Nina Ricci L'Extase Eau de Parfum Spray 80 ml

Product Information

I was curious about L’Extase, the latest, which is geared older than Nina but younger than L'Air du Temps. +1: it's a musky floriental from perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. -1: the advertising, with Laetitia Casta, is the usual drearily predictable writhing we've already seen a million times over. Nina Ricci was acquired by Puig in 1998 and continues to produce fashions as well as men's and women's fragrances. The rose is more of a musty rose, I must confess, not the clearer rose of Stella, which is what I was expecting and honestly what I prefer. This perfume is reminding me of something my aunt has worn for 30+ years. I don't love it. Well, I recently tried the new perfume and had high hopes that it would make me swoon at first whiff, instead it left me feeling a little unsatisfied (wink wink).

The other strange thing about L’Extase is if you read the notes listed, you’d be fooled into thinking it was going to be a real sexy mysterious fragrance. Notes like warm Amber, romantic Rose, sweet Caramel, glowing Benzoin, sultry Jasmine, soft Musk, and vibrant Pink Pepper, Raspberry, and Pear. Nina Ricci is a French fashion house founded by Italian-born Maria "Nina" Ricci and her son Robert in 1932. Maria served as the house's designer and was known for her elegant, feminine gowns. Robert managed the business and finance end, and made the initial foray into the perfume world.But does this scent really evoke the overt sex appeal that it promises, or does it fall flat on the sheets?! A living room table with burning vanilla scented candles on it. In the middle of the table there is a huge bowl with potpourri. Now I feel like I'm at home with my grandma. Smells like herbes?! Rose oil mixed with pepper. Not a sweet rose, no, it's kind of bitter. Is that the Taif rose? Well, it's interesting, but it's not mine.

I imagine this scent being worn by a sophisticated woman who exudes class and understated feminism. She sprays it on her favorite pashmina as she sinks into the sofa with a good book and a cup of tea on a rainy day, or wears it on a special night when snowed-in in front of a roaring fire with her lover. Pooh, the smell's really heavy. I feel the need to let him move on, but the beginning drives me crazy. The first minute smells so damn good haha ;) The note also runs through the entire course of the fragrance but unfortunately weakly :( Absolue begins directly sweet-spicy. It's very sweet that it almost kills me. Not sugary sweet, adult sweet (stupid word yes) but I would almost say sexy, seductive-sweet. It's got something.Sillage seems decent; longevity is good. It takes a while for the perfume to go from top to middle to base, so unfortunately, I was left with the peppery note for a good while. The Ricci family's perfume legacy has also extended to the current generation. Romano Ricci, great grandson of Maria and grandson of Robert, produces fragrances under the brand Juliette Has a Gun. So although it isn’t what it’s supposed to be, Nina Ricci’s L’Extase is still a nice cold weather scent. It’s just a shame that it wasn’t marketed differently to reflect the softer side of the scent. It is not a horrible fragrance so don’t get me wrong. It’s warm, deep, and inviting. It’s cozy and soft. It’s a decent neutral fruity-floral that is perfect for the upcoming sweater weather and snuggling in front of a fire. But a good snuggle is all that it inspires….NOT your deepest darkest fantasies!