SeStra

With Elegant Vetiver, I genuinely had the feeling from the very first moment: This suits me.

I really like the opening. The pistachio gives the fragrance something special without becoming too gourmand or too sweet. Then there is the juniper, which adds a lovely spiciness and quickly steers the fragrance in a drier, woodier direction.

Elegant Vetiver is often described by others as green. On my skin, I actually perceive it as somewhat less so. Of course, there is that characteristic vetiver freshness, but to me, the spice and woods are much more prominent. The vetiver is present, but never harsh or earthy. By the time the cashmeran appears in the base, everything becomes wonderfully soft and rounded.

It is unobtrusive enough for the office, but still has enough individuality not to smell like just any generic office fragrance. I can just as easily wear it in the evening to dinner with friends.

For me, a truly strong daily fragrance - spicy, woody, soft, and with exactly that little something special that sets it apart from the crowd.

I first became aware of Sehnsucht by DAS - Der Andere Standard through a podcast episode. The owner and perfumer himself was a guest on the show, and I found his manner incredibly likeable and pleasant. Somehow, it made me curious - curious enough that I actually blind-bought the bottle.

It could have gone wrong. Fortunately, that is not the case here at all.

For me, Sehnsucht delivers exactly what the notes promise. A beautiful mandarin comes through right at the beginning. Fresh, juicy and bright, but not sharply citrusy. Alongside it is this airy, clean freshness that really does evoke freshly washed laundry.

As it develops, the fragrance becomes softer and creamier on my skin. Sea salt and linen continue to give it something fresh and clean, while Sehnsucht also gains a pleasant sweetness that rounds everything off beautifully.

This fragrance simply smells like summer. Like light-coloured clothing, warm skin and the feeling of leaving the house fresh from the shower. At the same time, it remains light enough that I can easily imagine wearing it even on really hot days.

So the blind buy was definitely worth it. And somehow, it makes me even happier that behind the fragrance is someone who already seemed so likeable to me on the podcast.

Effortless, fresh, creamy and simply really lovely to wear.

Sometimes Sehnsucht really does deliver exactly what the name promises.

I actually needed a little time to warm to the Imagination DNA. When I first tested the original, I wasn’t particularly impressed and initially couldn’t really understand all the hype.

By now, that has completely changed. Especially on really hot summer days, I’ve come to love this bright, clean and fresh style.

And Fantasme captures that incredibly well for me.

Right from the opening, the similarity to the original is hard to miss. Lemon, bergamot and orange create that radiant citrus quality, followed by ginger and neroli. But I especially love the way it is combined with black tea as it develops. This is exactly what makes the DNA so interesting to me now: fresh and clean, but not simply just another citrus freshie.

Of course, you can probably find differences in a direct comparison. In everyday wear, however, they are so minor to me that Fantasme delivers exactly what I want from this fragrance.

And then there’s the price. The value for money is simply sensational. Here I get a fragrance that smells absolutely close to the original to my nose and that I really love wearing, especially in summer.

That’s why, personally, I see no need to reach for the considerably more expensive original.

Sometimes it just takes a little time for a fragrance DNA to click. With Imagination, it took a while - by now, I wouldn’t want to be without it in summer. And Fantasme makes it really easy for me to get into it.

Fraîche simply doesn't work for me at all.

On paper, this could certainly have been interesting, but on my skin, the individual facets simply refuse to come together. My nose picks up a wild mixture of smoke, leather, florals, and woods - and instead of eventually forming a cohesive whole, everything somehow remains separate for me.

That said, no individual note is genuinely unpleasant on its own. It's more the combination that doesn't work for me. Smoke and leather meet floral and woody elements, but to my nose, the fragrance never finds a clear direction.

What I find particularly disappointing is that the sweetness I had been hoping for to some extent is practically absent on me. That, above all, might have softened the sharper facets a little and made the fragrance feel rounder.

Maybe I'm simply not a fan of this DNA. Maybe it works much better on other skin. On me, though, I’m left with the feeling until the very end that too much is happening at once without really fitting together.

It could have been interesting. Unfortunately, it isn't for me.

Summer Vibes truly lives up to its name. For me, it is summer in a flacon - or perhaps even more fittingly: a colorful water ice on a really hot day.

The opening is wonderfully fresh, citrusy and slightly cooling. Lemon, orange and a touch of mint immediately put you in a good mood and create that uncomplicated summer freshness that simply works in high temperatures. I can definitely see the similarity to Sun Song, but I still do not find Summer Vibes to be a mere copy. It brings something of its own and perhaps comes across as a little more playful overall.

I really like it - especially in the evening after showering. A few sprays and you immediately feel even fresher. That is exactly what it is made for, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, there is also a clear but here: the longevity. It could really be better and definitely costs the fragrance one star for me. After a few hours, not much of the initial freshness remains.

On the other hand, we are talking about a very inexpensive fragrance here. So I simply respray. At this price, it does not hurt.

Not a great fragrance for eternity, but a really lovely feel-good freshie for summer. And sometimes that is exactly what you need.