by Byblos

Nine top notes is, by any measure, excessive. Nine top notes that work together is something else entirely. The passion fruit and pineapple create an opening so bright it borders on startling, a characteristic more commonly associated with 2000s fragrances than anything from 1990. Ermenidis layers tropical sweetness against green cassia and marigold, producing a top phase that feels both abundant and intentional. The heart, anchored by mimosa, introduces the powdery warmth the 1990s loved, but the tropical fruits at the opening prevent it from ever settling into pure nostalgia. The vetiver base is doing the structural work, keeping all that sweetness from collapsing into something soft and formless.

The evolution

The opening hits with a rush, passion fruit and pineapple over citrus, immediately bright and fruity in a way that feels almost contemporary. For 20 minutes, it reads as pure tropical energy. Then the florals arrive. Mimosa takes the lead, joined by gardenia, honeysuckle, and ylang-ylang, the composition becomes warm, sweet, and dense. The transition is smooth but unmistakable; you're wearing a different fragrance than you were at the 15-minute mark. The drydown takes hold around the two-hour mark. The sweetness doesn't disappear, but vetiver's green, slightly smoky character grounds it, and raspberry adds a tartness that cuts through the marzipan softness of the heliotrope. Musk lingers quietly beneath everything. The final hours belong to pepper and vetiver, giving the drydown more complexity than the initial sweetness suggested.