Above the Waves

A small green crystal in my pocket, I walk toward the edge of the cliff and realized how quiet life can be. On paper, Above The Waves was a huge disappointment to me. It struck me as far too grassy and muddy, almost unsettlingly odd. So I put it aside. A few months later, during a summer holiday spent wandering along the idyllic Norman coastline with its sapphire-blue sea, I finally decided to give it a proper wear for an entire day. I was craving something fresh, but You Or Someone Like You felt too assertive for the mood I was after. So I shelved my doubts and sprayed on Above The Waves, just like I knew what I was doing. I'm very glad I did, because it turned out to be wonderful company. None of the off-putting facets from my first experience resurfaced. Quite the opposite. Its disciplined, crystalline freshness reminded me of Guerlain's masterstroke, Aqua Allegoria – Mandarine Basilic (EDT), the freshest fragrance I've ever come across. Because a refreshing fragrance shouldn't simply smell fresh—it should also leave room for the air itself. It should know how to fade into the background, allowing a passing breeze to tint the atmosphere ever so delicately, without ever overwhelming the scents that naturally belong there. And what a pleasure it was to gaze at the cliffs and the distant islands while these green notes quietly played their part around me. Yes, Above The Waves is unmistakably green, with green tea and cypress standing out above all else. Seeing it classified as an Aromatic on Fragrantica makes me smile a little, because it feels so different from the aromatic fragrances I know. Perhaps I'm missing something, and that's perfectly fine. I hope you'll have the chance to spend some time with this fragrance during your own summer. It's the little talisman of mindfulness we can all share.

I struggle to find perfect tea centered fragrances. While tea is a note that I quite enjoy, usually perfumes with a tea dominant note are too citrusy or too green to my nose, drowning the tea delicate scent I'm looking for. I filled my tea-citrusy-soapy-spa craving with Thé Yulong, and I was looking something a little less green, more sweet, black tea headed. I love Le Labo's The Noir, but it is a little expensive, so I went for this instead. Obviously, Above the Waves is not a copy of The Noir, but lies in the same category, and it fits perfectly in what I was looking for. It is has more tea than citrus, balancing very well the bergamot and the tea notes. This perfume smells like infused a little sweetened tea in wich some lemon slices have been added. It is the opposite of the bright fresh spa-like tea. It is cozier and warmer. And yet the freshness of the tea remains, keeping the perfume from being sweet or cloying. If greener tea fragrances are white marble luxury hotel lobbies or a pristine bright spa, Above the Waves is a cup of tea in a wooden room, a quiet spring morning, with the windows open and the shy first light of the day emerging. I am an ELDO fan, and this perfume is one of the best from the house. As is usual with this house (and with this kind of perfume's profile), it is not super long lasting on skin (3-4h, lasts way longer on clothes, 8h or so), but works wonderfully while it lasts, and it doesn't hurt to reapply.

9/10 Fresh, aromatic, citrusy, and a realistic tea note. Not trying to reinvent the wheel, and that's fine. Quality is evident and the price is excellent for this quality. The top and middle are great, but honestly the base might be the best part. Bergamot and green/black tea lead the way, then it gradually smooths out into a slightly creamy but still bright, aromatic skin scent. A lot of reviewers seem to be missing the bergamot or complaining about longevity. I'm not getting that at all. Mine performs well for what it is and the dry down is the cherry on top. Projection is right where it should be too. Noticeable but not loud and the longevity is just above average, which fits this kind of scent perfectly. A niche fragrance that anybody could wear and most everyone will like. Doesn't try to be anything ground breaking and that is okay because It is easy to grab and doesn't smell like everyone else either. UPDATE: After having Wu Long Cha X and getting rid of it because it was too tea forward for me, and also after owning LV Imagination for a month now, This is right in between both. A bit more tea than Imagination, and not too much tea like Wu Long Cha X has (imo). Pleasant, appealing, and fresh but also intriguing with that realistic tea note. If you're new to tea fragrances, start here!

this one is sooo nice, really fresh and breezy, tea, lime citrus, a bit sweet and very herbal, I feel like I've smelled this in a summer resort or a spa somewhere on the dry down it settles into something more citrusy, almost like a lime peel blended with tea, and maybe, maybe a very very subtle rose in there but it's so faint it's hard to tell. very pleasing, calming, inoffensive and comforting but not generic or basic, it still has its depth, layers and evolutions the dry down after a while genuinely surprised me, it turns super sweet, citrusy and fruity, and then after some time almost like soft fresh berries, it's like a soft hug the only thing is, I wish it lasted longer and stayed stronger, it gets pretty weak over time and dies down pretty quickly, wondering if this one you need to overspray a little it also hits me in my memories, I can't pinpoint it exactly, but I've smelled very similar scents back in Brazil, in those very fancy "shoppings", so it's a little nostalgic. feels like something my mom would wear every day and make her signature scent

Above the Waves feels like a breath of sea air — bright, clean, and full of quiet energy. It opens with a sparkling mix of bergamot and green tea, lifted by the cool spice of cardamom. As it settles, the rose and tonka bean emerge beautifully, adding warmth and a creamy softness that make the scent feel both comforting and refined. I love how the rose never becomes too floral — it simply smooths the sharpness of the tea, while the tonka bean wraps everything in a gentle glow. The drydown of patchouli, cedar, and vetiver grounds the fragrance in quiet strength, like standing barefoot on warm sand after the tide recedes. It’s serene, luminous, and effortlessly elegant — a citrus green tea perfume with a tender soul. Considering its quality, Above the Waves is surprisingly affordable. The composition feels niche and sophisticated, yet it’s priced far more kindly than many perfumes in its league. A hidden gem that deserves more attention.

This is a really fantastic smelling tea fragrance. A vibrant Earl Grey vibe that is perfect for the Summer. It opens with a realistic bergamot note that is fresh and citrusy, but not a chemical or sharp citrus. It's a bright citrus that smells like freshly squeezed juice. It dries down to a realistic tea smell that is rich but not too overpowering for the hot weather. Really good stuff. I also own Thé Noir from Le Labo and you could almost say that this is a warm weather version of that. It replaces the Fig note with Bergamot, and the dry down doesn't have that dry Tobacco note so it could be a brighter, fresher Summer sister of Thé Noir. Longevity could be better, but just overspray and spray on clothes. 8/10.

I have tried a lot of tea perfumes, and I must say, this is one of my favorite tea perfumes. Natural, calming, and unisex. It got an ancient and timeless quality to it that I have noticed in a few of the other Etat Libre d'Orange perfumes. Herbal, smokey, oolong/ pu-erh, black tea, yet still fresh and light. Above the Waves is not trying to show off or follow any trend, it is unique, pleasant, and unassuming. Might not be enjoyable for people wanting a fragrance that makes bolder statements. I will be quietly enjoying this while everyone is focused on the other hyped tea perfumes.

Really into this from the initial spray all the way through the dry down. It’s so hard to put my finger on what exactly this smells like. At first it’s kind of orange/patchouli vibes, but that quickly settles down into more of a creamy wood with splashes of something bright and citrus like. I’m not really getting tea but there is a fresh and watery sort of character to everything, like water at a spa, so it’s kind of tea adjacent. Really wish this projected a bit more but it’s quite lovely regardless!

This is a really nice tea scent! I was tossing up between le labo thé noir or above the waves and ended up preferring this one. It has a similar dry-down to thé noir, but where thé noir is darker and slightly briny, this is more citrusy. It reminds me of the scent of a cup of Lady Grey. The bergamot is super strong in the opening, but does blend in more gradually. There is also something a bit spicy in the background, almost like ginger. Calm, restrained, sophisticated.

delicious. i've long been on the hunt for a white/green tea perfume that is strong while still being true to the light, fragrant nature of those scents, and this is a great option for me. i love tea scents and i love Mazu. unfortunately, the citrusy bergamot scent overpowers the tea in the drydown, but i still like it. an office-safe frag that i like (looking for alternatives because i smell like a club rat with my regular signature scent).

This perfume is only sale in Taiwan. Also the fragrance is a tribute to the Goddess Mazu. All the notes are inspired by Taiwan elements. Especially the base note Cypress is Calocedrus formosana (Taiwan Incense Cedar). Moreover, the tea notes are Four Seasons oolong tea and Ceylon black tea. This fragrance would only sale for one year and will Change some notes and packaging into a new one as a regular item.

this is my signature scent. it's effortlessly wearable for all occasions, its even classy and decadent enough to wear to a night out in my opinion. The citrus opening is so refreshing, such a great start to the day. as it dries down, the comforting tea and rose notes stay all day on me. balanced with really light woody notes, there is NO amber in this at all which makes it my perfect everyday wear.

if you love tea frags, this is THE tea frag. uplifting, calming, fresh... day spa type. self care in a bottle. love at first sniff and bought it the same day i have plenty of tea fragrances in my collection and i prefer this over imagination, neroli outrenoir, wulong cha, SMW, winter palace (in terms of best fresh-tea scent, performance, and price)

A woody, aromatic fragrance for the hot weather. Can definitely smell the tea, cedar and cypress here. Reminds me of being on a beach, when the weather is not that hot yet, on a spring day. Someone else commented downstairs that it reminds them of a scented oil in a lobby, and I can definitely definitely see that.

Above the Waves smells like an essential oil that they'd have on in the lobby of a hot yoga class - mellow enough to be friendly, but there's a layer of intrigue - almost minty? gingery? - that give it a gorgeous kick. I will be wearing this all summer! My only wish is that it had a bit more body and sillage.

My initial reaction was “This is Thé Noir’s spring/summer cousin.” and immediately fell in love with it. The tea notes feel authentic like a satisfying whiff of a freshly opened tin and sweetens up beautifully on my skin as it dries down. Easy blind buy and a must try for the tea lovers.

To me this is a very fresh, green and spicy scent. It is strong and the tea notes are amazing. I love this scent but don't get much citrus from it. Weird but it smells like a bar i worked at and makes me nostalgic! I think this could be a year-round wear.

I really enjoy this fragrance. It's a very bright uplifting Bergamot and strong tea scent and that just puts a smile on my face. I get really good projection and sillage from this and just feel like my head is finally above water when I wear it.

A beautiful spicy-aromatic tea scent, similar to tea tonique but without the leather note, which I despise. The first association that came to mind when smelling this fragrance was ginger tea, and I was surprised that there isnt a ginger note

Citrus Tea, in contrast to The Noir, presents a less fruity and herbal profile. This blend bears a closer resemblance to Vivamor's Tea Temptation, evoking the experience of Lemon Iced Tea by the seaside.

VERY strong, I'm literally drowning in one spray. The tea scent is perfect and exactly as expected. the cedar note is really pleasant too. the bergamot opening is a bit strong though

Peaceful and amazing, as someone from Oregon, it smells like a beach hotel on a foggy day, I think they got the name of this very well and the layering is almost endless

on the hunt for a fresh citrus scent for summer, resisting buying this because i feel like i need to try harder than ELDO but i fear i may not find one better than this

I find this to be a very unique tea scent, as with all ELDO fragrances. It’s funky but in a good way. I am a lover of tea notes and this just smells so cool!

Incorrect note pyramid, officially listed as: (Top) bergamot, incense, cardamom. (Middle) Green maté, Ceylon, black tea. (Base) tonka bean, cedar, vetiver.

Smells like jasmine tea, lovely. It smells intimate, elegant and relaxing like making tea for myself.

OK Elizabeth Arden Green Tea. Ngl this is such a beautiful refreshing lemon green tea scent, LOVE

Similar to Thé Noir but softer and more citrus. I love it! Very easy to wear

I just had an out of body experience after smelling this.

Beautifully composed, but the performance is a dealbreaker. Above the Waves is conceptually a fantastic, highly mass-appealing summer fragrance. My initial impressions were quite high; it opens with a very bright, comforting, and pleasant citrus, paired beautifully with fresh spicy and aromatic notes. The tea accord that emerges in the heart is genuinely enjoyable and makes for a very relaxing wear. However, after spending time with it as a full-wear test, I’ve had to revise my rating downward significantly. On my skin, the performance is just not there. Even with proper skin preparation (showering and using lotion), the fragrance barely lasts three hours. While I love the scent profile itself, I expect more longevity from a fragrance at this price point. It’s a shame, because it’s such a smooth, effortless blend, but I can’t justify a full bottle when I have to reapply it constantly just to keep it on my skin. Note: I don't actually own this fragrance; I am writing this review based on my experience with the official Etat Libre d'Orange discovery set.

Etat Libre d’Orange Above The Waves opens with a sharp crisp citrus-tea accord that feels refined and high quality. The tea is realistic, slightly bitter, and herbal, while the citrus adds brightness without much sweetness. The opening feels airy, polished, and calming. As it develops, incense emerges and the fragrance becomes a dry smoky tea scent supported by woods and earthy nuances. The bitterness softens, the smoke integrates nicely, and the composition remains smooth and well blended. The main issue is that after reaching this smoky tea phase, the fragrance changes very little for the rest of the wear. While the quality is obvious and the performance is strong, it never delivers a real standout moment. Overall, this is a well-executed tea and incense fragrance that feels mature, calming, and refined. I enjoyed it, but the lack of evolution and wow factor kept it from being truly memorable. 7/10

So, I've bought this in January as a blind buy because notes are very up to my alley. Package came; I’ve sprayed my wrist and thought to myself “ABSOLUTELY NOT!” The smell was so sharp and masculine that I had to wash my hands immediately. But! I’m not a person that easily gives up - so I’ve waited for spring. I’m happy to announce that my first impression was incorrect. “Above the waves” begins as citrusy-gingery fresh scent (I’m surprised that there is no ginger in notes) but then it transforms into this beautiful, incense tea with dry woody elements. It’s truly a unisex fragrance. It has similar vibes to my beloved “Thé Yulong” but this is smokier, whereas Yulong has more of a calm spa vibe. I own few of ELDO’s scents and performance/price ratio is good for all of them. Could still smell myself after 6+ hours. Overall - great tea scent for spring and summer.

This opens up with bright bergamot, almost herbal and i feel like i can smell an obvious ginger note. The opening reminds me of a particulair hard lemon/ginger candies i like. The tea note is noticable, but its not a tea heavy scent. Its carried on a woody base, i certainly can smell the vetiver. I feel like this makes it a bit funky in a good way. Or maybe its the frankincense that does that bc i have trouble detecting it. The dry down is nice, the rose comes through and gets more woody and less citrussy. But it still feels light for hot weather days.

I've smelled a lot of fragrances in my time. This is what I thought was my first tea fragrance yet Ive smelled a fragrance extremely similar to this in the past - NO idea what it was. THIS fragrance however is STUNNING. So elegant and classy. So refreshing but a little dark. An opening of bergamot and frankincense then slowly you get the teas. This is so good. I know people have compared fragrances to a day spa before but this is the most expensive day spa you could ever imagine. It smells expensive. This is a new favorite in my collection

Great tea scent! I’ve tried quite a few and this one is super well done! Up front you get fresh steeped green tea pearls with a blast of lemon grass! As the scent progresses there are some more smokey and incensy elements giving the scent a more exotic type of vibe. It never gets too smokey funky or herbal though and overall stays pretty tame and easy to wear. This is just a super calming and relaxing tea experience and just a pleasant scent. Super happy I was able to grab a sample from luckyscent. Going into potential full bottle list

This is such an interesting fragrance. While it leans a little masculine (a sharp spicy herbal note that almost read as Vick's Vaporub), this classic tea and citrus scent is longlasting thanks to something decadent and slightly smoky in the drydown. It makes for a gorgeous edgy counterpoint to ELDO's You or Someone Like You -- both bright, fresh, herbal minty tea scents. Above The Waves is delicious and it better suited for cooler weather, Y.O.S.L.Y. better for spring/summer when the weather's hot and you need to smell fresh and cool.

Absolutely reminiscent of Thé Noire from Le Labo as most have said, but ends in a Gaiac 10 dry down. I find this much more pleasant than either of those fragrances due to its variety over time and the slightly better longevity and sillage. I also think $190 USD for 100ml is significantly preferable to $240 for a 50ml of Thé Noir or $306(!!!) for a 50ml of Gaiac 10. Is it slightly more diluted comparatively? Yes. Does that negatively impact the wearing experience? Not in the slightest.

A gorgeously floral tea. Bergamot and rose followed by wafts and wafts of tea. Cartier Declarations and JLo Still have their tea scented foundations but this has a good bridge of Gucci Pour Home II (don’t be put off- this is a very unisex scent) with that floral and spice. It’s not a night scent unless you wanted to wear it to bed; it’s a very daytime fragrance. It’s a pity it doesn’t radiate more- I’d get a ton of compliments if I wore a stronger version on a train or in public.

on first smell, this is a gorgeous dapartment-store-esque aromatic floral tea scent. In fact, the tea is not really detectable to me in scent but it brings the round body to the floral that you get when you steep a nice glass of semi-fermented oolong, somewhere between a green and red tieguanyin. It also smells like a very french perfume, like a french version of le labo's the matcha. Overall liking it so far.

Got this as a part of ELdO discovery set. I feel like this perfume is perfect for a very limited variety of situations. It’s for those occasions that require clean and fresh close to skin scents. For going to gym or for going out when weather is really hot. For every other occasion it seems too subtle in my opinion. But hey, summers in Europe are brutal for a few last years, so it’s pretty useful.

nice and airy, very fresh, almost mint like - stem like. smooth cedar wood carries through the duration. a gentle breeze & so welcome in the morning. i feel like a thin curtain gently moved by an open window in spring. i feel like i could float. lasts a while considering its delicate nature. a nice damp twig of a scent :)

ELDO have nailed the citrus/tea scent here. It’s nothing like LV Imagination (which I much prefer, but I still do enjoy this one). Think of like if you poured an actual cup of orange tea and smelled the air around it, this would be it. The citrus smell is very juicy and a little overpowering in the opening.

The top notes are very refreshing, but the bergamot scent fades quickly. On my skin, after about two hours, I think, "Huh? Where did that nice scent go?", but occasionally I catch a faint hint of black tea. It's pleasant, but personally, I would prefer a stronger, longer-lasting scent.

I love the smell of this soo much and I am very tempted to buy it as an affordable alternative to Nishane Wulong Cha, but the longevity is so poor on my skin! I don't know why, usually perfumes last fine on my skin and I know perfumes with similar notes, like Wulong Cha, do... :(

Lovely tea with an astringent almost grapefruity spritz. This scent is layered and wearable by anyone. I’m okay with a scent that’s beautiful but fades quickly, as green/ freshie scents are ought to do- but I find this scent never quite makes an impact. It’s an almost for me.

Smells bright, citric, summery, a bit herbaceous. It's reminiscent of a 'day spa treatment' scent. However some people might find this smells like a high quality lemon scented cleaner. It's not particularly unique, but definitely pleasant and non-offensive.

oh I love this. did eldo steal the soap from my grandmothers restroom?? also reminds me of pumpkin pie somehow? not in the way pumpkin pie smells itself but like the room that you're about to eat pumpkin pie in. saving this for the fall for sure

If Thé Noir had a more bright and spring forward cousin, this scent would be it. Citrus and tea forward, with a touch of incense in the background. Feels like I'm drinking a refreshing cup of tea by the pool, while eye-fucking the poolboy.

A very interesting daytime springy scent! The first test I smelled a lot of lemon and a tad bit of greeny grass scent. Overtime it became more floral as the lemon scent slowly went away and felt cozy like springtime!

This smells like repackaged Eau de Cartier or Declaration d'un Soir. It's good but it's been done before. But I don't think they make them anymore, so I guess there's been a hole in the market.