Refreshing *and* relaxing?

[Nia]

I know there are threads for cooling scents, citrussy scents and relaxing scents. I hope this thread isn't a duplicate, as I'm looking for suggestions about an intersection of those.

 

I love to wear perfume when I go to bed, but it's really hot in here (we are hitting 100 F before noon and afternoons easily reach 110, nights around 80) and all I can think of is lemony, herbal stuff. Things that would no doubt wake me up if I wear them in bed.

 

I don't have any lavender blends around, and something like TKO "feels" too hot right now!

 

Do you have any recommendations of oils that feel fresh and relaxing?

 

ETA: I would use Catherine if I hadn't run out, and Belladonna would be good but not with my skin chemistry.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Nia

[donnatron]

Nanshe from the Somnium collection is a nice bright citrus intended for prophetic dreams. Schrodinger's Cat also has a nice oakmoss base in it to keep it from smelling too sunshiney. It's not citrusy, but Leanan Sidhe is sort of dewey and fresh and really nice and refreshing without being too invigorating.

[tartchef]

I've been reaching for green tea-based scents at night this summer - I have a mister of F5 that's been lovely on the really hot nights. It's got a bit of mint, but not too much, and the aloe & white musk together are really cooling...

[sookster]

I've been reaching for green tea-based scents at night this summer - I have a mister of F5 that's been lovely on the really hot nights. It's got a bit of mint, but not too much, and the aloe & white musk together are really cooling...

 

 

here, here...i 2nd tartchef's rec for F5

[lookingglass]

Lurid is cool, relaxing and sexy. It is the only ozone scent I can do: lavender makes it sleepy, white musk makes it fresh, and the resins make it a yummy skin scent. I need more!

[Delirium1009]

My favorite blends to wear to sleep (besides just sleep blends like TKO and Somnus) are Gibbous Moon and Blue Moon 07. Both have a cool, blue feel and are very relaxing to me. I also used to wear Singing Moon to bed every so often, but the last 2 times I did that it gave me bad dreams.

[Ina Garten Davita]

I spotted this thread on the main page just as I was taking my first swipe of Licwiglunga. This fits the bill perfectly. It's a very interesting combination, resinous yes, but there it has a pine-like coolness combined with the refreshing lemony-herbal undertones which the lavender smooths it out very nicely. I'm wearing it to work today where I will get very warm and no doubt be stressed out. Licwiglunga will help me keep my cool on both levels.

[Ahania]

Szepassonzy is really nice.

[Lavada]

Mr. Ibis.

[thelaurenator]

I think Kumiho is a really nice refreshing scent for summer. Very light. I also find it relaxing because of the white tea.

[AEris]

I'm seconding Gibbous Moon : -)

[maribouquet]

The Coil!

[tartchef]

I think Kumiho is a really nice refreshing scent for summer. Very light. I also find it relaxing because of the white tea.

 

Ooo, yeah! I used up my imp last summer, and need to get a replacement...

[Nia]

wow, what a lot of quick suggestions! Thanks!

[brsis]

I'm rather fond of The Dodo, which is cool and fresh but comforting, or Wilde, which is refreshing but low-key enough that I can ignore it if I want.

[autumnal]

That's Black Forest for me, but YMMV. How about Squirting Cucumber or Slobbering Pine? Good luck btw, we had our first still-hot-trying-to-go-to-sleep night, a vivid reminder of their challenges...

[fairnymph]

LEs:

 

Uhh, don't hate me, but Blue Moon 04. I find the 07 version is a it too heavy on the orchid to be refreshing.

 

The Spell of Amorous Love, which has soothing sexy floral and musk, but bright currant and sake and green tea.

 

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love is like sitting in a cool green shady glen in England.

 

Golden Wave - relaxing fruit and musk, refreshing gin and citrus.

 

Ebisu - earthy and grounding from the oakmoss and skin musk but fresh from the green-tart nectarine.

 

I also agree on F5, though for me it's a bit too biting/masculine.

 

 

GCs:

 

Squirting Cucumber - very light and fresh and yet soft and gentle.

 

The Dormouse - both soothing and refreshing tea notes and light peony.

 

The Apothecary - a deeper, sharper, woodsier version of Dormouse, more masculine, without the floral.

 

Amsterdam - Grassy floral aquatic, reminds me a bit of Clinique Happy, very gentle.

 

Envy - it has a soapy edge, but is closest of the GCs to The Passionate Shepherd, and has a nice herbal-green feel.

 

The Hamptons - on me the juniper took over, but otherwise I found it similar to Golden Wave - a cosmo cocktail!

 

Leanan Sidhe - soapy on me in the drydown, but a clean fresh floral initially.

 

Lightning - yeah, despite the name, this is actually really relaxing! It feels very 'glassy' to me. Impossible to describe in typical perfume terms.

 

Mary Read - salty ocean grounded by earthy masculine musk and patchouli.

 

Sea of Glass - unisex green-white floral with a bit of ozone, but very light and gentle.

 

Shanghai - delicious super smooth green tea, but totally dies on me after about 2 hours.

Edited June 30, 2008 by fairnymph

[donnatron]

Popping back in because I realized how perfect this choice would be: Water of Notre Dame. And last night I went to bed wearing Yvaine and it was a nice chilly lavender.

Edited June 30, 2008 by paperrose

[Dark Alice]

Antique Lace or Torture Queen to help me relax at nite. I find that once they both dry down, I feel like I am sleeping on a cloud of lightly scented vanilla, clean flowers

[gchris]

I 2nd

 

The Coil

Mr. Ibis

 

I also like...

Snow White

Dana 'O Shee

because I find them to be comforting.

[Dark Alice]

the spell of amorous love. Refreshing green tea and red currant!

[Apple]

Sudha Segara! The ginger is citrusy and refreshing, and the milk is comforting. It's a very light, non-intrusive scent and is perfect when you want something calming and centering but not heavy. Great for yoga and at bedtime, too.

[AlleyKitten]

I've liked 51 -- it's very light and floral. The thing that made me the happiest may not hold true for you, though; I put it on right after a shower, and something about my soap, or the wet skin, or something, made the 51 smell like laundry detergent (in a good way!) and I went to sleep smelling clean clothes. It was very comforting, like being tucked in under light, crisp sheets as a kid.

[caffinatedangel]

I haven't tried most of what's been suggested :/

 

But, the first thing that came to mind was Irrelevant and Surreal Crawdad Dream. I'm in love with the stuff ^^'. But it's fruity, so fresh. Yet it's somehow dark and deep, which I find is relaxing. Course it's an LE, and all.

 

But I sat down and really tried to think of other scents that may work. Some of these may not be light enough, but I find them somewhat clean (so fresh, and sort of summery) while also full and dark so they're relaxing and all.

 

Ogun - The evergreen (whichever it is, I forget right now ) is wet and fresh, and to me is the next best thing to citrus. But it's soothing, and not invigorating.

 

Tzadikim Nistarim - This is a bizarre smell, it may keep you up with weirdness... but it's fresh to me, but not overly. Not as dark as Ogun or Crawdad either.

 

Maybe Nosferatu? - it's winey, which is fruity, and to me fruity is bright and light. But it's also dirt () and so it's tempered from being too bright.

 

Nuit - If you're Jasmine friendly (which I'm not) Nuit is a very wet, cool, soothing night scent. It would be the -perfect- scent for sleeping if I could tolerate Jasmine

 

And because I adore it, I'm going to also suggest Depraved. The patchouli has a bite, which is soothing and light at the same time. And the apricot is so delicious that it both makes you want to fall into a daze sniffing it, but also isn't heavy or anything. Summer friendly, I think.

 

The only one suggested that I've tried is squirting cucumbers, and I personally think it's too sparkly (I lack a better word) for bed.

 

I'm probably not much help ^^'. But maybe instead of Citrus, you should look towards Fruity. Blueberry, Current, apricot... they're all refreshing but not normally overwhelmingly sweet and annoying. Also lend themselves to soothing well. Good luck finding the right one