Oranges Bigarades

A blind buy for me that I am not sure it was worth the money. Not because it's not gorgeous, but once the top notes go it becomes a quite close dupe to the Tea for Two by L'artisan perfumer. I am not talking about the old version, but the new reformulated one. I happen to love Tea for Two, and I own both versions, the difference is not that big but the new one is less sweet and less strong than the old version, much more transparent.. Orange Bigarades starts with a bust of orange and bergamot which, just like with any other citrus, doesn't last at all. Very sad and disappointing, considering the fragrance's name contains "oranges". Soon over a strong black Ceylon tea takes over, mixed with some orange blossom, hints of woody vanilla, and sweetened with a drop of amber. At this point the resemblance with Tea for Two is amazing. The perfume evolves with obvious tobacco notes, a honeyed tobacco, with very little smoke and ashy tones. I am surprised there is no tobacco listed in the notes. From then on the scent remains the same, the orange blossom is more evident, the silage is gone, it becomes a soft skin scent, and keeps getting weaker and weaker until it's gone. The projection is lacking oomph, and that is the part that bothers me most. It could easily be worn by a man too, a true unisex. Edit for the 3rd time: the dry down is amber floral, very refined, a warm musky amber mixed with neroli, much more feminine than the top and middle development. Is it gorgeous ? Absolutely! It is worth the $225 plus tax , which is close to $260 CAD? nope . Especially if you already own the Tea for two. Still, a very unusual offering from Lancome. I also own Roses Berberanza and Lavandes Trianon from this series. I adore the Lavandes, and I like the Roses. They are both much stronger and richer than this. I will keep it because it has charm, and it is extremely easy to wear. I am an ex smoker, I quit about 6 years ago, and tobacco fragrances tickle my senses in a romantic way, like a beloved memory of a lost lover.

I’m usually a sucker for orange scents and this is no exception. It’s beautiful, smooth, classy, and has a soft sweetness that is just addictive to me. At the same time, the black tea note keeps it fresh enough for hot weather. It lifts my mood effortlessly! Lasting power isn’t monstrous on me but I’m willing to touch up on this beauty throughout the day, plus it lasts on clothes much longer than skin! And how beautiful is the bottle?

This is similar to Neroli Outrenoir by Guerlain, but Oranges Bigarades performs better on me. Even though I like them both, I prefer this one since the tea note is more noticeable and the vanilla is not so overpowering like in the other one, plus I get more sweet orange here in the top and middle. The bottle is also gorgeous. I believe Maison Lancome has a few Grand Crus hits and this is one of them.

Reminiscent of Guerlain Orange Magnifica, but not a dupe, obvs. The orange is the same kind of orange, but this has the strong tea note. The sandalwood is I think what is making this v slightly creamy on me.. I have a half price 30m.. not sure I would want to spend a fortune on a 100ml off the website.. but it's very nice, if not stunning. Pretty bottle n box though.

A zesty black tea scent. Given my experience with tea scents, this one is surprisingly pleasant. I believe the vanilla has balanced out the bitterness of the tea note, which I like. The floral notes plays supporting role, let the freshness of tea shines, making it perfectly unisex.