Offering a refreshing departure from delicate florals and sweet gourmand scents, tea perfumes are the niche and oh-so-elevated fragrance genre we're loving for autumn and beyond...
While the list of best long-lasting perfumes will always feature the classic olfactory families - from floral to citrus - there are several other, more unconventional genres to explore, especially if you're on the hunt for a distinctive signature. After all, there's nothing worse than bumping into someone who's wearing your exact scent - even if it is one of the best perfumes for women. For those of you who favour green and earthy notes, we've discovered another branch of fragrance that might be more your cup of tea (pun most definitely intended).
Tea-centric perfumes are trending and for good reason, as they offer a versatile array of herbaceous and smokey aromas to explore. So we've rounded up fragrances from brands including Jo Malone and Le Labo that feature the likes of black tea and matcha in their midst or are inspired by the soothing beverage...
6 tea perfumes to spritz for a unique signature scent
Tea perfume offers an air of cosiness or freshness, depending on which tea note you gravitate towards - be it leafy green tea or herbaceous hints of bergamot (a key ingredient in Earl Grey tea) These are our six fragrance picks...
RRP: from £74 for 15ml | Notes: Matcha tea accord, fig, vetiver, cedarwood and bitter orange
Dubbed a skin scent by the brand, Thé Matcha 26 is subtle but elevated, offering a delicate freshness thanks to its blend of bitter orange and vetiver, whilst also carrying a creaminess that is intimate and so chic.
Who should buy it: Those who prefer hard-to-pin-down scents that don't necessarily leave a trail behind you, but are very much there and distinctly you when people come close...
RRP: £125 for 100ml | Notes: Iso E Super and black tea
Offering a minimalistic but distinctive blend of Iso E Super (a synthetic chemical note that offers a warm, amber-like and skin-like aroma) and black tea, this fragrance is soft and woody. The black tea affords a freshness that marries perfectly with Iso's musky quality, for a genderless signature that is classy and uncomplicated.
Who should buy it: Those who favour subtle and unisex scents that are timeless
RRP: from £125 for 50ml | Notes: Black and green teas, lime, petitgrain, citrus and woods
This perfume is the epitome of a niche signature perfume as it somehow manages to smell fresh and smokey all at once. This is thanks to its masterful blend of black and green teas, with warm woody facets and bursts of sparkling lime and tangy petitgrain.
Who should buy it: Those seeking a green almost aftershave-y scent that is ideal for year-round spritzing.
RRP: £118 for 100ml | Notes: Bergamot, cucumber, beeswax, vanilla and musk
This perfume is designed to capture the crisp and refreshing scent of Earl Grey tea by blending sparkling bursts of citrusy bergamot (which gives Earl Grey its fragrant appeal) with cool cucumber and animalistic beeswax for a multi-faceted signature that is green but sweetly musky.
Who should buy it: Those who are seeking more than just a fresh scent, as it also boasts a sweet and smokey quality.
RRP: £145 for 50ml | Notes: Bergamot, apple, Ceylon black tea, oakmoss, musk and black amber
Blending crisp citrusy hints with warm, musky facets, this scent for Vilhelm is sophisticated and nuanced. It opens with bright bursts of apple and bergamot, which then fade down into rich Ceylon black tea and amber.
Who should buy it: Those who gravitate towards warm and ambery fragrances.
RRP: from £89 for 75ml | Notes: Lemon, clover, mint and green tea, Lily-of-the-Valley and cyclamen
Described as smelling like dewy herbs and fresh spring flowers, this perfume is as fresh as it gets. It features crisp notes of mint and green tea, with delicate hints of Lily-of-the-Valley, that combine into the scent equivalent of a breath of morning air.
Who should buy it: Floral fragrance fans and those who favour freshness over warm and sweet scents.
What do tea perfumes smell like?
Tea-themed scents can vary from green and herbaceous to smokey and musky, depending on which type of tea you opt for and the notes it's blended with. Black tea, for instance, offers sultry smokiness, whilst matcha-themed fragrances can be very earthy or creamy when blended with milk accords or vanilla notes.
All in all, teas are herbal so fragrances that boast hints of bergamot, peppermint and camomille can all fall into the category - but some perfumes will also feature a specifically blended tea accord, like Le Labo's The Matcha 26, for instance.
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