Aqua

Aqua Celestia Forte Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2018

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7.9 / 10 288 Ratings

A popular perfume by Maison Francis Kurkdjian for women and men, released in 2018. The scent is fresh-citrusy. It is being marketed by LVMH.

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Main accords

Fresh

Citrus

Floral

Green

Fruity

Fragrance Notes

Egyptian jasmine absolute

Italian petitgrain

Key lime

French blackcurrant bud absolute

Musk

Provençal mimosa absolute

English peppermint

Perfumer

Francis Kurkdjian

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.9288 Ratings

Longevity

7.8266 Ratings

Sillage

7.4259 Ratings

Bottle

8.3266 Ratings

Value for money

6.5135 Ratings

Submitted by OPomone, last update on 19.04.2024.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the "Aqua" collection.

Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

04/28/2018

10
Bottle 7
Sillage 10
Longevity 8
Scent

Kirthi
2 Reviews

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Kirthi

Top Review 31

Cosmopolitan

It's been a long time since I have written a comment... I would like to share my impressions only briefly.
Although this perfume doesn't completely turn my head, I still stick to it..it doesn't let me go..
The title Forte, like Kurkdjian's other creations, is fully appropriate in comparison.
The fragrance is more intense, has more profile, more body and the shelf life is significantly longer. As with other Fortes, the shelf life is a good 12 hours. DaveGahan's description with the word "richer" fits it well.
Aqua Celestia Forte (as with Francis' other waters) definitely has the DNA of its lighter predecessor Aqua Celestia.
This fragrance combines an intense freshness with a heaviness that still makes me want to fall in love completely.
In my perception the scent is rather two-dimensional, but by no means boring. With this perfume I don't experience any surprising changes in the scent line, as a Roja can. But that doesn't stop him The beginning is fresh and lively and becomes sweet and full in the course of time. Here the jasmine makes its place and pushes aside the effervescence of the petitgrain. However, the freshness is retained. Throughout. I can't tell if it's just the mix of the fragrances mentioned or if Kurkdjian has added more magic notes; I only perceive very delicate rosy notes... ; but the fragrance cloud is wonderful to heavenly.
This fragrance mix remains like this until the end.
It would be too banal to label it a clean scent. But he has a clean and creamy aura. With depth and contours.
In the first moments I had the association of a fairy scent, but the more often I wear the scent, the more images of dance and thunderous waves on the Atlantic coast appear in my head.
I find the fragrance rather feminine, but I could imagine it being exciting on a man.

After the many years in the world of fragrances MFK crystallizes to my favorite ...

07/10/2021

9
Bottle 8
Sillage 8
Longevity 6
Scent

Wombatkönig
7 Reviews

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Wombatkönig

Top Review 35

Insight (incl. a short comparison to the EdT)

I'm a collector. Always have been. And will probably remain so, to the chagrin of my bank account. Especially since I also still want the best.
...and speaking of confessions: I also still tend to buy perfume blindly.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian:
Such an interesting brand from a great perfumer - the creator of the legendary "Le Mâle", a perfume that almost everyone knows. A master of the craft on the pulse of time. Releases niche under his own name, free of the constraints and shackles of contract work. Outgrown the designer segment. What a story! In addition, these beautiful simple flacons - lined up in the perfume shelf a real eye-catcher!
All this leads to the short circuit in my collector brain: I want them all! And I currently have them, too, in large part. Yet.

But regularly comes with a new bottle also a new disappointment. Was I before on the basis of the ingredients and the statements and reviews here but so sure that I will certainly like the fragrance...if I'm honest, but that is recently only in the fewest cases so. A short selection:

- "APOM Homme" - I had expected much fresher

- "Baccarat Rouge 540 EdP" - Sticky sweetness that is hardly wearable for me

- "Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait" - Already better and as I find also a tad less sticky. But would I have bought or even kept the fragrance if it were from another brand and not in this damn beautiful red cube?

- "Aqua Universalis forte" and "Aqua Vitae forte" - Both have a strong cream note that makes them unwearable for me. If I'm completely honest I do not understand who stands on something like that (No offense!)

- "Oud Silk Mood Extrait" - A beautiful natural rose. But that should really be all? And do I need that as a man in this strength?

- The highly praised "Lumière Noire Homme" here - Well - you may forgive me - but if I am completely honest with you and myself: It certainly does not smell unpleasant, but great or even extraordinary I do not find him.

It took me after these past disappointments quite a bit to suppress my collection reflex and the discontinued "Absolue Pour Le Matin" not at the appropriate opportunity (blind of course) to buy on eBay. Even for me, it was clear here that another cream scent wasn't going to be right for me.....But that beautiful bottle? It would look so good in my collection! And besides, it's discontinued so it's rare! Who knows when the opportunity will come again? NO! FINISH! The matter is decided! IT. WILL. NOT. PURCHASED.

Let's - after that far too long introduction - finally get down to business, the "Aqua Celestia" (if anyone has even read this far):

I had the EdT, 200 ml of the pleasant Plörre - I probably would not have used up in four lives, but that's another problem again.

The EdT is nice. It has an unusual but great minty opening. Unfortunately, this fades far too quickly and gives way to a floral, slightly sweet freshness.

Durability and sillage, however, unfortunately leave much to be desired, I take the fragrance unusually quickly no longer was, my environment also not. After three hours, the EdT has already become very quiet.

I have now recently given the EdT, because it must of course be the maximum again. So the "forte" version. Of course. The best for me. (Spoiler: This was not very wise without first testing the "forte")

"forte" is here. Confident of victory, I tear open the foil, get the bottle out of the oversized package (I liked the old small packages much better). Immediately I have the beautiful fragrance of the EdT in stronger and more durable I think. I spray.

Shock. Where's the mint? WHERE'S THE FUCKING MINT??? It's not there.
Instead, a very strong and pungent citrus (cleanser) freshness rises to my nose, which lasts a good 30 minutes in this form. Even after that, it remains present over the entire course of the fragrance. (Had only the mint of the EdT held out so long....)

What comes after is unfortunately not much better. To the citrus notes comes the same cream note which is already known from "Aqua Universalis forte" and "Aqua Vitae forte" to it. One could say the series should not be called "forte" but "cream"!
"Aqua Celestia forte" is thus for me the opposite of fresh and clean. One could say with the cream one has reached the maximum unfreshness of a citrus fragrance.

Bright spot is that again and again also the florality of the EdT flashes and "forte" so at least brings a bit of similarity to the EdT.

In comparison, the EdT is able to convince with its bombastic mint note in the opening, followed by pleasant fresh and slightly sweet florality. Through this it is great for the summer. Only it is a bit too feminine for me, whereas I am otherwise hard-boiled, many niche women's fragrances for quite unisex suitable and wear them. Unfortunately, as already mentioned above - the durability of the EdT is clearly too low, even for a fresh summer fragrance.
But I would like to be quite emphatic: Who - like me - believes with "forte" to get a fragrance equal or very similar to the EdT and stronger perfume for it, the mistaken!

Conclusion:
I'm sorry. As much as I wanted to like "forte". Really. I wanted it - if only for the sake of the bottle. But I can't force it. I have to admit it to myself. I don't like it at all. The hard truth is, I find Aqua Celestia forte really unpleasant. I haven't felt this uncomfortable with a fragrance sprayed on in a very long time. I felt like a walking toilet stone. I was slightly sick all day and I was glad when it went in the evening under the shower.

"Aqua Celestia forte" has that cream note again, which makes it hard for me to wear or endure on myself as a man. This mix with the citrus notes then makes it even worse. This is "forte" by the unsweet and dominant citrus note from my point of view actually rather a men's fragrance, at least much more than the EdT.

So it is unfortunately also no consolation that durability and sillage are really good and three sprays over the whole day are enough.
What about me? What do I do now with my collecting passion?
As much as I wished. MFK is not "my" brand, the fragrances as made for me komponiert. Too often I was disappointed, the fragrance not exceptional and innovative enough or simply not as hoped. Francis Kurkdjian and I do not understand each other blindly. I appreciate him very much and find his work and his brand very exciting. Nevertheless, I don't like every single one of his creations. That would also be - as I now realize - utopian and far too unreflective.

So I stay with the MFKs that I really like, such as "masculin Pluriel", "Oud Satin Mood Extrait" "Amyris Homme" and the two "Gentle fluidity".

And I really need to stop buying perfumes by brand and bottle, because it's going through the roof with Penhaligon's portraits right now.

Also, I test in the future before buying. Because neither a beautiful bottle nor the enthusiasm for a brand bring me further in the end. In the end, it depends but only on the inner values: The fragrance.

I hope I remain steadfast and have learned my lesson.

01/19/2020

10
Bottle 8
Sillage 8
Longevity 8.5
Scent

HIRH
45 Reviews

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HIRH

Helpful Review 6

Lightly smoked fresh package

Today I would like to deal with my Christmas present from my favourite perfumery. First of all: I don't understand how the ladies and gentlemen of the perfumery could have come up with the idea that this fragrance is appropriate for the Christmas season. The truth is: it could hardly be any more summery. But somehow it has its good sides: I would never have tried this fragrance by myself.

The scent is relatively linear for my perception, I perceive the lime most strongly. One of my favourite citrus fruits, with the vodka soda being an elementary component of my signature drink. So you're enjoying this already. Petitgrain gives the whole thing a certain complexity, I perceive it as a bit smoky. This sets him apart from the blue-green Tom Fords, where the Mandarino di Amalfi has been my favourite so far. Shelf life is more than good for a fresh citrus scent, but that's why you buy the Forte.

I am actually a lover of heavy fragrances. Oud, frankincense and amber are my favourite ingredients. But I still like the Aqua Celestia Forte very much. Good thing I got it as a present. Because otherwise I would never get such a fresh smell. Now I finally have a fragrance that is really good to wear on the beach. Or even a fragrance that gives you a feeling of freshness without a shower. And this without being a typical washing gel scent. All thanks to the additional petitgrain!

Conclusion: A very fresh scent that is not even that fresh and should be worn on the beach or on really hot days in order to be really effective. Could also well imagine to layern him with one of my heavier scents.

Cheers!

02/27/2021

8
Bottle 8
Sillage 8
Longevity 7.5
Scent

Bacchus
4 Reviews

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Bacchus

Helpful Review 5

Unorthodox freshness for spring

Introduction
in midsummer last year, just as my enthusiasm for perfume was gaining momentum, I ordered a sample set from MFK, because the price had convinced me and a friend had recommended the house. It contained Aqua Vitae Forte, Amiris Homme, masculin Puriel and Aqua Celestia Forte. I had chosen the two aquas based on the scents, the others had been suggested to me. When the samples finally arrived after endless delivery time, it was a balmy 30-37 degrees Celsius outside and I'll tell you one thing, dear perfume enthusiasts, that is not the right temperature for MFK fragrances. While Masculin Puriel was somewhat bearable even in the heat, the other scents made me want to flush my nose with rubbing alcohol in no time to escape the penetrating smell. Am I saying that the scents are objectively bad? Absolutely not. Everything has its time and place and a wonderful down jacket doesn't make you happy on the beach in summer. Still, the samples went to the back of the shelf for a little over half a year. Now that spring beckons us, it was time to give them a second chance. Today I was in the mood for something fresh.

The Scent
Aqua Celestia Forte starts off very fresh, rather citrusy. Maybe it's the lime - clearly I can not identify it. At 20 degrees, the fragrance also really has a pleasant intensity. The only drawback is that the acidic freshness, especially in the first few minutes, runs the risk of awakening cleaner associations. After a short while, the scent becomes softer and more floral. The scent continues to form a pleasant cloud that the wearer also regularly gets something from. However, it seems less room-filling to me than Masculin Puriel. To my nose, this is a true unisex fragrance. I feel that men who see themselves as modern and are not afraid to emphasize their feminine side will have the most fun with this perfume. For women, it is a pleasantly fresh change from the sweet vanilla fragrances that currently dominate the market.

The outfit
I have a breezy spring outfit in mind. The fragrance is flamboyant in a way that would definitely allow the combination of a patterned Hawaiian shirt with plain shorts. For the brave among us, even a nice straw hat would be appropriate. The ladies could wear a simple short dress in light colours (e.g. lemon yellow). So equipped it could then go with good drinks and a portable grill to the lake.
I for my part am already looking forward to spring and am happy about the small view, which gives us the weather at the moment.
In any case, I wish you lots of fun trying it out. Subsequently, I would be interested in whether you find yourself in the recommendations for the outfit or perhaps have completely different associations with the fragrance

11/30/2023

6
Pricing 8
Bottle 6
Sillage 6
Longevity 6
Scent

MoniBonboni
48 Reviews

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MoniBonboni

A long-lasting freshie

I used to wear Aqua Universals a lot and I really like Kurkdjian. I was all the more excited about Aqua Celestia (2017) and Celestia Forte (2018). Maison follows the familiar pattern of creating a forte version of a fragrance. From my point of view, he only had one flop => Baccarat Rouge.
At this point, I need to expand a little. The refreshing and clear Aqua Universalis becomes more floral and slightly sweeter in the Forte version, and the pleasantly fresh, vanilla Aqua Vitae (getting a separate review soon) takes on a rich golden hue in the Forte version. Celestia Forte is citrusy, while Celestia is green, similar notes and both fragrances start with lime and mint, the heart notes differ and the base is shared between the two.
Both are freshies and great for summer, mood lifters, energizing and invigorating. For my taste, Forte is too citrusy, I prefer to stick with Aqua Universalis: a little cleaner, woodier and muskier.
Celestia Forte reminds me of homemade lemonade on a hot summer's day. The longevity is outstanding. Clearly unisex, in drydown the fragrance is still fresh but softer.
I'm not a big fan of citrus scents, so the fragrance had to go, but I think the look is beautiful and very fitting.
I layered the fragrance with Molecule from time to time and enjoyed it for hours. Ideal for humid climates, think of a vacation in Asia.

Ethereal, invigorating, ultra-fresh and clean lime scent, perfect for the hottest days of late spring and summer. The mint here is the Mojito mint, delicious! Citrusy scents often run the risk of quickly drifting into bathroom cleaner, that's not the case here. One of the few fragrances where I like the drydown even more than the opening, simply because it's creamier and softer.
Paying the niche price for a summer freshness may be unreasonable for some, but, occasionally, it should be something special.
Bright, energizing, juicy, juicyand refreshing would be the words I would use to describe this fragrance. Very similar to Torino 21 by XerJoff, but a little cheaper.

About Maison himself:
The son of Armenian immigrants, he grew up in Paris. His first success came in 1995 when he created Le Mâle for Jean Paul Gaultier and later another 30 fragrances.
His creations also include E. Arden Green tea, some of Burberry (21 fragrances), Elie Saab (26), Narciso Rodriguez for Her. He has even designed very affordable pharmacy fragrances for Roger & Gallet, I bought the entire series years ago and thought they were above average, at the time I didn't know who designed them.
For his own brand, he has since 2009
56 fragrances since 2009, which is quite an achievement. In addition to his work as a perfumer, Kurkdjian is also an accomplished musician and dancer, his first dream was to become a ballet dancer. He was not admitted to ballet school, fortunately, otherwise these great fragrances might not exist!

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