Asteria Velixir 2026

Asteria was a complete blind buy. Based on the bottle design and the color I guessed it was going after a big name, maybe a Louis Vuitton fragrance, and my nose agreed. It opens very fresh, citrusy and clean. At one point I even thought of Pacific Chill, but I was wrong: it turned out to be inspired by Louis Vuitton City of Stars.

The notes I read off the brand page are blood orange, mandarin, bergamot and lemon on top, tiare flower in the heart, and powdery notes, musk and sandalwood at the base. As it dries down a little I get a sunscreen-like vibe that is musky and really nice. I am a big fan of a lot of the Louis Vuitton fresh fragrances, and this is a good inspired-by version of City of Stars. I love Velixir because it gives us so much value. I have not tested its performance yet, but almost every Velixir has performed on my skin in the hot, wet climate of the Philippines, so I expect it to do well, and I will give an update. Highly recommended.

Not every fruity fragrance has to be young, playful, or summery. To me, Asteria by Velixir is a lovely example of how differently a perfume can come across without losing its essential character.

Mandarin and blood orange create a fruity, pleasantly lively first impression. But what I particularly like about Asteria is the side that only emerges over time. The fruitiness remains noticeable, but takes a slight step back, giving more room to a soft, powdery sweetness. Everything gradually feels creamier, more harmonious, and above all, more grown-up. It creates an exceptionally pleasant blend, with no single note standing out in an unpleasant way.

I see Asteria more on a mature woman than on a very young girl. Not because younger women couldn't wear it, but because this powdery, gently sweet elegance gives me a sense of a certain life experience. It has something polished and self-assured about it, while also being pleasantly understated. A fragrance that doesn't necessarily seek attention, but still gets it through its distinct yet very pleasant presence.

Its staying power also impresses me. Even after a long time, Asteria is still remarkably noticeable. I actually like the later, softer phase of the fragrance almost even more than the fruity opening.

Despite its elegant presence, I don't find it to be a fragrance solely for special occasions. I can easily picture Asteria as an everyday scent, regardless of the season. Its fruity freshness suits warm days, while its powdery sweetness also has its appeal in cooler temperatures.

To me, Asteria is a successful blend of fruitiness and mature, feminine elegance. What I particularly like is that it doesn't try to seem youthful or especially modern. It has a character of its own, and that's exactly what I like about it.

After Uranus, this is my second test of the hyped brand Velixir, after Uranus already pleasantly surprised me once!

First things first, I have of course smelled the inspiration, City of Stars by Louis Vuitton, before, but I can't make a direct comparison here. That's why I'm reviewing Asteria today entirely as a fragrance in its own right.

The opening is truly extremely strong. A beautiful, sparkling blood orange awaits you. Right at the beginning, the juicy mandarin note even gives me very subtle Afternoon Swim vibes. From the very first second, however, there is also a slight powderiness and floral quality in the background, paired with a delicate musk note. But in the opening, the refreshing fruitiness clearly dominates, and I really like that!

Personally, I am absolutely not a fan of overly powdery fragrances. So I was all the more curious to see where the journey would go. In the heart, the fruity sweetness is still present, but the powderiness keeps pushing further to the forefront. In the later drydown, the citrusy sparkle unfortunately recedes into the background, and musk and powder take over.

And this is exactly where the fragrance unfortunately loses me personally. For my nose, the combination of strong powderiness and musk ultimately veers in a somewhat old-fashioned direction, so let's put it bluntly: It gives me a slight "grandma vibe". As far as I remember the original LV, it is significantly creamier rather than merely powdery. And that creaminess would have suited Asteria much better in my opinion.

Longevity and sillage are extremely solid for a fragrance of this type.

In terms of craftsmanship and, above all, value for money, Asteria is an absolute winner! Anyone who loves powdery-fruity fragrances with a musky base gets a lot for their money here. Because of the powdery drydown, it is definitely not a candidate for my personal collection, but objectively speaking, it is certainly a very solidly made fragrance!

I became aware of Velixir and specifically Asteria through various YouTube videos. Although I wasn't familiar with the original fragrance DNA, the consistently positive reviews piqued my curiosity - and I was not disappointed. Asteria is, for me, a pleasantly clean, sunscreen scent that is wearable at any time and simply conveys a well-groomed feeling. I was particularly positively surprised by the longevity, which I believe is really solid for such a fresh fragrance. Overall, a very successful everyday scent with a great price-performance ratio.