Frustration by Etat Libre d'Orange bottle
Etat Libre d'Orange

Frustration

3.8/5 · 1,581 votes Unisex 2022
Main accords
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Fragrance notes

Top notes
Heart notes
Base notes
Guaiacol

Character

Longevity3.5/5
Sillage2.7/5
Day44
Night76
Fall100
Winter100
Spring19
Summer9
Our take

Frustration opens with a slap of rum-soaked cinnamon and a cumin that veers dangerously close to sweat, a boozy, prickly start that promises chaos. But the heart caves almost immediately into a dense vanilla duet, labdanum smoothing the edges into something syrupy and resigned. The dry down settles on chestnut dust and a guaiacol that smokes like damp charcoal, with bourbon vetiver adding a gritty, rooty anchor. This is the smell of a cocktail party you were forced to attend, the one where you spill red wine on a cream carpet and have to smile through the rest of the evening. It feels heavy, sweet in a cloying, almost anxious way, and unabashedly synthetic in its vanilla blast, though the woody base pulls it back from cheap candle territory. The sillage is a whisper, barely 2.73 out of five, and longevity hovers around average, which might be a saving grace given how thick it gets. This scent suits someone who enjoys being uncomfortable in a stylish way, who wants a fragrance that turns heads briefly then fades into a private grumble. Skip it if you prefer clean, airy scents or anything that doesn’t smell like a minor emotional crisis. Best worn on a cold winter night when you plan to stay indoors, drink something bitter, and wallow just enough to feel alive again.

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