The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Astrae entered Bvlgari's Polychroma collection in 2025, composed by Alberto Morillas, one of the most prolific perfumers of the modern era. The fragrance is built on a foundation of frankincense, oud, and precious woods, with rose, jasmine sambac, and tuberose threaded through the composition. The incense note gives the blend a smoky, almost meditative quality from the very first spray, while the florals add depth and a creamy richness that softens the resinous edges. Sandalwood and other woods anchor the base, lending warmth and a sense of weight that lingers well into the drydown. Astrae reads as a more contemplative take within a collection known for its vivid color palette and material richness, a composition that draws you closer rather than announcing itself at a distance.
The interesting move here is what Morillas does with frankincense, treating it as a structural element rather than mere atmosphere. The resin note weaves through the rose, jasmine sambac, and tuberose, never allowing the florals to float free. There's a quiet tension between the creamy white floral heart and the darker, resinous base, a push and pull that gives the fragrance its character. Oud contributes a slightly bitter, woody edge, grounding the sweetness of the flowers and pulling them toward something more complex.
The evolution
Astrae opens with frankincense already lit, a dry cool smoke that sits behind the first breath of jasmine and tuberose. The florals arrive quickly, creamy and full, but the incense never steps aside. It threads through everything, keeping the composition from tipping into simple sweetness. Rose appears in the heart, warming the blend, and the oud settles in underneath, resinous and steady rather than sharp. There's a brief stretch where the scent reads almost entirely floral, jasmine and tuberose at full volume, before the woods and oud reclaim the floor. The drydown shifts firmly into woody and resinous territory, the incense still pulsing faintly, the florals reduced to a soft skin warmth. As the hours pass, the sandalwood and precious woods take on a creamy, almost milky quality that rounds out the sharper edges of the oud.
Cultural impact
Astrae sits within Bvlgari's Polychroma collection. The bottle features a snake set with diamonds, turquoise, citrine, mother-of-pearl, and tanzanite, doubling as a brooch. This unusual presentation blurs the line between perfume and jewelry, turning the bottle into something you might pin to a lapel as easily as set on a vanity. The fragrance itself carries that same dual quality: rich and detailed enough to reward close attention, with a resinous, smoky character that sets it apart from more immediately approachable florals.
