Spring is often thought of in interstitial terms—not so much a period of its own, but a passage between more clearly defined portions of our year. A corridor, rather than a room. In spring, the mind may still be thawing after a long, cold winter—the last of the snowdrops still in bloom; the spring blossom yet to arrive—or else racing ahead to the heat and sunshine of summer, tantalisingly close. It can certainly be a strange season, with unpredictable weather and blurry borders; however, indefinability should not be mistaken for insignificance—spring is a season to inhabit, not merely pass through.
Spring being the time of new beginnings, a proper invocation of the season should naturally feature a literal and figurative washing away of the old, to leave oneself in a state of readiness for what’s to come. To mark the moment, and encourage a sense of invigoration in mind and body, here is a regimen comprising uniquely refreshing formulations—from skin care to fragrance—alongside some cultural accompaniments. Clear your schedule and follow along.
Spring showers
Dosage: As needed
Key ingredients: Geranium Leaf, Mandarin Rind, Bergamot Rind
Dosage: Desired amount
Key ingredients: Pink Grapefruit, Orange Rind, Lemon Rind
Let us start with the body. Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser is an ideal choice for thoroughly cleansing the skin, and its enlivening, green aroma is redolent of the new growth that’s busy emerging from the earth. Geranium Leaf Body Balm—no surprise there—is a particularly harmonious hydrator to follow, or you can use Rind Concentrate Body Balm to not only soften the skin, but heighten the olfactive enjoyment with suited notes of Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Rind.
Facing forwards: spring skin care
Dosage: One to two pipettes, morning and evening
Key ingredients: Rose Petal, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Niacinamide (Vitamin B₃)
Protective Facial Lotion SPF25
Dosage: Half a teaspoon
Key ingredients: Green Tea, Panthenol (Provitamin B₅), Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Winter can certainly have a dulling effect on the skin, so let’s ensure that luminosity is restored as grey skies turn blue. Lucent Facial Concentrate is the ideal serum for spring, with Vitamin C and Niacinamide to brighten, and a lightweight texture. Follow with Protective Facial Lotion SPF25 to shield against the intensifying UVA and UVB radiation that spring—hopefully—brings.
Creating atmosphere through audio
So Liked Spring by Linda Smith
Dosage: 5 minutes and 27 seconds
Key ingredients: Tape hiss, reverb, the words of Charlotte Mew
As fine an invocation of spring as has ever been cut to tape, this lo-fi gem from DIY pioneer Linda Smith is the perfect soundtrack to your seasonal ablutions. Using double-tracked vocals, layered guitars, toy organ and barely audible percussion—all seemingly recorded in her living room—Smith sets a Charlotte Mew poem to music, deftly evoking the indefinable quality of spring, tinged with the bittersweetness of lost love.
A pause for reflection
Before taking the final step in this seasonal regimen, pause awhile, and take a moment to ponder the transformation that spring brings. Consider the words of Edo-period poet Matsuo Bashō: the disarming simplicity of his verse belies its philosophical depths.
‘Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows, by itself.’ Matsuo Bashō
A fragrant finale
Dosage: Apply as desired
Key ingredients: Yuzu, Vetiver Heart, Basil
Perhaps the most quintessentially spring-like of all our fragrances, Tacit Eau de Parfum has a uniquely uplifting character comprising citrus, grassy notes, and Basil. Spritz liberally to put the finishing touch on your salutation of spring.
‘But still it was a lovely thing / Through the grey months to wait for Spring.’
Charlotte Mew
