THE BLANK LIST: 10 Things We're Obsessed With for Spring
Ten spring obsessions for Australia: a bottled Aperol Spritz, a sage pepper mill, a rose quartz gua sha and a brand new Apple Watch, each from a different corner.
THE BLANK LIST is back, and this round is all about spring in Australia: ten things from ten different corners of life. The days are warmer, the weekends are filling up and everyone has started wanting something new, from a fragrance with real bite to a spritz you pour straight from the bottle. We have kept the prices honest too, with an $18 novel sitting right alongside a $649 watch.
1. Maison Margiela Lost Eden Eau de Parfum
Spring fragrance usually means white florals, so a scent built on candied red apple and smoky oud is a proper plot twist. Maison Margiela Lost Eden opens on candied red apple and juicy forbidden fruit, moves through a vanilla heart and lands on smoky oud, which Mecca describes as a push and pull of desire, sweet against smoky. It is tagged new at Mecca and costs $359 for 100ml.
2. Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool in Rose Quartz
The beauty tool that has outlasted every device trend is still a smooth piece of stone. The Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool in Rose Quartz needs no charging, no app and no subscription, just a few quiet minutes with your skincare routine. It is $54 at Sephora.
3. Le Specs Air Heart Sunglasses in Oatmeal
Every spring needs one pair of sunglasses that makes a plain outfit look planned. The Le Specs Air Heart in Oatmeal is an oversized cat-eye in semi-translucent tan with a metal top bar and khaki gradient lenses, rated UV category 2. It is $59 right now, down from $90.
4. JBL Pulse 6
A speaker that doubles as mood lighting is made for a spring balcony. The JBL Pulse 6 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with 360-degree audio and a light show that syncs to your music, and JBL Australia lists it as new at $449.95.
5. Joseph Joseph Milltop Salt and Pepper Mill Set in Sage
Soft sage green suits a spring kitchen, and the bench is an easy place to try it. The Joseph Joseph Milltop Salt and Pepper Mill Set in Sage flips the usual design so the ceramic grinder sits at the top and stray grounds fall back into the mill. Kitchen Warehouse has it at $59.95 against a listed RRP of $109.95.
6. Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason
This is the book to pack for a long weekend. Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason follows Sophie Pattison, a lonely freelance sound technician working literary festivals, and asks what happens when the author she admires turns up at hers. It is a 352-page trade paperback at $18 from Kmart.
7. Apple Watch Series 12
The newest thing on this list is also the hardest to resist. The Apple Watch Series 12 is listed as new on Apple Australia, in 42mm and 46mm sizes with aluminium, titanium and ceramic cases, and it starts from $649. It needs an iPhone 11 or later.
8. Country Road Vicki Medium Metallic Vase
Spring flowers deserve a vase that looks good even when it is empty. The Country Road Vicki Medium Metallic Vase is porcelain with a fluted texture, a flared neck and a polished silver finish, and it stands 26cm tall. It is part of the brand's new homewares collection and costs $99.95.
9. Aperol Spritz 750mL
On 8th Oct 26 Aperol launched its first ready-to-serve 750mL bottle, which means the spritz now comes pre-mixed. Aperol Spritz 750mL is 9% ABV and is meant to be poured over ice with an orange slice. Dan Murphy's lists it at $27.99, or $159.60 for a case of six.
10. Samsonite C-Lite Spinner 55cm Expandable
Spring is when people start booking things. The Samsonite C-Lite Spinner 55cm Expandable is a carry-on sized case, and Myer has it in black at $449.40, down from $749.
At a glance
- Fragrance: Maison Margiela Lost Eden Eau de Parfum 100ml, $359 (Mecca)
- Beauty tool: Mount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting Tool in Rose Quartz, $54 (Sephora)
- Sunglasses: Le Specs Air Heart in Oatmeal, $59, was $90 (Le Specs)
- Speaker: JBL Pulse 6, $449.95 (JBL Australia)
- Kitchen: Joseph Joseph Milltop Salt and Pepper Mill Set in Sage, $59.95 (Kitchen Warehouse)
- Book: Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason, $18 (Kmart)
- Wearable: Apple Watch Series 12, from $649 (Apple Australia)
- Homewares: Country Road Vicki Medium Metallic Vase, $99.95 (Country Road)
- Drink: Aperol Spritz 750mL, $27.99 (Dan Murphy's)
- Travel: Samsonite C-Lite Spinner 55cm Expandable, $449.40, was $749 (Myer)
Verdict: If spring has you in a spending mood, start small: the $18 novel and the $27.99 bottled spritz do the most for the least. If you are saving for one proper upgrade, the Apple Watch Series 12 is the newest thing here, and the Lost Eden fragrance is the one that will get noticed.
