Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
06/22/2019
Elysium
815 Reviews
Elysium
1
The era of the fluffy, airy, and ethereal scents
Fresco Absolute by Victor is not unusual to me. In fact, I have worn this beautiful cologne in the middle 90s, the era of the unisex, fluffy, airy, and ethereal scents, like CK One or Victor Green Tea just to mention a few. First thing first, you don't be tricked as I did, Fesco Absolute is a fresh green cologne with no aquatic or salty accord despite the frozen bottle. Its notes are a blend of minty and more earthy or woodsy ones. However, Fresco Absolute doesn’t have a heavy or rugged aroma to it, it is clean and warm instead.
The opening is a blast of citrus and balsamic herbals, so comfy, so soothing, so awakening. Lots of lemon verbena that is matched up with spearmint, a mild and gentle mint. There is also a hint of thyme with cardamom giving it a slight spice. That spice doesn’t hang around too long or gets too intense, but it is there. The mint and cardamon help to give this scent a light balminess, which I think plays a major part in its appeal.
The minty lemon accord feels pretty watery and the mossy, milky, and floral notes come in rather quickly to generate a soapy quality to Fresco Absolute. The synthetic moss keeps the heart a bit earthy as a wet forest floor scent that is very true to nature, with dry, earthy, green, and bark-like qualities, while the milky fig adds a touch of dryness, and the rosy Brazilian wood completes the accord with a floral taste. Even if not mentioned, I get a taste of sweet citrus blossom, kind of like orange blossom or neroli. It’s really not overly soapy, in my mind as I’ve come across fragrances that do it to a greater extent, but it definitely provides that lathery freshness.
As it dries down, the intensity of the opening citrus notes begin to subside, and it becomes much more earthy and woody. The base is still musky and pithy with the synthetic cashmere wood note, but on top of that, is mostly rooty vetiver. I think that the lemony citrus and the base notes, sort of offset the floral aspects of this fragrance, even when a powdery element emerges.
What I get in the end is, a just out of the shower freshness, with lemon verbena and mint notes that are met by green floral ingredients. There are a light musk and a woody base holding the whole thing together.
One thing that I really like about Fresco Absolute, is that even after 20 years since its release, it still feels modern and fresh. It really hasn’t lost its glory to me. The notes just give off this crisp energy which invigorates your senses and gathers compliments from those around you. Again, this is not a niche fragrance, which will be a unique find or only some people will enjoy but that doesn’t make a bad scent, it is a best-seller for a reason.
Projection wise, it is a light to moderate fragrance. The sillage isn’t super strong, but it was always noticeable. The longevity is solid, 6-7 hours still seems capable with this stuff, perhaps vintage bottle went even longer.
Seasonally, it was always more of a spring/summer scent as it lightens up after initial application, but this was around all the time and can go year round. Super unisex to me, depending on what part of the wear it leans one way or the other. This one is very youthful and casual. I’d wear it on a warm day, just hanging around, or out for errands. It’s one of those scents that are great for teenagers and college students to wear to class or wherever, yet perfect for the office.
Overall, Fresco Absolute is a great scent for those who want something youthful, those who want a versatile everyday wearer, those who like clean and energetic scents that aren’t too manly or too girly, and those who just appreciate a good fragrance. It was a massive success when it came out and is still selling a bottle to this day. Is it super amazing? I mean, nowadays, it is commonplace and isn’t all that exciting. It is pleasant, fresh, and very nostalgic. It still performs and has a scent that people have always enjoyed.
-Elysium
The opening is a blast of citrus and balsamic herbals, so comfy, so soothing, so awakening. Lots of lemon verbena that is matched up with spearmint, a mild and gentle mint. There is also a hint of thyme with cardamom giving it a slight spice. That spice doesn’t hang around too long or gets too intense, but it is there. The mint and cardamon help to give this scent a light balminess, which I think plays a major part in its appeal.
The minty lemon accord feels pretty watery and the mossy, milky, and floral notes come in rather quickly to generate a soapy quality to Fresco Absolute. The synthetic moss keeps the heart a bit earthy as a wet forest floor scent that is very true to nature, with dry, earthy, green, and bark-like qualities, while the milky fig adds a touch of dryness, and the rosy Brazilian wood completes the accord with a floral taste. Even if not mentioned, I get a taste of sweet citrus blossom, kind of like orange blossom or neroli. It’s really not overly soapy, in my mind as I’ve come across fragrances that do it to a greater extent, but it definitely provides that lathery freshness.
As it dries down, the intensity of the opening citrus notes begin to subside, and it becomes much more earthy and woody. The base is still musky and pithy with the synthetic cashmere wood note, but on top of that, is mostly rooty vetiver. I think that the lemony citrus and the base notes, sort of offset the floral aspects of this fragrance, even when a powdery element emerges.
What I get in the end is, a just out of the shower freshness, with lemon verbena and mint notes that are met by green floral ingredients. There are a light musk and a woody base holding the whole thing together.
One thing that I really like about Fresco Absolute, is that even after 20 years since its release, it still feels modern and fresh. It really hasn’t lost its glory to me. The notes just give off this crisp energy which invigorates your senses and gathers compliments from those around you. Again, this is not a niche fragrance, which will be a unique find or only some people will enjoy but that doesn’t make a bad scent, it is a best-seller for a reason.
Projection wise, it is a light to moderate fragrance. The sillage isn’t super strong, but it was always noticeable. The longevity is solid, 6-7 hours still seems capable with this stuff, perhaps vintage bottle went even longer.
Seasonally, it was always more of a spring/summer scent as it lightens up after initial application, but this was around all the time and can go year round. Super unisex to me, depending on what part of the wear it leans one way or the other. This one is very youthful and casual. I’d wear it on a warm day, just hanging around, or out for errands. It’s one of those scents that are great for teenagers and college students to wear to class or wherever, yet perfect for the office.
Overall, Fresco Absolute is a great scent for those who want something youthful, those who want a versatile everyday wearer, those who like clean and energetic scents that aren’t too manly or too girly, and those who just appreciate a good fragrance. It was a massive success when it came out and is still selling a bottle to this day. Is it super amazing? I mean, nowadays, it is commonplace and isn’t all that exciting. It is pleasant, fresh, and very nostalgic. It still performs and has a scent that people have always enjoyed.
-Elysium
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