BPAL similar to Origins FretNot

[Dinah]

I'm usually not someone who likes orange/tangerine scents, but everytime I go shopping I have to stop by the Origins counter and sniff all their FretNot products and douse myself in the perfume. I'm not sure what it is, but I just need to get a wiff of this scent and I calm down immediately. It really stops the fret from taking me over.

 

Now, I am a worrier. Every mundane task is a huge mountain for me - this morning, I went down to the exam office of my university to get the application form for my master's thesis and just the thought of going down there and fetching a stupid form sheet had me worrying for days because I was convinced they were going to tell me that somewhere, somehow I had overlooked something and had no right to start writing my thesis.

 

That's the kind of person I am.

 

But I'm also wonderful at calming others down - this constant worrying isn't natural to me at all - so I'd really like a scent that helps me remember that. Especially since the thesis and final exams are looming in a few months and I'm pretty sure with the stress I'll be having I don't need to add self-made worries.

 

Anyone know the Origins scent I'm talking about? Or, if not, which of the calming BPALs have worked best for you?

Edited July 18, 2006 by Dinah

[marzstar]

it's not citrusy but high john the conqueror totally makes me feel that way

it's one of my all time favorites that i almost didnt even bother smelling

another that comes to mind for whatever reason is black cat

 

and otherwise i suggest you try a TAL blend

 

charisma perhaps? or joy. or any of them, really, if the description sounds appealing to you, when you wear it, (if you get a wearable one,) and smell it, the smell will remind you to focus on feeling however it is that you want to feel.

 

at least that's my experience with them

 

good luck

[ivyandpeony]

I have been through phases like that, Dinah, so I totally sympathize.

 

Moxie, which is a panacea blend, has lots of orange-tangerine family citrus in it as well as some type of ginger. It is very invigorating and motivating - I love it! Since the Origins scent that's helping you is also orangey, you might want to do a search for some of the orange-based or citrus perfumes you haven't tried and see if they give you a similar effect.

 

I haven't tried the TAL blend Brass Balls yet, but from the description - hey, just from the NAME - it might help you.

 

If you want to see some of the BPALs others have found calming, there's a thread here discussing some chill-out blends for stressful times.

 

Hope you start feeling less stressed and more confident soon.

[Dinah]

Considering I just got a call telling me I've got a job working shift at a factory for the first three weeks of semester holidays, Moxie definitely sounds like a good suggestion - it sounds like it might keep me awake (conveyor belt work) AND give me the necessary confidence to pull off being thrown into completely new working conditions.

 

I am just so confouded by the orange - soothing blends are usually much more herbal, so I'm surprised by finding the zing so calming. And also afraid of the definitely soothing blends making me sleepy. *scratches head*

 

Thanks for the suggestions, they have given me some good ideas!

[Torrilin]

Swank is very much like the Body Shop's Satsuma products to me. Sweet, fruity TANGERINES. Makes me feel like a bubbly teenager . Since you find orange and citrus soothing, this might be a good one to try. Tea scents (especially green and white tea) often have a very citrussy vibe and may work well for you. Ginger has a citrussy zing too. So Sudha Segera, Kumiho and things along those lines may help.

 

If you are worried about your reaction to herbal blends, keep in mind the most usual "soothing" scents are things like lavender and chamomile. Very few blends have chamomile, and lavender tends to not be very prominent, unless you're looking at the Somnium blends.

 

Kalli

[GypsyRoseRed]

I have the perfume and body products from the FretNot line, and I have to say.. that smell doesn't last very long at all. In any case, what helps me with my chronic worrying is White Light (TAL). It's literally taken a load off my mind many a time. It's one of those things I must have a bottle of at all times.

[ivyandpeony]

That is a good call, GypsyRoseRed! I personally can't describe the notes in White Light (I'm sure some of the reviewers have done a good job!) but to me it's somehow bright and soothing at the same time.

[fiddledragon]

The aromatherapy/ritual ones all sound like good things, though I haven't tried them yet myself (except for the Somniums, which I find just outright soporific rather than calming, so they're probably not what your looking for).

 

Also, just consider what scents you personally find relaxing. It sounds like citrus works well, and there are lots to try there. Especially for work, I might actually recommend Jabberwocky -- it's orangy with a blast of pine/eucalyptus that just gets out all that mental crud and drowsiness. Some of the woodsy or foody ones might be other paths to try if you find nature or cookie smells relaxing, etc.

 

Good luck!

[Kiera]

For me, worrying goes hand and hand with anxiety, which can lead to me not doing anything but browsing the internet in my pjs basically. And Block Buster always helps me when I wake up and feel one of those days coming on. It smells to me like green apple and spice, no sugar, which isn't something I'd reach for if it didn't work for me.

[Dinah]

Aaah, yes, internet + pjs. For those days when everything else seems like too much effort.

 

White Light is definitely moving to the top of my "must try" list, and I managed to get my hands on a bottle of Moxie so I'll see how this one works for me.

 

Thanks for all the input!