Before I begin, I will say that these are probably my current favorite fragrances, and thank you Twisted Lily for introducing me to Apoketer Tepe (though I wish I could stroll into Harlem and talk to the source, but perhaps that’s an ambition for another day) Apoketer Tepe’s After the Flood is a new darling, but I have no idea what took me so long to write about L’Artisan’s Tea for Two. They remind me of the best quiet emotions of spring and autumn. Having one on each wrist brings me some odd solace that only makes sense if you’re as obsessed as I am about the physical portrayals of transitions as a literary motif.

After the Flood- Apoketer Tepe
Wet: oakmoss, patchouli, cedar, dirt
Dry: lily, oakmoss, patchouli, cedar, cardamom

I remember reading a line once that may have been in a YA novel or a fanfiction that depicted a character ordering a Starbucks Green Tea Frappucino and marveling at the way it looked like a swamp but their friends enjoyed the drink somehow anyway. I, on the other hand, love swamps as long as I have a barrier of bug spray on and dislike that particular drink. After the Flood smells like a fantasy swamp; much fresher, lighter, and less stinky than an actual swamp but still wet and loamy, and the florals that might surround it are much more present than in an actual swamp. It says curated spring to me, like an idyllic painting of someone drinking their tea next to a private pond. It reminds me of CB I Hate Perfume’s Black March (which I loved) but it doesn’t disappear nearly as quickly. I adore this scent. It’s delicate and subtle and ever so pretty, with real roots and a hint of warmth. Wear it with neutral pastels.

Tea for Two- L’Artisan Parfumeur
Wet: cardamom, bergamot, tobacco
Dry: cardamom, wet tea leaves, tobacco, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, vanilla

I’ll admit I don’t usually drink black teas. I also don’t drink spiced teas or teas with anything in it except green, white, and oolong leaves and maybe a flower or two. But Tea for Two is delicious, regardless of whether or not I consider it tea-like. I started this review before I ate breakfast and it made me want to make pancakes (I didn’t, because I’m lazy.) It reminds me of gingerbread cookies dipped in cream-killed coffee and crunchy leaves and that slightly smoky autumn air that swirls in at the end of September where I live. It’s a very warm and comforting fragrance, pretty with a homegrown elegance, though it was at slight odds with the hot summer day. I think I would put it away until fall, and wear it with a nice maroon scarf or a comfy sweater.