Our Story

Donna Cristen
Founder 

 

My scent story has humble beginnings.  My earliest memories were my mother’s huge bottle of Jean Naté After Bath Splash and my dad’s Old Spice.  These aromas were distinctive, the scent of my mom and dad.  A few years later, when I was six or maybe seven years old, I saw a beautiful circular perfume bottle with a glass cone shaped stopper on my mother’s bureau.  I was told not to touch it. The prism of light on the bottle and the scent within was a magnet to me. I remember being mesmerized by this special bottle.

Miraculously one day this same mysterious bottle appeared on the bathroom vanity within my reach. Noticing the bottle was not completely full, I thought I would surprise Mommy and fill it with water so she could have a full bottle once again.  As I filled the bottle its’ intoxicating scent permeated every room in the house.  When my mother discovered “my surprise” for her, needless to say, she was not pleased. I had diluted my mother’s precious Shalimar and consequently her disapproval over the incident was forever etched in my memory.

Fast-forward to early teen years when my glamorous aunt from New York City summered with us in New Hampshire and her signature scent of Youth Dew by Estée Lauder poured through our home.  My aunt gave me a birthday present of Youth Dew Bath Oil and exclaimed, “The oil lasts so much longer than a perfume because it doesn’t evaporate on your skin!”  Although the fragrance was not my favorite, it was my first memory of my very own perfume.

At about sixteen, I found my way to men’s cologne and often wore these more than perfume. To this day Prada Infusion d’ Iris for men still makes me smile.  My aroma tastes evolved with exposure and time.  I remember each phase of my life being marked by its’ unique scent.  Chanel 19 made me feel so grown up.  YSL’s Rive Gauche was the scent of my college years.  Gianfranco Ferré for men was a favorite after that.  Over time my nose became more responsive, as I became more sensitive to synthetics in commercial fragrances.  I started getting headaches from commercial perfumes.  I made a conscious decision to move away from traditional perfume.  I was drawn to natural and pure essences.  They make me feel good, which in my opinion is the primary purpose of fragrance.

After years of dreaming of my own perfumery, Jasna Brown and I crossed paths.  Whenever we’d see each other we would admire each others’ scent. We both enjoyed deconstructing the fragrance the other one was wearing, recognizing that we have very different yet characteristic tastes. A common thread was that we both used pure essential oil blends and neither of us could stand synthetics. At Holidays and Birthdays we’d gift each other with home-made bath soaks, scented candles, soaps and even spices, always appreciating the scents that matched our individual personalities. Out of this exploration of scent and friendship, Vert Mont Perfumery∞ was born.  

 

Tess Cristen
Vice President 

 

Meet Tess, Vice President at Vert Mont Perfumery. With a degree in Marketing, Tess passionately intertwines her skills in the realms of creativity and business in her role alongside her mother at Vert Mont Perfumery.

Her journey at the company involves a diverse array of responsibilities—from being an invaluable assistant and crafting captivating content and label designs to deftly managing social media, curating engaging content, and representing the brand as a dedicated sales representative.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Tess is deeply passionate about wellness and fitness. She strongly believes in the significance of natural and organic beauty, emphasizing that what you put on your body is just as crucial as what you put in it. This belief fuels her commitment to Vert Mont Perfumery’s ethos of using pure, sustainably sourced ingredients to create products that nourish both body and soul.

Tess’ dedication to promoting natural beauty and holistic well-being resonates through her multifaceted role at Vert Mont Perfumery, where she merges her expertise in marketing with a heartfelt commitment to fostering a harmonious relationship between people and nature.