Carthusia
Carthusia
89 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Marjoram and bergamot burst forth with almost peppery urgency, the bitter orange providing sharp citric contrast against the herb's dusty warmth. Within two minutes, lemon cuts through with crystalline precision, creating a composition that feels more botanical medicine cabinet than perfume bottle.
As the top notes evaporate with suspicious speed, cyclamen emerges with creamy, almost mineral undertones. Jasmine and water lily create a cool, floral whisper that never coalesces into a traditional floral heart—instead it feels like smelling flowers through gauze, filtered and remote, with the green accords maintaining their herbaceous grip throughout.
By the fourth hour, what remains is barely perceptible—a gossamer trace of white musk and cedarwood so delicate it feels like memory rather than presence. That algae note becomes the dominant player, contributing a faint briny, ozonic quality that makes you question whether you're still wearing fragrance or simply breathing sea air.
Via Camerelle Carthusia captures that particular moment when you've wandered away from the Piazza and stumbled onto a narrow Caprese street where lemon trees spill over whitewashed walls. It's a fragrance that prioritises transparency over projection—a deliberate aesthetic choice rather than a weakness, though its whisper-soft presence demands proximity to be truly appreciated.
The composition leans heavily into its citrus and green accords, with marjoram providing an herbaceous spine that feels distinctly Mediterranean rather than cosmetic. There's a peppery snap to the opening that suggests dried spice markets, though the bitter orange and bergamot prevent it from becoming merely aromatic. The heart reveals cyclamen—a note that often reads as soapy in incompetent hands—here rendered with genuine delicacy alongside jasmine that never quite blooms into florality. Instead, water lily acts as a cooling agent, almost like crushed ice in a Campari.
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3.9/5 (171)