This is such a lovely perfume oil, I don’t really have the words to do it justice. I’ve been using it weekly as part of a prayer ritual, and I’ve found that it creates a deep sense of comfort and peace whenever I use it. I find the smell very soothing, and the rose in particular tends to linger in a beautiful way around my altar for a few days afterward. Like other reviewers have said, I think this might be my favorite of the BPAL collab oils that I’ve purchased from S+S so far, and I feel very fortunate that I was able to purchase it.

Dei Genetrix is perhaps my favorite of all of the TAL x S+S offerings. It is a gentle and calming oil that helps me relax at bedtime. I find myself melting into the pillow while my anxieties are softened. It helps me to go easier on myself and to treat myself with compassion. As an added boon, the scent is beautiful.

This perfume is a powerful heart opener - so much so that I need to be in a state of prayer or meditation, or in the process of going to bed, when I use it. It smells beautiful: lush white florals with gravitas and depth. Applying it with care and intention has helped me bring up old emotional pain for healing and has soothed the inevitable griefs and anxieties that come with living through pandemics and wars, as well as the common griefs we all navigate in our human lives. If pressed, it's probably the one S+S and BPAL item I would keep, above all others.

I tend to go with my gut when it comes to using certain TALs. I've been leaning hard into the Immortal Heart series these past couple of weeks. On impulse, I opted to wear some Dei Genetrix.

This is a comforting white floral blend where you get succor and calm, relief from the sadness you may feel. I wouldn't go so far as say that this is depression lifting, and the vibe is different from other comfort oriented TALs. Dei Genetrix is like being embraced by your mom and be given a cup of tea/chickennoodlesoup/pho/whatever comfort food you want insert here.

I combine Abhyanga and gua sha into one weekly ritual on Monday nights by adding a few drops of this perfume to warm massage oil and then applying it to my entire body, including my hair. The scent is so feminine and comforting. I've never been prompted to move this slow and lovingly toward myself... it's re-patterning my notions of mother and grandmother with such kindness, nurturance, and care. Sometimes I feel vulnerable enough in Her arms to cry and release, which is not easy for me. Other times, I feel as if I'm enveloped in a sheath of protection, like every hole in me is completely filled with infinite and eternal love. The cumulative effect is deep healing, especially for the little girl inside. I face the world now knowing how loved I am. Very powerful blessing.

Scent-wise, this is a beautiful white floral blend, a little crisp and slightly sharp... Opens with a waft of rose and evolves into lily bolstered by myrtle. It feels fancy, almost haughty, but yet the magical effects of this blend are gentle and nurturing (although firm! Like a strict teacher pushing you to do your very best)

If I anoint this when feeling tender, overwhelmed or when working through grief, the effects are intense comfort while I work through my emotions. If I'm closed down, distracted or otherwise overwhelmed when applying, I feel my heart open and can reconnect with my emotions easily and this feel more like my whole authentic self.

Applying before bedtime has led to vivid dreaming.

This has the power and ferocity of a Divine Warrior Mother and an armada of midwives at the ready to steward comfort and protection in the surest and most gentle way.

This oil is very, very potent. You need to use it sparingly, AND you also need to make sure you use it with intention. I put a drop on my wrist to try out the scent, and was not prepared at all for what got dredged up emotionally, but it did leave me feeling a lot better afterward. The second time, I did one single drop on my heart, asking for the cosmic security blanket, and things went much better, with dreams full of girls and women looking to nurture me. It's a good thing to have in your arsenal, but do set aside time and emotional space first.