“California Garden Oasis”, created by artist Rich Rickaby

When I wrote COVID-19 Aromatherapy Rituals: Five Ways to Keep Calm on March 28, 2020, I suggested ways to engage one’s senses through simple daily rituals in order to become more mindful and calm. In the article, I talked about appreciating simple pleasures – a comfortable bed and soft sheets, noticing the nuances of spice in your meal, or even just fresh outdoor air. Focusing on easily obtainable experiences would be a good way to restore equilibrium in these uncertain times, I thought. Back then, my suggestions involved some type of activity or movement that fit into the natural, activity-based flow of the day, including waking up, walking, washing, working, and winding down. Less than a year later, my perspective and approach have changed drastically. The delight I felt from the fleeting scent of wild pink jasmine on my daily walks has been replaced by my need to experience the tranquility that comes with connecting to something more sustainable and lasting.

 

Rock quarry, mixed pebbles, and “Casa Eggplant” stained wood

As a result, I’ve found myself on a quest for stillness like never before. Not to be mistaken with inactivity, the stillness I’m talking about involves a deep desire to focus intensely on only the things that truly matter, essentials, as opposed to “keeping busy.”

Creating Stillness

So how did this shift impact me? Well, for starters I began building my own garden sanctuary. Once it’s completed, I will be able to sit quietly surrounded by my favorite plants and flowers instead of seeking out the latest blooms on my daily walk. I grew up surrounded by carpenters, contractors, and craftsmen, so in some ways I felt at home during the countless hours spent visiting rock quarries, nurseries, and lumberyards choosing the perfect elements to create my personal oasis. My formulation skills as a perfumer even came in handy when I decided to custom blend the exact color for the wood stain for my garden wall. I named the winning experiment “Casa Eggplant,” and I love the way it’s turning my modest space into something even more unique and special.

 

Pink jasmine grows wild in California 

It’s been very labor intensive, but the sense of calmness that comes along with focused and methodical work has been immensely rewarding. The good news is you don’t need to go this far to create your own tranquil space.  A comfortable chair surrounded with a few of your favorite plants in a dedicated space can have the same calming effect. Another change in my attitude is that my overall tolerance for clutter and waste has been greatly diminished.

Making Room for Only the Best

I’ve always had a minimalistic approach when it comes to my own home, especially regarding fragrances. I keep tables and countertops clear for the most part, and opt to keep the air “pure,” introducing scent only on occasion. You’ll never find reed diffusers in my home, and as much as I love candle fragrances, I don’t personally use scented candles. Taking it a step further, I decided to take inventory of all my products and was astonished at the amount I found stashed away in cabinets, drawers, travel bags, and purses. So many things I’d been holding onto, or saving for “one day” or “just in case” began to seem pointless when I realized how long they’d been there. After my mission was complete, I was surprised to realize that throughout the pandemic there have been only two products that I’ve consistently used on a regular basis this past year and were essentials: lip balm and bath soap. Having a highly curated product line up is not a new revelation to me since my own brand, Provision, is built on the idea of minimalistic luxuries. Still, I was surprised by how drastically my daily routines had shifted.

Connection Lip Rescue by Provision

My go-to lip balm is Connection Lip Rescue from my own collection. It’s formulated with some of the same performance-based ingredients I use in my face and body products, along with a generous amount of rose wax. If you’ve ever wondered what imparts that silky texture in a rose petal, look no further than this golden balm, and experience the effect of rose wax for yourself. I use it every night on my lips, décolleté, and cuticles, and love how it gives my skin a “head start” for the next day. It’s no wonder so many unused lip balms turned up in my “product purge.” This concentrated multi-tasking balm has made the need for continual application of a lip product a thing of the past.

Sustainable Luxury

I also decided to forego my daily use of liquid body wash in favor of the more sustainable option, bar soap. I’ve found many bar soaps to be drying to the skin, dissolve too quickly or not quickly enough, or become soggy. I also don’t enjoy using the standard rectangular bars, especially the large “blocky” ones that don’t fit comfortably in my hand. So I went on a mission to find my new bath soap.

 Essential Bath soap exploration

There are so many great soaps to choose from. I am a fan of Caress, Tone, and Dove for many reasons, including their shapes. The soap I use every day, Maitri Charcoal and Amla Bath Soap, has become my all-time favorite. Of course, I am somewhat biased, but numerous testimonials have echoed the same reasons I cite for my preference: it’s not drying, the texture and “suds” level are on point, the ingredients are top notch, and the shape is perfect. From a perfumery perspective, I just love the way the bergamot projects a sophisticated freshness and feeling of calm followed by the deep notes of Eco-certified vetiver, which I’ve always found to be so chic and appealing. Given my love of fragrance and scented products, I thought it would be much more difficult to whittle my personal daily selection down to just a few. However, my newfound desire for stillness and an uncluttered home has made it much easier to let go of many of my past fragrant attachments.

Although I understand the appeal of rituals as a means to creating a sense of calmness and order, I now believe that once you identify and accept what’s truly meaningful to you, it’s easier to let go of anything that no longer supports it.  And this, I believe, can bring an even greater sense of lasting peace and tranquility than any pleasurable fleeting moments.

.—Sherri Sebastian, Contributing Editor, all photos by Sherri Sebastian©

 

 

New Essentials Gift Set by Provision includes a full size Maitri bath soap & full size Connection Lip Balm (retail value $42)

Thanks to Provision Scents and perfumer Sherri Sebastian there is a draw for to win a New Essentials gift set including full sizes of both Maitri charcoal & amla soap and Connection Lip Rescue for THREE registered CaFleureBon readers in the USA (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid). To be eligible please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Sherri’s article and/or ideas you have for creating your own lasting calm. What have been essentials to you. Draw closes 1/26/2022

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Sherri Sebastian is an independent perfumer and founder of luxury wellness brand, Provision. She’s based in Los Angeles and is the Vice President of the American Society of Perfumers

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