Laura Biagiotti
Laura Biagiotti
100 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The mandarin orange announces itself with genuine citrus zest, bright and immediate against skin warmth. Within moments, almond accords push forward aggressively, transforming the opening into something distinctly sweet rather than fresh—the fruity promise already compromised by confectionery tendencies.
Cyclamen emerges as a thin, peppery-floral thread attempting to cut through the gathering sweetness, whilst woody notes finally provide structural backbone. Here the fragrance finds its footing, settling into a warm, fruity-floral sweetness that's neither sophisticated nor entirely cloying—a sort of middle ground that remains unexpectedly wearable.
Sandalwood and vanilla dominate in a soft, predictable embrace, the woody elements mellowing into skin-like warmth. The composition fades gracefully into pleasant anonymity, leaving behind mild sweetness and soft woody whispers—inoffensive, unmemorable, and utterly resolved within five hours.
Essenza di Roma arrives as a paradox—a fragrance that mistakes sweetness for depth, yet somehow sustains an oddly compelling charm. The mandarin orange top note carries genuine citrus brightness, but rather than providing crisp relief, it immediately surrenders to what follows: a confectionery heart where almond and cyclamen collide in decidedly artificial harmony. The almond note reads less like actual stone fruit and more like the synthetic sweetness of marzipan, whilst the cyclamen tries desperately to inject floral precision into what threatens to become a gourmand mess. This is where the woody notes prove crucial—they're not rich or smoky, but they do provide skeletal structure, preventing the composition from collapsing entirely into syrupy mediocrity.
The sandalwood-vanilla base is predictably warm without being particularly creamy or sensual. It's the sort of base you've encountered dozens of times: competent, inoffensive, utterly forgettable. Yet there's something almost endearing about Essenza di Roma's refusal to pretend at sophistication. It knows what it is: an approachable, fruity-floral with sweet leanings that doesn't demand intellectual engagement.
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3.9/5 (99)