Bath & Body: 33 posts

Bathing with Diptyque Olène soap is like stepping into the sunshine and finding oneself in a flurry of falling petals. A delicate blend of wisteria, narcissus, honeysuckle and jasmine fills the space like a magical bouquet. Close your eyes, and you can almost imagine yourself standing under a wisteria tree, its purple clusters of flowers close enough to caress to cheek. While the EDT created by Serge Kalouguine in 1988 opens up with a slap of honeysuckle, which softens in the heart, both the soap and the shower gel layer the hot sharpness immediately with a fruity whisper of jasmine. The wisteria adds a spicy edge, while the honeysuckle is present as a delicate haze of sweetness. Soap rewards one with a lingering and enveloping scent that I find perfect in the summer, but even more so in the winter to chase away the blues and the cold. Shower gel is likewise wonderfully scented, however I find it a little drying as well as not as lingering.

Diptyque hard milled soaps are of an exceptional quality, with diverse and unusual scents. They linger wonderfully after the shower and scent the room where they are kept. At $15 (one soap) or $38 (for a set of three), soaps can be obtained from Aedes, Beautyhabit, Bigelow Chemists, Four Seasons, and Sloan Hall, as well as selected department stores and Diptyque boutiques. In the States, there are two charming locations in Boston and San Francisco, both of which I love.

L’Artisan Parfumeur Ananas Fizz was a limited edition for the summer of 2004, which joined the regular line this summer. The top notes of shimmering luscious pineapple accented by delicate milky quality of the coconut milk dry down to a smooth base of sweet cedar. The finished result is along the tart elegance of Jean Patou Cocktail, albeit without neither as much complexity nor tenacity. Nevertheless, I would definitely want a bottle for the hot summer days, because there is nothing sharp nor cloying about the fragrance.

The body cream Crème d’Ananas comes in large heavy container, in a hue of bright summery green. The scent is of a juicy sweet pineapple with a sheer vanillic accord. While I love the rich emollient texture of the cream, on the skin, it turns into an extremely cloying fruit with an odd sour note. The matching candle Invitation Créole, on the other hand, is delicious. A small votive manages to release a rich scent of ripe pineapple tinged by dry woods, which tame the sweetness. Like nearly all L’Artisan candles, this one has a wonderful throw and manages to scent the room even when unlit.

Scented soap is high on my list of small pleasures. The feel of soft bubbles and the smoothness of the creamy round melting into the water and onto the skin—all of these elements contribute to the enjoyment. However, the fragrance that lingers gently after one has stepped out of the shower is what separates my usual not so exciting soap from what I consider a true luxury.

Frédéric Malle added soaps to the fragrance line in 2005. Currently there are three scents available: Vétiver (rich earthy vetiver), Bigarade (bitter orange), and Anterenea. The scent is very concentrated, more than that of any other soap I have tried. Unlike many ancillary products, the scents of the soaps are rather sophisticated, reminiscent of the tri-tiered perfume structure. Thus, my favorite Anterenea is a blend of rose petals and geranium leaves, which are enriched with clove and cinnamon. The scent lingering on skin is a radiant rose wrapped in rosewood.

The set of either individual soaps or all three scents is available at Barneys New York.