Holiday Scents

December 2019

You may not believe that inhaling certain aromas improves your psychological and physical well-being. Some people do. But anyone who has smelled jasmine in bloom must admit that things which smell good make you feel good. The multi-billion-dollar fragrance industry is built on just that. Sweet scents are also part of the holiday spirit, from the smell of a Christmas tree to the perfume of home cooking. Here are a few shopping suggestions to help with the fifth sense.

At Rose Tree Cottage, (388 Miracle Mile) you can purchase elegant variations of Lampe Berger fragrance lamps. Invented by a French pharmacist a century ago to purify the air in hospitals, you light a wick, blow it out, and voilá, no more odors, only a nice smell. From $78 to $150.

The new bakery Madeleines & More, (366 Miracle Mile), is already redolent with the smell of freshly baked breads and pastries. But this cheerful French bakery also stocks luxury home and body fragrances from Paris. This is what the “more” is all about. Scented soap bars: $27.

Delicious odors come with the territory at Belle Fleur, downtown Gables’ premier florist (333 Alcazar Ave.). But now the shop where the air is filled with the scent of blooming flowers also has a candle bar, where you can purchase a variety of gift fragrances from $20 to $30.

When you walk into Neiman Marcus, it always smells good. That’s partly because the women’s perfume counter is on the first floor. Classics by Chanel, Tiffany & Co. and Prada go for $135. Or try the holiday special for $117: “Good Girl” by Carolina Herrera, in a bottle shaped like a high-heel shoe.