Ultra Glitch lives up to its name: a dangerous game of olfactory anomalies that spill into reality. Part of a collection built on “daring overdoses” of synthetic molecules, this fragrance highlights three intentionally exaggerated notes on its bottle—pastry cream delight, cashmeran, and akigalawood. If you own Zara’s C4SHMER4N, C0R4N0L, S4ND4LW00D, or 4MBR0X, Ultra Glitch may trigger an immediate sense of déjà vu. Provocative and polarizing by design, this is no comforting gourmand. It is a scent that resists easy understanding and asks for patience.
The opening is arresting. Sharp black pepper crackles at first spray, quickly enveloped by an unexpected fatty, waxy gourmand accord that creates an almost confrontational contrast. The phrase “pastry cream delight” suggests something sweet, soft, and indulgent. What emerges instead is far stranger: thick, buttery notes reminiscent of the moment you melt butter at the start of a béchamel—warm, glossy, and heavy, but not burnt. It hovers dangerously close to excess. Smelled too closely, it can become cloying and tiring, turning faintly stale—like a rich note left under heat for too long—while stubbornly refusing to fade. It lingers for several minutes, underscoring the fragrance’s high concentration. Among the listed ingredients, benzaldehyde is most likely responsible for this sensation. In this type of modern, synthetic fragrance, benzaldehyde creates an almost plastic-buttery effect, especially when combined with vanillin, Peru balsam with a slightly fatty sweetness, and patchouli. Zara's Dystopia line plays heavily with unusual olfactory contrasts and futuristic synthetic notes. That buttery, almost rancid perception in the opening might be intentional—a way to create an unsettling, dystopian effect. On skin, it leaves behind a noticeable shiny, almost oily film.
As the composition settles, Ultra Glitch pivots toward balsamic warmth. Spicy vanilla and resinous benzoin begin to soften the edges, intertwining with the plush, woody hum of cashmeran. Vanillin and coumarin contribute sweetness with a hay-like warmth. This stage feels more approachable, yet still unconventional. Like a person with stiff manners at first meeting, the fragrance reveals warmth only once you give it time. Beneath the surface, musks begin to weave themselves through the composition, adding depth and cohesion rather than overt cleanliness.
What starts as unsettling—almost “wearably unsettling”—gradually becomes more comfortable in the base. The dry-down reveals earthy akigalawood fused with the smoky density of guaiac wood, wrapped in a clean halo of musk. The woods deepen the earthy, smoky facets. Benzoin acts as the balsamic anchor, binding the composition together and preventing it from collapsing into chaos. This is where the promised sweetness finally materializes: edible amber, vanilla, and lactonic notes emerge, supported by warm woods rather than sugar. The result is dense, intense, and unexpectedly addictive.
On my skin, Ultra Glitch ultimately unfolds as a rich blend of sweet amber, vanilla, lactonic nuances, and warm woods—preceded by a disorienting spicy-fatty opening and anchored by a musky, balsamic base. It feels almost dystopian in character, standing firmly apart from mainstream, crowd-pleasing fragrances. Performance is unmistakably “beast mode”: exceptional longevity well beyond eight hours, with powerful projection that fills a room during the first few hours of wear.
This is a fragrance best reserved for cold weather, day or night. In warmth or heat, its richness risks becoming suffocating. Ultra Glitch does not aim to please everyone—and that is precisely its strength.
Written from a bottle owned since January 2026 (BC 52460, PD 2025-09-03).
@Kreisquadrat Thanks for taking your time. Your review really inspired and confirmed my own sensations and experience with it. I had very similar impressions - that otherworldly synthetic opening and the way the gourmand sweetness develops is exactly what I picked up on too. It's reassuring to know I wasn't alone in how I perceived it!
Kreisquadrat 27 days ago
Elysium 26 days ago
