Hi there Olfactoria’s Travellers,
Portia in the OT house from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse (and now writing for My Perfume Samples too).
It must be hotting up in earnest on that side of the world right now while we are gripped in the middle of a very mild winter here in Sydney, seriously there are still people walking around in shorts and flip flops. I thought I’d look at a fragrance I discovered last year through the shower gel. My mate Lesley who works at L’Occitane passed me the shower gel and asked me to try it and though that salty ozonic seashore scent has been off my radar for a while here it hits all the right buttons.
Mer & Mistral by Karine Dubreuil for L’Occitane en Provence
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, tangerine
Heart: Cypress, pine, rosemary
Base: White amber, cedar, musk
I love the opening few heartbeats of Mer & Mistral, imagine a sweet lemon drink that has a salt rim. Not boozy, pure fruit but the salt rim adds this wonderful xing and sizzle to the citrus and they gently fizz against each other as the citrus turns pithy and the woods and greenery make their way majestically into the heart of the fragrance. Imagine crossing a 1990s/2000s ozonic sport fragrance with a really good cologne. Both sides of these two generally masculine genres pulled together to create a simple, elegant and wearable fragrance that feels balanced and much more expensive that these 75ml L’Occitane Collection de Grasse bottles are.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
As a body wash I find the scent invigorating and strangely reminiscent of gym changerooms but only as a passing reference, not an exact replica. That cool, fresh, aquatic and ozonic reminder of days gone by that seems to be making a happy resurgence currently in a more sophisticated guise for lovers of the fresh all day salty tang.
While Mer & Mistral does skew towards what we traditionally are told to view as masculine I can imagine a woman wearing it so beautifully on those days when she would like to be reminded of, or pretend to have knowledge of, yachting on the Mediterranean. It has excellent longevity and projection is average to small meaning a fabulous spritz & go daily wear scent perfect for the summer months. I am wearing it in our winter in Sydney and it’s also a perfect foil to the cool.
Photo Stolen SpotMeBro
Further reading: Beauty & Lifestyle Hunter and Australian Perfume Junkies
L’Occitane has a page where you can find a store or order online anywhere in the world
Have you realised the salty ozonic is coming back? Are you cool with it or running a mile?
Portia xx
Olfactoria's Travels 
Hey Portia,
It’s cloudy today but it’s been lovely having a proper summer in the UK for once. How awesome that your winter is so mild some people are still rocking shorts.
I must admit I don’t know any fragrances from L’Occitane. Are there any others you’d recommend? I can’t say I’m excited about salty, ozonic frags coming back but it’ll make a nice change from oud at least 🙂
Tara I love it when the summer really arrives in London, all the people lying in the parks getting some vitamin D. Everyone is cheered by the delighful change of pace.
There are two of the L’Occitane Collection de Grasse that I particularly like and wear often: Néroli & Orchidée and Vanille & Narcisse. Ambre & Santal also gets a fair amount of skin time here too.
They smell way more expensive than they are and come with excellent body products too.
I admit to being a bit of a fan boy.
Portia xx
Thanks for the recommendations, Portia. They sound fab.
It’s too funny when it’s hot in London and every patch of grass has someone sitting/lying on it.
No, I hadn’t realized it, but I’m thrilled! Hopefully those sticky, cloying gourmands can eventually take a back seat. The shower gel sounds wonderful. I’m looking forward to trying it out. Thank you.
Hi there Spe,
I can imagine if you don’t like gourmand then you could have felt a little left out in the modern fragrant world. They will probably be around for a while longer but I too am glad to see the salty aqua scent come back. It will be a fun genre to have around.
I hope you enjoy the Mer & Mistral gel at least as much as I have,
Portia xx
Hi P,
I could use a salty breeze right now, so I will give this a sniff. Thanks for the review!
Heya Birgit,
I forget that you guys are landlocked. Mer & Mistral will definitely remind you of those holidays by the beach.
I reckon Mr OT will smell wonderful in it, and when you hug him it will be like a holiday.
Portia xx
Isn’t it always? 😉
(He made me say that!)
Ha Ha ha!
Hi Portia! Summer is when I wear different – lighter – acquatic – scents. Sometimes. I love my florals in the summer too. But I have not tried any from L’Occitane and will have a sniff out of curiosity. Xo
Hi Sandra,
Did you like the last release from Jul et Mad Paris? It was called Aqua Sextius and had a very cool salty ozonic edge. If you liked that then this is the everybody can wear version.
Portia xx
I would probably run TWO miles away from salty ozonic, but if I did that, I would be so hot and sweaty that salty ozonic is welcome. I’m pretty certain I’ve smelled this but do not have an impression whatsoever. I will try it the next time I’m at the store. Nice review!
HA HA HA Hajusuuri!
By the time you’ve run two miles you’ll BE a salty ozonic.
If you don’t like the style particularly then I think you probably expunged the scent from your memory
Portia xx