Crabtree & Evelyn

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Named after British horticulturists John Evelyn and the prevelence of crabtrees in England, this bath and body-care empire was founded in 1973 by Cyrus Harvey—no relation whatsoever—a New Englander inspired by the 17th century English “still room” tradition, in which ladies distilled fresh flowers and herbs for their bath, skin care, and cooking. With a bouquet of fragrances wafting from the shelves of pastel-wrapped products, this shop quickly establishes its olfactory commitment to botanic oils, extracts and essences. The soaps, lotions and perfumes—designed to add a little luxury to a lady’s toilette—favor classic English garden scents like rose, gardenia, wisteria, and freesia; the spa-inspired La Source line, a perennial beauty-editor favorite made with shea butter and marine extracts, is a little subtler with its scents of lavender and peppermint. Many products are presented in sets or themed kits, for easy, welcome gifts for generous hostesses and difficult-to-please relatives. Also popular are products for gardeners and cooks, like nail and cuticle creams and deodorizing citrus hand washes. For the gents, shaving creams, aftershaves, and colognes feature traditional, uncomplicated masculine scents like sandalwood and leather. — Kathryn Williams