Dangerous Scents: Poisonous & Psychoactive Plants in Perfumery

Taught by herbalist S.A. Lawless

Original Class Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 2:00 pm EST

Perfume is an ancient art and the oldest perfumes were crafted from plants and botanical perfumery, sometimes called natural perfumery, is still a popular form of perfumery today. Belladonna, datura, lily of the valley, opium poppy, wormwood, and other notes belonging in a poison garden are featured in many modern perfumes, but it isn’t common knowledge that many beloved modern perfumes are inspired by toxic plants and many classic botanical perfume notes can be poisonous and sometimes psychoactive.

This class will delve into the history of poisonous and psychoactive perfume notes, their botanical origins, their effects on the mind, and their use in historical and modern perfumery. We’ll cover what poisonous plants are used in perfumery, which are too dangerous and require blending perfume accords to mimic their scents, as well as the inherent poisonous and psychoactive nature of perfume in general.

Your host, herbalist and perfume nerd S.A. Lawless specializes in poisonous plants and botanical safety and has been making botanical perfume oils for 17 years.

Purchase includes access to the video recording of the live online class, the class transcription notes, and a reading list for further learning. Download links are made available after checkout in the order browser window and via email. Order emails are automated, so please check your spam folder for your download links.