I’ve been in the habit of watching a few videos on the Watch section of Facebook for some time before falling asleep. Well, I love the videos of HeXtian. This brilliant artist transforms a simple Barbie-like doll into a reproduction of a famous character, changing the hair, the body, the clothes, but above all, the make-up thoroughly. I find it thrilling. But besides these videos, I also often follow those of Jason Makki, a hairstylist & senior barber known for sharing styling tutorials, time-lapses of his cuts, and a variety of Grooming Hair MakeOver videos. Why did I tell you about that? Because the Acqua Essenziale Colonia by Salvatore Ferragamo is a refined and modern fragrance with a pleasant barber scent. I imagine I smell this perfume when entering Jason Makki Men’s salon in Dubai.
The scent is the third in the brand’s fragrance collection, and this one mainly combines aromatic, aquatic, woody, and fougére accords. At first, it welcomes me like a classic eau de cologne, a fresh green, semi-tart barber’s scent, with an abundance of white citrus blossoms. If you like colognes like
Echt Kölnisch Wasser Eau de Cologne, you should know what I mean. A well-recognizable note of brilliant Italian bergamot blends with honeyed orange blossom, perhaps some other citrus peel, and they release a pleasantly fresh and tart aroma. I can barely feel the spiciness of the coriander, just a hint of harshness from the green leaves. Instead, after the zestiness has subsided, a watery atmosphere oozes, neither salty nor marine, more like the freshwater droplets of an unforeseen summer storm. A singular olfactory signature, with ozonic and aromatic notes, accompanies a light and an elegant hint of orange bloom.
Over time, it changes into a soapy and clean vibe. In the heart, I get a loud clary sage note. Compared to the other Eau de colognes I have or I know, this one is featuring sage in the heart instead of rosemary, thyme, or any other aromatic herbs. That’s what makes Acqua Essenziale Colonia something apart. The balminess grows and mixes with a floral lavender. Now orange blossom shines and screams at its best, while citrus moves in the background.
As it dries down, I get hints of soapy vetiver, here replacing the patchouli of the original cologne, mixed with the heart trail notes, making the whole thing smell like Italian soap. Ambroxan smells very pleasant with an oceanic and mineral undertone to it., is there, but it’s muted. I thought that Acqua Essenziale Colonia was a vetiver scent, but not a firm presence in this scent. Ultimately, there is a sweet and roasted tonka, here as a complementary note that balances the salty ambergris and the earthy vetiver.
I appreciate the composition, and it would make a good office scent. Let’s not the name “Cologne” fools you because this is an EDT and has a respectable duration and projection, approximately half a day on my skin. Sillage is moderate while longevity leans towards intensely. The cologne-like aroma makes it preferable during the warm months, Sprint and Summer are the right seasons. The whole concoction in this fragrance ends up smelling like a delicate Italian soap, and I enjoy it. It has an old-school sort of feel to it I enjoy. Fresh, aromatic, citrus, a bit woody and a tad spicy, that’s it. I am proud of Alberto Morillas's work, the Acqua Essenziale trilogy is sublime and the colognes differ from one another.
This review is based on a 100ml bottle I have owned since June 2017.
-Elysium
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
Elysium
MrTee
Topfpflanze3
Slight
Nik604
