Unsurprisingly, Vancouver has proved fertile ground for this approach to soothing and healing, and a North Vancouver—based business, Escents Aromatherapy, is one happy beneficiary. In just a decade it has opened a dozen outlets between here and Seattle, including, in Vancouver, 1172 Robson Street (Downtown, 604-682-0041) and 1744 Commercial Drive (East Vancouver, 604-639-9494) — the latter with a basic spa. The defining service of these and similar aromatherapy outfits is the blending of “essential oils” to fit your personality and desires. For example, a blend of lavender and geranium is said to relax, while oils of Asiatic trees, such as ylang-ylang and patchouli, are associated with sensuality. Massage oils, such as a “rejuvenating” blend of rind of grapefruit and bergamot, are also available.
Saje (Nature’s Remedies and Aromatherapy) also has a number of outlets. There’s a particularly warm atmosphere at the Saje I’m familiar with (2252 West 4th Avenue, Kitsilano, 604-738-7253, wivwsaje.ca). As well as all the essential oils, this outlet stocks books and playful gift items. It also does something called Sit-Taj or “seated aromatherapy massage.”
To my way of thinking, perfume falls into the aromatherapy cat-egory, and The Perfume Shoppe in the Sinclair Centre (146—757 West Hastings Street, Downtown, 604-299-8463) pursues perfumes that nobody else stocks. It has as many as i,ooo scents I’m told by a knowing perfume consumer, including rare perfumes from countries other than major producers such as France. In pursuit of a coriander scent for a relative (I can’t imagine it either), he found it here.
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