In this episode of Keeping Skor, we explore the world of essential oils and what it means to collect scent.

Katie shares how a curiosity about fragrance turned into a collection of botanical oils from around the world. What begins as a conversation about essential oils quickly becomes something deeper — a look at how scent connects to memory, emotion, and personal meaning.

Like many collectors, Katie isn’t simply gathering objects. She’s building a relationship with the materials she collects. Each oil comes from a plant, a landscape, and a tradition of cultivation. Over time, those bottles become more than objects — they become a library of stories, experiences, and sensory memories.

In the first part of the conversation, Katie introduces the basics of essential oils - how they’re made, how people learn to smell them, and why scent can trigger such powerful memories.

In the second half, we go deeper into the world of collecting fragrance. We talk about authenticity, sourcing, blending oils, and how collectors develop their own taste and philosophy over time.

Because in the end, collecting isn’t just about objects. It’s about how we assign meaning, how we remember, and why certain things stay with us.

Each episode of Keeping Skor begins with a collection — but it’s really a conversation about memory, creativity, and the stories behind the things we keep.

Links:
https://riverislandapothecary.com/

Link to Mandy Aftel’s website referenced by Katie (information on the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents):

https://www.aftelier.com/default.asp