For centuries, people have taken what seems to be an instinctive pleasure in rubbing scents into their skin, and using them to pray, to heal, and to make love. Yet in many ways perfumery is a lost art, its creative and sensual possibilities eclipsed by the dominance of synthetic ingredients. In "Essence and Alchemy, winner of the Sense of Smell Institute's Richard B. Solomon Award, Mandy Aftel unearths a forgotten world in which scent was celebrated by poets, contemplated by philosophers, and universally appreciated for its profound resonance with body, mind, and soul. And she seduces the adventurous into experiencing firsthand the pleasures of working with natural essences.