Levitating Floraïku 2022

I love cloves. I do. I thought you cannot go wrong with this note for me... You can. This scent is testament to it. I thought I'd like pretty much anything that is clove-forward. I do not. Well, it's complicated. Because this scent isn't clove-forward. There is no cloves. Let's start from the opening: immediate synthetic amberwood-y stench. Still no cloves. No tea. Not really any distinguishable citrus, either! How the hell do you fail at citrus?! Just some stank, and then it shifts to something that's supposed to be the base notes, but you really have to let your imagination run wild to understand that it's them you're smelling :D

This is a third (or maybe fourth) Floraiku I'm trying, all were huge disappointments to me. Maybe their formulas don't work with my skin chemistry, or maybe this is just one of those overhyped garbage brands. Either way, I'm gonna levitate the f*ck away from this brand.

Oh, what a nice scent this one is. I was skeptical about the mandarin note - if juicy, it ruins completely a scent for my own tastes, but it's the bitter kind of it... Smells like the skin of a mandarin more than the fruit itself. My jam! Delicious, as it mixes in a weird trippy way with the cloves, it makes me wonder if a mandarin juice with cloves would be this good :D
It has some psychedelic undertone as well, as I said, Flying by Beatles in the background + this scent and you don't even have to risk your health with drugs!

When I held the travel flask of Levitating from the house of Floraïku in my hands this week, I was immediately captivated by its subtly invigorating presence. The fragrance is a masterfully composed spiced tea scent that feels both refreshing and elegantly understated, like a perfectly staged English teatime.

The French fragrance house Floraïku is known for its poetic scents, inspired by Japanese haikus, creating a balance between minimalism and opulence. The brand knows how to craft an emotional journey with unique compositions, and Levitating is a prime example of this.

The fragrance opens with ginger, fresh and spicy, evoking an initial impression of liveliness and energy.
Bergamot brings citrusy freshness, adding lightness and reminiscent of the first sip of a well-chilled black tea with a splash of lemon.
The spices cinnamon and nutmeg impart a gentle sweetness and depth to the scent, without ever feeling heavy or intrusive.
A green/mate tea accord introduces a soft bitterness, instantly reminding me of the unmistakable taste of Arizona Green Tea, which I also love very much.

What makes this fragrance particularly special for me is its interplay of invigorating freshness and restrained, spicy sweetness. It has a modern Japanese elegance that is not loud but feels like a familiar companion. Its spiciness is present, yet never dominating, just like the refined and understated elegance of an English teatime.

Levitating manages to combine a nostalgic association with modern luxury. The lightness of green tea and the warming spice of the spices remind me of summer moments with a glass of iced tea in hand, yet it also carries the elegance of a fragrance that is perfect for special occasions as well as everyday wear, so to speak, a British teatime in a Japanese garden with Arizona iced tea.

I catch myself sniffing my wrist repeatedly for hours... Thank you for the wonderful souk!

The opening with angelica seed and mandarin is fresh and fruity. It also lasts relatively long. The combination of tea, clove, vanilla, and wood is so balsamic underneath and at the same time very light. Perfectly balanced, as usual for Floraiku. For me, it's a fragrance for feeling good, relaxing, and being embraced. A light scent that doesn't hit hard, but still lingers throughout the day and gently wafts around you. Wearable in every season.

'Levitating' is for me a wonderful comforting scent for winter. The clove is very prominent and together with the other spicy notes, 'Levitating' reminds me of a festive punch or baking cookies.
While the clove still stands out for me, the gentle tea notes slowly unfold. The citrus notes add a pleasant freshness while the vanilla and woody notes give the fragrance an incredibly soothing quality.
The scent is subtle yet special - it fits perfectly into the cold winter season.