I’ve come to think of Space NK as a “post-Sephora” shopping experience. At first, Sephora was exciting: the aisles and aisles of fragrance and beauty products, often accompanied by a pulsing dance-music soundtrack, induced a feverish high of trying and buying. After a while, however, too much choice can feel exhausting, particularly when so many products start to seem alike. Nowadays, Sephora gives me the feeling of a crowded party, while a visit to Space NK is more like brunch with one or two friends. It’s selective and it’s simplified, and I can trust its suggestions.
In keeping with its streamlined, user-friendly style, Space NK offers its own line of fragranced products, which are sold both as individual items and as sets. I sniffed a few scents before making my choice. Compelling, a sprightly, fruity rose, reminded me of Hermès’s Rose Ikebana, and I know that Seduction is a particular favorite of Annie over at Blogdorf Goodman, but Soulful was the blend that attracted me the most. According to the Space NK literature, this “comforting” scent was “created following a visit to the hot springs in Gora Kadan—a traditional Japanese inn around the foot hills of Mount Fuji, where enveloped in the warm spring water you can simply lie back and listen to the breeze gently rustling the leaves in the trees”.
My “Bathtime Minis” set of Soulful products includes travel-size bottles of bath oil, body wash, and body balm (50 ml each) housed in a sturdy little box with a mod-calico design. In their bottles, the Soulful products smell predominantly of cedar, so I planned to wear them in conjunction with a cedary perfume such as Miller et Bertaux Parfum Trouvé No. 1 or Shiseido Feminité du Bois. When I applied them, however, their scent bloomed into a woodsy floral blend, with the cedar and sandalwood balanced by soft lily of the valley and dusky rose notes. It’s a seasonless, versatile fragrance that would work well with many other blends of smooth wood and gentle florals. It harmonizes beautifully with my beloved Les Parfums de Rosine Poussière de Rose, for example, as well as with my most recent perfume purchase, Bond no. 9’s Union Square.
The quality of Space NK’s products is high: the body wash lathers easily without drying out the skin, and the body balm is a milky lotion whose fragrance lasts for hours after it’s applied. The bath oil can also multi-task as body oil. All three “mini” bottles are good for many uses, and I’ll be tempted to return to Space NK for full sizes once I’ve finished them. I’ll also make sure to try the Soulful Eau de Toilette; layering all the products with their matching fragrance would, of course, be the simplest thing of all.
The “Soulful” Bathtime Minis set sells for $32. For purchasing information, see spacenk.
Oh that sounds real nice. I have gone to Space NK several times but only for their NARS or Stila prroducts or Space NK's beauty tools, I did notice their own line of body products but thought they're quite pricey (i am in UK and they are more expensive than Molton Brown!) but if they are of supreme quality AND smells nice then… would probably be more interested in their perfumes though~
Hi Bittergrass! The prices *are* higher than you'd find in mass-market US chains like Bath & Body Works, but the quality and the sophistication level of the scents are higher as well. And now that I'm seeing more and more lotions in the $75-$100 price range, $25-$30 somehow doesn't seem quite so shocking!
Oh Goody layering! I usually shop Sephora on line, it's much less stressful, plus you can save your wishlist. Does Space NK carry any niche perfumes? I assume they are online. Sephora stopped carrying Stella in 2, just when I was going to order the peony spray and seriously thinking about ordering the solid amber to layer with lighter fragrances. I'm pretty new to this field of really trying to become a seasoned “nose”. Does anyone have any ideas on how to sexy up a soft or white floral? I love the idea of layering. I'm thinking a chypre or musky, woodsy, ambery something,,,a solid would be convenient. And where do you find solids anyway? or fragranced body oils? It seems they would be easier to layer? Thanks in advance.
-Joy, Becca
Hi! Well, that's a long list of questions… let me try!
SpaceNK does carry niche perfumes, in addition to its own line, and they're all listed on the SpaceNK website. (There's a link in my review, and I reviewed a SpaceNK shop a while back, too.)
SpaceNK's bath oils can also be used as body oils, and they're very well fragranced. If you want something woodsy, I'd even start with Soulful! Red Flower, Weleda and Aesop also offer body oils, with plenty of natural ingredients.
There are more and more solid perfume lines available these days. Lush and Crazy Libellule & The Poppies both offer affordable solid perfumes. At a higher price point, Carthusia and In Fiore are two other options.
However, it is all a matter of taste, and of experimentation! And I'm sure our fellow readers will have a few suggestions as well.
I want this just for the box!
I understand completely! The packaging is adorable. The different gift boxes have slightly different designs, too. I'm keeping this box to store fragrance sample vials or lipsticks.
… and, to follow up my own comment with three specific suggestions (in addition to SpaceNK Soulful), I'd recommend Red Flower's Cardamom Amber oil, Aesop's A Rose By Any Other Name oil (more spicy than rosey!), and the agelessly spicy, sensual Estee Lauder Youth Dew oil. Have fun exploring!
Incredible! I just ordered the RF cardamom amber oil from Lucky Brand before I came back to this blog. And the Soulful sounds perfect for layering. The youth dew is probably less expensive too! Wow. One more ? Has anyone tried Stella's solid Amber in two? I know it's more mainstream. It sounds good, but who knows? I think a lot of mainstream fragrances became mainstream because they were beloved… not a brilliant jump. I just worry about staying/being too commercial. I'm new at this. I have a ton of fragrances, but most are pretty mainstream…ramble, ramble…forgive me. And thanks for being terrific.
Hi! That *is* funny about your Red Flower purchase! Another good (and affordable) line is Aura Cacia, which has some aromatherapeutic body/massage oils, including a Sandalwood blend.
I've read some very favorable comments about Amber in Two, and as Robin discussed in her “Perfume Snobbery” post, there is *no* need for apology here! The commercial availability of a scent definitely doesn't/shouldn't define its quality or its ability to please you.
Dear Jessica,
Well I got the Red Flower, Youth Dew, and Aura Cacia Relaxation. The RF is nice and comforting but the YD almost made me swoon. Our grandmothers wore this?!…they were brazen hussies
Wow, talk about a scent you either love or hate. There is just an unagreeable note in there.
I have had some success on my own amazingly. I mixed a sample of La Chasse Aux Papillons (lovely on its own) with a sample of Profumum Fiore d'Ambre from Lucky scent and it's wonderful! They really click. I do wish I could find a review on the Profumum? help, help? It's a really beautiful Amber- expensive though.
Also Stella in two amber has disappeared. I found 6 solids on e-bay that got snapped up quickly. The Peony is ubiquitous. Stella will have to change the name to “Peony Remains” or something clever. I can't believe I can't find it. Boo Hoo. ;{
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
-Joy,
Becca
Becca! Thank you for sharing the results of your search! I'm so happy that you found some new favorites. I agree that Youth Dew is no shrinking-violet, maiden-aunt kind of scent… not at all! It's a bold, retro beauty.
Also, thanks for the Stella Amber update; I had no idea it was gone. And I must admit I haven't tried any Profumums yet, in part due to that high price!