The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Bath & Body Works launched Cypress in 2018 as part of their Men's Collection. The fragrance features three key notes, each doing distinct work in the composition. The opening bursts with crisp bergamot, bright and almost astringent, the kind of sharp citrus that hits the back of the throat when you bite into a fresh peel. From there, the scent shifts into something more unusual: tonic water, taken literally rather than just hinted at through grapefruit or vetiver. The quinine note brings a genuine effervescence, cold and fizzing, like the first sip of a gin and tonic on a warm day. The cypress anchors everything, a green herbal presence that keeps the composition grounded and prevents it from becoming too sharp or too sweet. It's a straightforward combination, no frills, no posturing.
Tonic water as a named note is unusual in perfumery. Most fragrances hint at bitterness through grapefruit or vetiver. Bath & Body Works went literal here, using quinine to capture that cold gin quality, that sharp effervescence that tingles on the tongue. It's a bold move that gives the opening a real personality. The tonic water is paired with Himalayan cypress, which brings its own distinct character to the blend. Together, these notes create something that smells like a drink you might order at a well-stocked bar, something you'd hold in your hand while looking out at a view.
The evolution
The bergamot opens sharp and cold, a bright sting like biting the peel of a citrus fruit. The tonic water follows within seconds, adding that fizz, that bitter-bubble quality that makes the whole opening feel effervescent rather than just fresh. The cypress arrives fast too, usually a heart note, but here it's pushed forward to keep the bergamot from getting too sharp. By hour two, the composition settles into something more restrained. The initial brightness softens, and the green herbal quality of the cypress becomes more pronounced. The drydown on this one leans clean and linear, staying close to the skin rather than projecting outward into a room. The fragrance doesn't demand attention. It just stays with you, quiet and present, a subtle backdrop to the day rather than a statement piece.
Cultural impact
Cypress appeared in 2018 as part of a broader expansion of fresh masculine fragrances. Bath & Body Works chose an unusual direction with tonic water and herbal-green cypress instead of the marine notes that were popular at the time. Some wearers found the approach refreshingly simple, while others appreciated that it didn't try to be anything it wasn't. The fragrance has since been discontinued, which has only increased interest among those who remember it. It's the kind of scent that people talk about finding, that small victory of discovering something that flew under the radar while it was available.
