Fico D'India

Fico d'India from Ortigia Sicilia is not just a perfume, it is a real one-way ticket to the wild and baroque heart of Sicily. If you're looking for a fragrance that captures the essence of Mediterranean summer without falling into the banal "citrusy", this is a masterful choice. Unlike many fig perfumes that focus entirely on the sugary pulp of the fruit, Ortigia chooses a more botanical and realistic path. Freshly vaped, the hit is green and fizzy. You can clearly smell the sap of the leaves and the pungent freshness of the fat stems of the cacti. The heart: A dusty and delicate sweetness emerges. It is not the sweetness of caramel, but the natural sweetness of prickly pear flowers mixed with a velvety note of white fig. The base: The base of musk and cedar gives a crystalline cleansing that persists on the skin, making the fragrance dry and sophisticated. It is an eclectic fragrance. Being a unisex aromatic, it avoids gender labels: It is perfect for hot days, as it never becomes cloying, but has a structure that can be noticed even during an evening outdoors. Fico d'India by Ortigia Sicilia is a small masterpiece of accessible artistic perfumery. It is a fragrance that smells of sun-baked earth and sea breeze. If you love perfumes that evoke uncontaminated nature and want to stand out from the crowd of sweetish commercial perfumes, this is a "must-have". The packaging is one of Sue Townsend's works of art. The bottle decorated with leopard and palm print makes it a beautiful design object also to display.

This is a really interesting take on the fig. It's not too verdant, earthy or sweaty, like Ninfeo Mio by Goutal, nor too sugary, melon-y and banana-ish, like Philosykos by Dyptique. The powdery dry down adds a sophisticated, even "classic" dimension I have not encountered in other fig scents but this can give way to a "mothball" cedar note which is refreshing or ever so slightly cloying, depending on your mood. What, exactly the cactus smells like, I don't know, I can't identify it in the scent, perhaps it's one of the greener notes. The fresher qualities of this scent are tempered by quiet vanilla and coconut (which are the last, lingering traces) There is also, perhaps a hint of sharpened pencil (cedar?). It's this union of creamy sweetness and and dense greenery that make it mysterious and unisex...combined with the beautiful packaging, it's definitely a cut above the rest. It's definitely not something every other person is wearing. A signature day scent.

Oh, this fragrance. It’s summer in Sicily, early morning. Walking along the trail to the vineyard, you pause to notice prickly pears (fico d’India) crowning a massive cactus. They’re plump and ripe, practically bursting with promise. Hungry for the fruit, you break off a dry cane nearby, fashion its top into three sections, and, with your makeshift tool, carefully pick the fruit. This perfume perfectly captures the essence of a summer morning during my childhood holidays, when I would wander through the fields near my house with nothing to do but explore. The nostalgic factor, combined with its incredibly fresh and comforting scent, makes this fragrance my everyday go-to. While I notice a resemblance to Philosykos by Diptyque, this feels fresher and lasts better on my skin. Unfortunately, its longevity is short, but I don’t mind reapplying it throughout the day to relive its note journey over and over again.

Fico d’India is an absolute gem for fig lovers! It feels like stepping into a sun-drenched fig grove, somewhere between a dreamy Sicily and fragrant reality. The scent is green, juicy, and fresh, with a soft, creamy touch that captures the essence of a ripe fig. This isn’t a sugary or candied fig, but a fig still on the tree. You want to bite right in! It’s beautifully simple, yet striking. Hard not to fall for it. P.S : And yes, I know what Fico d'India means, but I can confirm that this smells like regular fig to me, with a slight little something in the background (prickly pear, orange blossom and/or neroli).

Signature scent! This perfume has a gorgeous scent of cactus and fig. I have sniffed/ bought many perfumes before and this is so far the most interesting, exotic smell that I have ever come across. It smells very natural on my skin and just puts me in a good mood all the time. Longevity and sillage are poor on me but the perfume lasts longer on clothes. I dabble around in other perfumes occasionally but always come back to Ortigia Fico d'India at the end.

I have the oil roll-on of this fantastic perfume. Lots of fig in the opening, becoming slightly rounder and fuller after a few minutes as the cactus and cedar push through. Every now and again the fig leaves re-announce themselves in gentle wafts It's subtle and although the longevity isn't the best (about two hours on me until it completely fades) you'll most definitely want to apply more.

Oh if only it lasted longer. This is just an absolute dream for the fig lovers out there. It is green, refreshing, sweet and the combination of fig and cactus is to die for. I have the roll-on oil version and it lasts ok, nothing notable. If you get a hug, the other person will notice but don't expect to be stopped in the middle of the street by someone remarking it.

Fantastic scent for the summer although can be worn all year round in my opinion. Initially on me it opens with an almost creamy coconut type of vibe, after ten minuts or so it starts to settle and develops into the most amazing creamy woody green fragrance. Very unique and distinctive. Well done Ortigia.

One of my favorite summer fragrances! I always receive compliments when I am with it, despite that I found it more masculine. Well-balanced and refreshing without being boring. The lasting power is not great, yet I wear it in hot days only and I do not expect miracles.

Wow, what a wondefully fresh scent. It is green, I smell sage in it even though it is not listed in the ingredients. I wonder what smells like sage in it. It has a clear neroli/orange blossom

Beautiful green scent, pretty soft and powdery. I've finished my bottle but will definitely repurchase this scent in a form of room diffuser and soap.

i will always have the soap of this one on my bedtime table because i really enjoy sniffing it....

It makes me smile every time I wear it. I cannot get tired of it. Close to perfection.

Sun, greenery, and fresh prickly pear. Sometimes that’s all a fragrance needs.

smells like the wild west 2 me

I am an amber and wood lover. This fragrance would never be my signature, but appeals to me for a change of pace for spring or summer, or the office. It's soft, feminine, earthy and a little green. Lovely. The men I know love it. I also find it very similar to Tom Ford Santal Blush, but I find this fragrance more soulful and grounded, less forced and "intellectual". A very solid, pretty scent for those who don't always gravitate to particularly feminine scents.

I've been gifted the perfume oil a while ago and frequently wear it in the spring/summertime. It's green, fresh, sweet, but not overbearingly so, and almost a bit creamy - good enough to take a bite. Has a bit of a pencil shaving undertone, but in a good way! :) It sits quite close to the skin with a rather intimate sillage and lasts around 3h on me. Nice to have in the rotation, but would not buy full size.

Mi è stato regalato da una carissima amica, non poteva non sbagliarsi, io adoro i profumi al fico, ricorda Phylosykos ma non è un dupe. Per me rappresenta l'estate per eccellenza, mi ricorda la campagna siciliana con i suoi fichi d'india selvaggi, mi rimanda esattamente alle strade enormi arse dal sole, il tragitto che facciamo d'estate per andare al mare.

I agree 100% with Jndena. A lovely fragrance for many resons but it would never be my signature. We actually use it as a room spray at home to get more 'wear' out of it and to enjoy the smell. Guests always comment how lovely our house smell if we do this before they arrive!

Preso in olio con un kit. Molto buono, fruttato e dolce, ma con una nota fresca. Un buon mix di fico e cedro. Unisex. Però sulla mia pelle dura davvero poco, in olio non si sente tanto, magari lo prenderei in alcol.