Omnia Amethyste is the third and most recent fragrance in the Omnia line from Bvlgari, following the original Omnia (2003) and Omnia Crystalline (2005). All three fragrances were created by perfumer Alberto Morillas, and all share the love-it-or-hate-it interlocking circle bottle design. The notes for Amethyste include green sap, pink grapefruit, iris, rose, heliotrope and solar woods.
Omnia Amethyste opens on peppery-earthy citrus, with, as promised, a fair amount of greenery. It moves on to a lightly powdery blend of floral notes with vanillic undertones. The rose is subtle, the iris I recognize mostly in the peppery-earthy part of the opening. Morillas has said that nature print technology was used to capture the smell of iris blossoms for Omnia Amethyste, and that may account for the fact that the florals in the heart notes smell like such a blur to me: I have no idea what iris blossoms smell like, and the iris usually used in perfumery comes from the root, not the flower. I have three varieties of iris blooming in my own yard at the moment so I went outside to check, but my particular irises don't smell like much of anything.
It is a summery fragrance, and like the other Omnias, more sheer than not. The dry down is light musky woods, and after a few hours most of the floral notes are gone and then it isn't altogether different from Crystalline, although I would call it cleaner, paler, less deep. Traces of scent linger on for at least 6-8 hours.
If Omnia Crystalline had little in common with the original Omnia, Omnia Amethyste is even more of a departure. A commenter mentioned yesterday that they didn't bother to try Crystalline because they assumed it had been "prettified". As it turns out, prettification was saved for Amethyste, which light though it is, easily qualifies as the sweetest and most floral of the three Omnias. It is the only one of the trio that a man might not be able to wear comfortably. Morillas describes Amethyste as "a fresh, precious and sophisticated fragrance that brings to mind a nicely manicured garden". These days, I am disposed to like almost anything that isn't a candied fruity floral, but I suppose I prefer my own garden a wee bit less manicured. Amethyste is pleasant, but is just too demure to hold my interest.
Blvgari Omnia Amethyste is an Eau de Toilette, and is available in 25, 40 and 65 ml. It is already available at discount, but not as widely as Omnia Crystalline; scentiments currently has testers of the 65 ml for $37.99. If you can wait, I'm sure the smaller sizes will hit the online discounters sooner or later.
An amethyst/purple colored bottle is always a sign that a scent will not work for me. Invariably. I am trying to think of an exception and can't. 🙂
“These days, I am disposed to like almost anything that isn't a candied fruity floral…” Can't agree with you more! That's why I found Omnia Amethyste a big surprise from Bvlgari after the insipid Omnia Crystalline. As far as I know, among the three Omnias, Omnia Crystalline is the most popular one in Asia. Though it's said that the new Omnia Amethyste was oriented towards the Asian market, it's not that beloved as its elder sister Crystalline. Omnia Amethyste might be a little too floral and powdery for certain Asians.
Wow — not a single exception, with all the purple bottles out there? That is a useful rule, actually — wipes out the need to try lots of new stuff.
I read that OA was geared towards Asia, but Alberto Morillas said it wasn't geared towards any specific region, so who knows. At any rate, my initial reaction to Crystalline was the same as yours, but after spending more time with it, I like it a whole lot better than Amethyste.
I expect you're talking about women's scents, but Ralph Lauren Purple Label, in a shockingly purple bottle, is a marvel. Come to think of it, so is Paco Rabanne's Ultraviolet Man. I think a woman could wear either of them with aplomb, so maybe give them a shot and see what you think.
I simply don't understand why they create and market these as “flankers” when they do not resemble the original in any way except sheerness. I love the original Omnia and so cannot give these two a fair chance at all. I've only tried Crystalline three times and this one once, and every time I get a very solid “meh.” I was surprised to learn you'd learned to like Crystalline. Perhaps I should keep perservering – except, well, why? I've got enough on my wish list, I guess.
I think flankers just save so much money — they don't need a massive advertising push to get consumer attention since the name and bottle are already known. And with Omnia, they could do these as many times as they can come up with a new jewel color 🙂
You're absolutely right, though, why persevere? I probably wouldn't have bothered myself except that I was testing Amethyste all last week and got curious, and lo and behold, Crystalline was better than I thought it was. Still, I don't adore it and I've got plenty of things way higher on my own wish list.
At least this 12-year-old model doesn't have a squint. 😉
Hmmm… I wanted to try this because I love iris, but not when its earthy, rooty quality isn't emphasized (or even present). Thanks for saving me $$ and/or a trip to Nordie's. 🙂
I have just read the two reviews and I am going to root out my bottle of 'Omnia', if it hasn't gone off! My boyfriend bought me it as a gift in Cortina when we were on holiday one year in Italy. It had just been launched and I fell in love with it, but, i'm ashamed to say I put it away one day and haven't looked at it since. I could never throw or give it away because it was such a special gift so I will go and rediscover it if it hasn't turned to vinegar. I am also going to ask my boyfriend to try it on as it seems a few people are raving about it on a mans skin.
It is rooty only in the top, after that, not really. But you'll be at Nordstrom eventually anyway 🙂
Hope it has lasted — I hate it when an almost full bottle turns!
She seriously could be 12, couldn't she??
Do give it a shot. Despite the usual advertising nonsense about how feminine it is, I think Robin will agree that the original Omnia has not one single note that would mark it as feminine. Or, for that matter, masculine. It's just a great scent, period. (Even the bottle is neither-nor. If Bulgari had marketed it as a men's scent, nobody would have batted an eye.)
I don't suppose it will ever come, but I long for the day when fragrances are just fragrances without all the cultural baggage of gender.
Agree entirely!
Hi, R — I was out of town. You have captured my attention with this and now I have to go back immediately and re-smell it (and Sephora will probably hand me a sample too.) I have been longing for ages for a fragrance that smells like iris flowers — which (although there are variations, as in roses) have a sort of carnation-type smell, but it's really a smell all their own. (As you've discovered, only some iris are fragrant.) A field full of blooming fragrant iris is intoxicating — makes me long for New Mexico, there was a grower there I used to visit. Anyway. Now I'll re-sniff knowing what I'm looking for. The Sephora folks could not be friendlier, as you know, but I was a tiny bit annoyed that nobody in the store could give me any info on Amethyste, which was brand-new and prominently displayed on its own rack… but I should be grateful they're so generous with samps and don't pester 😉
Interesting, M — the scent didn't remind me of carnations, not even vaguely. Do let me know if it smells anything like real iris flowers!
I have a 25ml…it smells absolutely marvelous. it really makes me feel good. With the light fragrance, it follows me everywhere I go..going to get myself the 65ml
Glad you've found a favorite 🙂
I know this is an old thread to comment on, but I sniffed a test strip that came with my Macy's bill recently, and while I found the florals in this somewhat pretty, I realized pretty soon that there was (IMO) a very nasty “synthetic” accord (perhaps could be described as fresh or ozonic) which immediately reminded me of Bvlgai Blv. There is something so synthetic and cloying about that accord that I know for sure it would actually sicken me were I to wear it all day. Sensing that accord again made me want to pitch the couple Bvlgari samples I have in the trash, especially if it's a running theme in their scents… a “Bvlgariness” (or “Bvlgarity”?) if you will.
Hmmm…I don't think they're all that way. I love Omnia & “very much like” Omnia Crystalline, and adore Black. And do think Femme is a great scent, although not me. All of them smell synthetic but not fresh in that way, I don't think. But I didn't hate the Blv for men, although I thought the Blv for women was pretty dull.
But BVLGARITY is PERFECT, love it!
Mandragore. I think what you find inside that purple bottle is different from other purples…peppery/citrusy and all that.
Bump!
I know this is an oldie but I had occasion to test it today.
If it contains iris it is not the iris I have come to know and love from fragrances such as Prada’s Infusions. It simply smells very floral to me and you’re right – not wholly suitable for a man.
No, all of those fragrances use iris root; this one is the flower. Not my favorite…
I have never received so many compliments about a perfume than when I wear Amethyste. It’s unusual enough that people comment on it, and I don’t know if it’s just me but my body chemistry LOVES this scent. Smells clean and fresh with just enough vanilla-musk at the end to round it out.