Essence
Narciso Rodriguez (2009)

Essence, like other fragrances for women by Narciso Rodriguez, is a fragrance centered on musk with tasteful floral accents; however, if you are in love with Narciso Rodriguez for Her and enjoy the come hither, animalic musk, then Essence could be a shock or a disappointment. The musk in Essence is the laundry detergent kind, accented with rose and a light dusting of aldehydes. In fact, this fragrance reminds me of White Linen by Estee Lauder, except it is more accessible to the younger crowd. I'm not interested in smelling like laundry detergent on steroids but, if I wanted my personal fragrance to say “CLEAN” (i.e., my skin as well as my clothing needs to smell like fresh laundry), then I would probably choose this one over the other offerings.

Narciso Rodriguez "Essence" falls squarely in the "laundry fresh" category of fragrances, a genre that I am a sucker for. It's light, pleasant, and clean. A lovely "cloak of invisibility", perfect for work. That said, there are others in the genre that I prefer ("Gendarme", "Bond No. 9 Fire Island", "Mugler Cologne", and "Jennifer Aniston" would all find themselves put to use before "Essence.")

When I first tried it, "Essence" smelled familiar: sort of Prada "Infusion d'Iris" with a slight citrus twist. So if you love the Prada but find it needs something extra, "Essence" may be right up your alley.

The bottle is absolutely gorgeous. The fragrance is fine. But there are others that do it better.

If find this scent to be musky, strong and spicy, sophisticated rather than sexy. It lasted all day but had definitely quieted down by the evening; that's when I liked it best. It's a pass for me but I think it's a must-try for anyone shopping for a statement perfume.

I'm not usually one for soapy, clean fragrances, however Essence by Narciso Rodriguez is more than just pleasant, it's lovely.

One reviewer termed this fragrance the 'laundry queen'. While the scent does remind me of crisp, white linen, this scent is not overly sharp, laundry detergent or anything like nose-burning soap.

The floral notes are what balances out this fragrance. The rose and iris notes take on an almost powdery quality which compliments the rich, soapy scent well. Essence is very pure in a way. Innocent, delicate and refreshing.

There is a tiny touch of sweetness towards the drydown which reminds me that Essence is more than just clean sheets swaying in the breeze. This fragrance although not overly complex, is enough to capture me with its musky charm.

The lasting power is very good and the sillage rather average, but certainly not soft, it has a presence. I find this fragrance far more superior than Narciso Rodriguez for Her, which I found disappointing to say the least.

Nice musk scent but the longevity is ridiculous...

It must have been designed for babies, toddlers, children and teenagers with a very acute sense of smell.

Neutral thumbs...!

Disappeared almost immediately, even with a double spray to the wrist. However, I enjoyed what I did smell... juicy but unobtrusive citrus opening, dries down to a good musk. The lack of lasting power means there's no way I'd buy a bottle though.