Tiziana Terenzi
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Pink grapefruit snaps with bright, almost tart immediacy, undercut almost at once by ginger's subtle peppery warmth and fig's honeyed density. The artemisia introduces a herbal whisper that immediately signals this won't be a straightforward citrus fragrance, already complicating the sweetness with something green and slightly bitter.
As the fruity top settles, the florals emerge as a unified whole rather than individual voices—jasmine and orange blossom provide creamy floral richness, whilst that heather weaves through with an austere, almost powdery restraint. The pomegranate adds tart fruitiness to anchor the florals, and the sandalwoods (both red and regular) begin their warm, woody whisper beneath everything else, whilst saffron adds unexpected spice and slight leather.
The base reveals itself gradually—that salt and cistus combination creates something genuinely distinctive, almost salty-mineral, reminiscent of sun-bleached stone and dried herbs. Vetiver and liquidambar provide woody depth and subtle sweetness, whilst the leathery notes finally surface, creating a dry, slightly smoky finish where the fragrance settles into something intimate and skin-like.
Arethusa arrives as a deliberately botanical fragrance—one that prioritises the green, verdant qualities of nature over conventional prettiness. Paolo Terenzi has constructed something genuinely unusual here: a composition where citrus and stone fruit serve primarily as vessels for darker, more textural elements lurking beneath. The pink grapefruit and plum opening hints at something familiar, almost approachable, but this is merely misdirection. What unfolds is a fascinating tension between heathery florals (that heather is crucial, lending a almost dusty, herbaceous quality) and a base that reads distinctly mineral—the interaction of cistus, arbutus, and particularly that salt note creates something approaching driftwood and lichen. This isn't a perfume designed to please immediately. Rather, it's for the wearer who finds beauty in unexpectedness: someone who stops to notice the metallic tang of sap, the green smell of crushed leaves, the faint mineral undertone of coastal air. The saffron and sandalwood prevent it from becoming austere, offering warmth and spice that prevent the composition from veering into territory that's merely challenging. Wear this when you want to smell contemplative—on grey autumn days, or when you're after something that rewards close attention rather than immediate admiration. It's the olfactory equivalent of a modernist landscape painting: formally composed, undeniably sophisticated, but requiring you to meet it halfway.
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3.7/5 (186)