Jess ✨ Customer Blend of the Month - August 2022

This is the second month I am sharing a Customer Blend of the Month.
 Jess shared this with me to describe her blend story, how it came to be, in her own words.
"Through most of high school I wore China Rain, but then my senior year I decided I wanted my own scent. I went to the Body Time in San Anselmo and smelled pretty much every single variety they had. I was going for something that was soft, feminine and pretty (China Lily), because that was who I wanted to be back then, with just a hint of the solid, scrappy girl that I actually was (China Musk). That was how I put it together. 
I used to be a recreation director at a program for Deaf kids & blind kids, in San Francisco.  Because it was a specialized program, we had a small little rec center clubhouse to ourselves. It was most often the base of operations for the Deaf kids’ programs, but the blind kids came there as well sometimes. I was in and out of the building all the time, for field trips, games, etc. One day the blind kids’ Teen Group came in and I heard one of the girls say, “Jess is here today.” I came out from the kitchen & asked her how she knew I was there. She said, “I always know, because it smells good when you’re here. It’s just this faint smell of…of you.”
It’s funny, because I rarely smell it after I’ve put it on, but I still get compliments on it. And I’ve been told many times over the years something to the effect of “oh, you still smell like you.”  
Thank You Jessica for sharing your story and your blend. You were the first person to reach out and share your story years back, and I have not forgotten it.
😍😍😍

9 comments


  • Karen Atkinson

    Thank you… every one that commented. I’m older than you ladies who were teenagers in the 80s.. yet – interestingly I had similar experiences in the late 60s and the 70s with fragrance oils.
    Thank you also for telling us about “Jess” :-)


  • Tk

    My first discovery of China Rain happened when I started a new job and was at their training Academy in Harrisburg, PA. I happened upon a cute little 2nd floor spa located on 2nd street. I came out the spa with China Rain, China Lilly and Rain. I eventually settled on the China Rain and Rain; and have been wearing it ever since… that was back in 1986!

    The shop has long closed and I have found the same scent only 3 times since… the 32nd street train terminal in Philadelphia, PA – A little spirit-type shop in Harrisburg – and this wonderful website!

    I get the same comments… Here comes Tee – I can smell you!… or I knew you were here, cause I could smell you!

    Love, Love, Love the scent.


  • Trisha

    That’s a lovely story!


  • Gillian

    I too grew up in Marin in the 80s and loved going to Body Time to get my signature scent China Rain. I’ve worn it since the 7th grade. Later I discovered Egyptian Musk and China Lily and Pikaki and wore those as well. (Separately). Sooo happy to have discovered this shop online!!!!


  • Juliana Quartaroli

    I discovered “China Rain” via cheap samples at the crystal shop a block down from Haight in 1985ish. (I was 15 or so.) My passion for years, I eventually realised that terrific little boutique on 24th Street, in my old stomping ground (I grew up on 21st Street), was the same shop! The “Lily” that I remembered! By that time I was living up in the Foothills, so my only access was when I visited SF… but I kept and hoarded my roller(s) of perfume oil for years. I still have half a .33oz roller of “China Rain” from a mail-order before they went under. SO very thrilled to find the same “China Lily”, and “China Musk”, too! I simply can just buy “Jess” now. Each used to be defined by my mood, now I’ll settle for a blend. Thank you!


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