Fifi Awards Consumer's Choice Voting Now Open, and a brief review of Aftelier Honey Blossom

The Fragrance Foundation 2011 Fifi Awards are now accepting online ballots for the Consumer's Choice Award. You have until Midnight on May 12th to cast your ballot. The awards are for your favorite Women's and Men's Fragrances, and will be announced on May 25th in NYC at the FiFi Awards Ceremony and online at the Fragrance Foundation's website.

This year, the amazing Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes is honored with three (count 'em, three!) nominations for her Honey Blossom, Candide and Lumiere fragrances. I believe that this signals a very important shift in consumer perception of natural fragrances. Natural fine fragrance exists, and perfumers like Mandy have set the bar very high.

I've had the pleasure of testing Honey Blossom (and have saved what I have left in my vial specifically for Spring), and that is the fragrance that got my vote this year. It is a linden-based honeyed perfume shot through with orange blossom and mimosa, anchored with a touch of ambergris and benzoin. It is the ONLY perfume aiming for honey that I've ever tried that does not turn sour or dusty on my skin. It is a revelation in rays of sunlight, the finest ingredients nature has to offer manipulated for one single goal: to create happiness.

While I would encourage anyone to support true artistry in natural fragrance and cast a vote for Aftelier Perfume Honey Blossom, the most important thing is that people vote. As a perfume-obsessed individual, I am happy to have a place to go where my vote is needed to let the best of the best shine.