Onde Extase

Utterly masterful! I love finding hidden gems like this. I sampled this on my skin from a discount table at a designer outlet mall (I'm hoping that "discount" doesn't translate as bad perfume to you dear reader--to me, it can mean that it doesn't appeal to the masses and has a unique edge about it or just has bad marketing). Then I walked away, did some other shopping and went on my merry way home. Well, Onde Extase haunted me for the rest of the day, and well into the next morning (great longevity). So much so that I went back to buy my very own bottle. The narcissus in Onde Extase is perhaps what differentiates this fragrance from many other florals, and makes me think that this is a close relative of Samsara. Mimosa is stunningly fragrant, almost musky--like liquid sunshine during a sultry sunset, filtered with mystery and feminine allure. Usually when I think of yellow flowers, I think of weedy greens, but here it's all luscious and golden. Compared to Samsara, Onde Extase could be a more wearable and slightly sweeter option. Sesame--what a unique note. I don't detect its presence like a heavy oil used in Chinese food (although I love that toasty aroma!), but it definitely adds a seductive, satiny rich quality. Cedar, bergamot and pepper make the composition beautifully clean and smooth. The drydown is also a little incensey, almost like it has some labdanum in it. When I let my daughter smell my skin, she also thought like Inspire0111 that it had some chocolate in it (which I didn't get--so that must be a nose thing, not a skin thing). Onde Extase is truly a narcotic and mysterious floral (a little trivia on the side, narcissus flowers are truly narcotic in the literal sense). Please try it, and if you don't like it, just send it on over to me!

I purchased a 50ml size on sale at half price the other day. I remember trying all 3 of these scents from this range when they were released 6 years ago & I wasn't all that impressed or found them too uninteresting at the time. And they were hugely expensive. But the add campaign was always stunning. Now my perfume knowledge & collection has been expanding enormously over the years, so when I glanced at this range that had been sitting on the shelves for years unnoticed by the masses I decided to investigate them again. Onde Extase was my chosen purchase out of the three......& I must say.....this is a really beautiful oriental scent that has taken me by surprise. It reminds me a little of Samsara or similar fragrances in that genre, but a much calmer, softer version...not overtly strong-in-your-face scents, subtle but has a warmth & graceful depth to it that can be worn anytime, anywhere, any occasion. I find it actually quite comforting. & the fact that it was a limited release, on sale & the bottles in this range I think are truly exotic & beautiful additions to display on a new bathroom shelf. I am glad I own at least one of these from this edition.

I was gifted a generous sample of this scent by an even more generous Fragrantica member who knew that I was looking for a warm, feminine narcissus. She suggested I'd love this and she was absolutely right. The lightly sweet combination of narcissus and mimosa is dreamy. And I love the sesame note as it gives it a toasted feel. The effect reminds me of drinking Hojicha, roasted Japanese green tea, and the warm, nutty comfort of it. The overall impression the fragrance gives is powdery, gentle, softly sweet and even a little cool in the spa-like sense. But it still manages to stay equal parts warm and faintly spicy at the same time. Something in it evokes memories of Christmas past and I suspect that something is the cedar note even though I only sense it obliquely. I'm sad to know it's already discontinued, but it looks like bottles are still readily available online. Whew!

Looking at the notes, I can't really explain why this smells like a sheer, slightly powdery incense scent on me with a hint of pink pepper in the opening, but it's absolutely gorgeous in my opinion! My fiance normally wears heavier, leathery/spicy scents, but he couldn't resist testing this one and it smelled amazing on him too. It creates a veil of scent, rather than a "cloud". I agree with Nuppu that it's "clean", "lightweight" and "translucent".

This is a truly captivating fragrance! It's warm, sensual, and definitely has that 'exotic' vibe Giorgio Armani was going for. The floral notes are prominent but not overpowering, and there's a lovely woody undertone that makes it feel sophisticated and grown-up. I get compliments on it all the time!