We went on long walks in the forest with Mother Nature, accompanied by crickets and the soft slosh of water on the riverbanks. Cell service was spotty, and as we emerged from the dark canopies, it felt like we had undergone a mind and body cleanse. It’s not precisely earthing yet, but it’s close enough, right? No wonder people move to the suburbs; I now fear that one day, I may decide to pack up my bags and settle down in a quaint countryside home.

Days like these, where I frolic in the grassy greens, may be few and far between, but they sure linger, like my body is trying to tell me what’s healthy for my soul. And now I’ve found a scent to remember them by: Polo Earth by Ralph Lauren, consciously designed to be vegan, sustainably sourced and unisex.

With a mission to preserve natural resources and encourage biodiversity, Polo Earth was first launched in 2022 to complement a new clothing line in its namesake, which featured iconic polo shirts made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. It’s since branched out with three newer blends that are just as gorgeous and hit different notes in the green spectrum.

Fragrances often come as a blend of natural and synthetic notes, and while the latter does wonders for longevity, they also tend to give me headaches as they age through the day. A large part of Polo Earth’s charm lies in knowing it’s refreshingly formulated with 97% of ingredients from natural origin and, depending on the fragrance blend, features up to 8 sustainably sourced, farm-to-fragrance ingredients from global communities.

The fragrance is vegan, and its packaging down to the wooden cap is FSC-certified. The bottle itself is created from lighter-weight glass that has been partially recycled, and for every full-sized bottle sold, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree on behalf of Ralph Lauren to support global reforestation.

The travel set is available on Cathay, with the rest of the lineup including a body wash, body lotion and scented candle. The 10mL travel spray in the set is built to be refillable and even comes with a small funnel, so I can take it with me on the go and not worry about wastage.

Polo Earth

Fragrance family: citrus, floral, aromatic

Top notes: bergamot heart, green mandarin, neroli, petitgrain, mint piperita, citron 

Middle notes: orange flower, diva lavender, Turkish rose, sage, ylang ylang, geranium

Base notes: musks, cedarwood, Haitian vetiver

The OG of the collection, Polo Earth is a lively fragrance that blends bright, citrusy notes with modern greens. Think sunlight filtering in through lush trees, your fingertips running along the grooves of the tree bark with a tang of lemon juice lingering from a fresh squeeze. It’s well balanced on the precipice between masculine and feminine, opening cheerfully and blooming with aromatic citrus notes that retain an edge after they dry down – it’s that bottle you will always want to sneak out of your boyfriend’s fragrance shelf. The bergamot and lavender notes almost resemble aromatherapy: uplifting and bright yet pure without assaulting your senses. And in true self-pampering fashion, I love spritzing it on as a morning pick-me-up to start the day.

Provencial Sage

Fragrance family: citrus, woody

Top notes: bergamot heart, green mandarin, petitgrainil, neroli

Middle notes: sage, rosemary, basil, diva lavender, lavandin

Base notes: vetiver, bourbon geranium, sandalwood

Created as a tribute to southern France, Provencial Sage is undoubtedly the herby sibling of the lineup. It plants you in the middle of a traditional botanical garden, with endless rows of herbs grown neatly and a warm, dry breeze rolling across the fields. Provencial Sage maintains a light touch and sheds its citrus notes quickly, allowing a rich chorus of greens to cut through the base of warm sandalwood.

Moroccan Neroli

Fragrance family: citrus, floral, woody

Top notes: ginger, red grapefruit, cranberry

Middle notes: lavender, clary sage, cistus absolute, elemi resinoid

Base notes: rich woods, benzoin, opoponax, musk 

For a more profound floral twist, Moroccan Neroli brings to mind a colourful palette accompanied by the warm Moroccan climate. It’s standing in the middle of a foreign orchard on a midsummer’s night, the hanging fruits ripe for picking and the air buzzing with adventure. The notes of grapefruit and cranberry are more rounded out and balanced with ambery woods, creating a sweeter and spicier version of Polo Earth where the neroli dries down with a hint of bitterness and texture.

Antilles Vetiver

Fragrance family: woody, citrus, floral

Top notes: bergamot, green mandarin, neroli

Middle notes: lavandin, sage, lysylang, spider lily 

Base notes: vetiver, vanilla bourbon, cedarwood

Antilles Vetiver is the most intense of the range and brings to mind a mysterious and almost primal forest recovering after a rainstorm. If Polo Earth were likened to a sunlit forest glade, Antilles Vetiver would be the shadows and gnarly roots in the damp jungle floor. While maintaining similar citrus top notes, the juxtaposition of vetiver and cedarwood is smokey and sultry, softened by a dose of sweet vanilla bourbon. The result is an elegant, mature profile that conveys richness and sophistication. Perfect for a multi-faceted evening fragrance.

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