Scents & Scentsibilities

January seems such a contradictory month to me, full of bulging waistlines and thinning bank accounts, new beginnings and old tribulations. How appropriate then that January is named for the two-faced Roman God Janus. Janus was associated with change and transition, and was depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions: he could see the past with one face, and the future with the other.

I’m betting that Janus had grey hair and deep worry lines, because all that looking back and forth sounds pretty stressful to me. I’m not thinking too far ahead nor looking too far behind in January: I’m just gently taking care of my here and now. Long walks, long soaks, and soothing fragrances, are just the things for January. My motto for 2008 is “Keep Calm and Carry On,” and these are some of the things that help me do just that:

White Jasmine & Mint

White Jasmine & Mint is Jo Malone’s latest offering, following 2006’s Blue Agava & Cacao.It has a very long list of notes, which are simply—and wisely—listed as “white blossoms” by the company. The notes include wild mint, peppermint, chamomile, coriander, cardamom, bergamot, mace, cassis, jasmine, ylang ylang, orange flower, rose de mai, muguet (lily), cedar, musk, mate absolute (a woody alkanol), vetiver, prune, and guaiac wood (an aromatic oil from the palo santo tree). I say wisely because the extended list of notes suggests that this is a heavy and complicated scent, and it isn’t at all. White Jasmine & Mint opens with a light burst of mint, which quickly combines with the other notes to create a light and summery scent. To my nose, the chamomile really makes its presence known, which makes it surprisingly soothing. Other than chamomile, I smell mostly a jasmine, with just a hint of woody spice at the base. The mint made more of an appearance on some people who tried it, but overall everyone thought it a pretty, light floral, but nothing out of the ordinary. As with all Malone’s fragrances, it is designed to “combine” with other scents in the line, and I think it will be more interesting when paired with another fragrance. The bottle is the usual Jo Malone bottle, square yet elegant.

Cologne, $50–$90. Available at Jo Malone, or at department stores, including Neiman Marcus.

White Tea Eau Parfumée

Designed to soothe both mind and body, Bulgari’s Thé Blanc (White Tea) is the one of three tea-themed fragrances by Bulgari, including 1992’s Thé Vert and 2005’s Thé Rouge. A simple yet deceptive fragrance, White Tea sprays on the skin like a sensuous silk velvet. It has notes of artemisia (a woody shrub which includes the sagebrush), white tea, white pepper, and musk. The white tea heart note combines quickly with Artemisia for a bit of bite, then dries down to the musky base notes. The overall feel is warm and restful, with just a hint of peppery spice. This fragrance is one that had a wide variety of responses. One fragrance-friend decided she really didn’t like it at all, while the other said it was her favorite of all the scents we have tried so far because it doesn’t smell like anything she had ever smelled before. I am on the love it side. I find the scent warm and pleasing, recognizable and long lasting, without being intrusive. I can also take a deep sniff of White Tea once it’s on and not have any sort of asthmatic reaction, always a good thing with a fragrance. And the way it glides over my skin when sprayed, is simply amazing. The bottle design is the same as the other tea fragrances: an elegant column with a frosted exterior. Eau Parfumée, shower gel and body lotion, $41–78. Available at most department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue.

Bath Bombs

Lush makes all sorts of lovely, fragrant products and I am very partial to their Bath Bombs. A fragrant soak in the tub can be just the thing to de-stress at the end of a long tiring day, and these lush choices won’t add stress to your pocketbook, either.

Avobath

If, after a long chilly walk in the woods or by the seashore, you return home frozen to the bone, tired, and dreading that dinner you rashly planned, this is just the thing to perk you up. Avobath plops into your bath water with a satisfying fizz, turning the water the color of sea glass. Full of avocado and olive oil and smelling of lemongrass and bergamot, this is one of my favorite bath bombs. I like to submerge myself neck-deep, and just breathe for a while. I always feel revitalized and ready to go after using Avobath, and my skin is nice and smooth, too. The description mentions sparkles, but I didn’t see any, thank goodness; I hate wiping up messy bath rings! $5.40 for 6.3 ounces


Waving Not Drowning

Everything about this bomb is understated and soothing, designed to calm you down and lull you to sleep. Small and not highly scented or carbonated, it gently dissolves in the bath, turning the water the pale color of the top leaves of a Spanish lavender stalk. I light candles, play some Bach, and emerge from my soak smelling faintly of lavender, totally relaxed, and ready for sweet dreams. $4.45 for 3.1 ounces Available at Lush.

Parting note: “January, month of empty pockets! Let us endure this evil month, anxious as a theatrical producer’s forehead.”—Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

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