Tea for Two by L’artisan: A Beauty Habit Love Story

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Heya Ladies and Gents,

Long before I tried this little pretty I was reading about it, Tania Sanchez gives it three grudging stars and writes, “Probably a better room fragrance than a personal perfume and, judged as an attempt at modernising the Oriental genre, completely trounced by Fendi’s … Theorema. Still, not bad.” in Perfumes, The Guide: so clearly she missed something that so many others love, and for a while I also missed its beauty. I had a couple of samples that got used but I wasn’t madly crazy for it. Then Undina from Undina’sLookingGlass sent me a generous decant in a spritz bottle and everybody’s love for it suddenly became clear. It is fresh and deep and nuanced, mysterious, glamorous and very beautiful. WOW!! What? DISCONTINUED!!!!

Isn’t it the same dreadful story we read, hear, find out at the counter. Here is my APJ post on Tea for Two written last year. Clearly, in my mind anyway, Tea for Two was either unable to be produced due to new IFRA regs or it was a crap seller, either way I was saddened and have been seriously eeking out my decant ever since. In truth trying not to bemoan its lack, or even think about having a bottle. Some things aren’t meant to be, right?

Tea for Two by Olivia Giacobetti for L’artisan Parfumeur: A Love Story

Tea for Two L'Artisan FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives the featured accords as:
Top: Bergamot, star anise, tea
Heart: Cinnamon, ginger, spices, gingerbread
Base: Honey, vanilla, leather, tobacco

Then something extraordinary happened while in LA at Scentsation. It was lunch time at BeautyHabit and most of the crew were off having the fabulous tacos and chips and OMG SO YUMMY!! Then someone mentioned that there was a Tea for Two Tester still in the tester section, off like a brides nighty was I. Spritz, Spritz AAAAAHHHH. This stuff is magic! Smoky, rich, resinous and milky spiced tea wafting gloriously, so I did the unthinkable.

Approaching one of the lovely sisters who run BeautyHabit, “Hi, you know this is discontinued, don’t you?”….. “Even if they bring it back they will definitely have to reformulate it to be industry approved now.”…. “Would you consider SELLING me this tester please?”….. “I understand that you don’t sell testers but this is a special case, discontinued, unrereleasable as is and one of my FAVOURITES!!”….. “No, you’re right. I understand. I know, sure. No worries, if you EVER decide to sell it please keep me in mind. You know I want to buy it, yes?”……. “Ok, thanks” Well, I tried, unsuccessfully but at least I could not worry that I hadn’t tried.

So we shopped, I purchased a Sarah Horowitz Parfum and an i Profumi di Firenze that I will write about later. Everyone had lunch and we got on the bus, laughing and talking about what a super day it was. Everyone received a gift from BeautyHabit and mine was the Pineider (one of my new fave brands) Estratto di Colonia. They even gave away a Serge Lutens BELL JAR!! These were serious prizes for amazed perfumistas! As the bus pulled out there was a bustle, rush and knocking on the door from outside.

The BeautyHabit girls had decided to GIFT me the Tea for Two!!!!!

Though I made light of it at the time I was and am deeply touched by their gift. I have worn Tea for Two quite a lot since acquiring it from BeautyHabit and it has not disappointed. It is the most worn so far since I got it and not just because it is a super killer scent but every time I spritz I think of the amazing time we all had a the Perfume Posse Scentsation.

So please, do me a favour. Next time you are thinking of an online shopping spree for anything fragrance or beauty related, try BeautyHabit(<<<JUMP) because they have an excellent selection, are fun, sexy, generous and ship to the world: and they went out of their way to put a super duper smile on my already smiling face.

See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

24 thoughts on “Tea for Two by L’artisan: A Beauty Habit Love Story”

  2. I am not just a little envious!!!!! I adore Tea for Two also. It is a scent one can just live in, day after day, without season. Portia, you deserve it! All I can say is Yay for you!!!!!!

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  4. Divine spicy concoction – spicy and fresh on a Summer’s day when I tried a sample from the Surrender 2 Chance Cinnamon – Spice & Everything Nice Sampler Pack just before Christmas 2012 – just loved it, I didn’t realise it had been discontinued but found it hard to get nevertheless. I tracked down a bottle in February this year at Libertine.com.au. I was so excited and the price was reasonable at $169 with free postage and samples. (Great service too!) Then a week later I found out it had been discontinued so after ringing them back to see if I could stock up on another bottle, they told me the one I purchased was the last one! So yes, I may have been the last person to purchase a bottle in Australia and maybe even the world? So this perfume is doubly precious to me, and Portia, I can understand you must have been overwhelmed by the gift of this bottle.
    Not only are there are such delightful discoveries in the Perfume world but the perfumistas, blog writers, and the staff who sell and the artisans who make perfume are some of the loveliest people I have met.

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    • WOW!! Libertine are wonderful, arent they. We are so lucky to have such a crew down under. I’m glad you have a wonderful Libertine story because they have been so generous and supportive of APJ.
      T42 = LOVE
      Portia xx

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  5. Another Tea for Two fangirl here! I love this stuff and hate to think of the day when my bottle will be empty. I’m so glad you ended up with that bottle at the end of the story. I was calling those girls some nasty names while I was reading I must admit. Knowing that they went out of their way to gift it to you I will make the jump to Beauty Habit and see wha they have.

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  6. I had a supply of shower gel of that that I loved and adored. (bought at Loehmann’s for about 3 bucks a piece- I think I bought them out) I was so glad they gave you the Tester- I don’t think I’ve smelled the real thing.

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  7. So glad you got a bottle of Tea for Two. What an amazing scent. And what a lovely story. I love BeautyHabit. They have always had the best customer service.

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  8. That’s a wonderful story, Portia. Great fragrance + enormous kindness = a one-of-a-kind memory. I’ve got a friend who swooned over my decant of Tea for Two, so I promised I’d keep an eye out for her if anyone was ever offering it for sale. She’s now the proud owner of a 100ml bottle, and as thrilled as can be. It’s just as much fun finding deals for good friends as it is scoring one for yourself.

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  9. I loved this story! How incredibly kind and generous the Beauty Habit sisters were! I have always found their customer service to be some of the best, now I feel even better supporting them.

    Sadly, I have never tried Tea for Two. But now I am adding it to my list of samples to order. If I fall in love, I will be in trouble!

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  10. Love it too, really hope they bring it back one year, I am sharing my bottle with a friend. Should wear it more…will be sad to use it all up but I think it would be even sadder not to…

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  11. Oh, yay!! I love BeautyHabit, but I love them even more after hearing your story, Portia. Enjoy your Tea for Two. Btw, I think you should have taken a decant of it with you to India. It just seems like it would go perfectly with the land, the weather, the complexity of the place and its people, doesn’t it? (Not to mention the tea relationship.) 🙂

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  12. Pingback: Nuit de Tubéreuse by Bertrand Duchaufour for L`Artisan Parfumeur 2010 « AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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