5 Calming Fragrances to Capture the Scents of Wabi-Sabi

With Bangkok enduring wave after wave of COVID-19 (Indian and African variants included), it’s safe to say we are all in need of something calming and meditative for this period. Scents can be very effective, and a change of perfume can be invigorating and work wonders for the nerve. Here are some oriental-inspired fragrances to evoke a sense of zen and wabi-sabi in you.

Maison Louis Marie: Le Long Fond

Maison Louis Marie’s Le Long Fond is a woody symphony perfect for any gender. It marries hinoki wood accord with darker notes of cedarwood, patchouli and amber. This is a warming scent perfect for a day at home or late night contemplations.

Aesop: Rōzu

Aesop’s Rōzu is both sensually and aesthetically calming with its bottle of brown glass. This floral and woody combination interestingly combines notes of rose with the green and woody notes of shiso and guaiac wood.

Shop Aesop’s Rōzu here.

Le Labo: Thé Noir 29

Wabi-sabi emerged from the art of tea ceremony, and so it is most fitting that Le Labo Thé Noir 29 Eau de parfum is included in the list. Thé Noir 29 itself is a celebration of tea and the craft of tea-making. It infuses light notes of bergamot, fig and bay with a more contemplative nose of tea-leaf, cedarwood, vetiver and musk.

Shop Le Labo’s Thé Noir 29 here.

Diptyque: Kimonanthe

What’s in the name? Diptyque’s Kimonanthe aptly harks to both the kimono and osmanthus. The perfume pays homage to Japan through incense powder and osmanthus—a small white flower with a unique scent of apricot and leather. This is a rounded scent that where candied fruit, leather and spice harmoniously meet.

Aman: Haru and Sei

These two new additions to Aman‘s fine fragrance collection take inspirations from the brand’s flagship hotel, Aman Tokyo and Amangiri, the Utah desert retreat.

Inspired by Aman Tokyo and named after the Japanese word for spring, Haru features delicate layers of floral and fruity. One can expect notes of soft apricot and green-tea accents with hints of musk and tobacco designed to evoke the spirit of Tokyo traditions.

On the other hand, Sei is a more mysterious scent designed to capture the sense of nightfall in a desert. It combines pine needle and juniper with notes of dry safe and lavender. Rooted in the wilderness of nature, its earthy, woody scent is accented with cedarwood and ciste labdanum.