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Post by TinaG

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Hi APJ,

So many people have been making the effort to travel during this holiday period. For those of us in Australia with overseas relatives and friends, it can mean extended flight and transit times. In what is essentially an enclosed public space (ie: open to anyone with a valid passport and money) consideration of others, whilst trying to make yourself comfortable enough to endure what can be a challenging trip, is an interesting balance. For those of us who have a regular wrist-to-nose sniffing habit, should we really be going fragrance free? What, if any, fragrances could actually be suitable for these close-quarter random encounters?

I had this question partially answered by one of my brothers, as he was was upgraded to Emirates Business Class on his return trip to Australia in December.

Eau Parfumée Au Thé Rouge by Olivier Polge for Bvlgari 2006

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, pink pepper, bergamot
Heart: Tea, fig
Base: Musk, walnut, resin

Emirates have chosen Eau Parfumée Au Thé Rouge by Bvlgari for their Business Class amenities pack. A 5ml eau de cologne, 40ml body lotion and 40ml after shave emulsion are beautifully presented in a pretty little red branded box. The “Au Thé” series from Bvlgari have been formulated to incorporate notes of various tea varieties, specifically green, white and red tea. Au Thé Vert was launched in 1992, Au Thé Blanc followed in 2003 with Au Thé Rouge released in 2006.

Fragrantica advises that Au Thé Rouge is created using two red tea extracts, a Roiboos from South Africa, and a Yunnan which is of Chinese origin. The first splash of the cologne brought on a whoosh of fresh alcohol which disappeared after 20 seconds. I could imagine how invigorating that would be in a stale aircraft cabin, it certainly worked wonders on a steamy summer afternoon. This was followed by what I interpreted as tea – I’m afraid my nose is just not that sensitive to be able to distinguish subtleties of tea types in fragrance, but practice makes perfect. I wafted my wrist under my brother’s nose and he immediately likened the scent to Thé Blanc (White Tea) by L’Occitane. 20minutes later, pepper elbows its way in to the fray along with orange and bergamot that creates a warm, uplifting vibe. Tea, pepper and citrus are an invigorating combination which I really enjoy. After two hours there are wood and resin notes which bring a comforting sophistication to the blend. I can’t seem to find the walnut or musk in the drydown but that is probably just me.

Photo Stolen AdventureJay

The silage of Au Thé Rouge is very much on an up close and personal basis. I’ve worn this scent now in multiple social situations and not had one person comment on it, even after extremely generous re-applications. Longevity is good albeit subtle. It would be an appropriate choice for travel or the office, but it has also been a lovely experience to wear in an evening winding down as the day cools and settles into dusk.

Further reading: Now Smell This and Bois de Jasmin
Fragrance Shop has $27/50ml before coupon
My Perfume Samples starts at $2/ml

I’m interested to hear of any other scent-related travel experiences, good or bad! What has been your travel scent of choice?

xx Tina