The Essential Spa Experience

Aisling Walsh of Bodhi Blends has made bespoke new Merrion Oils for The Merrion Spa and Health Club, but what is the science behind our sense of smell?

Have you ever wandered in a garden, or walked into a room, and been transported? Maybe it’s the scent of cut grass or rain on warm earth. It could be freshly brewed coffee, baking bread, or any of those subtle scents that take us right back to a treasured memory. Aroma is an extraordinarily powerful thing, and just as our sense of smell can take us back in time, it can also move us in other ways.

Acclaimed Irish botanical skincare maker Aisling Walsh of Bodhi Blends has been working on scents to relax, uplift, ground and inspire us through the power of aroma in her Blackrock Studio. The Dublin based botanical skincare maker’s new essential oil blends have been made in a collaboration with Elzbieta Urbanowicz, Director of The Merrion Spa and Health Club, and her team. “We have 40,000 receptors in our nose tuned to scent,” says Elzbieta, “and they can trigger powerful memories and emotions.”

 

 

A personal sense

“We also all react differently to aroma, and our reactions can be different on different days,” she continues. This depends on what’s going on with our bodies, and in our minds. A massage at The Merrion therefore starts with an invitation to choose your preferred aroma, by means of a simple sniff test. This will then form the basis of your treatment. Sometimes it will be your body that’s doing the talking, and sometimes it will be your mind. “Our therapists are trained to observe you, assessing what they think you need, but in the end we leave the choice up to you.”

Intriguingly, you may find you can love a certain scent on one day, but barely register it a day or two later, all depending on your energy and mood. We also respond very differently to natural oils and fragrances. “Fragrances can be blends of natural and chemical compounds,” Elzbieta explains. “And our body knows this, and reacts accordingly.” “I’m never drawn to fragrance oils,” agrees Aisling, referring to synthetic scents. “They are obviously useful for some candles and perfumes, but I prefer not to use them.” Instead, Aisling uses high grade organic essential oils, which means they come from the first pressings – just like the best olive oils.

 

Fresh, organic, natural

“The freshest aromas come from the first extractions,” says Elzbieta, whose has been testing the oils as the collaboration developed and deepened. “These are formulas we’re really excited by, and it has been so good to explore them through the reactions of our guests at the Spa.” The new Merrion range has launched with a pair of oils: Grounding and Blooming, but, as Elzbieta says with a smile, “we’re not stopping there…” The range will continue with products including scrubs, lotions, sprays and serums. There is also a massage oil specially formulated for pregnancy. “It’s really important to us that we worked with a local, sustainable maker,” says Elzbieta. “And our international guests look for Irish products, as they make a memory of their visit that connects them back to The Merrion each time they use it.

Blending, according to Aisling, is all about creating balance, from the carrier oil to the aromas that it holds. “It’s very, very personal,” she says. “And that’s the beauty of it.” Having initially worked in hospitality, Aisling came to set up Bodhi Blends after being introduced to urban community gardens in London, from where it was a short step to experimenting with soap making and natural skincare. Dismayed by the amount of chemically saturated and synthetic products on the market, she trained with Formula Botanica, the award-winning accredited school of Organic Cosmetic Science, and set up Bodhi Blends to hand craft small batch organic products in Dublin.

 

 

Aromatic heaven

“It’s so good to collaborate,” says Aisling, contrasting the to-and-fro of feedback from Elzbieta and her team with the experience of working solo in her lab in Dublin. “I love making things, but I really am on my own all day.” Elzbieta and Aisling are clearly a match made in aromatic heaven too, as they describe how the finished Merrion Oils evolved over the six-month process, sharing ideas, and reminding one another about steps and discoveries.

“We tried different carrier oils. Soy was a little too heavy, wasn’t it? Sunflower is nice and light,” recalls Aisling. “The carrier oils also have massive skin benefits,” she adds. “And for sustainability, sunflower oil is so good. That’s important too,” says Elzbieta. With notes of geranium, rose, sweet orange and palmarosa, the Blooming Oil is a delicate and uplifting floral; while Grounding has lavender, may change, geranium and more. “It’s invigorating, but also grounding,” says Aisling. “Yes, that’s definitely the word: grounding.” “Oils,” continues Elzbieta, “can also be both uplifting and soothing. It’s an intuitive thing.” See where your intuition takes you on your next visit to The Merrion Spa and Health Club.

 

The Merrion Oils are available for treatments at The Merrion Spa and Health Club, with new products adding to the range over time.