Tag: relaxing

Fragrances for… comfort & protection

Sometimes we all need some extra comfort, the protection of a reassuring hug. So, if you’ve been feeling particularly anxious, over-worked or just more than usually stressed (and frankly, who can blame you?!) we suggest reaching for one of these recently released scents to help soothe your cares away in fragrant form…

 


INITIO PARFUMS Musk Therapy
Initio fragrances ‘initiate perfume as an object of power’ – a concept we very much connect with. We could all do with some therapy after the past year, and the feather-soft white musk here fluffs around the edges of magnolia (we told you last year this flower would be blooming!) Blackcurrant provides a piquant edge, immediately smoothed and soothed by the assuring purity of sandalwood. Spray whenever you need a ‘me-moment’ of escape.
£205 for 90ml eau de parfum
harrods.com

ISSEY MIYAKE A Drop d’Issey
Almost 30 years on from the launch of the iconic l’Eau d’Issey, it’s still blazing a trail. This exquisite droplet-design bottle is created from recycled glass, the outer box with 70% recycled paper, many ingredients are sourced via ethical and sustainable partnerships – and oh, did we mention that Ane Ayo’s creation smells sublime? A gauzy, feminine veil pairing lilac and orange blossom, star anise and jasmine, resting on creamy musks, biovanillin and Ambrox.
£56 for 50ml eau de parfum
boots.com

 

AMAN Haru
Aman’s sculpturally-bottled scents are inspired by their peerless, understated luxury destinations around the world – in this case, Aman Tokyo. ‘Haru’ translates as ‘spring’; Tokyo is renowned for its cherry blossom festival, thus perfumer Jacques Chabert (who has applied his talents across all the Aman scents) layers the floatiest petalled floral notes with apricot and green tea, fluttering towards a dry-down that whispers with tobacco and maté tea, delivering a sense of calming harmony.
£220 for 50ml eau de parfum
shop.aman.com 

BVLGARI Splendida Patchouli Tentation
We happen to be fully signed-up members of the filthy patchouli fan club at TPS, marvelling that many are still put off by the ‘hippy headshop’ legacy. Fear not, naysayers, this contains a patchouli accord exclusively designed for the house – but it’s a gauzy shimmer of orris-dusted white peach on a sumptuously soft caress of white musk. Enough to convert anyone, we feel, and fresh enough for the most humid of days.
£78 for 50ml eau de parfum
selfridges.com

 

PARLE MOI DE PARFUM Haute Provence / 89
Endless vistas of Provençal lavender fields and their ‘glorious explosion of purple, mauve, lilac and blue’ were the inspiration behind this wonderfully soothing, aromatic ‘memory of France in high summer.’ Until we can wander those fields first-hand, this cool, dry and immediately nostalgic scent spirits us there with every spritz. Refreshing watermelon and hypnotic narcissus only add to the bucolic charms, and once again we praise the nose of Michel Almairac. Mais oui!
£98 for 50ml eau de parfum
lessenteurs.com

 By Suzy Nightingale

 

Scent to sleep…? Gorgeously fragranced relaxing products that REALLY work

Do you need to wind down, are desperate to be ‘scent to sleep’…? Silly question right now, I guess, but we have ways to help!

It turns out we could all do with slowing down, taking time for ourselves, learning to properly relax and get more sleep – a shame a global pandemic was the tipping point to realising this; but with sleep-disorders and reports of nightmares off the chart, we need to take action.

Luckily, before the whole Covid-19 thing kicked off, The Beauty Bible Awards 2020 were able to go ahead, and so we have a great list of products to go from. For those of you who don’t know, our Co-Founder, Jo Fairley, has been running The Beauty Bible Awards (and the many, many editions of the books) with Sarah Stacey for an incredible 24 years! These are products tested each year by over 1,000 women, who fill in extensive reports about each heavily-tested item. So when some products rise to the top and obtain Gold status, you know they’re the ones to reach for first.

Interestingly, a number of relaxingly scented or sleep-promoting products were trialled for this year’s awards. You can read their full descriptions and reviews on The Beauty Bible website, which I’ve linked below, but I’ve chosen some of my personal favourites (and items on my Wishlist) to share with you, here. I’ve picked them not only because they smell incredible but because they ‘do what they say on the tin’ (or bottle, or box…)

 

L’Occitane Lavande Foaming Bath £26 for 500ml
Tester comment: ‘The aromatherapy effect makes feeling relaxed very easy. I definitely became calmer when using it.’

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil £49 for 55ml
Tester comment: ‘It promises to be calming and promote good sleep. I felt it exceeded the claims. It’s amazing.’

Spacemasks Interstellar Relaxation Masks £15 for 5
Tester comment: ‘I was tired and stressed before using this self-heating eye mask but it gives me 20 minutes of heaven, very relaxing especially with the jasmine fragrance. Spacemasks help hugely with sending me off to sleep…’

This Works Deep Sleep Superblend £70 for 10ml oil & diffuser
Tester comment: ‘I have trouble sleeping all the time and yes, this helped a lot both with sending me off to sleep and being able to get back to sleep after I wake during the night.’

Beatitude Peace Pillow Spray £16 for 50ml
Tester comment: ‘Lovely evening scent that’s perfect for bed. I felt relaxed once I sprayed it on and looked forward to sniffing it before I fell asleep. It did assist me sleeping. Makes the bedroom smell lovely too.’

Temple Spa Quietude Pillow Mist £25 for 100ml
Tester comment: ‘I am a Play Therapist and I work with some very hyper children so I spray this in my room to help them feel calm and give a lovely soothing scent to the room. I would definitely by this again. Just perfect and exactly what I was looking for’

By Suzy Nightingale