Sissa

I bought the Amber-based 5 piece set of the Mind Games line specifically for French Defense, but Sissa is quickly becoming my favorite. I am so unfamiliar with those top notes in perfumery that this is such a unique delight for me! I mean, sesame seed oil? C'mon. It doesn't even sound appealing, but my God, I CAN smell the toasted sesame... and it's heavenly. The conjunction of sesame with the other sweet notes is total bliss. The roasted tonka is definitely most prominent on me, and although it's very sweet, the muskiness of this makes this perfectly unisex. I would love to smell this on a man. Perhaps I'm not privy to identifying a singular lactonic note (or "milk accord", as they put it), but whatever creaminess I am getting out of this doesn't feel milky, necessarily; the tonka, vanilla, coumarin, musk are all so rich and well-blended that they alone could provoke the notion of "lactonic". The jasmin is in there somewhere, being shy, not wanting to wrestle with the other notes. Long-lasting, great sillage (but please don't overspray, you do not need that much of this!) and very high quality. I really don't think I could ever pull $375 for one full bottle of any of the Mind Games line, though, no matter how much I love them. I'd rather spend $$$ to have their discovery sets - I love having options and the ability to layer. Mind Games generally has a fascinating mixture of notes, and I think they're a breath of fresh air when it comes to perfumery. A very novel fragrance line.

I've been waiting to review this as I just have stars in my eyes and cant formulate the words for my love of Sissa. I purchased a few decants recently (heavy hitters - BR540, Greenwich Village, Nolita, Lionora ,etc)....and Sissa was the clear cut winner. I couldnt stop thinking about her! It was love at first sniff. I knew immediately she was the signature frag I'd been waiting for. Shes not strictly a vanilla gourmand - she has a nutty, savory side to her sweetness. The sesame note has my heart. When I wear her I cant stop smelling myself! She is blended perfectly. These notes just harmonize so well together. The white floral in the background just dances quietly while the vanilla, musk and sesame get to be the star. Sissa is creamy, warm, cozy. She is airy. Very lactonic. Cookies baking in the background. Sipping a sesame vanilla latte. If you enjoy Commodity Milk, this is right up your alley. Sissa is much better blended and longer lasting than Milk (to me). Vanilla, sesame and toasted tonka are the star of Sissa whereas Milk is more prominent on marshmallow / musk. You need to enjoy creamy / milky notes to like these perfumes. Oh and Sissa lasts FOREVER. I put her on at 8am and by 10pm that night she was still so strong on my skin! She is eternal! Lactonic, sweet, musky, nutty vanilla. I just ordered a FB and cannot wait to wear her everyday!!! 100/10 would recommend.

Mind Games and Christelle Laprade made this one very well, ladies and gentlemen. Aromatically, Sissa has a flavor profile most similar to V&R's Spicebomb Extreme (but without all the harmful chemicals). The 2024 release of Sissa contains: Alcohol Denat., Fragrance (Parfum), Water (Aqua/Eau), Coumarin, Farnesol. Viktor & Rolf's Spicebomb Extreme contains: Alcohol, Parfum / Fragrance, Aqua / Water, Limonene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Coumarin, Linalool, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Eugenol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Methyl Anthranilate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (aka: Octinoxate, Octyl methoxycinnamate, or OMC), Citral, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Isoeugenol, Ci 60730 / Ext. Violet 2 (aka FD&C Exterior Violet No 2). The Spicebomb is composed of ingredients that are absolutely terrible for your skin, lungs, nervous system (brain), and endocrine system (gonads and thyroid). Choosing to smell sexy shouldn't be a hazardous decision.

Oh my gosh, this is so freaking good! It smells like a yummier, cozier version of milk by commodity. It smells least like the personal, kind of like the bold, and very much like the expressive. I find it like the combo of the best things about the three versions and more! It’s yummier, warmer and sweeter! Some people say I smell like fig nectar. I think I smell like warm sweetened milk one might drink as a kid or marshmallows over a slightly smoky fire! I sure love this Milk (Pro Max)

I’ve been craving this perfume for months on end. The notes made me feel like wearing this would simulate a warm fresh sesame bun hugging me on a bed of tonka. And oh yes it is. This smells like a warm fluffy bread with toasted sesame seeds that was also baked with vanilla extract, accompanied by a warm glass of milk. Starts tonka and coumarin heavy, dries down more sesame and warm. Super cozy and beautiful, will buy this soon.

a bit dense and nutty during the first hour or so, but sissa settles into a gorgeous and creamy blend of vanilla, musk, and coumarin. it has an airiness that a lot of the other recent lactonic gourmand perfumes lack, making this a much easier and more enjoyable wear. not in the notes but i swear i get a hint of coffee.

After spending a little time with this- I get a brown butter chocolate chip cookie kind of note from this. Also a coffee note. If you want to smell warm, cozy and very unique- I would recommend this. It smells expensive and sophisticated. Very modern. I would say this is a modern gourmand.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BLEND! Sometimes sesame can overpower fragrances but here it’s just subtly intertwined with all the other notes making this so cozy and sweet. Lactonic yet airy, in the same family as commodity milk/gold but smoother. Is this full bottle worthy? Yes!

If "toasted" was a fragrance, this would be it. Toasted sesame, tonka, and vanilla - like a crunchy, nuttier Bianco Latte. Heavy on the coumarin, but this does it in a way I haven't smelled before. I didn't like this at first but it became strangely addicting.

This reminds me of a smoother Commodity milk. Milk burns my nose and gives me a headache. Even Milk personal does the same where as I get all day wear with no drawbacks to this. The musk smooths it out and I love that.

This reminds me of my favorite sesame latte at my favorite breakfast spot. I can't get enough. More importantly, my husband can't get enough. Very unique and still a crowd pleaser! Give her a sniff!

It's a more interesting and unique vanilla-esque perfume. It's musky, nutty, and lactonic. It's perfect for the cold winter months, and so underrated. This is what I wanted Italica by Xerjoff to be.

Not for me. It's too synthetic. I agree with others that mention Bianco Latte, and I sold that one because I REALLY didn't like it. Very cloying and artificial.

this is beautiful. What I wanted Commodity Milk to be. Light and airy sweetness. Lactonic perfume my love🫶🏻

smells like commodity milk to my nose but more complex and smooth smelling

Gf tried it and first note she pulled was milk. She’s getting better

This one’s peculiar—more eccentric than Gardez, at least to my nose. It opens milky rather than creamy, with a dry, unsweetened sesame that takes center stage. Tonka is used with restraint, allowing that sesame-forward magic to shine. Vanilla weaves through as a quiet balancer, softening edges without stealing the show. There’s a faint dustiness here—though no lavender is listed, perhaps the jasmine is playing that trick. As it settles, the scent drifts into something almost “old-world magic,” opulent and steeped in character. Feminine at first glance, yet entirely wearable for an eccentric man. It draws curiosity; people will ask what you’re wearing. And while there’s no leather in the formula, I can’t help imagining it paired with leather clothing—the combination would be intoxicating.

Sissa and Commodity’s Milk and Milk+ are the same thing with different names. Maybe my nose is amateur, but there’s simply no reason to justify paying the high markup for Sissa when it and Milk were made by the same perfumer. Milk doesn’t smell the least bit different than Sissa to someone who isn’t in perfumery school or a perfumer themselves. I own Milk + and have a tester of Milk and I’m telling you there’s little difference if any at all. I can’t really smell the sesame as much as I wanted to either. Oh, well. I’ll enjoy my 5ml until it’s gone, but count me out of dropping that cash on a full bottle.

This smells really delicious! It’s sweet, creamy, and a little bit indulgent. I get a lot of vanilla and tonka, and I’m getting a soft hint of coffee in there too, though it’s subtle. It has that cozy, caramelised warmth that makes it super easy to like and very moreish. That said, I’m not sure it quite justifies the price. It’s nice, and the vanilla does smell good quality, but this style of fragrance feels pretty familiar and widely available at more affordable price points. It’s enjoyable, but in my opinion, not particularly unique. Try Xplicit Vanilla by Mancera, I find it very similar!

Instant love affair after trying my sample. Sesame might be my new favorite note. A friend had some "black sesame mochi" ice cream that smelled good and inspired me to look for sesame as a note. This perfume Sissa does NOT smell like food, more like a shisha or incense I once had that I cannot name. But unlit incense, no smoky! It's very mysterious and yet lighthearted. I think if you like Eilish No. 2 this might be a little more safe for daytime. I compare that because that also reminded me of incense but they don't have anything but vanilla in common.