stevie gayle stephens
perfumer/scent alchemist
Known for her sense of refinement in details, presence, deep listening and conscious touch, Stevie Gayle has spent the last 29 years developing her skills in the world of bodywork, aromatherapy, natural products for self care and botanical perfuming. These skills have synthesized into creating Perfumes that touch the Soul and feel beautiful to the wearer.
Coming from a career in fashion design, her interest in holistic practices began in Chicago after meeting Mary Burmeister, from the lineage of Jin Shin Jitsu, while volunteering at a holistic HIV treatment center in the early 90’s. That experience opened the world of energy practices and the art of presence.
A move to Maui was soon followed by earning a state license in massage therapy. A chance meeting with Hugh Milne, of the Milne Institute, a Visionary approach to Craniosacral Therapy, led to 4 years of intense study and practice in Hawaii, Italy, Switzerland and Utah.
Stevie Gayle began to work with plant essences leading to a formalized study. In 2005 she received certification in Aromatherapy from the American College of Healthcare Sciences. In conjunction with creating and co-owning a Spa in Maui, a service and product based business grew into providing aromatherapy blends for 4 star spa's and private clientele. This blending evolved into creating perfumes, as her sense of working with the oils became more refined and her love and passion for wearing natural perfumes grew. An intensive study with perfumer, Abdes Salaam Attar in Italy, opened the world of "perfume therapy" and paved the way to her current work.
Her life and work has been inspired by many brilliant mentors and shamans along the way. In addition to those already mentioned, she has immense gratitude for the teachings of Eliot Cowan, David Crowe, Peter Fox, Mary Lane, Dr. Bruce Berkowsky and others that could fill pages. Each has opened the door to a rich inner landscape of wisdom and ritual that weaves into her work, whether it be in creating perfumes, custom products for self care or healing sessions. Through this tapestry of experience, Stevie Gayle has been able to achieve a unique signature in her profession.
As the perfumer for Scent Alchemist and the founder and perfumer for the company formerly known as Contessa Maui, Natural Body Care and Perfumery, she continues to source quality ingredients, be inspired by ancient plant knowledge and use her refined sense of smell to create the bodycare products and perfumes that delight and transform.
It is her knowing that there is “Beauty and Healing Through Scent” and that the connection and wisdom of the natural world is available to us in many different forms. She is dedicated to facilitating this knowing of oneself through the relationship one develops with an artisan perfume.