Star rating: 5 stars--outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars--very good, 3 stars--adequate, 2 stars--disappointing, 1 star--poor.
The green softness of tea paired with mellow spicy notes gives L’Occitane Green Tea / Thé Vert a very appealing fresh, yet hazy quality. It recalls the pleasantly fuzzy feel of tender buds or perhaps peach skin. Despite a lavish dose of citrusy notes, Green Tea does not really venture into the territory of classical cologne. Instead, it plays up the soft woody notes and crisp floral motifs to create a simple, yet very appealing green tea fragrance.
Green Tea was created by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin in 1999, and it is essentially a budget version of Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert. If Bvlgari Thé Vert has a nuanced complexity, L’Occitane’s version is a much more straightforward green tea accord framed by citrus and woods. As such, it succeeds in conveying a bright, sparkling impression of uncured tea leaves. The fragrance opens up on a top note of pepper, bergamot and lemon. While the initial effervescence lasts but a few minutes, it sets a vivid tone, which lasts into the drydown. The main body of Green Tea is that of violet, soft cedarwood, and green herbal notes. It is a light, easy-to-wear fragrance, with a decent, if understated sillage. A splash of Green Tea straight from the fridge on a hot summer day is as refreshing as a sip of cold lemonade.
Although in terms of originality, Green Tea does not present anything that Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert did not already offer, in the cheap and chic category, it is hard to beat. It is quite affordable at $19 for 0.6oz, and it includes a nice range of scented body products. Green Tea is the perfume equivalent of a T-shirt & jeans and it is just about as versatile.
Other green tea fragrances to consider: L'Artisan Thé pour un Été, Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 Acqua Colonia Lemon & Ginger, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Jo Malone Assam & Grapefruit, Berdoues 1902 Thea Verde (Green Tea,) Lancôme AromaTonic, Annick Goutal Duel. Finally, Calvin Klein CkOne and Tommy Girl are perhaps familiar to the point of contempt, yet they have stellar green tea accords.
L’Occitane Green Tea / Thé Vert includes notes of bergamot, lime, cardamom, bitter orange, jasmine, yerba maté, green tea, cedarwood, amber, musk. Retails directly from L’Occitane. Green Tea has a few variations on the theme, out of which I liked Green Tea with Jasmine / Thé Vert au Jasmin. It is exactly what it is advertised to be--a green tea cologne with a lush jasmine note.
Sample: my own acquisition
Photo Credit: iStockphoto by Tjasa Maticic.
Thanks for all these suggestions :) It would be interesting to find some fragrances that combine the green tea with something other than citrus/bergamot... I grew up drinking a variety "green" teas with wonderfully different fragrances. Chrysanthemum tea would make a wonderful scent concept, as would the different varieties of Jasmine tea, Genmaicha with its popped rice nuttiness, the seaweed of Konbucha and the salted plum and shiso of Umecha...
Posted by: axum | March 14, 2011 at 04:47
I will try this. You make it sound like a good and simple solution to Green Tea cravings. :)
Posted by: Olfactoria | March 14, 2011 at 04:57
Even though we're a long way from hot weather, this sounds wonderful. I especially like the idea of storing it in the refrigerator; it sounds perfect for those hot and humid days. I have the Bulgari on my wish list, but I might try this first given the price. Thanks for giving us a budget option!
Posted by: Ann C | March 14, 2011 at 06:31
I love the tiny bottle, which fits so easily into a purse. Plus, the scent is instantly refreshing. For those who like Bulgari, it is a good option. I find it crisper too.
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 10:40
If you like Bulgari and Goutal's Duel, it is definitely a great choice. I am already craving summer!
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 10:41
Lancome AromaTonic makes me think of Kashmiri green tea with cardamom. Guerlain Tiare Mimosa has a tea note as it dries down, so it smells a bit like green tea and gardenia.
I love your other suggestions. I would especially love Genmaicha and Umecha inspired accords in fragrances...
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 10:43
That sounds very appealing, and the glass in the picture looks especially inviting after the weekend of shall we say not eating healthy :)
Posted by: Marina | March 14, 2011 at 10:52
I loved this picture too. :) Now, I think that I will go and make a cup of green tea.
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 10:55
My husband is addicted to L'Occitane's Verbena soap on a rope.Very recently,Green Tea was included in an order by mistake..(but the company told me to keep it, free of charge).
What a beautiful fragrance..it reminds me of the sweet olive groves down in New Orleans,for some reason. Exquisite!
I plan to do some layering with this one..maybe Chevrefeuille.
Posted by: Gitcheegumee | March 14, 2011 at 10:57
Oh, sounds like such a great idea. Chevrefeuille already has a suggestion of green tea leaves to me, so I can imagine that layered together, it will be a wonderful, complementary pairing.
I love sweet olive trees! When they bloom, the air smells of apricots and soft suede.
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 11:00
A bottle of L'Occitane's Green Tea with Jasmine was just the ticket for a pick me up on a hot and swampy afternoon in Washington, D.C. I've since added a small bottle of the straight up Green Tea to my collection for the same purpose, but either the added something of the jasmine or my happy association with sprightly relief makes the "with jasmine" my preferred green tea of the L'Occitane line. (There's a mint one, too, I think. The mint went a bit too sweet on me, but things do tend to go sweet on my skin.)
Always a fan of the cheap and chic. :)
Posted by: ScentScelf | March 14, 2011 at 12:39
Yes, Green Tea with Mint was one of the limited editions, I believe. I did not care for it either. The mint was sweet and flat, which ruins the sparkling effect of the green tea accord.
All in all, it is a nice cologne for the summer, or whenever one craves warm weather.
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 14:50
I tried the L'Occitane tea fragrances some months ago, and ended up frustrated with the shop's method of using ribbons instead of cards on which to spray the scents. It was just darned awkward (for me, anyway). I really, really want to give these another try. Next time I'm in a L'Occitane shop, that is. Closest one is probably 2 hours away!? Might be awhile. I've wanted a tea scent for ages. Really need to get over to Perfumed Court and order a tea scent sampler or something. Wore Bulgari's The Vert back in the day. I really wanted to like the L'Artisan's, but they didn't work for me. Interestingly, Chanel No. 19 EDT gives sort of a tea vibe in hot weather. I loved it last summer.
Posted by: karin | March 14, 2011 at 16:36
I find the same thing about No 19, especially the EDT.
In my local L'Occitane shop, they have both ribbons and blotters. The ribbons are pretty, but not that comfortable to use.
Posted by: Victoria | March 14, 2011 at 17:49
I love Bulgari Green tea and it's likes. I took Occitane's Green tea Towelettes when going to work on location in Peru. They were really something to us in our travel through the Andes, where the we used them for washing our hands... like this smell a lot in conjunction with mountain air and fresh smelling cactus...
Posted by: behemot | March 14, 2011 at 20:29
I must try Aroma Tonic. Is it available at Macy's? I love cardamom note both in food and perfume.
I also get some green tea in one of the EL's White Linen flankers. I wore Bulgari's Tea a few years ago.
Posted by: gautami | March 14, 2011 at 23:21
I really wanted for long to be excited about L'Occitane, since they are so big in bio ingredients. But the truth is that I found Green Tea very loud, artificial and heady. Or I really don't know anything about natural ingredients. I bought this one as a present for a 11 years girl and up to that day I'm still afraid I made a big mistake and she might hate it.
Posted by: Maria | March 15, 2011 at 04:29
What a great memory and a beautiful image! I can just imagine the setting, just as you've described it.... sigh
Posted by: Victoria | March 15, 2011 at 10:35
Yes, I think so, it should be available there. I used to love AromaCalm too for its combination of iris and incense, but I believe that it was discontinued a long time ago.
Posted by: Victoria | March 15, 2011 at 10:36
I think that L'Occitane does a lot of green washing of their products these days (making them appear more natural or organic than they really are.) I am not into that.
Posted by: Victoria | March 15, 2011 at 10:37
Oh, another delicious tea to try! There are never enough teas.
Posted by: March | March 15, 2011 at 14:58
I agree, one can never have too many! :)
Posted by: Victoria | March 15, 2011 at 16:49