The Scottish Mail on Sunday - You
SCENTS WITH VA-VA-VROOM
BEAUTYTHERAP
I dread getting stuck in a car or taxi with one of them – you know, those so-called air fresheners that claim to smell of fresh pine but bear no relation to any kind of pine forest and just stink of headache-inducing loo cleaner. Plus it seems to cling to you like a pea-souper of pong.
Well, Tina Gaudoin, founder of Roadscents, knows that feeling, too – she wanted to rid her motor of the smell of her children’s dirty football boots and damp dog, but didn’t want to swap one nose-offending aroma for another. Plus, as a former beauty, fashion and luxury editor, she likes her fine fragrances and saw no reason why her car shouldn’t smell as good as she did. She tried a few solutions, such as keeping a bottle of Chanel No 5 or patchouli oil in the car; they’d work for short periods, but nothing she loved the smell of lingered If you haven’t yet discovered the StylPro Brush Cleaner and Dryer (£39.99, boots.com) you need to – it will transform the state of your make-up brushes. No more using washing-up liquid then rinsing them out… and out… or leaving them to dry on loo roll in the bathroom. Simply attach a brush to the centrifugal handle, turn it on and lower it into the bowl containing some brush cleanser. Hold it there for a few moments and watch the magic happen. Then lift the brush out of the cleanser but keep it inside the bowl for it to be dried and ready to use in seconds! for long enough. So Tina decided to do something about it herself and developed a kind of ‘if your favourite luxury brand did car freshener’ solution. It wasn’t easy – in fact, it was two years of not being easy. But the results are here: her brand features three high-end fragrances on pretty cards that all properly diffuse. Choose from Wake Up Call with lavender, orange blossom and vetiver; God Smell with patchouli, sandalwood and cedar; or Rose Rage, a mix of red rose, jasmine and musk (above from left). If you don’t have a car they are great for putting in drawers and even hallways – cheaper than a candle but still fragrant. As Tina says, ‘Smell can be such a positive or negative thing.’ With these, it’s all about good vibes – and drives. £10 each throughout December, usually £11; roadscents.com.