To listen to the original full episode “Exploring Oud” go to episode #94.Whiff of Wisdom is a biweekly format that spotlights an inspirational insight from a previous guest. The aim is to offer you a whiff of wisdom for your aromatic life, as well as give you some inspiration to try new things that use your sense of smell more. Follow Rahel on Instagram @theoudartisan Check out Rahel on YouTube: The Oud ArtisanRahel's website: www.artisanperfumes.ukFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#166: In this episode, Frauke sits down with aromatherapist, herbalist, and botanical perfumer Sharon Louise Chapman to explore how plants and scent can be powerful partners in healing and self-discovery. Sharon shares her deeply personal journey, from leaving an abusive marriage and facing chronic illness, to rebuilding her life through gardening, aromatherapy, and natural perfumery. She reflects on how tending to plants and creating with scent helped her reconnect to nature, emotions and creativity after years of suppression. Together, Frauke and Sharon discuss how connecting with plants can ground and heal us through difficult transitions, the importance of building a healing relationship with plants instead of simply using them, what perfumery can teach us, and how scent can express who we are and help us grow into who we want to be. Sharon also introduces her new line of botanical perfumes inspired by classic Hollywood women like Audrey Hepburn and Louise Brooks. This episode is a gentle reminder that healing can begin with something as simple as a single potted plant, a walk through a garden, or the scent that brings you back to yourself.Check out Sharon’s new line of botanical perfumes Visit Sharon’s Substack Stories of Scent Connect with Sharon on Instagram Connect with Sharon on FacebookConnect with Sharon on LinkedInWatch the Sedona Aromatics on YouTube Listen to the Aroma Paths Podcast Follow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#165: Attention all Scorpios! In this bonus episode, Frauke revisits a conversation with astrologer Karima from The Cosmic Vibe and animistic perfumer Mauricio Garcia which explored the intersection of astrology and aromatics. Here the focus is on the Scorpio sign (Oct 23 - Nov 21), which is part of the Water element. Karima explains the unique traits, strengths and shadow sides of Scorpio, and then Mauricio layers on the aromatic support that’s most fitting. Have fun with this and feel free to share the episode with any of your Scorpio friends out there! Next month we focus on Sagittarius. To listen to the original full episode go to episode #130.Follow Karima on Instagram @the.cosmic.vibe.sf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit Karima’s website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.the-cosmic-vibe.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit Mauricio's website ⁠Herbcraft Perfumery⁠Follow Mauricio on Instagram @herbcraft.perfumeryFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#164: In this episode, Frauke sits down with Appalachian Botanical Co. CEO Jocelyn Sheppard to talk about transforming reclaimed coal mine land in West Virginia into thriving lavender fields. Jocelyn shares her unexpected journey from librarian and consultant to CEO of a natural products company, the challenges of starting an agricultural business in Appalachia, and how lavender became a symbol of healing for both land and people. They discuss creating second-chance job opportunities, working with local communities, the importance of zero-waste practices, and the future of Appalachian lavender in both regional and national markets. This is the feel-good story that we all need right now!Visit the Appalachian Botanical Co. website: https://appalachianbotanical.com/  and use the code AROMATIC15 for 15% off total purchase (valid through 11/30/2025).Follow Appalachian Botanical Co on Instagram @appalachianbotanicalco Follow Appalachian Botanical Co on Facebook @appalachianbotanicalco Subscribe to Appalachian Botanical Co on YouTubeConnect with Jocelyn on LinkedInWatch the video Coal Mines Into A Lavender Empire!Watch the video Rooted in the Mountain State - Appalachian Botanical CoFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#163: In this week's whiff of wisdom, In-Glorious Smell-O-Vision co-director and producer Tammy Burnstock and historical scent technology aficionado Jas Brooks share how bringing scent into movie theaters deepens our connection to the story on screen. To listen to the original full episode go to episode #104.Whiff of Wisdom is a biweekly format that spotlights an inspirational insight from a previous guest. The aim is to offer you a whiff of wisdom for your aromatic life, as well as give you some inspiration to try new things that use your sense of smell more. Visit Jas' website: ⁠https://jasbrooks.net⁠Connect with Tammy on Instagram @⁠inglorious_smellovision⁠Connect with Jas on Instagram ⁠@jas_x_flowers⁠Learn more about Tammy's documentary ⁠Inglorious Smell-O-Vision⁠Follow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#162: In this episode, Frauke sits down with librarian, fragrance enthusiast, and Paperback Perfumes podcaster Clare Presser to unpack the emerging idea of olfactive literacy: what it means to understand, communicate, and create using our sense of smell. Together they ask: Can we read scents the way we read words? How do memory, culture, and emotion shape the way we smell? And what shifts when we begin to develop a deeper awareness and vocabulary around scent? From the foundational elements of smell health to the parallels with visual and digital literacy, and from perfumers crafting scent narratives to wearers interpreting them through lived experience, this episode is full of scent-loving curiosity. Perfect for anyone fascinated by the language of smell and the many ways it connects us to ourselves and the world around us.Listen to Clare’s podcast Paperback PerfumesFollow Clare on Instagram: @paperbackperfumesFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#161: In honor of World Alzheimer’s Month, in this week's whiff of wisdom, Clinical Aromatherapist Madeleine Kerkhof explains how you can use scent to support a loved one living with dementia. To listen to the original full episode go to episode #42.Whiff of Wisdom is a biweekly format that spotlights an inspirational insight from a previous guest. The aim is to offer you a whiff of wisdom for your aromatic life, as well as give you some inspiration to try new things that use your sense of smell more. Note: please only use essential oils and CO2 extracts on the most vulnerable if you are trained to do so. Essential oils are highly concentrated substances that need to be used with the utmost safety in mind. Thank you.Links to Madeleine's books:Complementary Therapies in Palliative end of Life CareCO2 Extracts in Aromatherapy: 50 Extracts For Clinical ApplicationFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#160: Attention all Libras! In this bonus episode, Frauke revisits a conversation with astrologer Karima from The Cosmic Vibe and animistic perfumer Mauricio Garcia from last December which explored the intersection of astrology and aromatics. Here the focus is on the Libra sign (Sept 23 - Oct 22), which is part of the Air element. Karima explains the unique traits, strengths and shadow sides of Libra, and then Mauricio layers on the aromatic support that’s most fitting. Have fun with this and feel free to share the episode with any of your Libra friends out there! Next month we focus on Scorpio. To listen to the original full episode go to episode #130.Follow Karima on Instagram @the.cosmic.vibe.sf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit Karima’s website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.the-cosmic-vibe.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit Mauricio's website ⁠Herbcraft Perfumery⁠Follow Mauricio on Instagram @herbcraft.perfumeryFollow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project

#159: Could your nose be an early alarm bell for dementia?In honor of World Alzheimer's Month, in this episode Frauke sits down with neuropsychologist Alex Bahar-Fuchs, PhD to explore the fascinating connection between smell and dementia. While we usually think of memory loss or confusion as the first warning signs, research shows that changes in our sense of smell often appear years earlier. That makes smell not just a powerful scientific marker, but also a deeply personal one - something families and caregivers can notice in everyday life. Alex explains why smell is so closely tied to memory and cognition, what it reveals about the brain’s health, and how simple smell training might one day help protect against decline. It’s a conversation that blends science with hope, showing how something as ordinary as noticing the scents around us can hold potential for our future well-being.Learn more about Alex and his work here. Read The Mind Your Nose Study.Watch “Smell Training': How It's Helping Fight Dementia”Watch “Does training people's memory through the sense of smell, help their memory overall?”Connect with Alex via LinkedIn.Follow Frauke on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@an_aromatic_life ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Frauke's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.anaromaticlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get No Place for Plants children's book on Amazon⁠Learn about Frauke's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scent*Tattoo Project