Ofrésia Diptyque 1999

… this is how I sometimes say goodbye to new acquaintances, and I mean this "it was a pleasure" absolutely sincerely when I say it. At the same time, I often know quite well that there will be no further contact, because the encounter was pleasant, but somehow did not inspire a desire for more. This is somewhat how I feel (among several other fragrances) about Ofresia, the (according to the description) freesia scent from Diptyque.

I really like the scent of real freesias, even though it is quite intense: freesias have a strong and unmistakable fragrance; their scent is as characteristic and unique as that of lily of the valley or violets. And because only freesias smell like freesias, it is difficult to describe freesia scent. If I were to try, I would say they smell a bit like lily of the valley, but much more exotic, softer, powdery, and round, yet hardly sweet. At the same time, there is also a very own sharp, almost piercing note that one might find unpleasant or intrusive.

Due to my preference for the scent of real freesias, I wanted to test Ofresia for a long time, even though I usually do not like distinctly floral fragrances in perfumes. Porcelain provided me with the opportunity (thank you for the test spray).

Immediately after spraying, I notice a slightly peppery note that fades quite quickly. What then emerges is a rather subtle floral scent with a slight green-herbaceous touch. I would never have classified this scent as a pure freesia fragrance! To me, it smells distinctly floral, but not solifloral and certainly not freesia-like, but rather like a not too sweet floral scent blend with a bit of green. Only when I concentrate very hard on the freesia scent can I sense that freesias might at least be part of the floral mishmash. I notice almost nothing of woods or a base in the conventional sense as the scent develops. The fragrance remains subtly unsweetened-floral and becomes weaker after a few (about four or five) hours before it completely fades away.

What I find nice about Ofresia is that its floral scent blend has a rather natural quality and nothing cheap or piercing. The sillage is not very pronounced (which can also be seen as an advantage), but the longevity is also not great. Overall, this is a lovely, rather subtle, and naturally appearing floral scent for more summery everyday occasions where one does not want to stand out too much.

I really enjoyed meeting it, but we won't become true friends. It simply did not "click."