Spring is taking its time this year, delaying the sensory pleasures of the season: green leaves, blooming daffodils, sun-warmed lunch hours. There is one sense you can satisfy, though: smell. Start with the grapefruit-and-vodka pedicure at Sweet Lily ($62; 222 W. Broadway, nr. Franklin St.; 212-925-5441), an hour of beautifully scented toe pampering. Your feet are bathed in warm grapefruit juice, which aids in exfoliation, and vodka, an antiseptic. (If you have small cuts on your feet or legs, you’ll feel the sting.) A traditional file is used to slough rough calluses, followed by another round using a fragrant lime half dipped into a sugar scrub. Naturally, nails and cuticles are buffed and filed to perfection.
Spice in Fragrance Form
Lolita Lempicka’s warm blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and Mediterranean flowers is rewarding enough to overlook the Liberace bottle (L, $65 for 1.7 ounces, at Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., nr. 50th St.; 212-753-4000).
Pin-Straight Hair Is Back
A little bit of watermelon-scented Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum will keep it plumb ($16.95 at Shape Salon, 56 E. 34th St., nr. Madison Ave.; 212-779-2465).
More Fun Than Soap
Fresh’s Sugar Lychee body wash leaves a subtle scent after rinsing ($25 at Fresh, 57 Spring St., nr. Lafayette St.; 212-925-0099).
A Beach Breeze, Indoors
Linari’s crisp Oceano scent and room diffuser summons the sea ($96 at Lafco/Santa Maria Novella, 285 Lafayette St., nr. Houston St.; 212-925-0001).
Think of It As Body Frosting
Evolution Surf’s heavenly Smoothing Coconut Crème is for sun-ravaged faces ($110 for one ounce at Barneys New York, 660 Madison Ave., at 61st St.; 212-826-8900).
Enlightened Shaving
Swap the Barbasol for this light, white-tea-scented shave cream from êShave ($20 for four ounces at the Bathroom, 94 Charles St., nr. Bleecker St.; 212-929-1449).
Vacation in a Bottle
Transport yourself with the coconut, lime, and ylang-ylang notes of Creed’s Virgin Island Water ($98 for one ounce at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., nr. 58th St.; 212-753-7300).
Take a Deep Breath
The best smells in the city, according to local perfumers.
“The outside of the Subway sandwich place on Houston Street. Every morning, I walk in front of it and get this huge focaccia craving.”
Eddie Roschi, co-founder of Le Labo
“I love the smell of the stacks at the Strand bookstore. I’ve noticed this odor a little less since they’ve renovated. Maybe a few years’ worth of dust needs to settle, and it will be back to smelling the way it used to. And once a year in Williamsburg, for a few brief days when the linden trees on Bedford Avenue bloom, it’s like a shower of fireworks over the whole neighborhood.”
Christopher Brosius, perfumer, CB I Hate Perfume
“Bread baking behind the window at Eli’s on Third Avenue: It’s sugar, butter, and cinnamon melting together on warm dough, creating the most divine semisweet aroma.”
Beth Terry, creator of Creative Universe
“I love any of those otherwise annoying street fairs, because of the crispy-sweet smell of roasted corn. I also love the smell of waiting in line at the Doughnut Plant on Sunday morning.”
Christopher Gable, founder of Demeter