When we choose a perfume, we are choosing who we want to be. Choosing a fragrance for the hands is a slightly different act. What we are deciding is the atmosphere we want to carry through a gesture repeated many times a day: washing the hands, and moisturising them.
The hands are rarely far from the face. Holding a glass, touching a cheek, turning the page of a book. Each time, the scent on the hands rises briefly and reaches only you. For that reason we think of a hand fragrance less as something projected towards others and more as a private signal, chosen for oneself.
Soie's hand serum and hand soap come in five fragrances, each composed by the brand's dedicated perfumer. Below are their notes, and a few ways of deciding between them.
How a hand fragrance differs from a perfume
Soie's fragrances are perfume-grade, which is to say they are composed to the standard of a perfume in its own right. The way they behave on the skin, however, is different. They are designed to be enjoyed close to the hands. Rather than filling a room, they are felt softly when the hand comes near the face.
The other difference is their relationship with body warmth. Each fragrance was blended with the temperature and humidity of the hands in mind and moves from top to base notes as the skin warms it. The impression a moment after application, half an hour later and several hours later is never quite the same.
There is a practical consequence. A fragrance chosen from the bottle alone can feel different an hour later on warm skin. If you have the chance to try one, give it that hour, and judge it on the hands rather than in the air.
The five fragrances and their notes
LUXURY FLORAL
A scent in which the relaxation and grace of teatime at a hotel meet. A gentle floral citrus of bergamot and neroli is finished clean and refined with jasmine and musk. Notes: bergamot, mandarin, neroli, rose, vetiver, musk and amber. It suits anyone who wants both brightness and composure.
ELEGANT TIME
An elegant, refined scent that evokes dressing for the evening. The enchanting sweetness of osmanthus and tuberose is lifted with oriental spice for a gorgeous impression with a firm core. Notes: osmanthus, ginger, cardamom, tuberose, muguet, jasmine, sandalwood, musk and cedarwood.
COLOR DROPS
A light, transparent fresh floral inspired by drops of a rainbow after the rain. The dreamlike air of lilac and a watery accord is layered with musk for a finish that is light yet dramatic. Notes: lilac, wisteria, rose, watery accord, sandalwood, musk and cedarwood.
SUPREME TEA
A scent that recalls a journey back to oneself. Two teas, Japanese green tea and British black tea, are paired with herbs for a calm yet urbane refinement that invites a deep breath. Notes: rosemary, bergamot, sage, igusa (rush grass), green tea, British tea, amber, musk, moss and patchouli.
SAKURA
A refreshing scent of the first cherry blossoms, like taking a new step. The dewiness of blossoms after rain is layered with white lavender and sakura for a refined, pure finish. Notes: white lavender, grapefruit, lychee, sakura, magnolia, white rose, musk and cedarwood.
Choosing by occasion
If the families of scent feel hard to tell apart, think instead about when you will use it. For a morning wash that wakes you, the dewy SAKURA or the transparent COLOR DROPS fit well. In the middle of a working day, the composed character of SUPREME TEA settles the hands quietly.
From dusk into the evening, the sweetness and spice of ELEGANT TIME keep company with the hour when the day is being closed. For a slow afternoon, the teatime mood of LUXURY FLORAL is a natural match.
In an office, even though the fragrances are designed not to spread, consideration for those around you is part of good manners. People who want a quieter impression tend to choose SUPREME TEA or ELEGANT TIME, and both are worn comfortably by men and women alike.
Seasons offer another clue. The dewy SAKURA and the transparent COLOR DROPS belong to spring and early summer, the warmth of ELEGANT TIME and the depth of SUPREME TEA to the cooler months, and LUXURY FLORAL moves across the year without strain. None of this is a rule, only a way of beginning.
When you cannot decide
For a first purchase, or when you do not know the taste of the person you are buying for, the soft floral citrus of LUXURY FLORAL and the pure SAKURA are the easiest to choose. Neither divides opinion, and both move easily from morning to night.
A second question is whether to match the soap and the serum. Washing in a scent and then moisturising in the same scent lets the fragrance continue naturally on the hands. Combining two different fragrances is another way to find a way of wearing scent that is entirely your own.
If you are still undecided, begin with the serum rather than the soap. It stays on the hands longer, so you will learn how the fragrance behaves on your skin, and the matching soap can follow once the scent has become familiar.
Soie's hand serum and soap
Enlight Hand Serum and Moist Fragrance Hand & Body Soap share the same five fragrances. Both exist for the sake of hand beauty, and the scent is there to make that time richer. Each fragrance is described in more detail on our fragrance page, and the serum in every scent can be found in the hand serum collection.
Choosing a fragrance is a way of setting aside a small moment for yourself within the day. Which scent will stay on your hands? The answer lies not in the nose but in the shape of your days.
