A Woman's Journey in Fragrance: Olivia Larson of La Fleur by Livvy

by: Jodi Battershell

 

Flowers are a welcome sign of spring, which seems to be late in arriving this year. One of my coping mechanisms for a dreary winter is to surround myself with flowers, in the form of actual floral bouquets as well as in perfumes that feature a heavy dose of floral notes. When a packet of samples arrived in the mail from a perfume house called La Fleur by Livvy, it was not a moment too soon. I was test-driving my third fragrance from the sample packet when our worst snowstorm of the season arrived. Fortunately, Fleur d'Aspiration, with its bergamot, frangipani and sandalwood notes was conjuring images of a warm, steamy floral jungle that day. It's been a staple for me as winter continues to hold Philadelphia in its clutches, even though the calendar says the vernal equinox took place last Friday.

 

The other fragrances from La Fleur by Livvy nicely round out a floral bouquet with their emphasis on different floral notes and different moods. We move from Fleur d'Innocence, with its youthful orange creamsicle and floral bouquet, to the intriguing Fleur de Mystere, which is indeed a mysterious, dark and remarkably complex floral oriental.

Which comes first, seduction or love? I'll leave all judgments in that regard to readers, but my husband adores Fleur de Seduire on me and it's a must-try for myrrh lovers, offering a blend of deep frankincense and myrrh topped by lush jasmine. Fleur de l'Amour reminds me of a wedding taking place at my hotel when I visited India, with its rose, champaka and sandalwood notes. Perhaps it's neither love nor seduction, but A Parisian Affair that steals your heart, in which a pine note intersects the vanilla and flowers, with a shot of cognac thrown in for good measure.

If you had only your nose to guide you, it would come as no surprise to learn the perfumer behind these scents loves flowers. What might surprise you is the fact that all of these fragrances are composed of 100% natural botanicals. All scents in the collection are pleasant, wearable, interesting and well-crafted, with evolving layers and a story to tell. The perfumer behind them, Olivia Larson—affecionately known as "Livvy"—is equally pleasant and interesting and also has a story to tell. Fresh from the Artisan Fragrance Salon in San Francisco (where she earned a "Best Ingredient Combinations" Award) Livvy made time to share her story with Fragrantica readers. Let's meet her!
 

Olivia Larson, aka Livvy

Jodi Battershell:
Livvy, please tell us a little bit about your background.

Olivia Larson:
I was born in India but Colorado has been home to me for the last 17 years. Although I am a bookkeeper by profession, I have a bachelor’s degree in Arts and enjoy being creative whether it is cooking a spicy curry or dinner, taking a few oil painting lessons, designing clothing for women. I’ve worked both retail and wholesale and enjoy traveling. I have a strong sense of drive and passionate about life. I have always enjoyed perfumes and envisioned myself creating perfumes someday. I am self-taught and continue to learn as I go along.

JB:
What drew you to natural perfumery? How did you learn to craft perfumes and skin care products?

OL:
The fact is that I love perfumes but could not wear many because I suffered from allergies for such a long time as they would make me nauseous and give me headaches, so I had to be very selective about what I wore. I started becoming more health conscious and found myself researching beauty products more along the “natural” path and decided to experiment and create subtle perfumes with essential oils, absolutes and other botanicals, etc. I found natural ingredients to be rich and intriguing with some useful health benefits as well.

Perfumes should be an extension of a person; my creations are more along the lines of something soft, romantic and beautiful. I think there is a growing awareness of natural beauty products and going green. I wanted to create a “green product” or as natural as possible. Then I started to study and read and the more I read, the more I became intrigued by what I learn. I enjoy spending long hours researching and studying and then playing with ideas and formulating what I want to create. I am often inspired by a theme or particular flower or combination of ingredients that I want to combine to create a fragrance and go from there. My perfumes are hand-crafted in small batches using my own recipes.

JB:
Do you think perfumes (or even perfume ingredients) are gendered? Do you compose fragrances with a certain gender in mind?  [My hubby and I foundPuck's Potion and White Lotus both to be very unisex in feel—not sure if you designed them that way.]

OL:
My line is created with women in mind, so I would say yes. Perhaps I should create more unisex fragrances in the future so everyone can appreciate them. I am really happy to hear the feedback that you and hubby both share.

JB:
The fragrances in your main collection appear to tell a story.  Please tell our readers that story in your own words. Is it a story of your life or your fragrance journey?

OL:
Yes, my fragrance line is about a woman's journey in life. I think we all start out youthful, innocent and naïve then evolve into this mature, wise woman who has many experiences along the way. Friendships, relationships, desires, hopes and dreams, etc. I think we can all relate to this in some way or another; a part of the journey in life. It is also telling a story about La Fleur by Livvy—a woman who started with a dream and a very humble beginning and who is continuing to evolve and grow and create a product line she strongly believes in and is passionate about and wants to share with others. Did you know that Fleur d’ Innocence was the first perfume I created?

JB:
What inspires you, in life and in fragrance creation?

OL:
First let me say that hard work and dedication never go unrewarded.  I am extremely motivated and driven, perhaps a little too intense at times. I like to challenge myself. Inspiration is all around us if we take the opportunity to see it, even in the negative things that occur. Nature and People are my biggest source of inspiration. When I find it, I want to capture it and convey it to you to experience—something beautiful, soft and perhaps on a journey. A feeling of nostalgia. I love to see a smile on the face of the person who has just smelled my perfumes or has a story to share. Sometimes it’s a small incident from the past that they may have forgotten about but is important nonetheless.

JB:
Your two newest scents, White Lotus and Puck's Potion, suggest a change in direction. Are these part of a new collection? What can we expect from La Fleur by Livvy during the coming months?

OL:
Quite honestly I designed them with women in mind but change in direction is not necessarily a bad thing to consider, especially if both genders enjoy them. Yes, these are part of a new collection that I am working on.  

I have a ton of new ideas that I want to formulate into plans … but too much to talk about here. Please join my Facebook page and stay tuned for future updates!

JB:
Where can we find La Fleur by Livvy products?

OL:
Currently I have an online storefront and I also do local events and plan on doing more trade shows and some travelling to other states. Last August I was at the Ultimate Women’s expo in Phoenix, AZ and got an amazing response to my perfumes. I go to San Francisco once a year in March to attend the Artisan Fragrance Salon. I am actively trying to get my products in stores both locally and in other states as well. My products are for sale in the United States and Canada at this time.

Thank you, Livvy, for the chance to try your beautiful fragrances and for sharing your story with Fragrantica readers!