june in the studio
June has arrived in the city like an unruly rose clambering over a chain link fence. Stormy and sunny, both. A leafy canopy fills in over the parks to keep us cool in the weeks ahead. Everything so frothy and green.
It’s the first summer in our current studio, so it’s been interesting to observe the way the light shifts throughout the day. I haven’t worked in a west-facing space since our first studio on West Broadway, and I’m finding the golden late afternoon light to be a real pleasure.
In alignment with the glowing solar energy as we approach the summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere, I’ve been blending up fresh batches of our most golden potions, our nourishing serum and nourishing facial balm, both of which are wonderful restoratives after a long day outdoors. Pair them with our rosehip and calendula facial mist before bed to rejuvenate the skin overnight.
Our rose, cardamom and sandalwood botanical perfume has been the scent of the moment in this time of roses. I’ve been sending lots of little pots of the balm format of this perfume out the door, perfect for traveling and I find that the beeswax in the balm really has a special chemistry with sun-warmed skin in this moment of the year. A fresh batch of our matching rose, cardamom & sandalwood velvet salt polish has just landed in the shop, as well. If you don’t feel like polishing, but just want to soak, you can always add a few spoonfuls to the bath right before stepping in…
I loved creating a custom tisane this past month for a newly opened local wine bar owned by a friend. A simple but elegant infusion of lemon verbena, chamomile, peppermint and rose geranium. Truly a lovely way to end an evening.
And lastly, I’ve been trying to do a bit more reading these days, both for work and pleasure. Revelations In Air, below, is a bit of both. Not as in-depth and technical as Nose Dive, but witty and wide-ranging. Other scent/smell books on my list at the moment:
Past Scents: Historical Perspectives on Smell by Jonathan Reinarz
Scent: A Natural History of Fragrance by Elise Vernon Pearlstine
The Atlas of Perfumed Botany by Jean-Claude Ellena
All for now,
more summertimes
The light that breaks through after a sudden thunderstorm, though the last few weeks have been dry, with garden requiring endless watering. We could use some rain!