Jasmine: The Night Flower

Jasminum sambac. Picked at night, because that's when it smells best.

Where it comes from

Arabian jasmine, despite the name, is native to India and Southeast Asia. It's the national flower of the Philippines and one of the three national flowers of Indonesia, it's the jasmine in jasmine tea, and it's been strung into garlands for weddings and temples across South Asia for at least 2,000 years. The flowers open after dark and are most fragrant in the small hours, so harvesters pick them by hand before dawn. It takes roughly 8,000 flowers to produce a single gram of absolute, which makes jasmine one of the most expensive raw materials in perfumery. India, Egypt and Morocco produce most of it.

What it does for skin

Jasmine has a long history in Ayurvedic and traditional skincare as a softening, soothing flower. In our bar it's used as a botanical extract for scent, and it lends the lather a luxurious, almost creamy quality that makes the bar feel like a treat rather than a chore.

How it smells

Rich, sweet and heady, with a soft green edge. It's the heart of our Black Currant + Jasmine bar, where the tart currant keeps it from tipping into full-blown perfume and the elderflower softens the edges.

Good to know

Our jasmine extract is certified organic. It's a gentle material on skin, and this bar has no clay or salt, which is why it's the softest-feeling bar in the line.