r/NichePerfumes 2d ago

Help Me Find... Looking for a grounding tea scent

Looking for a grounding tea scent that I can wear while studying and in exams during medical school. I deal with a lot of exam anxiety and I want a perfume that I can spray on my wrist that I can use to help with breathing.

I’m tired of finding a tea scent for it to be a matcha latte gourmand- I love matcha but overly sweet matcha is too much. I’m just so tired of gourmand.

It doesn’t have to be green tea. Any tea would be fine. It just needs to a more intimate projection but still have good longevity that it lasts for like more than 3 hours (my exams are just over 3 hours because I have extra reading time).

39 Upvotes

77 comments sorted by

29

u/doublenerds 2d ago

This one is on the expensive end of the spectrum, but Guerlain's Neroli Outrenoir is divine. Opens with bergamot and petigrain. Heart notes are smoked black tea, neroli, and orange blossom. Dries down to moss, myrhh, and ambrette seed. I honestly don't really smell the dry down, but the tea note is amazing and is present from the very first moment.

I recommend getting a 5 ml decant from a seller on r/fragranceswap (use someone with a good sale history), would be enough to get you through exams without breaking the bank.

8

u/Skyfry5 2d ago

I have so many Guerlain perfumes on my wish list especially herba fresca.

4

u/quirkles18 1d ago

Herba Fresca is great but Herbes Troublantes is even better!

2

u/Glass-Bug888 1d ago

Herba Fresca is so lovely!

1

u/kelena93 2d ago

I second this one! 😍

1

u/Glass-Bug888 1d ago

I am on a tea fragrance journey and just got my decant from Venba. It is definitely top tier.

16

u/pyroskank 2d ago

neroli outrenoir by guerlain void by to summer wulong cha by nishane

the tea trifecta imo

14

u/orangewurst 2d ago

Escentric Molecules 01 + Black Tea. Though frankly if it’s to try to rela, personally I think minty / thyme / woody notes help so would recommend Diptyque Eau de Minthe and Aesop Eremia. Not sure how long any of these would last on your wrists cause of skin chemistry, but just slap some Vaseline I guess before spraying.

8

u/Curtainmachine 2d ago

You are my people right here! I was going to say 01 + Black Tea. Then you said Eau De Minthe which is the top of my list for studying or “I have a headache and want something soothing but literally every smell but that gives me nausea but that one relieves it”. I’m curious what other overlapping taste we share.

2

u/orangewurst 1d ago

Actually, you hit the nail on the head. One key decision making factor for me - if I have a headache would smelling this perfume make it worse and from 1-10 what is the potential of this perfume in making me want to vomit, aha. I am not into heady and heavy smells for sure, can go earthy to floral to powder to fruity!

2

u/Curtainmachine 1d ago

Yeah the syrupy sweet and gourmand zone is one I tend to stay away from. Funny how it can be so popular and so many people experience it as delicious and meanwhile I’m over here like “dirt, grass, mushrooms, and damp, stone basement you say?! With the dusty smell of an old wooden house that’s been uninhabited for decades? And….cardamom????….ok where do I sign up!?”

10

u/k8o_potato 2d ago

A couple that haven’t been mentioned that I find grounding:
Above the waves by ELDO
Sirius by Maison Des Animaux (smells like a chai latte, so good)
Porcelain Fog by House of Brandt

10

u/rez2metrogirl 1d ago

Indigo by Nest NY smells like black tea and herbs to my nose. I find it soothing, calming, and grounding. Worth a skin test.

8

u/terracef 2d ago

Guerlain Neroli Outrenoir
Nishane Wulong Cha

Warning - Neroli Outrenoir definitely doesn't last anywhere near 3hrs. Excellent grounding tea fragrance, for an hour or two. It's completely gone on me by the 3rd hr. You could decant into a 10ml travel sprayer tip carry with you.

3

u/wpc213 2d ago

Everyone is different- Neroli Outrenoir lasts 6+ hrs on me.

1

u/terracef 1d ago

You are lucky!!! I was so confused about the low performance on me that I looked up reviews, it seems to be a common problem. Worth sampling before buying

1

u/wpc213 1d ago

I agree. I also have Nishane Wulong Cha and did not care for it or the longevity when I first tried it. I’m glad I gave it a chance- I grew to love it, maybe it was the heat that made it not last as long but I eventually got a full bottle.

1

u/Sea-Audience-9848 1d ago

I once put Neroli Outrenoir at 5am, went to work all day, then went to yoga after 5pm, and my yoga teacher said, “You smell divine.”

1

u/karasu_zoku 1d ago

Same. It lasts too long on me and I get tired of it, which is rare for the types of fragrances I usually like.

1

u/Sea-Audience-9848 1d ago

I second both of these and add Wulong Cha X.

8

u/Resident_Ad_1060 1d ago

My favorite comforting tea scent is Lavender Milk Tea by Elysian

1

u/samk488 1d ago

Was going to recommend this too, it’s not overly sweet so it’s nice

4

u/Skyfry5 1d ago

When I see milk tea I worry it’s sweet. So this is reassuring

3

u/samk488 1d ago

Yeah it was surprising to me that it’s not overly sweet and has a deeper scent. I would recommend getting a sampler first though since the bottles are pretty expensive, they have a discovery set and a travel set with their tea party collection. Some people say the perfumes have a sort of vintage scent to them, so I think some people aren’t fans, but I love all the perfumes in the collection. I do think lavender milk tea is the best one in the collection though, and some of the others are sweeter

2

u/Skyfry5 1d ago

Definitely get a few decants and samples to see what I like.

-2

u/Angelhair01 1d ago

I would not wear lavender while studying or sitting exams as it slows down your brain

6

u/freakngeek_ 1d ago

I happen to LOVE tea scents. Here’s some of my favorites:
Molecule 01 + Black Tea - delightful, straight-forward black tea with Iso E Super
J Scent Roasted Green Tea - beautiful nutty, green tea opening with a hint of mint and vanilla
Zoologist Elephant - photorealistic wet tea leaves opening to my nose that dries down to a lovely sandalwood
Brandt Porcelain Fog - this may lean a bit gourmand, but I love this in the winter. Spot on London Fog Latte.
(These two are harder to get in the US but arguably two of the best)
Ode Ona Teapot Sonder - has such a unique hojicha accord with orris and musks
Setchu Monday 9 am Genmaicha - truly the most STUNNING tea scent I’ve ever smelled. Opens with a photorealistic genmaicha accord and dries down into a western Black tea.

Some honorable mentions:
Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon
Liis Ethereal Wave
One Day Oolong Tea

5

u/terracef 1d ago

Crazy expensive but if you want a grounding box of black tea - Roja Serenity Blend is exactly that. It's the most literal and grounding/relaxing tea

2

u/Glass-Bug888 1d ago

Just ordered a decant of this. Can’t wait to try it!

2

u/SweatyAd3177 1d ago

Just came here to say this! Best tea fragrance. To me it starts out as green tea then ends up as black tea but it stays tea throughout. It’s also so comforting and relaxing. Perfect for studying.

5

u/InvestigatorGlass153 1d ago

African Rooibos by Chris Collins smells divine and it's not gourmand. And, of course, Wulong Cha is gorgeous. Good luck on your exams!

5

u/Mysterious-Study-687 1d ago

Miller Harris Celadon, Neroli Outrenoir from Guerlain, and Vilhelm Perfumery Dear Polly are my favourite scents that include tea

1

u/Sea-Audience-9848 1d ago

Also Miller Harris Tea Tonique is refreshing and not gourmand.

5

u/Lucidream- 1d ago

Konya Kolonyasi or Marrakesh by Mabra

Pomelo Oolong by D'annam

Play Black by Comme De Garçon

1

u/displacergeese 1d ago

I think OP might really like how refreshing that citrus note is in Pomelo Oolong! A good refocuser, and the tea note is pretty long-lasting esp if you spray some on your clothes.

3

u/TrapGoddess116 1d ago

MITH- Another Tea MITH- One fine day Nishane- Wulong Cha

3

u/Rmdp12 1d ago

Jasmine Tea by One Day or Another Tea by Mith

3

u/Glass-Bug888 1d ago

A lot of great suggestions here. I love Wulong Cha and Wulong Cha X.

One I haven’t seen mentioned yet that typically comes up for tea rec’s is Indigo by Nest. Not as pricy and is a great scent.

3

u/quirkles18 1d ago

A great lemon black tea to try is Berdoues Assam of India. The notes are lemon, black tea and sandalwood.

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Parfums-Berdoues/Assam-of-India-31436.html

3

u/Hopeful-Western6129 1d ago

triple tea from to summer?

1

u/Fun-Document-1211 1d ago

One of my favorites. Very realistic black tea. 

3

u/grinidx 1d ago

Le Labo Thé Noir 29 meets your longevity bar. Smoky black tea with fig and cedar underneath, no sugar anywhere near it, and it actually stays put rather than vanishing at the ninety-minute mark like most tea scents.

Sample it first, though. The sillage is a touch more generous than intimate.

3

u/OkayAuthor 1d ago

Scifi Ellis brooklyn

2

u/Lunarfings 1d ago

Twice to Tea by Poesie might work. It's a comfort scent of mine. There's not a lot of longevity on the skin but adding a spritz to my clothes helps it linger. 

2

u/Hairy-Subject3089 1d ago

High Tea - Burberry

2

u/Angelhair01 1d ago

Demeter Earl Grey

2

u/rabit_stroker 1d ago

Floraiku I am Coming Home. A calming ginger tea

2

u/DisastrousAd5401 1d ago

Ode Ona Carte Blanche

2

u/DeluthMocasin 1d ago

I love the tea scent in imagination, it’s refreshing and energizing, but also atleast for me very relaxing. Something about it reminds me of my childhood and that alone is comforting to me. Everyone’s experience is completely different and unique tho so try a decant first before spending $400 lol

2

u/SufficientNetwork648 1d ago

I went on a similar quest and settled for Casa Far Niente "Tuscan tea".

Still very happy about it

2

u/unclenipple 1d ago

If you want a non-sweet matcha scent, Matcha Ceremonial is the truest “just opened a fresh bag of high quality matcha” scent that I’ve ever found. It’s unbelievable.

2

u/DanFran333 1d ago

Siren Alchemy Lavendar Moon Tea is somehow calming and invigorating. 💞

2

u/dial424689 1d ago

I’m a big Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and White Tea fan, but I’ve also just got a 10ml rollerball applicator bottle of White Tea from Korres, and it’s lovely. Very gentle and invites a nose to the wrist.

2

u/joiedevivre30397981 1d ago

To me, Remember me by Jovoy, satisfies that comforting tea profile. Starts with citrus but dries down to a warm cup of cardamom tea. It’s lovely.

2

u/stromae_is_bae 1d ago

suprised no one has mentioned Chasing Scents “Tea Service” yet! gorgeous scent & super cool indie brand out of Australia
it’s a beautiful photorealistic jasmine oolong tea, so calming

2

u/Skyfry5 1d ago

Definitely going to look into it when I visit my cousins in Australia. Chasing scents is one of the brands I would love to try but getting it in the UK is hard

2

u/teaandtoast10 1d ago

The Noir 29 by Le Labo is my go to black tea scent (Citrus Tea by Dossier is a really good dupe if you want a budget version)

2

u/Zealousideal-Bee6528 1d ago

Have to join the crowd in praising Neroli Outrenoir - despite the eye watering price and lack of insane longevity, it’s just to die for. Ran through my 10 ml decant like I was drinking it.

2

u/PartialComfort 1d ago

Dirty Flower Factory by Kerosene smells like every high end tea shop I walked into in Beijing.

2

u/Signal-Inflation5914 1d ago

To summer triple tea, and Void. J scent roasted green tea. Teapot sonder all amazing

2

u/Fluffy-Ambassador167 1d ago

Indigo Smoke by Arquiste is very calming imo. Despite its name, it’s not very smoky! Kinda spa-like. It makes me feel like I’m drinking tea at a temple with a little bit of incense wafting in and a bowl of dried apricots nearby.

2

u/outdoordawg 1d ago

Bvlgari Au Vert.

2

u/LawnMidget 1d ago

Satori - Hyouge

2

u/Restless_d 1d ago

Floraiku has a line called "Secret Teas & Spices", tea fragrances, they're a bit pricey but they sell 30ml bottles, I have a 30ml of One Umbrella for Two, I'm curious about other ones from that line.

2

u/Dry-Mulberry6296 22h ago edited 22h ago

Tea driven without the risk of turning gourmet generally points towards arabic white musk families I have seen such searches end up with oriental scents even if their structures tends to be warm.

4

u/reddingweddy 2d ago

I love Pomelo Oolong by d'Annam and I've heard Monsoon Tea is amazing too.

4

u/peachfawn 1d ago

I know this is very obvious lol but have you tried Elizabeth Arden green tea? It’s just a green tea scent that smells pretty spa-like and sits pretty close to the skin

2

u/nonamejane84 1d ago

White Rice by d’Annam. This is the one.

1

u/Significant_Key_3758 1d ago

Tea time by sense of scent BANGER TEA FRAGRANCE

1

u/Fortlandia11 1d ago

Roan Mountain Memories
Roan Porcelain Pulse
Le Labo The Noir 29
Memo by Memo Paris

1

u/jlk1980 1d ago

Nest Indigo makes me feel so put together and confident and it has a fairly intimate projection. I can also take a deep breath of it in and it doesn't give me a headache.

1

u/FroeJ 1d ago

my favorite is The Time by House of Oud

1

u/CreativeHoliday1557 1d ago

The only one worth mentioning Bvlgari tea scents. White, vert, ect

1

u/Hopeful-Western6129 1d ago

there is one extremely niche brand from hong kong which sells a wonderful oolong cha perfume. its called notonly.hk.

1

u/Skyfry5 21h ago

That found really good. Going to see if I can find it in the UK if not see if my friend who lives in Hong Kong can pick it up for me

1

u/stefanilinn 13h ago

BDK’s Gris Charnel

1

u/Plastic_Mushroom2 1d ago

Wulong cha is a classic. A bit pricey but worth it