I recently repurchased a bottle of OdOV and its longevity has actually been good. The bottle and box have the more recent round logo design where my previous bottle had writing on it. The last time I had a bottle was over 10 years ago and I was reluctant to buy it again because of how short lived the scent is. Worst case I would reserve my new bottle for the hottest days when most scents are cloying and too much. I alway felt that this scent has a natural presence. Can't comment on the similarities to L'eau as I have never sampled. If you don't have a sample seek out the bottle I mention. I have seen .5 oz available for reasonable prices and it is a convenient size if you want to take with you.