Article by BR Amelia
Gumboot, Earl Grey, Lady Grey, Green, Chamomile – I do adore a good cup of tea. In fact tea is one of the beverages that fuels BRHQ. It’s soothing to the soul, warming to the body, has just enough caffeine to keep you chugging along without coming down with a case of the shakes, and when put in the right hands it also becomes totally squirtable!
Yes, tea is becoming one of our firm favourite ingredients in perfumes, and though we’ve been loving certain scents for a while, we had no idea just how prolific it was.
In 1992 Bulgari launched Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert, which featured base notes of green tea. Such was it’s success that in inspired a whole line, including Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc, which featured white tea, Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge which employed extracts of Roiboos and Yunnan, then this year Bulgari launched a new fragrance inspired by Chinese Oolong Tea, Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu.
Elizabeth Arden was also an early adopter of using tea in fragrances, bringing out the delightfully refreshing Green Tea in 1999, a scent that continues to this day and now features a whole line of perfumes and skincare based around the original.
So who else has taken our most beloved beverage and incorporated it into a perfume?
While not waving the ‘I’m a tea-fragrance’ flag, the truly divine (and a fav of BR’s Head Pixie) Still Jennifer Lopez is infused with notes of earl grey, along with sake, mandarin, freesia, and sandalwood.
Kenzo’s Eau De Fleur De Thé, which is part of Kenzo’s Les Eaux De Fleur Collection, presents you with delicious aromas of tea blossom wrapped with green tea.
Meanwhile Givenchy’s Ange Ou Demon Le Secret harnesses the divine aroma of jasmine tea and white flowers to create a fruity yet fresh perfume.
After a reviving hit of your favourite earl? Check out Jo Malone’s Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne, a hit with both men and women.
Hmmm all this talk of tea and perfumes and perfumes featuring tea has got me wondering if anyone has brought out a perfume inspired by our other go-to beverage, Coke Zero? I could get on board with that. So are you a fan of tea fragrances or do you prefer your tea in a cup? Do you own any tea fragrances? Are you tempted?
I don't currently own any but I have used Still by Jennifer Lopez and really like it!