Akuura Kulak of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes

Akuura Kulak, perfumer and founder of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes

I grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, in a very old house on the waterfront. Salem is famous for its witch trials in the Puritan era, but is also a seafaring town with a long history of shipping trade and pirates.

We lived a couple of blocks away from the House of the Seven Gables, a gloomy manor house with a gorgeous garden, and I spent a lot of time playing there as a child. My strongest scent impressions from childhood were the sea, in all its moods and seasons, old wooden buildings, flowering gardens, the earthy smells of my uncle’s farm, and of the forest. I used to gather mushrooms in the woods with my Polish grandfather, and remember the smell of them, as well as the wet mossy earth in the early mornings (to this day I still love oakmoss scents). I was a quirky kid who loved art and the outdoors, and was always drawing and painting (mostly landscapes, and horses, which I loved). My family was Catholic, and tried to bring me up as one, but I rejected it at a very early age, being more interested in ancient religions and pagan faiths. The only positive thing I remember about going to church was the incense- it was heavenly! I still burn frankincense and other resins regularly.

I had many diverse interests- art, horses, astrology, herbal medicine, ancient civilizations and religions, the occult and the mystical. I figured I would be an artist or designer of some sort when I grew up. My mother had a very keen nose, she could smell things no one else could, and I think I inherited it from her. I loved perfume as well, but unfortunately found I was allergic to most of them! Being a natural redhead comes with its hazards- I was allergic to a lot of things, laundry detergents, household cleaners, and other scented products, they all gave me skin rashes and migraines. So I concentrated on the visual arts instead.

The Seeker, painted by Akuura Kulak  of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes 1978

After graduating high school I went to Mass. College of Art in Boston, where I studied graphic design and photography. I began exploring the world of perfume very slowly and cautiously- to my delight I found I could tolerate some of the older French perfumes, especially from Guerlain, and I wore Shalimar and Mitsouko. I had also found a cute little shop in a nearby town owned by a lovely Egyptian couple, who sold imports and art. They had beautiful perfume oils there, and I collected quite a few, and had fun mixing and matching them for myself and my friends.

In 1983. I became very ill, from stress and overwork – I developed a really stubborn strep throat infection that no doctor or drug could cure, for almost a year. My father passed away during this time, adding to my stress. I had been studying herbs and essential oils, and in desperation decided to try and heal myself. I had some high quality sandalwood oil from India, and started using it in baths, massage oil and even in a gargle regularly, and finally got over the infection. This really impressed me, and I dove into aromatherapy, reading whatever books I could find on the subject, and learning as much as I could about essential oils and their uses in healing and in perfumery. Sandalwood remains one of my favorite scents today.

I began to fantasize about opening a perfume store that concentrated on oil perfumes. In 1992 I was walking down Newbury Street in Boston ,and saw a shop just like that! It was Essense Natural Perfumes- I knew I had to work there. I pestered the owner for weeks until he hired me part time. Within a couple of months I was managing the store, and learning a lot about mixing perfumes, and about retail business There I had the privilege of working with Sarah Horowitz and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz– the business was only open for a couple of years, but little did we know how this fun little job would change all of our lives!

Akuura Kulak of Aroma Sanctum Perfumers sniffing plumeria in Hawaii, 1993

In 1993 I took a trip to Hawaii, and got to experience an intriguing new place full of amazing scents. Every time I am out in nature I am always picking bits of plants and smelling them, and filing the memories away.

Aroma Sanctum Perfumes- the beginning-Apothecary

In 1996, fed up with my stressful job, I decided to start my own perfume retail business. I had moved back to Salem, and it had grown from a quaint little historic town to the witch/Halloween capital of the world. I started out small, sharing space with various occult shops and bookstores in the downtown area, so the vibe of my business was  witchy/apothecary, and October was our busiest season.. Things really took off, and after moving several times around town, I finally found the perfect little storefront for myself in the center of it all.

Akuura Kulak at Aroma Sanctum Perfumes Salem MA

These were the crazy years, but lots of fun! I designed my first line of fragrances, in oil form, and also sold scented natural body products and essential oils. I really honed my skills as a perfumer, designing signature perfumes for people and kept them on file. I worked right on their skin, and was amazed how different people’s personal chemistry can be, and how it affects perfumes, especially in oil form. Salem had become an international destination, especially in October, and we had customers from all over the world. I got my friends to help me during the busiest time, and we dressed in various costumes throughout the fall season; it was like one long Carnival. I was practicing astrology and other occult arts, and it was during this period that I met my good friend and mentor, perfumer Neil Morris.

Akuura Kulak of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes in pirate costume

I get inspired by many things- even dreams! I do sometimes smell a fragrance in a dream before creating it. This was the case with Pirate, a very spicy leather fragrance born from a vivid dream about being on a pirate ship! I also seem to have clairalience, which is the ability to smell scents that are not physically in the environment. And have had several experiences smelling ghostly presences.

Sedona Storm, painted by Akuura Kulak 2019

During the pandemic it became increasingly difficult to run my retail business, and I decided to close the shop and move to Arizona, mostly for health reasons. I now sell online to my various clients all over the world, and am enjoying my beautiful new home. I am captivated by the scents of the deserts and the mountains forests here. I still love and ride horses, and enjoy their unique scent as well- I hope to use these themes in my new Western series of perfumes soon.

Akuura Kulak of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes with and Neil Morris- Arcane Knowledge

Neil Morris and I have collaborated and made a perfume together, the first in a series, called Arcane Knowledge. This is a smoky, mysterious fragrance with a mystical theme. It was both a challenge and an adventure- we are complete opposites in our tastes, working methods , creative process etc., but we learned so much from each other. Neil got me to try working with a lot of the modern aroma materials that I had previously been afraid of using. I am forever grateful for his friendship and his knowledge.

In 2025 I had a very scary brush with skin cancer, and almost lost my nose!. Such a nightmare for a perfumer! Luckily they caught it in time, and after many surgeries I still have a nose and it still works! I appreciate my sense of smell so much more, and will continue on my journey of learning and making perfumes. I think perfumery is a magical art, truly alchemy- not only does it evoke powerful past memories, but it can open the doors of perception to different realms of being, and even healing of the spirit.

Akuura riding in Arizona

On American perfumery: America has always had a tradition of trailblazing and a pioneer spirit, and I see this is American perfumery today. I am amazed at the creativity and the abundance of the artisan and niche perfumers here! Some have a formal education in perfumery/chemistry, but many like myself are self taught adventurers, working with just their noses and a prayer, and I am happy to see they are accepted and judged for their creative brilliance, not their background , training, or connections in the industry. There is also so much available now in the way of courses, both online and in person, and educational forums online, as well as relatively easy access to quality materials from around the world. All in all, it’s an exciting time to be an independent perfumer here!

Palo Duro Canyon, Georgia O’Keeffe 1916 free use

Favorite American artist: I have always loved Georgia O’Keeffe, not just her innovative art but her independent spirit. She was a bold and courageous woman artist, in a time when many women artists weren’t taken all that seriously. No doubt her involvement with Alfred Stieglitz helped her career, but I think it was really her work and dedication that made her successful. She knew what she wanted to do, and didn’t let anyone or anything stop her. Now that I live here, I resonate with her love and fascination with the magical southwest, and have started painting again myself. I hope to visit her historic ranch in New Mexico one day..

Akuura Kulak, perfumer and founder of Aroma Sanctum Perfumes

Sacred Sandalwood Parfum is Akuura Kulak’s interpretation of aged Mysore Sandalwood essential oil

Notes: Sandalwood, Virginia Cedarwood, soft musk, French vanilla, benzoin resin, tonka bean, cinnamon leaf

Thanks to the largesse of Akuura Kulak at Aroma Sanctum Perfumes we have a giveaway draw for Sacred Sandalwood Parfum for one registered ÇaFleureBon reader in USA Only. YOU MUST REGISTER and leave a comment lease leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Akuura Kulak at Aroma Sanctum Perfumes path to perfumery, a quote that resonated and where you live. Draw closes 8/17/2026

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Akuura Kulak at Aroma Sanctum Perfumes is the 185th in our American perfumer series, which officially began in 2011 with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes.

All photos belong to Akuura Kulak at Aroma Sanctum Perfumes unless otherwise noted.

Akuuru Kulak collaborated  with Neil Morris for the first in their three-fragrance series released earlier this year reviewed by Ida Meister Arcane Knowledge

Please read former Editor Michel Devine’s Aroma Sanctum Perfumes fall favorites here and Olde Salem Perfume Magick here

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