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Shop The Laundress’ New Luxury Laundry Detergents
Innovation has been the modus operandi of the perfume industry as of late, what with Dolce & Gabbana’s first-ever fragrance for dogs; the Instagram-viral perfume brand Ffern pioneering a production model that launches bespoke perfumes only four times a year and only for those whose names are on its ledger; as well as similar developments that inspire both curiosity and a mad rush to acquire such creations.
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Fabric care company The Laundress, though, is approaching things in an even more unique way. Its premise is simple: Traditional perfume should be completely optional if your laundry detergent can take its place (and do a better job at elevating your mood through aromatic concoctions). The eco-conscious laundry brand was founded all the way back in 2004 by two fashion executives, at which point its mission was to provide customers with dry-cleaning alternatives in the form of products that “treat your clothes like heirlooms” with “fabric-loving ingredients.”
Now, The Laundress is putting how your clothes smell first: transforming dirty laundry into pieces you can both wear and treat as a stand-in for that bottle of Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia you have on hand at all times. The brand just cut the ribbon on its Indulgent Collection, which includes three laundry detergents-cum-fine fragrances that operate on the basis of BioRadiance enzyme technology — which not only infuses fabrics with a potent scent that lasts up to a week but also boosts their tensile strength and ensures they’re spared from dullness.
Flora Luna (which our editors already tested and can only describe as “stepping into a lush garden at midnight, where each flower bud is wrapped in mist”) is a detergent made for all those who prefer scents that are powered by florals without venturing into saccharine territory. “Not polite, not powdered; Flora Luna is a floral with teeth,” the company says on the product’s landing page, which tracks well with its blend of jasmine, vetiver, gardenia, centifolia rose, and more. Because each part of the Indulgent Collection is meant to generate a distinctive mood, what you’ll be getting here is sensuality and daringness (think sneaking out from your window to have a moonlight tryst with your lover, à la Romeo and Juliet).
The Laundress Flora Luna Laundry Detergent
Price upon publish date of this article: $26
Soft Focus, on the other hand, is more grounded and enigmatic. Its fusion of sandalwood, cardamom, ambrette seed, and other notes is ideal for days when you feel the need for a stabilizing force. And while it is hard to believe a laundry detergent, out of all things, can affect moods to such an extent, countless studies have proven that our olfactory receptors send signals generated by every inhalation of a particular scent directly to the amygdala, which is the emotional center of the brain.
The Laundress Soft Focus Laundry Detergent
Price upon publish date of this article: $26
And in case the impending gloom of winter is making you crave a reset of sorts, replete with newfound energy and vibrancy, look no further than The Laundress’ new Fresh Take detergent. Its purpose is already in the name: to not only help your white t-shirts and button-ups feel fresher but extend the same effect to their wearer. You’ll be surprised by the luminosity of ingredients like bergamot, turmeric, and peppercorn that come with this offering, whose sharpness is cut through by the sweetness of fig and the citrusy woodiness of petitgrain.
The Laundress Fresh Take Laundry Detergent
Price upon publish date of this article: $26
All three of the selections in The Laundress’ Indulgent Collection are good for approximately 15 medium loads and come meticulously wrapped (it’s fine time for something as integral in our lives as laundry detergent to acquire the status of a gift). Don’t want to go overboard with your pour, no matter how tempted you are to do so? Don’t forget to add The Laundress’ handy laundry measuring cup to cart.
Gone are the days of laundry detergent fragrances that go by names like “Super Fresh Blast” or, worse, the cryptic “Original.” You deserve to feel pampered at every point of your day, separating lights from darks included.
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The Laundress Indulgent Collection Trio Set
Price upon publish date of this article: $27, $78
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on new releases in the universes of home and fashion.