A few years ago, I created this delicious jasmine-scented lip balm especially for Valentine's Day. It's probably the product that took me the longest amount of time to develop. I knew I wanted to work with jasmine—it smells so incredible and so many people are drawn to its spicy, floral scent. I added Peru balsam, which has a spicy, sticky, almost vanilla-like smell. All I needed was a top note. I tried several different citrus and herb combinations. All were overpowering. Then I landed on bergamot, the citrus used to flavor Earl Grey tea. I loved how, when these three oils were blended together, I could smell each distinct note as well as something that was more than the sum of its parts.
The name of the balm took a few weeks to settle, but when I remembered that jasmine is most fragrant at night, I knew it had to be La Nuit, which means "the night" in French. Like the Old Fashioned, the name invokes a vibe—in this case, it's something sensual and sexy and a little exotic. (And anything said in French is instantly sexier, right?)