I dread getting stuck in a car or taxi with one of them – you know, those so-called air fresheners that claim to smell of fresh pine but bear no relation to any kind of pine forest and just stink of headache-inducing loo cleaner. Plus it seems to cling to you like a pea-souper of pong.
Well, Tina Gaudoin, founder of Roadscents, knows that feeling, too – she wanted to rid her motor of the smell of her children’s dirty football boots and damp dog, but didn’t want to swap one nose-offending aroma for another. Plus, as a former beauty, fashion and luxury editor, she likes her fine fragrances and saw no reason why her car shouldn’t smell as good as she did. She tried a few solutions, such as keeping a bottle of Chanel No 5 or Patchouli Oil in the car; they’d work for short periods, but nothing she loved the smell of lingered for long enough.
So Tina decided to do something about it herself and developed a kind of ‘if your favourite luxury brand did car freshener’ solution. It wasn’t easy – in fact, it was two years of not being easy. But the results are here: her brand features three high-end fragrances on pretty cards that all properly diffuse. Choose from Wake Up Call with lavender, orange blossom and vetiver; God Smell with patchouli, sandalwood and cedar; or Rose Rage, a mix of red rose, jasmine and musk (above from left). If you don’t have a car they are great for putting in drawers and even hallways – cheaper than a candle but still fragrant. As Tina says, ‘Smell can be such a positive or negative thing.’ With these, it’s all about good vibes – and drives.
Feature by Edwina Ings-Chambers