I find the sweet black tea is soothing. Vanilla in a blend is a good stress-reducer for me, velvety and warm. The addition of tonka butter echos this vanilla scent, combining in a caramel tone. The succulent apricot serves up a fruity freshness, that remains delicate. I appreciate drop of the opulent hibiscus by using the smoked ambrette. This gives the blend a floral musk complimented further by the wood musk.

I expected this to open with a steaming cup of tea with milk, but it actually starts off with the sweetness of the apricot and the wood musk. The apricot is almost coming off a little floral which is quite lovely. It’s warm and bright in a way that feels like decompressing in front of a fireplace. As it dries down, it gets warmer and warmer. I was very much looking forward to the vanilla creme note and it did not let me down. The creaminess of it is just so smooth and soothing. Ambrette as a note is new to me, but I read that it can smell like cognac which explains the slightly spicy/boozy quality present here. I’m someone who does not enjoy boozy scents, but it’s coming off differently in this which I am very grateful for. It’s only adding to the warmth and depth of this blend which really enhances the cozy vibes.

Like all NCD scents, I find this to be greater than the sum of its parts. My pro tip: when the description says "wear when you need X and Y" BELIEVE it! I didn't even let it rest from my freezing mailbox before slathering it on and I found that it lived up to the promise to settle my anxiety.

I don't get a strong tea note or a strong vanilla creme note and that pleases me; I didn't want either to dominate. The wood musk and tonka butter ground the scent nicely but there is a lingering lightness that keeps it from being too dark for me. Throw was medium-strong and longevity was fantastic for me.

Full confession: I blind bought a full size of this for no discernable reason and I'm not even mad that I did.