Elements

The Elements Showcase hosted its second expo this week at Skylight West. Since Frederick Bouchardy, Jeff Lawson and Ulrich Lang launched the first showcase in January 2011, it has more than doubled in size. More than 80 emerging and established brands were there to show off the latest in niche fragrances, personal care and home ambiance. Tea scents reigned. From candles to perfumes, tea in all its varieties could be found in many designers’ brews.

Anthousa has a Parisian White Tea candle and diffuser set that balances white tea with wild lilies and meyer lemon. Newcomer Atelier Cologne has a collection of six citrus fragrances including Oolang Infini, a full-bodied scent that captures blue tea and bergamot with hints of smoke and leather. Belle Fleur, which is launching soaps in November, has a line of home fragrances that includes an ethereal White Orchid Tea, which blends orchids, peonies and Asian bergamot with green tea leaves. Joya’sblack porcelain candles and reed diffusers come in four scents, one of which is Gunpowder Green Tea, a blend of shiso tea leaves, mint, cape jasmine, lily and Sicilian lemon. Candlemaker Cire Trudon has a refreshing Moroccan Mint Tea and heady Tea and Vetiver scent. The Hype Noses’ Thé & Kimono candle smells precisely like a fresh brewed pot of strong black Japanese tea. Jacomo’s #8 goes a little sweeter by evoking Massala chai with black tea mixed with milk, cinnamon and cardamom.

On the beauty end there was a strong bend towards organic and natural products, including beautifully packaged bath and beauty goods by Ursa Major, Susanne Kaufmann, Tay, Absolution, and Mayron’s Goods. Other notable launches at the showcase included Blood Concept, a line of unisex fragrances based on the four blood types, and Caron Paris’ highly anticipated women’s fragrance L’Accord Code 119 and men’s Yuzu Man.