Anjali Vandemark is a self-taught independent perfumer and the owner of Anjali Perfumes. Born and raised in Nagpur, India, she lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington, where she launched her own fragrance line in 2021.
Moved by her memories of the scents and aromas she grew up with – mango leaf, jasmine, and sandalwood, to name a few – Anjali launched her fragrance line with The Passion Collection. Each of the creations includes a unique elixir of Indian spices that add personal, gentle, and charming touches to the compositions.
Inspired by India’s nature, seasons, and places, the fragrances took me on three very suggestive and moving journeys.
Monsoon Madness (mild spice accord)
During the first monsoon rains, Anjali’s dad would take her out in the yard to enjoy the drenching experience, arms wide open. Monsoon Madness is a sensuous evening fragrance that celebrates passionate love through the intoxicating scent of roses, jasmines, and tuberoses, along with warm spices.
The fragrance opens with a cascade of heady flower petals, a combination of fleshy roses and smooth white flowers. A gourmand tinge adds a delicious sweetness. Without looking at the listed notes, I thought I could detect a hint of dried fruits blended with the flowers. As the fragrance softens and the spices unfurl and tone down the floral rain, its aroma reminds me of golden milk, a comforting drink I tried years ago. In the fragrance’s heart, we find a mild spice accord that includes saffron, milk, and a rose compote traditionally made with Damask rose petals and sugar, known as gulkand. Other notes I seem to perceive are cardamom and a touch of coconut. When I asked Anjali about the coconut note, she mentioned that her saffron and rose blend indeed confers a smooth, creamy feel to the composition; however, coconut isn’t included. The delectably spicy blend persists on the skin for several hours and finally settles on a soft musk base. Sultry and soothing in equal measure, this is an addictive fragrance and my favorite of the three.
Notes are listed as they appear on the line’s website:
Monsoon Madness opens with floral notes of tuberose, jasmine, and rose.
They are blended with middle notes of iris and a mild spice accord made with saffron & milk, and ‘gulkand’—a fragrant rose petal creation.
The base notes are a blend of musks.
Tiger Bright (hot spice blend)
With this fragrance, Anjali wanted to honor the tigers living in the reserves of Central India. Along with the animal’s power she also seized the natural environment with its heat, leaves, and woods.
Tiger Bright seamlessly incorporates deep, warm, and fresh accents into one complex fragrance. I have a soft spot for tobacco in perfume, and I find this to be both bold and refreshing. Woody, earthy, penetrating, yet breezy, the fragrance is elevated by Anjali’s spicy accord of black pepper, cloves, coriander, and turmeric. Root-like iris adds an earthy hint. Jasmine sambac and sweet orange – in honor of Orange Town, her hometown – brighten and balance the entire composition. Anjali wanted to capture the scent of summer and did so beautifully. I think of the smells in the air as summer ends, a slight gust of smoke and the aroma of orange peel announcing the approach of autumn. The base is enriched with the creamiest sandalwood and a pleasantly sweet amber.
Notes are listed as they appear on the line’s website:
The perfume opens with woody-ness of cedarwood and patchouli.
Juxtaposed with this are middle notes of jasmine, tobacco, Iris, and ‘nagarmotha’—nutgrass.
Notes of cloves, turmeric, coriander, & Indian black pepper—a hot spice accord—are sprinkled throughout.
Base notes of sandalwood (pure Santalum album), Indian and Haitian vetiver, and amber provide structure.
Himalayan Dawn (cool spice blend)
Anjali dedicated this fragrance to her travels in Bhutan, where the fog is thick and cloaks the mountains at dawn, the scent of citrusy pines and cold river invigorating and refreshing.
Powerful and evocative, Himalayan Dawn smells like frost on grass in an orchard where orange trees grow and the scent of fennel bulbs is aromatic and sweet – the orange and fennel notes are prominent throughout the fragrance’s duration. The betel leaf confers a verdant and smoky quality that calls to mind the aroma of burned wood on a crisp winter morning out in the mountains. After speaking with Anjali she mentioned that the chamomile and fir notes may also contribute to this perceived smokiness. The base of sandalwood is, again, comforting and persistent.
Notes are listed as they appear on the line’s website:
Himalayan Dawn opens with top notes of bergamot, verbena, and orange flower. They lead to the cool spices of fennel, cardamom, and ‘paan’—betel leaf.
Middle notes are a blend of chamomile, black tea, and hint of fir needle. Rose and jasmine lend a gentle floral roundness to the perfume.
Base notes of sandalwood and vetiver emerge last.
Anjali handcrafts, fills, and packages her fragrances in small batches in her own laboratory in Bainbridge Island, Washington. All three creations are available on the line’s website as 30% Extrait/Parfum in 30 ml bottles. Each full-size bottle comes with a drawstring pouch, handmade by economically disadvantaged women from Anjali’s hometown of Nagpur, India. Read more about the fragrances and this initiative here.
I reviewed the three fragrances from the line’s discovery set I purchased personally.
Interview
Anjali kindly accepted my invitation to share more about her passion, memories, inspirations, and creations.
Q. Anjali, you spoke about becoming interested in fragrances because of the scents you loved growing up: mango leaf, jasmine, sandalwood. In addition to these aromas are there any fragrance types (classic, niche, artistic, oils, attars) that have inspired you?
Anjali: I have strong memories associated with a special attar that contains kewada, a fragrant screw pine. This is a lovely white flower somewhat reminiscent of hyacinth and rose with a dash of ylang ylang. I am not sure how many people in the fragrance community know about it, but one day I’d love to share samples of the oil. Someday!
Q. Are there any particular well known fragrances you are fond of?
Anjali: Growing up, I remember liking fragrances from a local brand called Eau De Cologne. Nina by Nina Ricci and Charlie by Revlon were over the counter, low-cost fragrances I enjoyed. I also love Touch by Burberry. It’s interesting how perfumes become like your favorite furry animal companion, bringing peace and comfort.
Q. Why did you choose the fragrance business?
Anjali: Last year I was diagnosed with epilepsy, which prevents me from doing things such as driving or swimming. I also lost a friend to an aggressive cancer form within months from diagnosis. These life-changing events have made me realize that life is short and fragile; everything can change in a second. And, even though sharing my perfumes with the world seemed daunting, I knew that if I didn’t do this, I would look back and regret not taking the leap of faith because I was afraid. Two things I remind myself everyday are memento mori and carpe diem.
Q. How did you realize this was the right path for you?
Anjali: Just as I placed my first orders and a large sum of money in this business venture, I developed mild hearing loss. A consequence of this was lifelong tinnitus. The ringing in my ears will be permanent unless a miraculous cure is found. Creating perfumes in my lab allows me to concentrate on a completely different sense, which helps me manage my condition. So, in a way perfume has helped me. And, sharing my creations makes me feel good.
Q. India and its raw materials, along with your childhood memories, are some of the major themes that drive you to create fragrances. Is there anything else you’d like to share in terms of sensorial, artistic, or geographic inspirations?
Anjali: India floods the senses in a good way: food, flavors, colors, sounds, noises. I wish I could capture them all into my fragrances! From an art perspective, I am passionate about Indian classical vocal music. I am partially trained in the formal art, but I never pursued it. We have seasonal songs called “raga” and I would love to dedicate fragrances to some of the ones I sing one day.
Q. I saw that you spoke of several women perfumers as role models. Have any of them had a special influence on what you do?
Anjali: I am inspired by Chavalia Mwamba from Pink Mahogany Perfumes. Her latest creation, Honey Bush for Scent Trunk, is technically moving. It’s light and simple, yet layered like the steps of a staircase, or the notes on a piano. I also admire her as a musician.
Also, I am currently studying the creations by Dawn Spencer Herwitz’s, founder and owner of DSH Perfumes. She is a painter and her perfumes are like a color palette. She plays with ingredients as if they were brush strokes. Sometimes what a perfumer has in mind and how the wearer perceives it do not necessarily match. What Dawn creates and how she describes a particular fragrance is very precise and on point. Her fragrances are crafted to deliver an exact essence, like a painter who creates a person’s perfect portrait. I am in awe of her talent and her generosity within the fragrance community.
Q. Which of your creations is your favorite?
Anjali: This is a tough one to answer. I wear Monsoon Madness for evenings and Tiger Bright for more formal events, such as calls and presentations on Zoom. Cory from Fandomentals reviewed Tiger Bright and mentioned there’s an ambitious vibe to it.
Photos are my own or kindly provided by Anjali, as indicated.
