The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Secret Desire by Melaney Ricardo arrived in 2024 as a collaboration between Indonesian actress Melaney Ricardo and Crusita, with Alexandre Freile composing the fragrance. Its composition is built around Bulgarian rose, presented as the central floral note, with oud contributing a darker woody character. Violet and gerania add a contrasting accent, lending the rose more dimension and a cooler, more composed character. Together, these notes create a fragrance that balances floral richness with woody and softly powdery facets.
The structure is built around a striking tension: lush rose against dark oud. Bulgarian rose forms the central floral expression, while oud brings a woody, resinous depth that keeps the composition from becoming simply pretty. Violet and geranium introduce a lighter, almost powdery register, giving the heart some air. Beneath it all, vanilla and amber add warmth, sandalwood smooths the woody edges, and musk gives the composition a subtle, skin-like finish.
The evolution
The first impression is generous and floral, with Bulgarian rose taking the lead like a dark petal pressed into warm skin. Oud adds a deeper woody register to the composition, while violet and geranium keep the heart from feeling overly lush, introducing a powdery flicker that feels almost intimate, like fabric under evening light. The base notes then shape the overall impression: vanilla and amber round the edges, sandalwood gives the drydown a creamy woodiness, and musk leaves a soft trail on skin. The final impression is smoother and more diffuse than the opening, with the rose still present but no longer the whole story.
Cultural impact
Secret Desire is a collaboration between Crusita and Indonesian actress Melaney Ricardo, bringing together the fragrance house and a public figure from Indonesia. The release connects Crusita with Melaney Ricardo's audience and gives their collaboration a distinct place in the brand's catalog. Its composition combines Bulgarian rose and oud with violet, geranium, vanilla, amber, sandalwood, and musk, creating a fragrance defined by floral, woody, powdery, and warm notes.
The House
CrusitaCrusita is an Indonesian fragrance house that has built a following around a colorful, personality-driven catalog of scents. Its range spans playful everyday colognes, bolder statement pieces, and collaborations with local personalities, including Melaney Ricardo. Releases like Scandal (2022), Rich Gold (2023), and Symphony Of The Sea (2024) suggest a brand that moves quickly, testing new ideas across collections rather than guarding a single signature. The house also runs a dedicated Sport Collection, developed in partnership with Fragrance House, which points to a broader strategy of themed drops designed for specific moods and moments.
The Creator
Alexandre FreileFreile's style leans toward tropical freshness and vibrant fruity accords, with reviewers noting the burst of tropical notes that characterize some of his work. He demonstrates a strong command of identifiable materials, building fragrances where each element plays a distinct…
