Marchesa Perfume d' Extase

Marchesa is the design house that I automatically think of every single time that I hear about upcoming awards show...every young starlet has been wearing their designs for the past few years and they have created some of the most beautiful and amazing dresses to every go down the red carpet.  I can only dream of wearing one of their creations to the Met Ball at some point in my life and they will remain a figment of my dreams for a long time.  Last year, Marchesa created their first fragrance and the initial release was only to Sephora stores and their website...this was one of their biggest fragrance releases and the fragrance has been all over the place ever since.  I am trying a huge sample of this fragrance for the first time over the past few days...but I am still waiting to fall as in love with the fragrance as I am with their designs.

I first received a large sample of this fragrance last December with a Sephora online order, it was the featured VIB reward and I had been curious about this fragrance ever since it was first released.  I had read that this fragrance was a white floral, white florals are either very hit or miss for me so I knew from the beginning that I would either love or hate this fragrance.  I am not much of a gardenia girl but I love tuberose and jasmine scents, I find it so interesting that I can love and hate flowers that have so much in common.  I am sure that I could write full articles on the science of smell and how the perfumer uses each note to his or her notions of how they smell best but that it for another time and another day...I have a perfume to review!

The Marchesa fragrance is still only available on the Sephora website and I have heard nothing about it being carried anywhere else so I can only assume that it will stay exclusive to this retailer.  "MARCHESA PARFUM D’EXTASE opens with light florals, giving way to a combination of fresh and sensual notes that create complexity and beauty. Iris is the secret to the fragrance's richness, capturing the delicate essence of its flower petals and the dark sensuality of its precious roots. Freesia, young violet leaves, night blooming jasmine, ambrox, and musks complete the sublime composition of this intoxicating elixir.  The fragrance's elegantly designed bottle evokes the look and feel of an exotic raw crystal, a powerful gemstone known for its positive energy and abundant healing qualities. Each bottle features individually set crystals that exude confident and alluring femininity signature to Marchesa.  Discover the designers’ enchanting vision and dress your senses in ecstasy."

The notes of the fragrance are: Iris Flower, Freesia, Black Current, Young Violet Leaves, Lotus Flower, Night Blooming Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose Water, Orange Blossom, Iris Root, Ambrox, Captive Musks.

This is a very pretty light white floral but there is nothing special about it...I was expecting something very unique and worthy of the Marchesa name.  On me, this fragrance is all Iris, Freesia, and Violet notes, as I noted before it is very light and will be pretty for the warm weather months.  This is a fragrance that could easily be worn in a professional environment and would not offend anyone around you.  I am a bit disappointed that I cannot smell the Jasmine note in this fragrance at all, the addition of a strong Jasmine could have made this fragrance very beautiful and unique.  But that addition also would have made the fragrance much harder to wear and one that would not been as universally liked as this one.

I don't think that I would purchase a whole bottle of this perfume, it is isn't unique enough for me and I would expect a fragrance from a major design house to have much more depth and beauty to.  I will finish the huge sample that I have of it and will mostly use it in a professional environment or for getting dressed up during the day.  This fragrance is very easy to wear and I can see why it has a pretty universal appeal...the florals are very light and this fragrance will appeal to someone who doesn't like a very strong fragrance.  Good day fragrance for a professional environment but this is a not a scent that will inspire love or any type of strong feelings...this is disappointing from a design house that creates such unique and beautiful designs.

photo courtesy of Sephora