Hand sanitisers just got sexy. No, honestly, they did. Which is no bad thing: just when you thought you wanted to see the back of them, all the news indicates that it might be sensible to keep sanitisers, um, to hand at all times.

And actually, over the past couple of years, we’ve come to appreciate hand sanitisers for another reason. Life gets sticky. And grubby. We’re trying to cut down on single-use wipes. Water isn’t always accessible (anyone travelled on a Southeastern train, lately…?) A spritz of hand sanitisers in-sticks us, and leaves hands feeling and looking fresh.

Few, however, actually offer a pleasure factor, but Zenatti is an exception. The fragrances – created by Francois Robert, acclaimed fourth-generation perfumer, who has created for such haute fragrance brands as Guerlain, Rochas and even (whisper it softly) Chanel – are really special. 

The collection began with a single scent, but four new ones have now been added…

Premieres Lueurs – zesty grapefruit, mandarin, lemon, moving into orange blossom and lavandin, for a ‘wild neroli’ scent, offering lingering notes of amber and white musk.

Havre de Paix – wonderfully aromatic (think: eucalyptus, lemon, mint and petitgrain, with jasmine and violet petals, too, with an ‘undergrowth’ of woods and mosses.

Parc de Bagatelle – if you’ve ever visited this garden, in Paris, you’ll know it’s swagged with roses – a clue to the note at the dewy heart of this, enfolded in pear, bergamot and amber.

Nuit Imperiale – you know how you switch your shoes, make-up, jewellery for the evening…? Why not your hand sanitiser, too? Here’s a smoochy option, offering spices (saffron, cardamom, black pepper) alongside jasmine, sandalwood, cashmere wood and a smidgen of patchouli.

Mediterranean Citrus – the original signature fragrance, bursting with bergamot, mandarin, eucalyptus, thyme and other aromatics.

Alongside the plant-derived alcohol, there are nourishing elements to counterbalance its drying effect: organic kikui, argan and tamanu oils.

Zenatti offer different ways to use and discover the collection, with different sizes and formats. Priced £24 each, there’s a 50ml, for home, office OR for travel – though for on-the-go sanitising, we prefer the travel atomiser for the handbag. Actually, we suggest you might want to start with the useful Mini Discovery Set, which showcases all five fragrances in 2ml size, and trade up from there. The Atomiser Set itself is a decidedly pricy £125, to include 3 x 20ml refills, but once you’ve got it, it’s a more accessible £20 for another trio of refills. Alternatively, a set of all five x 50ml sizes is £95.

Meanwhile, if you spot someone compulsively sniffing their hands while out and about, that might just be one of us.

£10-125 – buy here

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