The olfactorically creative Icelander Andrea Maack has once again honored us with two new launches called Osmo and Zing. I am also presenting the extrait de parfum Jest, which has been available in our Aus Liebe zum Duft store since last spring and has not yet been reviewed on our blog.
In the following, I link you to the last three fragrance reviews that I have written about the label of the incredibly creative and aesthetically adept Andrea Maack. Perhaps some of you would like to find out more about the other creations from the Icelandic fragrance house:
- Lightsource and Entrance by Andrea Maack – News from the land of fire and ice
- Spring fragrances: a colorful bouquet from Trudon, Andrea Maack Parfums, Pierre Guillaume and more
- Pavilion and Magma by Andrea Maack Parfums – to the land of fire and ice
Osmo – Black sand beach
“Imagine diving into cold water in the Icelandic highlands or going for a run on a black beach. Osmo was inspired by Reynisfjara, one of Iceland’s most famous landmarks.” The picture above was taken on that very sandy beach in the south of Iceland and should give a good insight into the composition. Perfumer Dominique Ropion used orange, maritime notes, pink pepper, jasmine, iris, cedarwood, oakmoss and musk for the olfactory realization. Incidentally, the black color of the beach is – how could it be otherwise – due to the volcanic activity of the island. The beach consists of basalt grains, i.e. volcanic rock, which is known for its dark, grey to black color.
Cool marine notes are accompanied by tangy, fruity orange and a sparkling, dry peppery note. Cedarwood and musk bring clean, mineral-woody accents to the creation, which is very airy, very fresh and transparent. Osmo is not as rough as the picture above suggests. It is not a sea spray, but a well-balanced, maritime fragrance with mineral notes as well as fruity, spicy and woody notes. Jasmine and iris underline the composition with a light, soft and smooth creaminess that is gentle and subtly perceptible.
Osmo is a gentle marine fragrance that is very bright, very airy and light. An excellent companion for everyday wear, for work or even for going out if you like fresh, maritime-inspired creations. I can also highly recommend this extrait de parfum for newcomers to this fragrance family or newcomers to niche fragrances, as it has a very calm, relaxed, almost meditative effect. Can I hear the waves crashing when I close my eyes and sniff Osmo? Yes, absolutely. Fans of transparent, airy, maritime compositions should definitely take note of this new fragrance by Andrea Maack. 🌊
Zing – Olfactory well-being
Osmo already had a certain wellness character and this is also to be found in Zing. Perfumer Céline Barel was responsible for the olfactory realization of the creation and used the ingredients mandarin, mineral notes, mate, carrot, ginger, patchouli, sandalwood and musk. The citrus component of this extrait de parfum should be clearly perceptible and make this fragrance dynamic, energetic and sparkling, like a refreshing wellness treatment.
Fruity, tart tangerine peel notes meet citrusy, spicy ginger in the opening of Zing, providing a fresh and invigorating start to the composition. Soon, soft, creamy, woody facets are added, which I would attribute to patchouli and sandalwood, while carrot adds sweet, powdery accents in the background. I also notice the mineral nuances, which have a light, chalky undertone and remind me of wet clay. In fact, the creation has a certain wateriness in the sense of flowing nuances that spontaneously make me think of tart green mate.
Zing is a beautiful, refreshing and sparkling hesperide fragrance with a creamy, woody undertone that I really like. I can also imagine layering Osmo and Zing, as the two creations seem almost made for each other. It’s not for nothing that they both belong to the wellness range of the Icelander Andrea Maack. Zing is also a fragrance companion for every occasion and every occasion, which for me personally – like Osmo – is more suited to the warmer seasons. However, for fall and winter, I can also imagine applying the two fragrances as an olfactory refreshment in the morning and then resorting to more opulent creations during the day, which radiate more volume, more fullness and cozy warmth. Here too, I can only give it an absolute test recommendation. 🍊
Jest – moment of happiness
And last but not least is Jest, which was launched in spring 2024 and doesn’t sound like the warm season to me in terms of fragrance notes: plum, cardamom, apple, heliotrope, rum, chocolate, vanilla, ambroxan and musk are the ingredients of this extrait de parfum, which was created by Julien Rasquinet. In my eyes, these ingredients are virtually predestined for a wonderful autumn and winter fragrance and so I am curious to see if the reference to spring can be recognized when testing it. “Jest is the happy state that carries us into the moment when the soft, warm spring seems to be just around the corner.” can be read in the press release. Of course, I don’t know what spring is like in Iceland, but I assume that it can’t be compared to spring here.
Oh, I like Jest from the first sniff. Fruity and liqueur-like notes open the creation, which doesn’t seem too sweet. Plum and apple seem a little tipsy, accompanied by fresh, green cardamom and the vanilla-creamy nuances of heliotrope and dark chocolate. The rum has subtle peaty notes that gradually fade into the cotton-soft facets of ambroxan and crystalline musk, subtly underlined by a fine vanilla spice.
Jest is a gourmand, spicy and clean fragrance that is very transparent and bright. I didn’t expect this at first when reading the fragrance notes, but the extrait de parfum thrilled me from the first sniff to the furthest corner of the base. Boozy, vanilla and fruity, the composition reveals relatively little sweetness, but a decent amount of comfort. Surprisingly, Jest is also cool rather than warm, which in my opinion makes the creation a seasonal all-rounder that can also be worn in the warmer months of the year. Absolutely exciting, unusual and really beautiful! Definitely try it out! 🤤
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