1carian

I've been putting off writing a review on this, which is criminal given how influential this fragrance was on me. The Yulong is a total masterclass in how to blend a tea/citrus fragrance. Unlike One Day's tannin style photorealistic teas Yulong focuses more on the floral qualities of tea. There is defenitely more jasmine than orange blossom in this, which could be a deal breaker if you wanted more of a balance. I find the ratio used to be perfect - it reminds me of a vestigially warm cup of tea. The orange opening is gently tempered with a pinch of cardamom without veering this fragrance into warm beyond redemption territory. I find the heart of the fragrance post opening to be total zen, this is what a 5 star hotel in Shanghai would perfume their bath products with. I don't get much iris in the dry down to my nose it's more of a light musk in my opinion reminiscent of L'eau Papier without any nuttiness or spice. Sometimes you encounter a fragrance that completely rewires your brain chemistry, The Yulong made me a tea fanatic and now most of what I collect has to do with tea. That, or some other facet of this fragrance. It's probably not as good as I'm describing it to be but easily at the very worst a 7/10 for people who like tea scents. Do I think this is better than Wulong Cha? Yes. Is it better than One Day? Photorealistically no but not every occasion calls for smelling like a fresh cup of tea. The Yulong makes you smell like you took a shower with water perfumed with fresh green tea and jasmine flowers. Is this better than Bvlgari The Blanc, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Dear Polly, and Black Tea by Molecule? Easily. However, I cannot say if I like this more than Neroli Outrenoir. Give me some more time on that one.

This fragrance smells exactly like L'eau Papier from Diptyque to me, but without the rice and sesame. The opening is dominated by pink pepper and ambrette seed, which gradually fades to an indiscernable blend of patchoulli, iris, and cashmeran. It has a subtle addictive quality to it almost reminiscent of a favorite sweater/blanket, you really want to bury yourself in it.

Mental image: You order a hot cup of Oolong Tea in Hong Kong's Mong Kok district. You mix in some honey, and take small sips while people rush to their next destination outside. You place the cup down, and notice a beam of afternoon sunlight dancing along on the surface of your tea. A gentle breeze wafts in through the shop door, carrying the faint aroma of a nearby bakery.

One Day's Tea Exclusive line has what I easily consider to be the most photorealistic tea in the fragrance world. This one in particular manages to capture the subtle smokiness and tannic qualities of a cup of high quality oolong tea. Do test on skin though, the smokiness varies and becomes tobacco like on some. The tea note generally stays from application to dry down, however the honey only becomes noticeable about a hour in. I do wish the dry down had a little less vanilla, it would make this fragrance more wearable in all four seasons but that's just my own preference for less sweetness in fragrances. It does however have beastly longevity like Taipei - this fragrance will stay on your skin for the whole day and last an eternity on clothing.

Philosykos opens with a green and almost vegetal smell upon first application, similar to crushing fig leaves in your hands. Thankfully this only lasts for 5 minutes, and it becomes a gorgeous creamy almost soapy fig. On myself it's not something I constantly get whiffs of, but when I do it makes me want to bury myself in it. Summer tranquility in a bottle.

The Matcha 26 is the house of Le Labo's take on a fig scent. Perhaps the matcha is more about the contemplative feeling it invokes? It has a creamy quality similar to Philosykos EDP but taken in a more herbal/woody instead of the coconut direction. Despite being what I consider to be a skin scent, it has beastly longevity and sticks around forever on fabrics. Beyond fig with a creamy quality, I am unable to discern any other notes from the fragrance.