By Cherie Herrmann
Let’s be honest here for a moment: Does the lingering scent of lavender make you think of your grandmother and her cheek-squeezing friends? I’m guessing that’s a yes, but in reality, it should be a big no because the note of lavender is making a huge comeback.
Just ask Chanel, who is known as the trendsetters in both the fashion and beauty world.
The iconic brand recently launched their Les Exclusifs JERSEY fragrance ($350, 200ml), which is not only an interpretation of a fabric that is soft and comfortable to wear, but is also based entirely on the scent of lavender. Yes, lavender. It is seductive, sensual and chic, and works with the skin beautifully, leaving a soft scent in its trail.
Tom Ford has also jumped on the lavender bandwagon with his release of Lavender Palm Private Blend EDP Spray ($290, 50ml) in late January. It utilises two types of lavender – the bright, flashy note of Lavandin, and the intense undertones of Lavender Absolute. It too is addictively warming and automatically soothes the mind and soul.
And then there are your brands like Jurlique and L’Occitane, who have both known the brilliance of the lavender note for a very long time. Jurlique offers a number of lavender-infused products in their range, including a Lavender Body Oil ($30), Lavender Shower Gel ($27) and Lavender Hydrating Mist ($23). And L’Occitane, well, they’re backing up their belief in the purple fragrant flower by giving their whole lavender line a revamp, with new packaging and the addition of quality organic lavender essential oils in every product.
“Lavender is one of the most easily identified and well-loved notes used in fragrance,” says Erica Moore, Fragrance Evaluator, Fragrances of the World. “It was discovered as a way of fragrancing when laundry was flung over lavender bushes to dry in the southern regions of France, and has always been used to connote cleanliness and freshness.”
But why is lavender suddenly getting loads of love once again?
It’s simple really – it’s a reaction to the hectic, fast-paced lives we lead today. Pure lavender essential oil has been used for centuries to relieve nervous tension, anxiety, stress, nervous disorders, muscular aches and headaches, so it’s no wonder this brilliant note is taking centre stage once more. And then there’s its ability to send to you off into a deep, restoring sleep and hydrate and soothe the skin. It’s an all-round herbal remedy for everything, really.
Oh, and the fact that it’s a true classic scent also helps. Classics never go out of fashion.
If the scent of lavender makes your skin shiver, you can embrace the lavender movement by adopting the lilac hue in the form of nail polish and eye shadow. A sweep of the hue across your lids works well for day, and a lavender, plummy smoky eye is ridiculously striking come night-time. Note: matte eye shadows will keep the look modern – steer clear of icy lilac shades. For nails, think Revlon Classic Nail Enamel in Lilac Pastelle, $13.95, or OPI Nail Lacquer in Pedal Faster Suzi!, $19.95, from their Holland Collection.
But if you’re feeling really brave, one could always channel Lea Michele at the 2012 People’s Choice Awards and wear the hue on their lips.
Yes, lavender is definitely back on the scene, and is simply begging for you to embrace it.
