Peppermint, bergamot, and mandarin open cold and clean — the kind of opening that reads as salt air without reaching for an obvious marine note. It clears the nose quickly, which means the heart has room to work.

The heart is where La Mer does something unexpected. Blackcurrant and fig bring a dark, ripe fruitiness. Jasmine floats in without overwhelming, and carrot root adds an earthy undercurrent that's slightly waxy and distinctly non-obvious. Richer than the opening suggests, and more complex than most summer fragrances aim for.

Amber and woody notes close it out cleanly. The dry-down is warm and soft. La Mer is a spring-into-summer fragrance — one that earns the layered description without announcing it.