Illusione for Her

I first became acquainted with this sent years ago when I bought a dupe from Zara called New York. I tried it because the name seemed intriguing at the time. I wondered how one would begin to bottle New York. There wasn't a drop left in less than a year, it smelled like a state of mind and I'm not a fan of photorealistic scents because I'm not that crazy about reality so I would prefer to escape it as much as possible. So let me share the story: imagine a rainy day in a major city, in November, you're in a hurry to get to work, to get to a bar to meet your friends, to go to an art gallery where someone you know organized their first ever exhibit. You have hundreds of options every day, your life is ahead of you and all you have to do is decide how to spend it. It's not New York necessarily, it's anywhere major where you have everything you could possibly want in your own city. And it's also the loneliness and isolation of the crowd, and nights of self reflection watching the lights of the city, when you have the luxury of being alone with others. It took me years to find the original, I had lost hope really, until one day I accidentally stumbled upon Illusione and it all came rushing back. I think the name does a disservice to this perfume. New York was better. On to the actual notes: (on me) it opens with a fine blend of bergamot and greenery, while the woody notes hang in the back and as it dries down, the wood moves to the forefront, blending with the green notes, mature leaves and tree bark, supported by the citrus and the slightest hint of bergamot. This scent is a light touch, it's slick and sophisticated, present but no intrusive, truly an urban animal. If you enjoy more insistent and overwhelming scents, you will be disappointed. It's fantastic if you live in an area where people prefer discreet perfumes. Performance: I tested Illusione on 1 wrist, Barenia on the other. Same performance, same sillange, 8 hours later, both there, same intensity, because I read people were worried.

Illusione is a beautiful chameleon of a scent. Every time I smell it, a different note dominates the fragrance: The fig leaf, black currant or orange blossom or a combination of them. It's fruity, floral, fresh, green, fluffy, slightly sweet and sometimes even woody. I think this is perfect when you want something summery that is neither a fruit cocktail, nor a simple cologne, but somewhere in between those. The black currant and bergamot are juicy and sparkling, and combined with the green fig leaf the whole scent also smells like fresh figs. I really enjoy fig scents that are more on the fruity side and not completely green and milky, just a little bit. The blend of orange blossom and tonka, which is soft, creamy and reminiscent of almonds here, makes me think of marshmallows without turning into gourmand territory. At first I found Illusione a little undefined and wasn't impressed, but after a few tries it grew on me so much. It changes dependent on the weather and developes from fresh to warm on my skin. The name is very fitting for this shimmering scent that shows you different facets so you can't be quite sure what it really is.

I get more of green ‘neroli blossom’ rather than orange blossom, then faint hazy fig, and a little bit of petitgrain. And I’m glad that black currant doesn’t make it too fruity in this one. Illusione is more aromatic floral than green. It’s quite cold and airy rather than warm, so it works all year round, not just in summer. A bit soapy and aquatic, I get very light jasmine and even lotus petal mixed in, in the drydown – this phase is so beautiful! Also, wouldn’t say it’s naturalistic, even though it’s not tarty, as it’s got a bit of designer edge like the upvoted Ange Ou Demon Le Secret. However, in terms of how it projects, I get a lot of cloudy and very airy sillage like Elie Saab; perhaps this quality is from IsoE not mentioned. I really enjoy wearing this (sample) – it gives that zen-ness and relaxation without being too meditative as though I'm sat in a serene oriental pavilion next to flower bushes near a lake covered with lotus flowers while watching a waterfall (holding a Bottega Veneta clutch, maybe??).

I just bought this perfume today. It's very fresh and on my skin it smells floral, fresh, orange blossom, a little bit like grass and woody after a while. I'm no expert but i would say it is quite unique and it smells expensive. I don't think it will give you headaches because it's very fresh. I think this one might be my main perfume for a while. It's nothing very special but I could see myself wearing it every day in this summer. I think it might be a compliment getter. The smell is definitely pleasant. However, I' not sure if it will last long or if people will smell it. It's not weak but I don't know how long it will last. I'm glad I bought it. Very elegant and fresh! My description for this perfume would be: dinner at a fancy terrace + near the ocean + there are some trees, plants nearby + in the summer - maybe in Greece Works perfectly on a younger person + it's for every gender (every perfume should actually be unisex:))

Unique, lovely and criminally underrated! This is a scent that is very true to the notes listed - what you read there is pretty much what you get! I can detect every note of the list in quite similar intensity - yet I find this to be masterfully blended and harmonious. Illusione is a semi-sweet juicy green fruity-floral without any harsh edges. It‘s a fresh perfume without pulling overly citrusy, aquatic or sharp - it does have a green-bitter aspect formed by the fig leaf and the olive tree, though. The tonkabean provides a little bit of sweetness and ties everything together to a beautiful fresh, but very feminine scent. The besaid juiciness from the bergamot and black currant is almost mouth-watering; combined with the tonka I feel like that‘s what draws people in. The bitter, sort of herbal notes create a nice refreshing twist. Illusione feels sophisticated and natural, fresh and put-together, happy and energetic. A keeper.