Natural wonder! Goop, the lifestyle brand founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, just released its second fragrance — and it aims to do so much more than just make you smell good. Edition 02, Shiso, is loaded with all-natural botanical essences that “channel other powers, like joy, healing and clairvoyance,” says Paltrow, who created the fragrance with perfumer Douglas Little. There’s a traditional fragrance spray for $165 and a scented candle for $72 in the collection.
The main ingredient is shiso leaf (you may be familiar with it as the green that’s on the plate when you devour fancy sushi), which has a “spicy characteristic,” Paltrow notes. The 44-year-old mom of two (Apple, 12, and Moses, 11, with ex-husband and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin) sought to make a natural fragrance that is free of the harmful chemicals she says can be found in conventional perfume but also to “harness the homeopathic and mystical properties that these plants and herbs carry in the natural world.”
In addition to shiso leaf, which is said to “manifest sexual attraction in addition to being antibacterial, antiseptic and a preservative for food” (obviously why it’s paired with sushi!), the scent contains lime, which “helps ease depression and anxiety and creates energy in the chi of healing, love and protection,” mingled with patchouli, which is said to “attract what you desire,” clove to “drive away negative forces,” and clary sage, which “brings emotional peace,” all according to a press release from Goop.
Key notes include oak moss and palo santo, resulting in a decidedly unisex scent that’s crisp and green at first spritz but quickly mellows into a subtly spicy, quietly sultry aroma.
So will burning the candle in the office ward off toxic coworkers? The jury is out. As for the fragrance, we wore it for a day and can report lots of compliments. Did paramours follow us down the street? Not yet… But any panacea that claims to lift our spirits and boost our sex appeal is worth a shot! Like all fragrances, the true power to create a vibe lies in the confidence of the person wearing it.
