optimism in a bottle

Nothing smells more optimistic to me than a lawn of freshly clipped grass, sharply green, best inhaled while sprawled across it on a sunny day while wearing a calico sundress. Bethany thinks of pretty Hawaiian flowers; for Adrianne, it’s fresh-baked cookies.

The new Optimism aromatherapy line from Bath & Body Works doesn’t smell like any of these. But the cheerful blend of crisp jasmine and tuberose, balanced with subtly herbal mate, went a long way in transforming a stressful, almost disastrous shopping endeavor into a pleasant mall outing. We keep the hand cream on our desks, and the Instant Aromatherapy rollerball on hand for emergencies. Available at Bath & Body Works, photo courtesy of Bath & Body Works