Review of Grecia by Yaroslavna Lasytsya

I uncorked the vessel of Grecia just now, and lo—there arose at once a most pleasant accord of sweetened milk, gentle and welcoming as dawn upon the Aegean. Soon, this milky sweetness mingled with ambrette, and from that union bloomed the white lilac: fresh, luscious, and full of life. Amazement and amusement dwelt together in my spirit, for never had I encountered such a curious and delightful pairing. It grants Grecia an unexpected facet, both surprising and splendid. A whisper of caramel danced in the top notes, though it fled swiftly, as a butterfly before the Zephyr. Coconut, restrained and powdery, resembled the sweet Rafaello confections—tamed, not wild. It did not smell of chemical excess, nor of tropical heaviness; it was, as the Greeks would say, eukosmos—well-behaved, graceful. The scent’s projection stays near the skin, a delicate intimacy rather than a loud proclamation. Thus it becomes versatile, easy to wear, and endearing to those who draw near. In this, Grecia breaks the false belief that all Arabian perfumes are beastly and overwhelming; she proves them untrue. Tuberose governs the creaminess, performing its duty with perfect grace. It is neither animalic nor cloying; with coconut, it forms a harmonious pair, absolutely right. At moments, I catch a memory from my childhood: warm milk with a drop of honey and vanilla, prepared by my grandmother before my bedtime. Such nostalgia is sweet as the fruits of the Hesperides. Jasmine and incense I have yet to discern, yet even if they remain hidden, I am not troubled. The composition before me is already all I could desire, and more. Musk slips in unnoticed, joining vanilla, reaffirming the gourmand nature of this fragrance—but a gourmand of elegance, nay, of aristocracy. The notes flow seamlessly; the composition remains undisturbed. Grecia is indeed classicism bottled, crafted with remarkable care and skill. She is not what the masses expect of perfumes from the UAE, nor of those labelled “dupes.” Grecia is her own muse, her own artist, her own masterpiece.