Bathroom Soap on BA/airplane scent
#16
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,422
Conincidentally to this question, does anyone know if juniper is used the white Elemis products?
I was at a rather nice house for a NYEs party and they had juniper hand wash in the guest bathrooms - the aroma is identical and gave me Elemis flashbacks the entire evening.
I was at a rather nice house for a NYEs party and they had juniper hand wash in the guest bathrooms - the aroma is identical and gave me Elemis flashbacks the entire evening.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 157
Yes! I'm delighted to learn that I'm not imagining this. Cabins smell fine at the start of a flight, and by the end they absolutely reek of the bathroom soap (and/or the hot breakfast smell depending on route).
Other airlines don't seem to suffer this problem -- I imagine the BA smelly handwash was put in with the best of intentions, but I'd be pleased to see the back of it.
Other airlines don't seem to suffer this problem -- I imagine the BA smelly handwash was put in with the best of intentions, but I'd be pleased to see the back of it.
#18
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
A fun fact of juniper oil is that it can be anti-septic, and aids in the treatment of acne and other dermatological conditions. Additionally, juniper extract has been linked to cellulite reduction, but I'm not sure on the science of that personally.
#19
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
No you are not imagining it! I’m also hypersensitive to strong perfumes and aftershaves and scented soaps. Almost all can be headache-inducing for me. I intend to take a acarf on board LH flights in case of whiffy passengers but also to try and obscure the smell of strong perfumes!
#20
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
Great answers from Rossmacd. Jstern115, like others above I share the dislike of that scent.
Some chemical or 'artificial' scents give me headaches - very quickly. Essential oils never do. I love them and use at home for linen and room sprays with no issues.
Some chemical or 'artificial' scents give me headaches - very quickly. Essential oils never do. I love them and use at home for linen and room sprays with no issues.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
The Elemis was a really nice inoffensive smell - was the purple one lavender as well ?
Due to recently acquiring a sensitive skin I tend to carry my own bar of soap.
Currently in NYC the water here means I can even wash my hair in it - not recommended in London!
Due to recently acquiring a sensitive skin I tend to carry my own bar of soap.
Currently in NYC the water here means I can even wash my hair in it - not recommended in London!
#23
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
#25
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Diamond, IHG Platinum, Senior Railcard & Bus Pass
Posts: 983
There was a really strong unpleasant smell in the J toilets of an Etihad flight I took last year - like a mixture of stale pee and used coffee grounds. The only relief from the smell was the lovely fragrance of the Acqua di Parma Colonia handwash and handcream.
There was a minute spray bottle of Acqua di Parma Colonia eau de toilette in the Etihad amenity kit. This fragrance will now always remind me of toilets on a plane.
There was a minute spray bottle of Acqua di Parma Colonia eau de toilette in the Etihad amenity kit. This fragrance will now always remind me of toilets on a plane.
#27
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club Blue
Posts: 967
The product is supplied by Freshorize https://www.freshorize.com/ and my best guess is that the fragrance is Applespice.
Last edited by EJetter; Jan 6, 2019 at 7:18 am
#28
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow.
Programs: BA Gold!/OWE
Posts: 177
#29
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,422
Yes, juniper (extract or oil) is used in some Elemis products, but be careful as what is labelled as "juniper" on a bottle at your friend's house, may not actually be a juniper oil or extract inside. It could just be a concoction of synthetics that recreate the smell that is associated with juniper: sweet, woody, crisp and fresh - a very clean smell - much like several coniferous plants. That being said, juniper is a commonly used fragrance material for body wash and some household cleaning products.
#30
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,109
On the back of (most of) those stand-up soap dispenser bottles is an air freshener strip which is exposed (by removing a covering strip) when the dispenser is placed in the lavatory. This adds additional scent to the air in the bathroom (even if you use your own soap, for example).
As a product recommendation, if you can't handle soap or detergent dispensed in public toilets but can handle plain soap, you can buy a small container of soap leaves. Dab your moistened finger on the top of the stack in the container to remove one leaf, apply to hands, scrub and rinse. I carry this for places where soap is not provided in toilets, the service life (if you keep them dry) is years-long.
Available from outdoor shops or large riparian online booksellers.
As a product recommendation, if you can't handle soap or detergent dispensed in public toilets but can handle plain soap, you can buy a small container of soap leaves. Dab your moistened finger on the top of the stack in the container to remove one leaf, apply to hands, scrub and rinse. I carry this for places where soap is not provided in toilets, the service life (if you keep them dry) is years-long.
Available from outdoor shops or large riparian online booksellers.