Etat Libre d’Orange Frustration Full Review: An Insatiable Desire

The Brand: Etat Libre d’Orange

If you have been a lover of niche perfumery for quite a while, you definitely have heard the name Etat Libre d’Orange popping up at least in one of the fragrance discussions. Founded in 2006 by Etienne de Swardt, Etat Libre d’Orange is a French perfume house established with an idea of starting a revolution. Indeed, the brand has been executing this idea with their creations emphasizing on originality, audacity, authenticity, and freedom of expression, Etat Libre d’Orange proposes surprising olfactory compositions, without any limitations in terms of creativity, raw materials, or expense.

Hence, many people have become loyal fans of the brand for its originality, authenticity, and sincerity.

The Newest Release: Frustration

Quite the opposite of the name Frustration, the newest release from Etat Libre d’Orange is a divine gourmand perfume. According to the founder of the brand, the inspiration for Frustration started during a summer a few years ago when he took a walk on the Ramblas in Barcelona and listened to a song by Rare Bird, an English band of progressive rock from the 70s.

Etienne himself explained: “Frustration, the eldest daughter of renunciation and the sister of perfume, since perfume proceeds like frustration in the game of love. It gives by taking up, a fullness never satisfied, an enjoyment started but never achieved, an infinite movement of desire without completion, without apotheosis, an instillation that excites seduces, lulls, dominates and annoys like a Bolero by Ravel. Frustration.”

The notes:

Top notes: Cumin, Cinnamon, Pure Rhum Jungle Essence™
Heart notes: Pure Vanilla Jungle Essence™, Vanilla Absolute, Ciste Absolute
Base notes: Chestnut Wood Accord, Bourbon Vetiver, Vinyl Gaiacol

The Scent:

If you are a gourmand lover, you are in for a treat with Frustration. The fragrance opens up with a bust of very prominent roasted chestnuts. According to Etienne, the chestnut note used in Frustration is inspired by the fall in Paris.

Everywhere you go in Paris in the autumn, you will smell the beautiful fragrance of roasted chestnuts. Since Frustration was created to capture the feeling of love and desire, the note of roasted chestnut is just perfect to paint the picture of Paris’s most romantic scenery during the best season of the year. The opening also has a touch of smokiness from the roasted chestnut, soft spiciness from the cinnamon and booziness from the rum.

The well-balanced smokiness, spiciness, and booziness added in the fragrance bring out the sensuality and coziness. Even though there are no chocolate and milk notes listed, you may detect some chocolatey and milky quality somewhere in the opening and the mid of Frustration.

The whole combination of the roasted chestnut, and the chocolatey and milky quality together creates the most delectable gourmand fragrance that you wish during the cold season. Let’s just imagine you are enjoying a cup of hot chocolate milk by a fireplace, waiting for your chestnut roasted on the stove while getting cozy under your fluffy sherpa blanket. As the fragrance dries down, it does not become overly sweet. Instead, you will get more of the powdery, soft, and creamy vanilla. As this fragrance proceeds to the base, more of the woody and warm amber nuances will come out to add some depth to Frustration.

The Performance:

Overall, Frustration has a pretty good performance. The way this fragrance project is creating a nice bubble around the wearer and leaving a nice intoxication trail behind. It will last a solid eight hours. Depending on how you apply it, it could last even longer than that. 

If you haven’t decided what to wear on Valentine’s Day, you can definitely rock Frustration for a romantic

chill-out date night. As we proceed to Valentine’s Day, Frustration would be a solid choice for this special day of lovers.