Scents of Healing: Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree, Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked, and Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi+ 3 You Should be Wearing Giveaway

 

 Scent and healing

  Healing  photo via shutterstock

Contemporary society has a complex relationship with the subject of rest. Even more so if that rest is in service of healing. The past few years have brought these ideas squarely to the forefront of many of our lives, or the lives of those we know and love. While you might not find rest, convalescence, or recovery as important subjects in modern medicine, you will find the term post-viral fatigue. The relationship between infectious illness and tiredness was well known to physicians as far back as ancient Greece: the first medical writings are full of descriptions of fever accompanied by debilitating fatigue. Why this happens is still poorly understood. Waves of Covid-19 from 2020 onward have triggered this kind of enduring fatigue in many. Since the pandemic, increasing economic pressures have created what Yale psychiatrists Paul B. Lieberman and John S. Strauss call work stress when “enforced pursuit of an activity is at odds with [a person’s] own goals and aspirations.” The need for rest and serenity is not new. Even during relatively normal times, humans have needed some kind of regular rest. Our modern practice of doing so every seventh day is actually an ancient notion enshrined in the concept of the sabbath (Hebrew for rest).

nature is healing

 Florence Nightingale also strongly advocated for windows looking out on scenery that is green, alive and growing (a recommendation that has been born out through modern research). In the rush to corporate medicine, we’ve lost something important: places built for rest and adequate time to heal. When we don’t have access to spaces perfectly attuned to rest and healing, scent can transport us to those needed mental landscapes.

Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree

 

Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree and Anjali Vandemark collage by Rachel

  Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree (Anjali Vandemark) transports its wearer to the meditative quiet of India’s rural landscape. Green farmlands move at the pace of nature and Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree unfolds on the body in a harmoniously restful tempo. Perfumer Anjali Vandemark created Under the Mango Tree from her memories of playing beneath these majestic trees during her childhood in India. The mango tree has deep roots, like healthy veins, drawing water from far beneath the ground. The scent of healing, life and health that one gets from inhaling the air just underneath a tree is beautifully captured in the opening of this lovely fragrance. Green mango skin and tomato leaf create a unique and beautiful green accord that is lifted with grapefruit and bergamot. According to Anjali, “I was looking to represent the feel of the tree trunk, its deep green leaves, and the feel of the earth as you sit under it.” Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree has a long and meditative opening that creates a sense of healing through scent. Blue chamomile essential oil and lavender essential oil offer herbaceous diffusion around the layered heart of wild rose and rose water. Base notes of fir balsam, pine wood, and hay recall the dry and healing air of mountain retreats. The mango skin note develops slowly into a ripe mango fruit that blends effortlessly into the protective canopied environment created by Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree. Notes: green mango skin, tomato leaf, grapefruit, bergamot, wild roses, rose water, fir balsam, pine wood, dust, hay

Maher Olfactive Sunsoaked is a healing perfume

Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked and Sean Maher courtesy of the brand collage by Rachel

Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked (Sean Maher): Healing time in a spa was known as the Rest Cure and it had a complementary approach to recovery known as the West Cure. Doctors in the 1800s would advise some patients to journey to the Midwest and seek work on a ranch where they could spend time immersed in nature, engaged in physical labor, and out in the sun. The West Cure had adherents from Teddy Roosevelt to Walt Whitman, all of whom spent time through the 1870s and 1880s out west as a cure for nervous conditions. Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked provides just such an energizing journey. Located in in Saint Louis, the “Gateway to the West,” Shawn Maher creates fragrances that reflect the unique sense of place in his part of the Midwest. Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked opens with a bright neroli exuding a healing and uplifting white floral aroma with a fresh, sweet, subtle green facet. Neroli remains the ray of sunshine throughout Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked. Narcissus, orange bigarde and chamomile interweave with the neroli to create a vibrant, radiant solar energy. Orange bigarde adds a sweet, honeyed and somewhat metallic edge with green and spicy facets (orange blossom is also extracted from the same blossom). Amber and Texas cedar bring the saturated sun-soaked texture to the fragrance. There is something powerfully healing about the incandescent feel of sun on one’s skin. Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked has managed to capture the experience of air thick with solar rays in this wonderful bottle. Notes: neroli, narcissus, orange bigarade, black currant bud, chamomile, Texas cedar, amber

Whitney Swales of Whit and West Jasmine Pet noi

Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi and Whitney Swales courtesy of the brand collage by Rachel

Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi (Whitneys Swales) In his book, Recovery, Dr. Gavin Francis discusses how important the natural balance between inner and outer environments can be for our health and for healing.  He advises, “give time, space, and respect to convalescence if you can. Charge your environment with as much as you’re able of space, light, cleanliness, greenery, quiet. Travel if you can, and if you can’t, travel vicariously through the stories of others. Attend to your surroundings and your occupations if they’re making you sick, change them… healing happens thanks to the same force that greens the trees in the spring and pushes bulbs up through the earth.”  Changing our environment through scent can be a powerful tool for health. Wit and West’s Jasmine Pet Noi takes us to a garden in full-bloom. Pink peppercorn and bitter orange sparkle through thick evening air. Orange blossom and jasmine sambac bring a flash of creamy white petals followed by a slow burn of intoxicatingly rich beeswax and sweet-honeyed indole. Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi smolders down into a resinous base of labdanum, patchouli, and palo santo. This beautiful dry down is an utter whirlwind of healing energy. Biting yellow lemon entwine with honied marshmallow sweetness; fresh water mint and creamy notes reminding me of Siam wood and sandalwood rise to the surface. This garden is alive! It is buzzing with energy, a plentiful and dark perfection. Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi captures that essential and  healing  lifeforce that propels us forward, to heal, to love and to create anew. Notes: pink peppercorn, bitter orange, orange blossom, jasmine sambac, patchouli, palo santo, labdanum

Sample of Under the Mango Tree kindly provided by Anjali Perfumes, sample of Jasmine Pet Noi kindly provided by Wit and West Perfumes for my scent of healing article and reviews, sample of Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked my own

Opinions, as always, my own.

~ Rachel K. Ng, Senior Contributor

Maher Olfactive Sunsoaked, Wit & West Jasmine Pet Noi, Anjal Perfumes Under The Mango Tree

Thanks to Anjali Perfumes, Maher Olfactive, and Wit and West Perfumes we have a reader’s choice of these three healing and serene fragrances.

Thanks to Whitney Swales we have a bottle of Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi for a registered ÇaFleureBon readers IN THE USA ONLY (if you are not sure if you are registered click here – you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid)

Thanks to Shawn Maher we have a bottle of Maher Olfactive Sunsoaked for a registered ÇaFleureBon readers IN THE USA ONLY (if you are not sure if you are registered click here – you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid)

Thanks to Anjali Vandemark we have a bottle of Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree readers IN THE USA ONLY (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 quality comment on this site with what strikes you about Rachel’s three scents of healing, which you would  choose should you win and how fragrance helps you find serenity and healing, Draw Closes 6/10/2023

Please read Deputy Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor Ida Meister’s Perfumed Plume award winning in-depth essay Scent and Healing: The Transformative Power of Perfume

Editor’s Note: Each of the three scents of healing chosen by Rachel are by artisan perfumers. Perhaps it is their mindful and deeply personal intent when creating that brings serenity and healing.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ARTISAN PERFUMERS and buy directly from their websites, sample, bottles discovery sets: Wit and West here, Anjali Perfumes here and Maher Olfactive here

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @rachel.k.ng @witandwest @maherolfactive @anjali_vandemark

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26 comments

  • Brad Woolslayer says:

    It’s interesting to read about a mango fragrance that conveys serenity and healing. I would love to win a bottle of Under the Mango Tree. Certain notes, like lavender and tea work well to promote serenity and healing for me. I live in Maryland USA.

  • castlemicro says:

    Hello from Florida, and thank you to Rachel for the reviews! These three scents all sound refreshing in their own way, but I’d be most interested in trying Anjali Perfumes’ Under the Mango Tree. It seems like a scent that fully evokes a sense of place — bringing rest through imagination.

  • Steve A says:

    All three are new to me. And based on what I read I’m struck most by the description. of the Sunsoaked, which is what I choose for this draw. It’s the most citrusy sounding of the three. US

  • Anooj Patel says:

    As a longtime CANADIAN BORN – but of Indian descent – it is hard NOT to be supportive and proud of the work Anjali has done! And moreso, this article by Rachel is absolutely incredible in detail and genuine thoughtfullness – AMAZING.

    I would truly cherish the ability to connect with Anjali and exchange thoughts/ideas/stories in the industry!

  • AromaDulce73 says:

    Sun Soaked sounds interesting to me. I don’t no much about neroli but have heard plenty about it. Looks like this would be a great fragrance for the summer.

    Los Angeles, California USA

  • johnmadison says:

    Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree sounds like it would be a very healing fragrance for me. I find a sense of calm with the note of mango and tied with its other green notes I feel this one would offer a state of well-being.
    John – Minnesota, USA

  • Torax says:

    Great review by Rachel here.
    I think that perfumes were a relief for me, specially in COVID times were I think everyone had their difficulties. I wore perfumes even If I had to stay home all day, it made me feel better.
    I think that everyone should give a rest time when feeling down.
    The perfume I would choose if I win would be Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked. I love that it has Neroli as main note and that it is an energizing fragrance. Amazing.
    USA here.

  • Marissa says:

    First, thank you for including Ida’s article. It deserved that award. Rachel what a great study here of three perfumes and the idea we have post traumatic reaction to the pandemic. So many have suffered. Right now I am into jasmine. I remember wit and west from Steven video
    So that would be my first choice although sun soaked sounds great as does under the mango tree.

  • Trinity33 says:

    Oh my all three sound lovely. Kudos to Rachel for highlighting artisan perfumers creating healing scents. I’ve tried a sample of Shawn Maher’s Sunsoaked and would love to win a bottle. It really does feel like wearing a ray of sunshine and there’s a definite Western/ desert vibe with the Texas cedar and amber. I can see the parallels with the rest cure in a healing spa that Rachel referenced. MD, USA

  • Arron_Q says:

    Fragrance is truly magical. It’s healing powers are not talked about enough but for me has always been a key reaon for me becoming so entwined in this hobby. As Rachel mentioned above, ensuring you set aside periods of rest for yourself is a key factor in improving your mental and physical health. Fragrance is a powerful tool which can be used in these rest periods. One of my favorite ways to enjoy a fragrance is to apply a few sprays, put on some music, lay back, and close my eyes as I drift away into a transportive state. I wouldn’t quite call it meditation per say, but more like taking a mental vacation to a different place and/or time.

    The three fragrances discussed in Rachel’s review all sound amazing. Maher Olfactive’s Sunsoaked seems to be a blast of sunshine ready to energize, Anjali’s Under the Mango Tree is peaceful and meditaive, and Wit and West’s Jasmine Pet Noi sounds to me to be equal parts tranquil and inspiring. What would I choose if I were to win? Wow, this one is difficult. While I would honestly love any of them, I think Sunsoaked and Jasmine Pet Noir may better suit me. That said, I think I’d have to put Jasmin Pet Noi as my top pick. Best of luck to everyone. I live in NC, USA.

  • Uncle1979 says:

    Personally I rarely am in need of mental healing , or serenity . Even throughout all the C19 periods we never closed the bakery , even for a week , no customers were allowed inside , but we had the avalanche of orders and deliveries every single day. I’m used to hard work noisy environment, and to me too much of serenity is not a good thing .
    One of my favorite ways to relax, is sampling new fragrances
    ☆ Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree , the more rural areas of India during the Summer like fragrance.
    ☆ Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked. I like Rachel’s take on the effervescent ,fresh and sweet aroma
    ☆ Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi
    Honeyed marshmallows and mint in the garden
    I’ll be happy to win Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked
    Appreciate the 3 mini reviews, and the giveaway campaign
    USA

  • starsnek says:

    Under the Mango Tree sounds fantastically beautiful but I am afraid of the mango note triggering allergies. Sunsoaked also made me raise my eyebrows — a “sun” themed perfume with no jasmine? It sounds like a deliciously fruity treasure. Hello from the USA!

  • rmsssss says:

    I’m struck by how all these healing scents seem to reference the outdoors and the environment. This makes sense to me since I find retreating into nature to be one of the best ways to heal. When I wear a perfume to relax or recharge, which I often do, I am usually drawn to the ones that best evoke the natural environment so I can imagine that I’m
    out in nature. All these perfumes sound gorgeous but the one that speaks to me the most is Under the Mango Tree. I love a tomato leaf note, and I’ve sampled a number of Anjali’s other perfumes and she is so talented! Under the Mango Tree would be my choice if I am lucky enough to win. I’m in MN, USA.

  • AJ says:

    These all sound fabulous! I would love to try Jasmin Pet Noi. I so appreciate getting three reviews for happy, summer scents. I’m in the USA.

  • soviz says:

    All three sound incredible! I’m intrigued by how Under the Mango tree utilizes fruity notes to create an aura of serenity and healing; I usually associate fruity notes with more energetic fragrances so the unique calm green accord sounds wonderful. As for Sun Soaked, I love the historical connection to the American midwest and how the notes culminate to create a strong sense of place and time. Lastly, the notes in Jasmine Pet Noi simply sound luscious!

    I would pick Under the Mango Tree if I were to win. Fragrance helps me find serenity and healing in the way it pulls me into the present moment and creates a very small, accessible moment of joy. I am located in the US!

  • TravisO says:

    Shawn Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked would be my choice.

    Rachel hit it on the head by saying the feel of the Sun provides a healing effect.
    I truly believe in that and encourage my whole family to get out in the sun more often.

    I would love to soak my body in this on a hot sunny day.

    Thanks for the giveaway from the USA

  • amanna says:

    What wonderful, varied choices for healing fragrances! Ida’s intro hits the nail on the head when it comes to how our contemporary life of work stress, Covid-19 aftereffects, and separation from natural scenery all seem to conspire to bring us fatigue. And the answer to that is rest, as unpopular as it is in our never-stop society.

    Of these three healing fragrances, Ida’s description of Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi resonates with me the most. I love the idea that it captures the feeling of a living garden, something I’ve been sorely missing in my life lately. Lush florals, sparkling citrus, and a rich dry down sounds amazing. As Ida talked about in Scent and Healing, the right fragrance can do miracles for healing. Right now I use sandalwood oil for that purpose, helping to ground me after long days, but a fragrance redolent of a garden sounds so nice for that purpose!

    If chosen, I would love to try Jasmine Pet Noi! Best wishes from the US.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the great article Rachel.

    I’ve always found that scent helps transport me to places and lifts my mood in a manner that I can’t quite explain. It does it better than a lot of other things, primarily because I always have memories associated with it.

    Under the Mango Tree reminds of my time home, eating ripe mangoes and using green mangoes to make souring agents. I love how Anjali has played around with this note and added in blue chamomile, a rose water accord and a few other things to anchor it down.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • mmerline says:

    Considering the air quality in much of the midwest and eastern North America, and everything that’s going on in the news, restful, centering, healing fragrances sound very appealing. I like how your three selections all highlight different forms of therapy and recovery in nature. That’s what I wear when I’ve spent too much time inside, locked to a computer, and need to get a olfactory reminder of the great outdoors, a bit of sun, and fresh air. Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree caught my attention immediately; I adore a good tomato leaf note (relatively hard to come by) and it captures a landscape that sounds wholly meditative and restorative. I’ve tried Sun Soaked, and it’s a lot of fun. Very much energy in a bottle. And for those that just need a walk through the garden in fully bloom to wash away the day’s stressors, Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi sounds perfect. Great list, Rachel!

    I’m in the USA. Should I win, I’d choose Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree (but any of these would be great). Thanks for the giveaway!

  • Christie says:

    These fragrances all sound lovely. Different types of relaxation come to mind with each one. Under The Mango Trees for an exotic beach vacation, Jasmine Pet Now is what I’d want my sheets to smell like at my luxury hotel. Finally, Sun Soaked is the one I want to try the most. It fits my vision of a relaxing day. I like a sunny scene, a glass of iced tea and some travel blogs.

    Thanks for the article, Rachel and thanks to Cafleurbon for the giveaway. I’m in the USA.

  • Farewellsmell says:

    What strikes me about Rachel’s review of all three of these fragrances is that they all all focus on the idea of being a “feel good” scent in the way that they all represent a place of comfort. If I had to choose one of the three, with all three being incredible fragrances, I would pick Jasmine Pet Noi. For me, fragrances help me find peace in that the scents themselves remind me of a specific place or memory that I connect with a scent, which for me was my backyard during covid where I spent a lot of time relaxing and gardening, which is why I chose Jasmine Pet Noi because of how it’s like a “garden in full bloom”.
    TX, USA.

  • foreverscents says:

    I am a big proponent of rest, relaxation, and resetting. I know that capitalism always pushes us to be productive–indeed to produce for the wealth of shareholders. This is ingrained into us from a young age. We need to get un-ingrained. During the pandemic, I turned to fragrances to help me reset. I love grounding fragrances and Rachel has certainly described the three artisan fragrances beautifully. I would choose Under the Mango Tree because I love to eat green mangoes. I also love tomato leaf.
    I live in the USA.

  • Regis Monkton says:

    I get peace of mind when I find fragrances which I like in such a way where I don’t just somewhat like it, but I like it a lot. I always enjoy those discoveries, and I get a good feeling when I can have them in my collection. I would like to be entered for “Under the Mango Tree” because I find its list of notes to be enticing and also because Rachel’s description of it made it seem very enticing to me. I live in the U.S.A.

  • IvanVelikov says:

    I don’t know about healing, but I do find serenity in some sandalwood and cedar fragrances
    -Anjali Perfumes Under the Mango Tree , meditative fragrance with Indian connections
    -Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked
    Love the name, and the floral aroma with fresh ,sweet ,subtle green facet description
    -Wit and West Jasmine Pet Noi sweet fragrance with indolic jasmine
    Sun Soaked is the fragrance i’d like to win the most
    Thank you Rachel, and all the brands
    USA

  • Caliwas says:

    Based on Rachel’s reviews of these 3 amazing healing fragrance I definitely would pick Maher Olfactive Sunsoaked because of the scent profile and notes of neroli… This sounds like radiance and brilliance in a bottle. Thanks for the giveaway. Greetings from the USA.