Nothing is more welcome in spring than the first hint of jonquil or hyacinth peeping out of the brown, bare ground. Maybe that’s why we love floral body products so much. Lately, an increasingly diverse menu of botanicals is being used in creams and scents: Jasmine, peony, violet, gardenia, geranium, lily and rose are cropping up more than we’ve seen them in the past several decades. Many had fallen out of popularity, deemed too staid once the patchouli era arrived. But they’re back with a vengeance, and they offer a nice, refined change of pace in everything from face cream and candles to bath salts and perfume.
[chantecaille]
Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask
This brand offers amazing botanical creams, including a nourishing mask made with jasmine, lily, rosewater and mimosa.
$82 at Neiman Marcus
[the soap & paper factory]
Jasmine Hand Cream
Redolent with the exotic fragrance of jasmine, whose blooms open only at night, this hand cream is made with shea butter and contains no parabens or petrochemicals.
$18 at soapandpaperfactory.com
[lollia]
Breathe Hand Creme
Scented with delicate peony and white lily, this cream has a base of shea butter, an incredibly emollient ingredient for softening rough and cracking skin.
$25 at Soft Surroundings
[herban essentials]
Lavender Towelettes
Imagine an antibacterial wipe that actually smells good. These have a yummy lavender scent and are individually wrapped for easy access in restaurants, on planes or anywhere.
$17 at Soft Surroundings
[the soap & paper factory]
Gardenia Luxe Bubble Bath
Gardenia, one of the loveliest vintage scents, is sweet, tropical and perfect for lazing in the bathtub with a glass of wine. This concoction is skin-softening, with borage seed and meadowfoam oils.
$32 at Anthropologie
[lafco new york]
Bath Soap
With scents like Geranium, French Lilac and Rosemary Eucalyptus, this soap line offers giant bath bars heavily infused with essential oils that don’t diminish as the bar is used.
$18 at Dominic Michael Salon
Photo: Bill Barrett