Olo fragrances
Not shown: Our 35-year-old bottles of Tea Rose. Which we still have.

From Tea Rose to Olo: Scents I Love

Covid has made me acutely aware of how much I value my sense of smell. Its possible loss is the long-haul side effect that I think about most, and one of the myriad reasons I got vaccinated as soon as I could. 

This spring I’ve been burying my face in clusters of lilacs, visiting the botanic garden as often as I can, and even going out of my way to visit an ambrosial wisteria blooming a block away.

And now that I’m going out more, fragrance, and lipstick(!) are both back in rotation. 

When I had a brick and mortar location (RIP to another Covid casualty) one of the fragrance collections I always stocked was Olo, handmade in small batches by Heather Sielaff in Portland Oregon. 

As a friend recently said, I’m a serial monogamist when it comes to scent (insert Gen-X digression here to acknowledge my early loyalty to Tea Rose, Rain, and some weird cucumber oil from the original Body Shop in my ’80s youth.)

Heather’s essential oil blends, with a coconut oil base, are my favorites. I’m thrilled to be dabbing them on again.

Dark Wave, a rich blend of cardamom, vetiver, and wood, and Nationale 6/7 with notes of jasmine, lemon, rose, and sandalwood are the two I wear most, and sometimes layered together. 

Whether it’s Olo or something else, doesn’t it feel good to breathe in the spring, and wear scents again?

Tell Us in the Comments

What are some of your favorite scents?

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