A'mmare

A’mmare smells like an expensive vacation, like smelling the sea breeze while on holiday on an island. Which makes a lot of sense because it was created by the niche house Carthusia in Capri, in the Mediterranean. Not a cheap place for sure! Normally, I am not a fan of green, aromatic, aquatic, salty, leaning masculine perfumes, but this A’mmare is a gem of a fragrance! I love it with passion! It opens with a burst of freshness and aromatics, I almost detect lime or some other citruses, then the salt comes in. Mint is not harsh, toothpaste like or overpowering at all here. It offers the scent a clean, relaxing facet. I don’t think I have anything with a rosemary note in my collection so that could be it that makes me love this so much, it’s something here I have not smelled before but I love this! A’mmare is a beautiful, uplifting, summer perfume, unisex in my opinion, salty, aquatic and herbal. In the same genre like Salina by LO, but this is more fresh, green, herbal and less sweet and vanillic. The dry down is my favourite part, it becomes a bit sweeter and richer thanks to the cedar, guaiac wood and patchouli. I think these notes offers A’mmare the potency became on me it’s quite long lasting for a freshie. Best for summer weather wear, beach days spent in the sun... The bottle is to die for, looks really gorgeous in person, better than in promotional pictures! The price is phenomenal for such quality and presentation. Underrated fragrance and house in my opinion! I see in the Reminds me of section that Bleu Turquoise by Armani might be similar to A’mmare. I need to sample that as well, I might be loving this kind of fragrances after all!

A’mmare is one of the most pleasant and versatile marine fragrances out there—one that never grows tiring. It opens fresh and radiant. You immediately notice the bergamot, bright and sunny, bringing a burst of energy. But what truly sets it apart is the aquatic note that arrives almost right away—like a sea breeze kissed with salt and freedom. It’s not a sharp or icy freshness, but rather soft, enveloping, and remarkably natural. As the fragrance develops, green and aromatic notes begin to surface, reminiscent of sun-warmed Mediterranean herbs. You catch hints of rosemary, a touch of mint, perhaps even a trace of lavender. Everything is perfectly balanced—never harsh, never overpowering. In the drydown, a gentle veil of woody and musky notes gives the scent depth without weighing it down. It remains airy and transparent throughout—like a peaceful walk along a seaside path. What makes A’mmare truly special is its versatility. It’s the perfect summer fragrance, of course, but its clean and natural feel makes it suitable for everyday wear in any season—especially if you like carrying a bit of the sea with you wherever you go. Fresh, elegant, and never ordinary.

A very surprising fragrance that has opened my mind to liking aromatic green perfumes. Usually I don’t care for herbal notes in perfumes but it’s done so well here and I love something different for the summer besides the traditional tropical coconut style. This is giving elegance, it’s giving boarding a yacht in the Mediterranean while wearing your Celine resort wear and large brimmed hat while sipping an aromatic cocktail specially prepared by the mixologist on board, the sea salt wind in the air, the smell of high end bath products and the flora and fauna of the green Cyprus coastline. It’s divine. I blind bought it from Italy and I have zero regrets. If you like You or Someone Like You, then I think you’ll vibe with this one too. Those two have really surprised me and let me know I’m open to a different style of freshie. Parade by Celine is also giving money, honey. Oh, and this bottle? Are you kidding me?? It’s giving Initio but with Italian flair and design. Love this.

I discovered this perfume by reading Fragrantica editor John Biebel's review of it in the above linked article (Editors' Best Perfumes of 2021). Thank you, Mr. John! At first I wasn't sure how I felt about it after trying a sample but I couldn't stop smelling my wrist for the next couple of hours. Now I love it. Definitely takes me on a journey with how it seems to change on my skin. Like being near and smelling the ocean with wafts of salt, some light herbs and woods and just a touch of sweetness. The drydown and lasting skin scent are intoxicating to me. Def unisex and can wear year round but I am looking foward to wearing it this summer. (For those in the US, CO Bigelow just got their inventory of this in the 50/100ml sizes. You get free shipping, free samples and a 10% discount off your first purchase when you sign up for their member loyalty program online.) And hey that bottle design...BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I would describe A’mmare with just one word: evocative. The first time you spray it, you don’t really try to analyze or pick apart the individual notes — that first spritz is all emotion and imagination. My first thought was of that moment as a kid when I couldn’t wait to jump into the water, but my mom made me wait so she could put sunscreen on me. It was the only moment where I would actually stop and notice the scent of dried salt on my skin, the first sandy smear of sunscreen because the tube had slipped from my hands and gotten completely dirty, the shock of the cold sea in the middle of July, and the fresh yet woody smell of the trees under which we had parked the car just above the beach. It represents something that connects all of us — something that brings you back to a place, any place, anywhere, but shared by everyone, reminding us of scents and feelings we had forgotten.