Lisa Fong
Lisa Fong has spent two decades quietly building Artemisia Natural Perfume into one of the Bay Area's most distinctive botanical fragrance houses. A graphic designer by training who spent years working in advertising, she turned to perfumery after becoming captivated by plant-based aromatics. In July 2004, she opened Artemisia Natural Perfume in San Francisco, naming the brand after the silver-leafed Artemisia herb that thrives along the California coast.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Lisa composes
Water, woods, and green botanical notes define the Artemisia signature, with Fong favoring compositions that feel cool, slightly wild, and rooted in the Pacific coast. Ondine, one of her best known works, leans into watery florals and soft woodiness that read more like a hike through mist than a conventional perfume. She builds with restraint, allowing individual notes to breathe rather than crowding the composition.
Philosophy
What drives Lisa
Fong's creative approach centers on botanicals, though she resists the idea that natural perfumery must be limited or rustic. She works with absolutes, essential oils, and resins to construct compositions that feel layered and modern. Her preference for working small and slow shows up in every bottle, with each release reflecting patient maceration and careful sourcing.
The houses