Esxence 2025: Fragrance Marathon and Favorite Picks

Written by Angel Hoque

I’ve attended fragrance conventions before, but none on the scale of Esxence. This was my first time at the event, and for months, I mentally prepared myself not to feel overwhelmed. Yet, no matter how ready you are, the convention only gets bigger each year. The influx of new brands and perfume releases is bound to excite and overwhelm your senses. It’s an enormous event that almost felt like a whimsical maze, with me wandering through familiar and beautifully designed booths, surrounded by hundreds of unknown brands.

I was filled with a mix of joy, awe, emotion, and exhaustion all at once. Still, the thrill of discovering new brands, meeting the creators, and connecting with the team behind all the technical work is an irreplaceable experience. I also had the pleasure of meeting many amazing content creators from Europe (I come from Canada) for the first time—people I’ve known and exchanged beautiful conversations with over the years.

This year, we’ve observed several trends in perfumery, including fruity gourmands, musks, powdery florals, and gourmands featuring unique ingredients like cereal, rice accords, tea notes, and comforting elements—all approached in unconventional ways.

Let’s dive into a long list of my favorite discoveries in brief from Esxence, 2025.

Wonderful Tonka and Golden Ice by Attar Al Has

This Turkish brand has been gaining a lot of attention on social media, and for all the right reasons. They offer perfumes across every possible genre, with something beautiful for everyone.

My personal favorites were Wonderful Tonka and Golden Ice. Wonderful Tonka is a creamy, powdery tonka with a touch of aromatic, spicy lavender and a hint of cacao dust. Golden Ice, on the other hand, is a stunning, ethereal watery rose balanced with soothing cashmeran at the base—absolutely perfect for spring and summer.

Attar Al Has logo / Photo from personal album

POSH

A new brand that caught my eye is POSH. Their entire collection is designed to be layered, with the layering perfumes placed together. They showcased some of the most beautiful citrus gourmands and velvety powdery florals, which I found incredibly intriguing. I have a strong feeling that this brand has immense potential.

Dessert Collection by M.Micallef

M.Micallef recently launched seven amazing gourmand perfumes in 30 ml bottles, each highlighting a standout note. My personal favorites were Blueberry Night and Pistachio Chic, both of which featured smooth, well-balanced gourmand elements that didn’t come across as overly sweet or overly edible.

M. Micallef dessert collection / Photo from personal album

Tonkatonic by Morph

Another brand with an incredible collection of tropical and gourmand florals caught my attention. I absolutely fell in love with Tonkatonic, which is a stunningly creamy and soft almond and musk fragrance, beautifully blended with an exotic tropical elixir of coconut water, fig, orange blossom, and jasmine.

Baicha by Welton London

Welton London has introduced a new extrait perfume Ambra Innamorata as part of their Golden Collection. While I really enjoyed Mystique Myrrh from the line, there’s one fragrance that truly stole my heart: Baicha, an incredible orris and tea scent. Feminine, comforting, elegant, and powdery, it’s the perfect fragrance to keep you feeling balanced and effortlessly put together, ready to take on the day without being overwhelming.

Choromodoro by Astrophil and Stella

I had the best time chatting with Alessandro, the owner of Astrophil and Stella, at their booth. Those 30 minutes were probably the most relaxed I felt during the entire convention as we just talked about life in general. Astrophil and Stella has been one of my favorite brands for years, and they’ve recently collaborated with Julien Rasquinet on an aromatic masterpiece called Choromodoro. Inspired by the Space Age design era, this fragrance reflects the boldness and innovation of the 1960s, celebrating the creativity of advertisers and designers from the American West Coast, a time when interior design was defined by clean lines and futuristic shapes. It’s a unique aromatic fragrance that doesn’t follow the typical note breakdown, and I believe it will smell incredible on a man during the summer.

The brand is also launching something starchy, buttery, elegant, and glorious in June. I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it drops because it’s absolutely divine.

Christian Cavagna

I believe the brand falls under the same umbrella as Pantheon Roma, and the entire collection revolves around vintage florals, with tuberose at its core, all given avant-garde and modern twists. The top notes across the fragrances are consistent, featuring banana leaf, ginger, pink pepper, and tuberose absolute. As you move into the heart and base, each perfume reveals its own unique character. My personal favorites were Vittoria Alata and Bianca Forte.

Rosa Vaniglia by Cave Luxury Parfums

A stunning powdery rose and vanilla blend with a beautiful feminine allure and sophistication. This brand boasts some of the most exquisite packaging and perfumes. Unfortunately, they didn’t hand out any samples, so I’m left with nothing but a lingering memory of this captivating floral creation.

Blue Indaco by Giardini di Toscana

Almond lovers, your search ends here. I was absolutely stunned when I first smelled it—it was beyond anything I expected. This fragrance is the softest, smoothest, and most buttery almond and vanilla scent, seamlessly blending into a delicate, fairy-like white musk base.

Me by Nota Paris

Juicy raspberry and sugary cotton candy capture the sweet essence of summer, while warm vanilla and radiant amber provide a calming harmony. It’s a beautiful and elegant gourmand, and I’m thrilled to have brought one home with me.

Tonka Latte by Parfums Dusita

It was an absolute pleasure to finally meet the lovely Pissara, and she truly delivered with a sophisticated gourmand that blends tonka bean, vanilla, milky notes, and honey, creating a warm and comforting scent.

Pissara Umavijani, the Founder of Parfums Dusita / Photo from personal album

Narcisse

A Sicilian brand featuring exceptional citrus-forward perfumes and flawless vanillic florals. The vibrant colors on the slightly vintage-style glass bottles immediately caught my eye, and I was thoroughly impressed with nearly the entire collection.

Adamo

Adamo’s Costiera collection is a summer paradise for fragrance lovers, with each perfume capturing a new wave of summertime joy and cherished memories. When I smelled the upcoming launches Uluwatu and Eden, I couldn’t help but be enveloped by their scents radiating from my skin. Eden is one of those fragrances that, once applied, wraps you in its soft, voluminous clouds of musks and sweet floral beauty that you can’t escape. I have to mention, the entire collection was easily one of my top 3 favorite discoveries at the convention.

Royal Crown

This brand introduced a new collection with ombre-style green packaging, featuring some truly high-quality fragrances. My favorites were Ophir and Deva, along with another new addition to their latest launch called Nima. It’s a masterfully crafted exotic tuberose that radiates a captivating feminine aura.

Queen in Rouge and Musk Sillage by Lord Milano

Queen in Rouge is a dream come true for iris lovers. It’s a celebration of femininity and elegance, paying tribute to Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, who became an iconic figure in both perfumery and fashion.

Musk Sillage embodies Flora, the Roman symbol of flowers, fertility, and seduction. The blend of musk and florals reflects the duality between the pure, clean notes of musk and a floral bouquet, evoking a sense of femininity and allure.

Arabian Leather by Marrakech Imperial

A smooth, suede-like leather paired with amber vanilla, with hints of incense subtly drifting into the background. It has the refined texture I love in a leather/suede fragrance. I must also mention that the team behind Marrakech Imperial is the sweetest couple. It was a true pleasure meeting Massimo and Kenza—they radiate warmth in both their hugs and their hospitality.

403 Myrrh Shadow by Bon Parfumeur

Created by Quintin Bisch, this new launch as part of their extrait collection has quickly become my favorite Bon Parfumeur fragrance to date. The scent has some unique twists and nuances that I’m still exploring, but the quality of the blend is outstanding. Plus, the launch party was absolutely stunning.

Goldfield & Banks News

A feminine version of the brand’s iconic Pacific Rockmoss is set to hit the shelves in March, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect, given the way the fragrance has been crafted. Another new fragrance is also coming later this year, but I am not supposed to write about it just yet. But it’s worth waiting for!

And the team of Goldfield & Banks is always a pleasure to hang out with and are some of my favorite people in this industry.

Thomas de Monaco’s Intimate Cocktail Hour

We wrapped up our three-day convention with laughter, hugs, delicious mini burgers, bubbly, and great conversations with like-minded content creators, all coming together in an intimate gathering organized by the team from Thomas de Monaco Parfums.

It was a relaxed and casual evening where we listened to Thomas discuss his new fragrance line, his next chapter, and the pure joy of creating something magical. It was by far my favorite event outside the Esxence—just the right setting for meaningful yet fun conversations without the distraction of loud music.

Most of the writers of PlezuroMag (Ally, Kristina, Sima, and I) had the chance to be captured in one frame, and as with all good things, it was finally time to say bye to our friends and our ever-evolving community.

Wonderful Tonka and Golden Ice by Attar Al Has

POSH