She enters her private quarters hurriedly, whirling in full-skirted layers to fasten shut the oaken door as silently as its brass fastenings will allow. With a firm and final turn of an iron key, her secrets are now locked inside. With a heaving sigh, she glides along a Persian carpet, stopping to discard the too-tight shoes she’s been tolerating all evening—first one, then the other, each time arching her foot into the carpet with a feline stretch that reaches all the way up through her spine. Ah, but still too tight for that. The dress, heavier than she, must first be untethered. As its great confectionary folds tumble to the floor, she feels another wave passing through her. She turns to face her mirror, staring at her reflection with a look of defiance that only a woman’s eyes can emanate. With a tilt of her head and a little wicked smile, she unfastens her corset, this time with force, each hook unhinged representing a piece of a former self.
Now she is laughing, the low growl of one who has suddenly found courage and wonders where it had been all along. Defiantly flinging the corset across the room, she tears away the rest of the underpinnings that veil her true nature and stands alone in the flesh. Freedom! But something still isn’t quite right.
One glance back in the mirror reveals only half the wild creature she feels burning within; the face is still rouged and caked in white powder, the hair still elaborately pinned. Seating herself at her dressing table, she removes the layers to reveal skin that is dewy, alive with the willful, vibrant glow of her internal fire. Suddenly quite impatient, she unpins her hair, furiously trying to deconstruct something that had been so painstakingly created only hours ago. Or had it been years, really? Finally, she can shake her hair loose, run fingers through its waves with abandon, leave it to fall wherever it pleases.
Now it’s time to don an entirely new kind of garment, one to caress her skin in its simplicity, one to drape her form as sensually as her hair trails its vines across her shoulders. Her feet eagerly embrace a velvet pair of poet’s slippers and silently descend the tree boughs that climb to her window to meet her escape. Off into the night, where a lover awaits, she disappears. Unleashed. Unbound. Unbridled.
Evoke her feral beauty that is at once passionate, sensual, and strong—a glamour without artifice, if you will—and one that honors your artist’s spirit, your poet’s heart, and your fierce intellect. A beauty that speaks its mind and lives its heart’s desire.
I have conjured for spring, my darlings, three potions that capture the spirit of this bohemian beauty—each filled with beautifying nutrients, rapturous scent, and powerful magic. The Triple Goddess of Beauty this season brings together some of the sexiest among earthly delights:
Neroli
The precious nectar of bitter orange tree blossoms is an ancient beauty potion for balancing oil on the skin, so it can be used effectively on all skin types. It calms redness and acts as an anti-inflammatory but also promotes cell regeneration, reduces scarring, smooths wrinkles, and adds lustre to the hair. Neroli’s exotic scent calms and soothes, all the while secretly infusing you with fire and love magic.
Jasmine
The Queen of the Night rules over bohemian beauty with her delicate but oh-so-heady flowers that exude an aphrodisiac scent. Ruled by
the moon, she graces us with love, abundance, and protection magic. Used topically, jasmine is a moisturizer that won’t clog pores and has golden power of promoting new collagen production. When applied to the hair, jasmine promotes new hair growth, smooths and detangles, imparts shine, and leaves a silky softness. These enchanted little flowers can be sipped, too, for a boost of energy, protection against degenerative disease, aid in weight loss, and a slowing of the aging process on your skin.
Rose
The high priestess of beauty flowers joins us here once again. Who can ever get enough of her sorcery? Rose holds the secrets of ancient love and beauty magic and will always guide you back to your heart. Sacred to Aphrodite and Freya, she gives us cellular regeneration, antioxidants, firming, moisturizing, and fighting wrinkles.
Now let’s get to peeling away the layers that dim our light, shall we? Beautiful, healthy skin shines with radiant light, and the best way to get there in springtime is by nibbling an abundant array of fresh plants, hydrating sleepy cells with pure spring water, and sloughing away tired, old skin. This masque doubles as a gentle but potent exfoliant that not only reveals fresh new skin but also feeds it.
BW Secret:
It is said that red roses contain the blood of Venus. Use them liberally in your potions and rituals to charge them with her passion!
A sensual sip that will transport you to another time and place. From its lusty perfume to its exotic taste, this potion can be enjoyed warm or cold, and by all means, spike it if you like! It works well with subtly flavored spirits that won’t interfere with its enchanted vibe. Here, orange flower water is used in place of neroli; it is the actual water of the bitter orange as opposed to the extract.
Wild Child Elixir
Per serving
2 tablespoons jasmine flowers, dried
1 tablespoon rose petals, dried
1 tablespoon Lapsang Souchong tea
¼ teaspoon orange flower water
First make your tea by either heating a kettle to the point of near boiling, or using room-temperature water to make an infusion, then straining. Either way, combine jasmine, rose, and Lapsang Souchong with a strong visualization of drinking in their magic, while feeling your great inner wild spirit coming alive. Imagine all the adventures to be had! Add the orange flower water last, and stir clockwise. Strain and pour into a gorgeous vessel and enjoy. Larger batches can, of course, be made ahead of time for a uniquely bohemian cocktail to serve guests, or as a welcome reprieve from your workday. À votre santé!
Your loose tumble of wild tendrils get an instant lift from this simple potion, infused with sorcery and shine!
Cheveux Bohème Hair Mist
Yields approximately 2.5 ounces
2 ounces rose water
8 drops neroli essential oil
8 drops jasmine essential oil
Fill a 3-ounce spray bottle with rose water, then add in the essential oils one at a time. As with your facial treatment, focus on each ingredient and what it brings to the potion. See and feel beautiful, soft hair that moves sensually and smells intoxicating! Cap the spray bottle and swirl it in a clockwise motion 13 times to mingle the ingredients. To use, lightly spray your hair when wet to detangle after a wash and seal in the benefits of the oils. Use on dry hair as a refresher to tame flyaways and impart shine. I love this as a styling tool too. You can section your hair, mist each piece, and then curl with your fingers and clip to set, or braid it and allow the potion to work its magic overnight. Either way, you have gorgeous, soft, shiny waves that beckon and bewitch!
BW Secret:
No time for a full beauty ritual? Not to worry. Apply your masque, then saunter into the shower. Even if it’s only on for a few minutes, the steam will help it work its magic in no time at all—as if you just waved your wand!
Naked Visage Facial Masque and Exfoliant
Yields two treatments
1 teaspoon Moroccan red clay
4 drops neroli essential oil
1 to 2 teaspoons organic rose water
1 teaspoon millet flour
3 drops jasmine essential oil
Begin by mixing the red clay and millet flour together in a small bowl. Slowly add in the rose water until the consistency becomes a medium-thick paste, then drop in the essential oils, one at a time. As you add each ingredient, feel its vibration, giving thanks for the unique properties it holds. Conjure your vision of bright, glowing skin (and all the confidence that comes with it) allowing yourself to really feel it as you stir the potion clockwise. Apply to clean skin, massaging in a circular motion to lift away dead skin cells and stimulate fresh circulation. Moisten your fingertips with rose water if needed to make the masque glide along your skin with ease. You can add another layer of masque if you like and let it set for 15 to 20 minutes while you lie back and dream of fantastic creations! Remove by first pressing a warm, wet face cloth onto skin to loosen, then gently wipe away the masque. Rinse well and pat dry. Follow with a spritz of rose water and a few drops of rose-hip oil for maximum wattage.
Aiding and abetting out Triple Goddess here is one of my favorite masque bases, Moroccan red clay. This lovely gift of the earth not only draws out impurities with more strength than other clays, but it also firms skin and smooths fine lines. Joining us is the oft-forgotten millet flour, a humble spring grain that actually does wonders for the complexion: Loaded with vitamin E, millet heals the skin (this includes fine lines!) and acts as a protective barrier, while increasing elasticity and rejuvenating cells.
The amazing thing about this masque is how expertly it polishes the skin! You don’t really feel the exfoliation due to the gentle nature of the millet, but once you rinse your skin you really see it. Pores are fine, skin is silky smooth, and your glow cannot go unnoticed. It works equally well as a pre-event ritual to dazzle, or before bedtime—you’ll awaken to impeccable skin either way.