Exclusive Sniffapalooza Magazine Interview
with Juliet Stewart
SM: Juliet, you have had a very successful career in the industry for over 20 years and have just released a new fragrance; please tell us about it and how it came about. There must have been a defining moment that led you to create this and go public with it, what was that?
I knew I had something extraordinary when on more than one occasion I would be running through an airport and a man would be trying to catch up with me to ask what fragrance I was wearing. On a daily basis women would ask what I was wearing but I really knew I was on to something when I noticed that dogs were following my scent as well.
It never entered my mind to bring this to market. From the time I was a young adult I regarded fragrances as very personal and intimate… it is a signature of one’s soul. Today the perfume is special for an altogether different reason.
It is an introduction to the quality and sensibility of what “Juliet Stewart” is going to stand for as a brand. Until last year my career and my perfume had been two completely separate things. I have been surprised by the way they have come together.
SM: “Juliet” is a fragrance that you created; it is a fil rouge, the thread that runs through your life. You have said that you have come to “know yourself” through your perfume. Can you explain what this means?
I will try. I lived with this perfume privately for about seventeen years and it really did help to define who I am. Each time I would spritz the fragrance it would instantly bring me to a familiar place deep within, but I could not describe what that was until I met an extraordinary perfumer.
Through the many ups and downs of life, when everything else around me was uncertain, the fragrance was a constant source of familiarity. There finally came a time when I felt I had come into my own and the blend just seemed to fall into place.
SM: The fragrance is very clean and ultra-feminine - the opening accord is the finest and classical Italian notes of Lemons from Amalfi, Basil, Bergamot and Sicilian Orange coupled with nuances of fresh Mediterranean Herbs with Italian Jasmine and Vanilla from Madagascar on a background of Amber and Precious Woods from the Orient. The Eau de Parfum was created by you and formulated by a master perfumer in Italy, how did this come about?
I was in Italy on business and I was introduced to an Italian perfumer who was highly regarded in the industry. I told him I needed someone to create a formula from my concoction’s drydown and I only wanted the highest quality ingredients used… simple, right? I’m thinking - he is a Maestro after all! It was a challenge and we went back and forth. Just when he thought it was perfect I had to explain that I still wasn’t feeling the “Oh my God!” factor. I had heard this statement for years from people whenever they would smell my fragrance. We did finally succeed and the perfume we produced perfectly recreated my “concoction.” He truly was a Maestro.
When discussing the details with the perfumer he asked me, “Do you know why you are so drawn to these particular scents?” He then went on to explain it was because it evoked memories and feelings of what I had experienced from my youth and it contained many scents from my Mediterranean origins. I instantly understood what the familiarity was. I was born in Sicily and lived very close to the ocean and was surrounded by the countryside. I remembered the fragrance of honeysuckle and the fresh scent of basil and the quiet smoke from a wood burning fire. The aromas in my personal scent contain some of these things which is why - I believe – it was so magical for me.
SM: It must have been a feat to create such a beautiful fragrance on the very first try.
I think my mother, being an entrepreneur herself, was upstairs putting in some serious overtime to make this happen… my mother was truly an amazing woman. I was thirteen when she died and the clearest memories that remain for me of her are her strength and compassion.
SM: What differentiates your fragrance from other fragrance lines in the niche market and makes it special?
Truthfully, I really do not know the niche perfume market very well. This perfume was not created
to compete or to “fit” in that market. It was very personal, intimate and very beautiful to me.
I wanted to share it.
SM: What was your favorite fragrance growing up and favorite fragrances throughout your life?
It was the natural Italian and Mediterranean fragrances. As for modern fragrances, I have used: Rive Gauche
by YSL, Tuxedo by Ralph Lauren, L’Interdit by Givenchy, Magic Noir by Lancôme, Paloma Picasso,
and Casmir by Chopard.
SM: You are also an international make-up artist and I understand you are starting your own
brand of products; which started with the fragrance, please tell us about that.
My professional expertise is as a make-up artist. My goal is to create my own
line of products which will be a limited line of high quality color, and at this time I have one product with a patent pending. I also have a few specialty skincare products, some of which I have created with my chemist and a few products that are made by small, private medical companies which I endorse. I have always loved medicine and science and do an immense amount of research about alternatives for health issues, this is how I have discovered
some of my products. I always say, instead of life handing me a syringe, life handed me a lipstick tube.
Today, I am using the lipstick to reach out to women.
I think it is difficult to establish a public identity or to get your message across in the cosmetics market.
I would like my name to be synonymous with quality and integrity, first with the perfume and then with
a simple high quality cosmetic line.
SM: You also have a gorgeous boutique in Nyack, New York that offers
many services, how did this come about?
After years of working for major cosmetic companies I decided I wanted to get
my message out there.
Yes, I sell beauty products, but more importantly it is a place where I educate
and encourage women to be proactive with their health - not only to improve
how they look, but also how they feel. It takes much more than a “miracle in a jar”
to define beauty. My personal goal is to break these chains that keep us from
living to our fullest potential.
The wisdom I have gained from women of all walks of life is truly a priceless gift
to me today. It has allowed me to do business not only intelligently, but
compassionately as well.
SM: I know that you have a personal message that you carry though
your professional career and you really believe in all that you do.
Please tell us about this and your beliefs and how it applies to your
fragrance and cosmetics.
Be Unforgettable… Own Your Beauty
This is my motto and my personal philosophy. It is an idea that is most important
to me and one that I want to share with you. This perfume seeks to express the
essence and personal importance of my motto.
My message is simple: Embrace your individuality.
What is beautiful is what is unique in you…and what speaks uniquely through you…
SM: Some of the quotes coming in about your fragrance are:
“Simply Beautiful”, “All I can think of is a Boudoir – I love it”,
“Contemporary Classic”, “My husband said to me; Honey, your perfume says to me: come to me” “All I can think about is sex”, “It is beautiful
and elegant”, “It is amazingly beautiful”, “Truly Sensual” and “Exotic”. How do all of these wonderful statements make you feel?
My intention was to create a very soulful, sophisticated and elegant perfume. In hearing these comments, I never imagined that sex would really sell my fragrance…
I guess it is true what they say.
SM: I own a lot of fragrances and after I sampled this, I realized that I have
never smelled anything like this. I found it to be very surprising, unique and beautiful. You also sell internationally?
For international sales at this time “Juliet” is available only through our website.
SM: I understand you have a “campaign” that you believe in. Please tell us about that.
I am extremely passionate about my work and my campaign is this: I believe that every woman of any age is beautiful because of who she becomes with time. I will continue to strive to deeply touch the lives of women around the world with dignity, integrity and compassion.
SM: Juliet, it has been such a pleasure, is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
Many years ago my oldest brother once said to me “always remember, you can be strong and gentle at the same time”. And this sentiment reminds me of “Juliet” and I encourage all women to be flexible with life and gentle with themselves.
79 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960
866-630-7111| 845-358-8419
Juliet Stewart, 2008 Photo by Dorothea Erichsen
Hair by Pamaya Red Salon
Juliet Stewart, Photo by Dorothea Erichsen, Hair by Pamaya Red Salon
It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Juliet Stewart; a friend as well as a beautiful and successful woman who is in charge of her life. In getting to know Juliet, I have found her to be a woman that is very true to herself,
a feat that is not always possible these days and her journey was long. Not only is she a consummate professional, she is kind, caring and has a great sense of humor. Creating Juliet was a very personal experience for her and she truly believes in women and what they go through as "real women in life". Juliet is also a survivor; one who has seen much in life and I wonder if this journey is a result of what she has gone through and now; with what she has accomplished.
What I liked most about Juliet and her fragrance is that she did not create a "press story" story to tell about the creation of her perfume. She did not spin a "yarn" about how the fragrance was created by "virgins that picked white flowers under a full moon and then pressed perfume oils from the flowers with their feet." We all have seen the stories, some companies spin elaborate press releases and go to great lengths to tempt us with descriptions of fragrances that are right out of a romance novel. But does that make it true and real? Not necessarily.
Juliet Stewart created a beautiful fragrance and yes, she has stories to tell, about her mother; about Italy but she does not use these to sell her fragrances. Her gorgeous fragrance is simply "Juliet".
-Raphaella Barkley
Juliet Eau De Parfum commences with a bright infusion of citrus that is
not a harsh or overpowering blast as can be experienced with some citrus
notes in the opening. Instead, Juliet has this reviewer at hello, with a fresh
and light wafting of citrus that is gracefully balanced in the first mist from
the sleek bottle. The addition of Basil and Bergamot to the Amalfi Lemons and Sicilian Orange notes creates an unpretentious poise in the top notes. Soon, notes of Italian Jasmine and Vanilla envelop me ever so tenderly, like an exquisite Italian cashmere wrap, so luxurious and cozy, but in no way heavy or heady. I could bask here for some time, and I do, as if basking in a delicious, sunny Italian garden.
Arriving at Juliet’s dry down is as pleasurable as the rest of the journey. Warm Amber and Precious Woods from the Orient complete an unpretentious but bewitching path to beauty. As with the top notes and middle notes, the dry down is as soft as a cloud, nothing outlandish or disturbing, only enveloping and welcoming, and bringing that certain je ne sais quois that is elusive and beautiful.
Juliet is as masterful an Italian artistry in a bottle as I have found. Wearing Juliet brings to mind the character Katherine in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, who embraced who she was, lived life with no regrets and gently prodded Francis to live confidently and unafraid, to open herself and release her own extraordinary beauty upon the world. Like another movie character, Vianne Rocher, in the movie Chocolat, Juliet Stewart is a skilled artisan who endeavors to inspire others to accept and embrace the unique beauty we each possess, and to celebrate that beauty without hesitation. Juliet Eau De Parfum is Ms. Stewart’s benchmark for sharing this evocative and transforming message.
And Juliet’s message translates fluently and eloquently across its utterly elegant and lilting beauty. To unleash your own unforgettable beauty, Juliet Eau De Parfum may be purchased through Juliet Stewart’s perfume website.
Juliet by Juliet Stewart
New Fragrance Review
By Victoria Austin
There’s a new girl in town. And she’s beautiful -- an unforgettable beauty.
And you will want to meet her…for many extraordinary reasons.
Juliet Eau De Parfum is the stunning creation of Juliet Stewart, a
classic Italian beauty and seasoned artist in the beauty industry.
After several successful years of being a premiere artist with Saks
and Prescriptives, Ms. Stewart opened Juliet Stewart Makeup Boutique
and Studio in Nyack, New York.
“Be Unforgettable" and "Own Your Beauty,” is the philosophy from
which Ms. Stewart operates. Her new fragrance was created to remind
us of our own unique beauty and allow it to help open us up to all the power and possibilities within that beauty. Her words inspire, and her fragrance
more than lives up to the inspiration.
Juliet Stewart
Victoria Austin is a freelance writer, singer and fragrance collector and enthusiast living happily with her family in Texas.
JULIET STEWART Photography by Dorothea Erichsen , Make-up by Juliet Stewart
Hair Styling by Robert Weinberg of Pamaya Red
Juliet eau de parfum can be purchased from Juliet Stewart’s website; $125 for 50 ml. (She also offers a deluxe sample for $4.00). Created by Juliet Stewart and formulated by a master perfumer in Italy, the fragrance is comprised of notes of Amalfi lemon, basil, bergamot, Sicilian orange, fresh Mediterranean herbs, Italian jasmine and Madagascar vanilla, on a background of amber and precious woods from the Orient.
Images courtesy of Juliet Stewart. Tuscan House image courtsy of Jennifer Richardson
Special thanks to Juliet Stewart.
THE SCENT OF A WOMAN
THE ESSENCE OF A LADY
JULIET by Juliet Stewart
New Fragrance Review
By Suzanne Keller
There is an image of Isabella Rossellini that I’ve held in my mind since the late ’80s, when she starred in the sweetly offbeat romantic comedy, Cousins (the Hollywood remake of the French film, Cousin, Cousine). The movie begins with a wedding, where new cousins-by-marriage, Rossellini and Ted Danson, strike up an acquaintance when they are left stranded at the reception by their respective spouses, who are off together having hanky-panky somewhere. The next day, with Rossellini convinced they’ve been cheated on, she and Danson decide to teach their spouses a lesson by having a pretend affair of their own, which in due time leads to an actual affair of which you can’t help but applaud them. Both have quietly suffered through mismatched marriages and share a bond of maturity that places them in a realm completely apart from their superficial spouses.
That you root for them so strongly, however, is a credit that belongs almost entirely to Isabella Rossellini. She is the very picture of grace, charm and uncontrived beauty. With her girlish laugh and patrician European accent, you can’t help but fall in love with her. Dressed conservatively in long flowy skirts paired with linen jackets, she makes “the other woman,” Danson’s wife (played by Sean Young), look foolish in her flashy, body-hugging dresses. While that’s precisely the reaction the movie director wants you to have, the effect itself goes beyond what is intended. Isabella Rossellini is so calmly, quietly luminous in the film, she delivers true believability to the story and, at the same time, manages to steal every scene she’s in without even trying.
About a month ago, someone sent me a fragrance sample that perfectly recalled this vision of Isabella Rossellini that I became fixated with so long ago. Whether coincidental or not, the name of the fragrance is congruous with the image it evokes for me of a singular elegant woman.
Quite simply, it is named Juliet, and its creator, make-up artist Juliet Stewart, shares at least a couple things in common with Rossellini—both being Italian-born beauties who had careers with Lancôme Cosmetics at one time. Stewart worked for more than twenty years in the upper echelons of the cosmetics industry (including a ten-year stint as National Make-up Artist for Prescriptives Cosmetics) before opening her luxury boutique in Nyack, New York, where she currently offers professional make-up and personalized skincare. Juliet, the perfume bearing her name, is a delicate and joyous fragrance that wears like the most delicious of secrets. It was created to reflect Stewart’s beauty philosophy and motto, “Be Unforgettable…Own Your Own Beauty,” and her belief that “what makes women of all ages beautiful and sexy is their self-assurance. The place to start is in the mind.”
With aromatic top notes of lemon, basil, bergamot, Sicilian orange and Mediterranean herbs, the first spritz of Juliet reminds one of a classic eau de cologne—uplifting and refreshing. What lies beneath those brisk and airy notes, however, is like a long and lingering caress; a creamy-velvety scent that retains some its cologne-like alfresco character, but is far more substantial than a cologne. It’s a bit difficult to describe, in the same way it is difficult to describe the sly beauty that is Hermès Eau des Merveilles, or the streamlined and graceful L’Artisan Parfumeur Orchidée Blanche: fragrances that are kith and kin to Juliet. Perhaps “soft floral oriental” is the best description I can give you, as from this point forward Juliet becomes a whispery filigree of jasmine, amber, vanilla and sandalwood (or what I think is sandalwood. I also detect hints of pepper and iris that keep the fragrance’s sweetness in check, though perhaps these, too, are only figments of my imagination, as they are not listed among the fragrance’s official notes.)
Juliet confers upon its wearer an aura of beautiful scent, more so than a wafting sillage. It’s power lies not in the art of seduction but in the art of gracious enchantment. Juliet is a scent of serenity, good manners, and that old-school notion of “class,” to which (I would like to think) some of us still cling. Considering how little heed such notions receive these days, wearing a scent like Juliet almost seems a subversive statement. In fact, would you please excuse me as I go freshen up with a spritz?
Who knows? If I play the part right, I might just have people wondering whether I’ve been to finishing school or am a cousin of Isabella Rossellini’s—kissing or otherwise.
Juliet eau de parfum can be purchased from Juliet Stewart’s website; $125 for 50 ml. (She also offers a deluxe sample for $4.00). Created by Juliet Stewart and formulated by a master perfumer in Italy, the fragrance is comprised of notes of Amalfi lemon, basil, bergamot, Sicilian orange, fresh Mediterranean herbs, Italian jasmine and Madagascar vanilla, on a background of amber and precious woods from the Orient.
Images courtesy of Juliet Stewart. JULIET STEWART Photography by Dorothea Erichsen , Make-up by Juliet Stewart, Hair Styling by Robert Weinberg of Pamaya Red
Suzanne Keller is the owner of Eiderdown Press and has her own fragrance blog called Suzanne’s Perfume Journal. Eiderdown Press is publisher of books along with the publication of Free Spirits, a coffee-table book celebrating the community of artists and other creative types in Suzanne Keller's community. Her Top 10 Favorite Fragrances: Amouage Jubilation 25, Robert Piquet Fracas, Hermes 24 Faubourg, Caron Tabac Blonde, Chanel Coromandel, Chanel No. 22, Parfums DelRae Amoureuse, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, Parfums de Nicolai Sacrebleu, and Serge Lutens Chergui.
Eiderdown Press and Suzanne’s Perfume Journal
Juliet Stewart
