Etat libre d’orange above the waves Tester

I'm a big fan of ozonic and aquatic fragrances and the name of this one definitely inspired me to get my nose on it. Sadly, for me, this is super tea-heavy. I was hoping for a sea-and-sky sort of refreshing, airy fragrance, but this is more spa-like than expected. It's not disappointing, it does smell nice and sweetens slightly into the dry down, but it's definitely not what I was expecting. I imagine this would be great for aromatherapy, as it is very calming. There's a coziness to it, though it's not a particularly warm fragrance. The bergamot is not doing a lot of heavy-lifting here, so don't expect anything cloying or even too refreshing. This is very unisex and definitely great for relaxation, vacation, meditation, something to escape with. Perhaps the 'waves' were less literal? I imagine this would be beautiful as a candle, as well.

A sophisticated layered fragrance, in the opening I get an almost high quality lemon tea with lots of green notes. When first applying it it felt like I entered a luxury spa that has warm tea brewing, a bit of steam in the air and a premium incense burning in another room. As I settled into the scent I brought me somewhere else, imagine entering an ancient pyramid and you can sense a trap but cant see it quiet yet. Its deadly but inviting. Smells deep but bright and fresh all at once. I was worried the incense would over power this but its just right. It simmers nicely to a fresh slightly smoky skin scent that feels nice in bed. Im considering purchasing a full size bottle. 8.5/10 if your looking for a realistic tea or tea house scent this is it. Perfectly niche.

This is a really fantastic smelling tea fragrance. A vibrant Earl Grey vibe that is perfect for the Summer. It opens with a realistic bergamot note that is fresh and citrusy, but not a chemical or sharp citrus. It's a bright citrus that smells like freshly squeezed juice. It dries down to a realistic tea smell that is rich but not too overpowering for the hot weather. Really good stuff. I also own Thé Noir from Le Labo and you could almost say that this is a warm weather version of that. It replaces the Fig note with Bergamot, and the dry down doesn't have that dry Tobacco note so it could be a brighter, fresher Summer sister of Thé Noir. Longevity could be better, but just overspray and spray on clothes.

Above the Waves is the most photorealistic oolong tea I've encountered. It evokes vivid memories of drinking it with lemon in a beautiful hotel room on the coast. This is probably due to the bergamot and the name, since it's devoid of any actual marine notes. It ranks with Bvlgari au Thé Vert Extrême and Wulong Cha, my two favorite tea fragrances of all time. It also reminds me of the famous Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, but what tea fragrance doesn't? This one is much better than Arden. I'm also a fan of the concept narrative and use of frankincense.

I've smelled a lot of fragrances in my time. This is what I thought was my first tea fragrance yet Ive smelled a fragrance extremely similar to this in the past - NO idea what it was. THIS fragrance however is STUNNING. So elegant and classy. So refreshing but a little dark. An opening of bergamot and frankincense then slowly you get the teas. This is so good. I know people have compared fragrances to a day spa before but this is the most expensive day spa you could ever imagine. It smells expensive. This is a new favorite in my collection