Weekend picks

Published on December 21, 2007

Major Pongpan Suthiwatanapan, an industrial engineer with the Ministry of Defence's Industrial Department, long had a passion for potpourri sachets and sweet-smelling candles. His wife Vipavee had knowledge of aromatic oils that she gained from her work as a masseuse in a spa. Together, they started Aromatic Studio, producing aromatic oils and other fragrance products.

Established in 2000, they first set up a stall at fairs, selling an array of pure essential oils and burners. A few years ago they opened a shop in Suan Lum Night Bazaar and expanded their line of products to herbal soaps, lotions and room sprays, all made with their own recipes.

"My husband is a romantic man. He likes to create a cosy atmosphere at home with fragrant candles and potpourri sachets. He learned the procedures of producing spa products from many books," says Vipavee. "I worked as a masseuse in a spa many years ago. Now, we supply a range of essential oils to the spas of many hotels."

The oils are mostly imported from Australia. Natural odours are extracted from plants, fruits, trees and herbs. The store contains more than 60 scents, such as lavender, lime, mint, cinnamon leaf, cedar wood, cassia, pink grapefruit, French eucalyptus, rosemary and tea tree.

"Our oils don't have any alcohol. Our special recipe uses mineral water," Vipavee says. "The fresh scents of essential oils can soothe you and alleviate various symptoms. For example, lavender, peppermint and rosemary relax and refresh you."

Aromatic Studio also offers unique Thai-style scents featuring flowers such as orchid, frangipani, hyacinth, jasmine, white champaka, bullet wood, gardenia, ylang ylang and bhandari.

Other products include shower gels, detox body washes, room sprays, body sprays, lotions, body soaks, massage oils, scrubs, carrier oils and herbal soaps.

The store also produces a collection of celadon electric burners with graphic designs.

Aromatic Studio also has two branches in Pattaya.

Lubrication

Extracted from flowers, a selection of massage and bath oils come in odours of lavender, blue camomile, jasmine and kamasuta (Bt390). A bottle of pure coconut oil is Bt240.

Scrubs

Sweet-scented products for bath time are peppermint and lavender shower gels (Bt190), a jasmine rice shower cream (Bt190), a jasmine rice body scrub (Bt350) and herbal soaps (Bt79). There are a variety of scents.

Alluring scents

Body sprays come in various odours including jasmine, rosemary, lavender, bug away and kamasutra. Prices range from Bt150, Bt250 and Bt790.

Bottled atmosphere

These room sprays can quench a musty smell in your home. They are scents of lavender, may chang, kaffir lime, eucalyptus and moke. Prices are Bt 290.

Fragrant healing

Soothe your damaged skin with some body lotions. Comes in the fragrances of camomile, lemongrass, gingembre and frangipani. Costs are Bt179 and Bt350.

Elegant accessories

A refined creation of handmade celadon burners featuring butterfly designs comes in shade of white, blue and green. Prices are Bt800 and Bt1,290.

Relaxing soaks

Essential oils of camomile and lavender are mixed in Australian sea salts to produce a collection of body soaks. They can help you sleep and relax. Prices range from Bt199 to Bt250.

Pattarawadee Saengmanee