145 Evanson St.
(at the corner of Westminster, across from Prairie Sky Books)

OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY
12 NOON - 6 PM
other times by appointment 475-4895

Custom Blended Natural Perfumes • Gift Certificates • Perfume Parties •
Aromatherapy Supplies and Services • Natural Body Care Products •
Handcrafted Perfume Bottles and Pendants • Incense • Massage Oils • Shea Butters •
more than 200 Essential and Fragrance Oils • Natural Soaps • Bath Salts • Diffusers • Candles • Expert and Friendly Staff • and much more!

Our Story

La Parfumerie was founded by Michael O’Malley in a tiny shop in Winnipeg in 1993. He specialized in the custom blending of natural perfumes.  Using only the highest quality perfume and essential oils, Michael drew from an ancient and rich tradition to create luxurious and lasting fragrances. These fragrances contain no alcohol or animal products, nor are they tested on animals.

It turned out that there wasn’t anyone else in Winnipeg doing anything like this, and someone told the media.  In the first few months of business there were newspaper articles, radio and television appearances and even a few customers!  To pay the bills Michael continued his tutoring business after hours in the back of the shop.  So, the first wave of customers were math students, their families and reporters.  Many other locals came as well and there was generally a very positive buzz in Winnipeg about that place that makes those perfumes.  

After being in business for about a year Michael had a new idea - market some of his best perfumes in hand-made perfume pendants.  He sat down and played with a torch and some glass vials, eventually learning how to blow glass.  With a little help from friends and other local artists the first pendants were produced, packaged and displayed in the store window.  Within two weeks other local merchants were approaching Michael and asking if they could sell the pendants in their stores.

Since then, La Parfumerie has created personal scents for thousands of Winnipegers and visitors from around the world.  Our line of perfumes, known as Nothing Perfume, has expanded to include 20 perfumes available in hand-crafted pendants, bottles, candles and body mists, that are sold in over 300 stores throughout North America & Europe.  Our products are also available right here on this website.

Jacqueline (Jake):  
Jake has worked with us since since 2002, saving Michael’s ass more times than anyone can count. As the goddess of production, organization, shipping, mayhem and truffle making, she keeps the corporation running smoothly and everyone properly nourished.  She knows where everything is, almost always answers the telephone, blows glass, creates perfumes that inspire the entire pantheon of gods and goddesses, and is dedicated to our cause beyond reason.  Her favourite line is, “do you want to talk the guy in charge, or the person who knows what’s going on?”  A fanatic reader of fine literature, Jake also teaches Yoga and is the brains behind our online custom blending of perfume service.

Yucape Co-op:
In 1997, Nothing Perfume was looking for a socially responsible way of extending production capacity outside of Canada.  We made contact with a Catholic priest who is active in developing and supporting community economic development initiatives  in Nova Scotia and Mexico.  Working with Father Greg Macleod and members of the Yucape project in Mexico, we were able to assist in the founding of a women’s cooperative which has become a primary supplier for Nothing Perfume.  All of our products are now designed and produced locally as well as by the members of this women’s cooperative who live in a Mayan village on the Yucatan peninsula. Yucape is a community economic development project aimed at addressing the consequences of freer trade on resource-based communities and small businesses.  In partnership with the coop and the Yucape project, we are working towards prosperity for small business within North America.

Michael: 
Hitchhiker, mathematician, social worker, educator, dreamer, perfumer.  Michael fell in love with the art of perfumery after hitchhiking in 1989 to the West Coast.  There, he met some folks who were using essential oils to increase spiritual self understanding and to develop bardo skills.  The first time he tried a little bit of frankincense on his wrists he experienced dramatic perceptual changes.  Sometime soon afterward, Michael decided to become a perfumer, but in a completely non-conventional manner.  As the reality of this immense decision began to sink in, he had one of those huge belly laughs that only happen when everything is perfect.

Michael has his own wheels now, but prefers cross-country skiing or canoeing in Canada’s remote wilderness.

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