Subtle Energies
This luxury 'Ayurveda Aromatherapy' range has washed up on these shores, not from India, actually, but from Australia (available online in the UK via their own website).
However, one whiff and we are literally Tardis-ed directly to the Indian sub-continent, the land of extraordinary, rich scents and aromas, and – if you're lucky, as we have been – amazing spa treatments. (Of course, there is much more to India than that – flavours, colours, sounds and incredibly welcoming people, an all-round sensory overloading, magical place – but it is fragrance that can whisk us there in an instant.)
Rose, cardamom, tulsi, saffron, frankincense, mogra, kewda... Many of the oils in the Subtle Energies products smell as exotic as they sound, often earthy and very grounding (even animalic, may we dare say) – and a world away, in many cases, from the pretty-pretty aromas we've come to associate with Western aromatherapy. But we're mad for them – reminded, actually, of the first time we smelled Aveda, which had that same deeply therapeutic vibe.
As they explain, Subtle Energies offers 'results-based aromatherapy, natural skincare and wellness solutions founded on authentic Ayurveda principles.' It was born out of trips to India, where Farida Irani – who runs a clinic in New South Wales – studied with her Ayurvedic guru, Prof. Dr PH Kulkarni. These, then, are designed to be properly healing blends, not simply nice smells – and here are some of our favourites...
Aura Protection Body & Room Mist/£43 for 125ml. Spray this on yourself, for instance, before travelling on public transport, if you're feeling a bit unsure about crowds – or simply to provide focus and clarity. We've also been spraying it in hotel rooms, to clear the energy. Key Ayurvedic botanicals are tulsi, saffron and vetiver (Rhu khus).
Rose & Cardamom Hand Cream/£35 for 50g. Properly comforting, with lashings of the rose, and enough cardamom for the nose to be able to detect and enjoy. 'A scented celebration, as well as intense moisture therapy,' say Subtle Energies – and we couldn't put it better ourselves.
Bliss Blend/£58 for 50ml. This is a rich body blend – one of several in the range, including oils targeted at the specific Ayurvedic doshas, or disposition, covering both mind and body and prone to imbalance. (If you don't know your dosha, there's an online consultation.) This particular blend features kewda (known as 'the dream oil'), together with grounding and truly earthy jatamansi, to balance the vata energy that is often the cause of disturbed sleep.
Tranquillity Bath Soak/£45 for 250ml. Many bath salts we've tried require you to throw in half the jar-ful to get any effect, but a teaspoon or two is enough to do the relaxing trick, here. The pink salts dissolve perfectly (no grit!), offering a blend of 84 minerals to soothe body and mind, scented with Kewda and Frankincense.
While we save the dosh to get our doshas sorted out back at Ananda in the Himalayas, these are going to be go-to products.