September greetings to all! I’ve been pretty cranky lately, due to work overload and the endless hot weather but, thankfully, I’ve just started feeling better about both issues. And in the meantime, I’ve been able to distract myself with bright and shiny toiletries that smell good or even just make me laugh. Here are a few examples…

Naxos Apothecary Shower Gel in Chora: I purchased this product on my first visit to Manhattan’s new-ish Naxos Apothecary shop and I used it all summer. It’s a liquid-y body wash with a fruity-floral fragrance of black currant, peony, and vetiver that inevitably lifts my morning mood. (There’s a matching bar soap and eau de parfum, too.)

Weleda Skin Food Light Nourishing Cream: Despite the fact that Weleda’s original Skin Food (in a slightly darker-green tube) regularly makes those lists of “favorite cult beauty items” or “makeup artists’ favorite products” that I’ve been reading for half my life, I’ve never tried it. But I just received this lighter version as a gift and not only is it a wonderfully effective nighttime moisturizer for my combination-to-dry skin, but it smells like good-quality gin. I’m hooked.

Diptyque Eau Rose Hand and Body Lotion: Diptyque’s body products are really expensive, yet not all that remarkable; I’d rather spend money on the brand’s fragrances and candles. All the same, when I came across a forgotten sample-size tube of this lotion in a bag I hadn’t used for a while, I was delighted. It’s a lightweight formulation with a pretty, shampoo-y rose scent.

Bath & Body Works Vampire Blood Anti-Bacterial Hand Spray: The label design is so randomly clip-art that I have to laugh, and the actual fragrance of this hand spray reminds me of cherry-flavored Jolly Rancher candies, but I can’t resist the name. Pure kitsch overall.

Chowards Violet Mints: A thoughtful friend brought these back from a trip she recently made, remembering that I love them. I actually haven’t had any in a long time, so I was really grateful for this treat. Yes, they taste the way old-fashioned face powder smells. And I love them for that.

How about you? Feel free to share any recent scented discoveries or rediscoveries from your bathroom cabinet or handbag!