The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Exclusive №26 Make a Wish was launched in 2018 by Valerie Nesterova as part of her numbered fragrance collection. Its title suggests a fragrance for that small private moment when you choose what you want the day to bring, while retaining a simple, understated character. The composition joins Mandarin Orange, Petitgrain, Sandalwood, and Vanilla in a citrus gourmand built around a clear tension: vivid fruit and leafy citrus against smooth wood and soft sweetness. As it develops, the bright citrus notes gradually give way to creamy vanilla and polished sandalwood, creating a scent that feels fresh at first and warm, rounded, and gently sweet later on.
The interesting part isn't any single note, but how restrained the pairing feels for a gourmand. Mandarin Orange brings the bright, juicy opening, while Petitgrain adds a sharper green edge. Sandalwood gives the composition a creamy, polished body, and Vanilla pulls it toward warmth without turning it into a heavy dessert. The result is familiar enough to wear easily, but the green edge keeps it from becoming one-dimensional.
The evolution
The fragrance begins with a lively Mandarin Orange impression, bright and almost peel-like, with Petitgrain adding a cool green snap. As those citrus notes begin to soften, the composition shifts toward the smoother center of Sandalwood. It feels less like fresh peel and more like polish, creamy and quietly woody. Vanilla then brings the sweetness forward, rounding the dry edges without burying the citrus. In the drydown, the initial zesty brightness recedes, while Sandalwood and Vanilla remain as a soft, warm trail. Expect a lingering woody sweetness on skin, with the citrus still detectable as a lighter thread rather than a disappearing memory. The finish stays close enough for wear at work and warm enough to keep a little intimacy after hours.
Cultural impact
Make a Wish is a numbered release from Valerie Nesterova Exclusive Perfumes with a citrus gourmand character defined by Mandarin Orange, Petitgrain, Sandalwood, and Vanilla. Its composition moves from a bright, juicy opening into a smoother and warmer expression, as leafy citrus meets polished wood and creamy sweetness. The result is a fragrance that can shift easily between light daytime wear and a more intimate seasonal mood, while maintaining a clear citrus-and-woody identity throughout its development.
The House
Valerie Nesterova Exclusive PerfumesValerie Nesterova Exclusive Perfumes is an independent niche fragrance house founded by Russian perfumer Valeria Nesterova. Trained as a chemist and perfumer at ISIPCA in Versailles and Grasse, Nesterova composes every scent in her line of numbered releases, which span editions from №05 through №23 and draw on botanical, gourmand, and molecular concepts.
The Creator
Valerie Nesterova / Валерия НестероваNesterova builds with a chemist's precision and a storyteller's patience. Her work tends toward clean, articulate structures where individual ingredients remain legible rather than dissolving into abstraction.
