Description
Introduced in 2000, this perfume wears green-floral spirit of nature, spontaneity and simple glamour which is followed by grace and Isabella Rosellini’s style.
This perfume was designed by Alberto Morillas, and in the top notes bestowed us with joys of sweet-fresh notes of bergamot, basil and pepper. The heart is in the rhythm of sweet pea, orange blossoms, sweet and intense jasmine and white rose. The base is attached with its sensual notes of lily, sandal, white musk and chestnut tree.
The bottle is in green attire, the spirit of the nature and freshness. The designers of the Perfume Sacre House bestowed it an elegant form. The perfume is available in the amount of 50 ml EDP, 30, 50 and 75 ml EDP.
kitty1102 – :
I can’t decide if this is weird in a good way, or weird in a bad way. I’m thinking that maybe my perfume has gone off based on some of the positive reviews here. It smells really one dimensional, much like how I imagine a green swamp to smell. Nonetheless, Its not working for me and I’m happy that I only bought a 10 ml sample.
Dragon33 – :
An unexpected “like” for me. This one is interesting. At first blast, there is a very strong alcohol scent. Alcohol as in medicinal alcohol, not boozy alcohol. That lasts for a minute or two. Then this settles into a rather interesting scent. The accords and notes listed are all pretty spot-on. Not an everyday fragrance for me, but I like it for days I want “something different” and certainly not heavy, but more fresh. Soft to moderate sillage and despite this being a lighter type of fragrance, this lasts on me pretty much all day. No wild changing of notes as the day progresses. Pretty much starts as a fresh slightly peppery scent and pretty much stays that way the entire time.
Tyncgufffueve – :
DO NOT confuse with Manifesto by YSL (sweet, feminine). This Manifesto by IR is green medicinal unisex. I actively dislike it. Washed it off (rarely do it). Yes, I agree that it has something in common with Covet by SJP which I also dislike.
alexpotapof – :
If it wasn’t for the label, I could never recognize it as feminine. Manifesto smells definitely masculine at the first sniff. Fresh spicy and aromatic, I realized I detected something like banana leaf. Even pear in this combination has a masculine nature which gives it some freshness.
as the times passes it gets a little more floral, but I still feel that so called banana leaf note. The sour and spicy notes are still there too. Later, patchouli emerges strongly and it becomes more of a patchouli+floral scent.
Even though I can’t name manifesto a typical stereotypical perfume,it hasn’t much to offer.It doesn’t satisfy neither the general market trend nor the specific professional noses. It is nothing that I would choose to wear as long as there are lots of nice perfumes out there.So I would rate it much lower than average. Latter maniesto by YSL is much better than this one.
Dyrokolic – :
It’s fresh and lovely, but somehow I’m rarely in the mood for this perfume. It didn’t click. The longevity is long.
Glamourban – :
Got this fragrance today was a blind buy came in a limited edition gift set in red fancy box. With 2x bath milks 1 scented body cream and a 30ml EDT $20 at an op shop must of come from someone personal perfume collection. Well I love jasmine and thank god that I do . I don’t get any orange blossom scent but the intense jasmine is upstaging this perfume right through on my skin but there is another hint of sweetness mingling with the jasmine the sweet pea which I do not own any in my collection till now. The creaminess of the sandalwood is enhancing the creaminess you get from the jasmine I applied this at midday and that was 6 hours ago and scent has only slightly mellowed down since then. This would be a lovely scent in spring. Great for day or night, it actually reminds me of when I was a child my bedroom window was covered by jasmine and the sweet scent waft through my window in the warm night air nostalgia to me if you love heady jasmine this is the one
EvgBel – :
This is an ideal summer fragrance. Light and refreshing without all the syrupy sweetness so common in newer scents. Top notes are citrusy and fresh. Floral notes are light and easy. Crisp is the word that comes to mind. Nothing heavy or sticky. I am definitely enjoying this mini that I have and contemplating a FB purchase.
This was an unusual scent back at its introduction and it is still ahead of the pack.
I had been searching for a perfect fresh summer easy scent and have tried many high end to drugstore. Little did I know that exactly what I was looking for was sitting on my dressing table all along. This will do nicely!
lwm052Diobtetty – :
On my skin, Manifesto was very refreshing and perfect for a hot summer’s day. This perfume was very bright and herbal at first – with greenness from the basil and freshness from the bergamot. The florals smelt clean, and there is a touch of spice from the pepper. The scent dries down into a nondescript herbal-floral. In addition, the perfume lasts for about 4-5 hours; sillage is quite soft.
The problem with this scent for me is that it’s forgettable. It’s quite elegant, well-balanced and clean, but there is no ‘je ne sais quoi’. I could easily see myself pushing this towards the back of my wardrobe and never wearing it. I also found it to smell a little too synthetic for my tastes. Not for me, I think.
zhenchik – :
Very “meh”. It’s weak and none of the notes speak to me. It smells a bit green and soapy on me, not as peppery as I expected, just enough to suggest a slight crispiness. Creamy but not in a comforting way, it’s slightly odd. It reminds me a bit of SPJ’s Covet, which also didn’t work for me.
Alser – :
This smells a lot like Marc Jacobs “Lola” to me
Just like with Lola, my skin pulls an undesirable “pencil shavings” smell that doesn’t ever fully subside. The pear adds some watery sweetness to this scent and the musk adds lifted elegance, but mostly the “fresh spice” demolishes every other note in its path.
I can imagine this smelling lovely on someone with the right chemistry to make the fresh spice and sweet notes seem easyyyy breezyyyy. My oily skin turns a scent like this into a mess. 🙁
Flanker27 – :
I bought this more for the goodies it came with and where I saw it (Hawaii) rather than the actual fragrance itself. Especially at that time, I had a tendency to try way too many fragrances at once when I went shopping, and I probably tried this one after trying too many that day too. They sold this at DFS galleria in Honlulu, and it came in a package with A LOT of bath stuff like the body wash, bath fizz, soap pieces, body lotion, etc. At that time I just saw it looked refreshing I thought it smelled nice enough. I wanted to buy but I left my passport at the hotel so couldn’t buy it then. Years later, I found it again on the internet with mostly the same goodies I saw then and I bought it. Honestly I don’t dig it too much and I’m seriously considering selling it on ebay or something. I do smell the basil, but the fragrance itself is way too peppery and robust for me. I wanted something clean, green, refreshing, watery and subtle and that’s what I hoped I smelled in this, but apparently it wasn’t. The sillage and lasting power is a little too much that I find it overwhelming at times on those rare occasions when I wear this hoping I would like it.
slavik_74 – :
truth be told, this is SO not my kind of scent, but i want to try all the isabella rossellini scents because i love her! so it’s very fresh and green. opens up with peppery limey basil. nice in a way, even though it’s not very “me.” this could be great on a hot day as it has a very green and cooling mood to it. this is one of the plantiest-greenest scents i’ve ever tried. later on a watery floral comes through a bit, which i think is lily. something in here smells papery to me, i don’t even know how else to describe it and not sure what note it is.
this is so unique and though i don’t usually like green scents, i like this because of it’s unusualness! never smelled anything like it. like isabella (seems to be) it’s an original.
peca – :
The opening is really nice and fresh, I smell mint, but as time passes it becomes flat and boring.
I had a sample of this and it saved me from buying a banal perfume. I’ll keep it away from me forever.
John_Kastilkov – :
This is a peppery version of Lancaster Sunwater, and I found it difficult to tell them apart–except for the pepper.
They share the bergamot, jasmine and and base of sandalwood. Of the two, for a light summer scent, I prefer the Sunwater. Neither have any lasting power.
deepTJ – :
This was a part of a complete range of cosmetics marketed under the Isabella Rossellini name that was launched in the late 90s. I actually went to the launch of this one at David Jones and met IR who was surprisingly thin and tiny. She also gave a really dull speech about the perfume itself, just rattling off the press release. I can remember the photographer next to me rolling his eyes and smirking.
Now the line is no more and Isabella’s heyday is kind of over, but this perfume crops up in low end department stores and pharmacies every now and then. There is no doubt this was ahead of its time. I still have an original bottle and the mix of basil, musk and pear still holds up well. It’s also kind of masculine which was also unusual at the time. A good scent for those on a budget who are sick of the current sea of sugary sweet perfumes, or if you are a young person who doesn’t want to smell like any of your peers.
ivan_alex – :
This presents a pleasant opening of basil and orange blossom, followed by prominent lily in the drydown. It’s a musk-based scent. Kinda uni-dimensional, soft and gentle, ideal for office and fans of lily on musk.
Eruttimbist – :
Like sun warmed yellow wood 🙂
denisekb – :
I love this perfume. Peppery-green, it defies expectations and comes off as completely unique and original. It *is* a manifesto.
saneklazarek – :
A very unsusal, light, herbal smelling perfume. Perfect for the office as its non-offensive. Personally I like a bit more depth to a perfume but this is ok.
J-A – :
(Thank you K x)
I’m not wild about aquatic scents, nevertheless I think Manifesto is very pleasant – green, herbal, aquatic, citrus, white floral. All nicely balanced and, contrary to some of the reviews here, I found it had excellent longevity (EDT splash) and continued to smell good throughout.
catkolyhalova – :
Very classy, conservative fragrance. Starts off with a lemon-like note, and you can definitely smell the basil. Shortly after, the citrus calms down, and the sweet, peppery smell emerges. The basil remains. Very unobtrusive and dignified fragrance. “Job interview scent”. Not for youngsters.
Dutyfruty – :
Very,very light herbal scent with zero sillage and no longevity. Suitable for young teens or those of you who might work in an office where others complain about loud fragrances. This one is not loud, alas, it is inaudible. Although cheap, paradoxically it is too expensive as the same effect can be achieved by sprinkling a pinch of oregano in your hair.Since no one, including yourself, will know you are wearing something, I am not sure what is the point.
mixos – :
Very Fresh, enlivening, green with a watery coolness, I just love this. I find this a well balanced scent on my skin, no one note prominent over the others. Longevity is only moderate but that is okay, the dry down is soft with a hint of sweet pea. Very much a daytime perfume it reminds me of fan di fendi but much lighter.
magery – :
Fresh, clean musky-lemony very quiet day fragrance.
zramerstendss – :
Oxygen by Lanvin is the key and the best result for me comes with layering them. Manifesto goes through two stages 1. nasty-bright-herbal beginning due to specific basil (unlike basil oil which is also specific) – that nevertheless lets the scent stand out in its originality 2. friendly-simple-noble-grassy drydown (I hoped to get smth like that in Verdi 072 by Emilio Pucci) – it is light, without depth, but really pleasant in a casual way, naturally pleasant, I would say, and also refers to Oxygen main theme as a lighter echo. Perhaps I like it more than Oxygen – for daring at the beginning and friendly timid smiling later on, it’s also more original, but to appear in public I need to glue it on Oxygen ‘uniform’ base. Both win.
buralkin – :
too herbal and slighty aquatic on me – this is to be expected I cannot wear primarily green or citrus fragrances without smelling of pine-o-cleen or Ajax or bathroom freshener. I loved the scent in the bottle very clean and peppery but just doesnt work with my chemistry.
nitros71 – :
Isabella Rosselini’s Manifesto appears to me as a light, elegant, green, watery herbal scent. It lasts a couple of hours. A pleasant break in my oriental perfume wardrobe. I carefully selected this perfume in a financial stressful period of my life. Manifesto helped me survive with style and grace. Thanks Isabella R.
mrarin – :
Great value and quite expensive smelling, which is always a bonus. I’ve received many compliments about this one. Basil, pear and musk really stand out with Manifesto. Very impressive and so inexpensive!
jnj608speagoessenda – :
After long periods of shalimar, white diamonds, and all my other favorites my nose needs a good reset. Manifesto is my reset button. It smells like a clean white spa, a rehab from all my other scents while being an amazing standalone one itself. I expected it to be more peppery based on the reviews and notes listed but to me it smells like a nice smooth aquatic herbal. Its fairly strong and ever present, however i do layer with the body balm. I love you manifesto. I love you so hard
puhof7910 – :
Inebriante, tonificante, una sferzata di energia , ottimismo e freschezza da indossare nelle giornate calde….peccato che non si trovi quasi più nelle profumerie italiane! 🙁
alkanaft – :
I LOVE this perfume. Makes me feel so sexy, like I just got caught in a rain storm! Not overly flowery, just a nice, light, fresh smell… Isabella, you rock!
jbeueipcmzq – :
Lovely… one of my faves. I dont find it to be generic or watery. I dislike blue watery perfumes immensely. To me Manifesto is surprisingly sharp and fresh to start with, then the flowers and finally a musky softness which lasts for a long time. I find it very interesting in the way it progresses from such a sharp/green beginning to an enduring sexy soft musk. I am no perfume expert and a total noob in my knowledge of ingredients and composition… just a lover of many perfumes… and I love Manifesto.
meexx78 – :
I keep going back to this, I can’t help myself. Such a unpretentious fragrance, in every single way, yet SO amazing.
It gives me this “fresh out of the shower / dancing in spring rain / frolicking in some mediterranean herb garden at dawn” kind of feeling; absolutely wonderful.
The basil is very prominent but it’s just such a delectable combo along with the bergamot and the (very subtle) pepper, I just want to drink it up.
Unfortunately, the lasting power is very disappointing – only about 3 hours on me, leaving nothing but a faint idea of sandalwood behind.
Definitely a new favorite and keeper.
Halfaer – :
I would have liked to like one of Isabellas scents, because she is a celebrity that I find more interesting than Paris Hilton, C.Aguilera and so on. Unfortunately I didn’t like any. I’m not into unisex scents and Isabellas scents, especially this one, always seem so harsh, strong and unpleasant.
Craving – :
One of the best perfume ever smelt. I believe it melts well with my chemistry as a foreign stranger asked me what I was wearing. He said it was amazing and he wanted to present his wife with it. Apart for this episode this is the favourite parfume of my mother. But she wears two drops at a time as it is discontinued. Why, why discontinue such a nice, original, sofisticated parfume?
tot006 – :
This is what everybody’s childhood should have smelled like…fresh and green and summery, very Mediterranean. It’s almost totally linear: basil, pepper, and garden flowers with an opening touch of bergamot and barely-there sandalwood at the finish.
I think of this as more of an aromatherapy scent than a perfume. I wear it when I want that “I can relax and enjoy being home, because the gardener is tending the roses and the au pair is tending the kids while I methodically grind pepper on my pasta” kind of feeling.
Mewuq899InsuffBooni – :
I just got a mini of Manifesto and, so far, I like it a lot. Yes, it might be a “yet another generic floral” but do you know how long I have searched for something that will smell of linden flowers… this one does, despite there is no “linden” note (listed) in it. Perhaps it is the sweet pea…
There is quite a bit of lily, a touch of bergamot, basil and musk; that is what I can detect with my totally untrained nose 🙂 It is very feminine, like Isabella herself.
On another note, I just watched “The Accidental Husband” (a “chick flick”, nice, lighthearted comedy). Isabella Rossellini has a minor yet memorable role in it. I love her. She has aged and put on weight (heck, so have I) but she is still full of grace, and I still love her ultra feminine, soft spoken, alluring ways.
Manifesto is so Isabella…
I think this one has no “age limit” – you can wear this whether you’re 12 or a 112.
Sillage so so, could be better but then again, do I want everyone to smell me before I’m even in the room? Nah.
Lasting power ok, about 5 hours on me.
This will be my go-to fragrance for spring.
илья02021999 – :
This can almost be unisex.
Лелька – :
Yet another aquatic, generic floral, heavy on lily-of-the-valley, with the typical harsh woody musk base. It starts out with a strong blast of the usual suspects, spreading its sharp sillage all over the place. As it dries down it takes on a distinct plastic note. The plastic phase lasts about 5-7 hours. In the end all that’s left is a weak vanilla that persists for a few hours longer. Manifesto has nothing to distinguish it from all of the other drugstore clones and drones, and nothing to recommend it above any of its peers.
chotta – :
I like it.
It’s a fresh clean scent- yet not boring or flat like some fresh scents.
For me it is not smething i would like every day- but a good scent to use when i am undecided on what to wear.
aivis774 – :
Alberto Morillas teaming up with Isabella Rossellini, sounds like a winner, AND IT IS! I love smelling this on a woman. The white florals are so fresh and understated, nothing overwhelming. People say they don’t expect much from this perfume, and that statement confuses me. This was designed by 2 style powerhouses. How this didn’t take off is beyond me…it is such a wonderful scent. These Flowerbombs and even No. 5 with their overwhelming cloying sweetness. When I smell these, it may seem like I’m massaging your neck, while I am secretly wiping off as much perfume as I can, so I can breathe. More class, less skank please, and this is a wonderful perfume to start with. Bravo! Bella Bella!
EDIT: Apparently I have upset a few who adorn themselves with Flowerbomb…so be it. My skank statement was not actually intended to be an extension of that previous thought…I was merely pointing out that some in their desire to be alluring, occasionally become a little overzealous with the application of some seriously strong scents, like Flowerbomb and No.5 (especially at some of its higher concentrations). I have a typical dimwitted male point of view, and was merely expressing what I know others are thinking as well…but just as that dress may make you look a tad plump, most would rather eat broken glass than incur the wrath of a woman who even perceives being scorned.
blaksi – :
Early spring in the morning, clear blue sky, cold crisp air snapping through clean white linen on the clothes line.
Lots of clear, zingy, green notes to start, then gentle white flowers with dewy fruit. I can detect orange blossoms and lillies and even a shy hint of jasmine.
Warms up to a gently sweet mid morning breeze that smells like a jog on a wooded hillside in late February.
A refreshing EDT that stays naturally close to the skin. Clean, confident, independent.
Afon200510 – :
A very green scent with a touch of spice in the opening that lasts a little bit longer than I liked. Overall, a pleasant & interesting scent wearable anytime of the year.
sam510 – :
Manifesto is a prime example of a scent that I find lovely, but that never reciprocates the love. I don’t know why, but Manifesto HATES my skin!! I rarely come across scents that fight my skin chemistry so badly. Which is a shame because I like its smell on paper, but sadly Manifesto is not “me.”
Let’s start by saying this: Manifesto smells good. It does, really. A truly UNIQUE mix of basil, pepper, and white florals that does not smell like any other green scent on the fragrance counter. It has a slightly masculine and assertive green opening that makes a strong impression, before settling into a musky veil of feminine sophistication. A great smell on paper.
But oh so cloying on my skin. And so artificial-smelling. And so … not me. It really doesn’t smell like me, and it never develops or blends with my skin like fragrance is supposed to. I feel terribly uncomfortable wearing a fragrance that obviously hates me, so I’m letting this one go.
Williamisljj – :
Manifesto is not a luxury designer perfume, so I dont expect anything special from this perfume. After I try it from a sample, it smell very common. Good, wearable, clean and not original. This is smell like Avon Starring, which i used to love during high school.
vyacheslav – :
Manifesto is a scent of a forest after the midnight rain in a early morning dew
a morning stroll though the grass feeling the wetness bettween your toes
with yellow dandilions around you.
with a morning cup of coffee you admire
the the morning beauty around you.
i can pick up a note of green tea and i just love mixing in with the basil and jasmine like a warm cup of scented jasmine green tea but my nose don’t pick up any pears but only a wisp of
white lily and musk for the drydown.
bwm804Negeltzex – :
So, I have to edit my original Manifesto review with the following:
I STILL LOVE IT!!! It’s well on it’s way to being my ‘go-to’ fragrance.
It does begin on a rather ‘present’ herbaceous note of basil and pepper, not so much going on with the bergamont, but that’s fine by me-bergamont can be headache inducing sometimes. It’s a bit medicinal in the opening…but when you wear floral green fragrances, that’s a strong possibility anyway. And I happen to ADORE floral greens!!
After about 15 minutes, the basil and pepper do settle into a fresh and semi sweet fragrance, no doubt enhanced by the orange blossom and rose. I don’t feel much pear in the heart, but that’s fine by me as well. Strangely, I also find that the bergamont turns up here to the degree that it makes the fragrance a bit sparkling. The jasmine makes an extremely subtle appearance throughout the fragrance. The heart gives the most in floral notes but it blends very well with the still herbal backdrop from the head notes.
At the drydown, the fragrance becomes softer and slightly more musky and warm. It smells fresh and classic, something I wear to work often because it smells magnificient on me and is inoffensive to others. I get a LOT of compliments with this fragrance. It is very much workplace, business meeting, or happy hour friendly.
I understand that this one may not work for everyone, but if you love herbal scents with a hint of flowers, I think you’ll like Manifesto.
kokadjamba – :
I bought my bottle of Isabella Rossellini MANIFESTO long ago, soon after its release, now ten years ago, and 1.6oz (out of 1.7oz) remains. Hmmm…
The bottle is really nice. I love the heft, the shape. I even like how they color-coded the liquid green for ready identification. Unfortunately, the composition is incredibly unappealing. This is a true scrubber in my book.
My best guess is that the juice is entirely synthetic, as the stated notes are all usually very appealing to me. Or maybe only one of the notes is synthetic but just happens to disagree violently with my chemistry. Either way: I cannot wear MANIFESTO. I cannot even bear to wait it out and see whether it might improve. Désolée!
handi8wavygepelay – :
I sent EDT test. Inflicted on the wrist. It seemed that the scent of some kind ….. pharmaceutical, medicinal …. Quickly washed away) No, it’s not for me((
aaa011speagoessenda – :
I smell the basil and pepper primarily in the top notes, and then if continues to morph unpleasantly into a watery mish-mash of green with roses and jasmine. I don’t find anything appealing about it, but haven’t worn it long enough to experience the base.
vhodite – :
A nice clean crisp scent. I love it alot but i got the EDT and it didn’t last long enough for me. I like strong and heady scents. But this is a nice nice scent!
levxxx – :
Another floral green that I love.Fresh soft and musky. A good quality perfume for a low price.
evgeniy-ya – :
I like that one a lot, since when it was introduced. In Germany it was soon gone from the perfumeries to the drugstores and it was reformulated. It’s name is now “My manifesto” and it doesn’t smell the same anymore :(. But I purchased some bottles from the US… I can smell basil, together with green-flowery notes. Great in hot weather.
gdagraf – :
It is a gorgeous scent. It lasts on me all day. You can even find it for under $20. Truly a complimentary scent. I’ll be hoarding more bottles, it’s getting difficult to find.
Sboduna – :
pepper make this eau de toilet get a kick.Orange blossom catch up fresh and clean basil.After I work whole day passing sometime I can smell fresh flower which is not too sweet but green that really comfort me and cheer me up at the same time.love this unisex bottle.
ionash – :
Strong with lovely mandarin notes, but dries down to freesia-scented hairspray. In the end, Yuk.
baha – :
I love the peppery note of this fragrance. The bergamot and basil are very cooling. On me the floral notes dry to a nice powdery scent. It’s one of my favorites, and I receive a lot of compliments.
it’s lovely for most of the year, except during the chilliest part of winter when you crave a scent that envelopes you in more warmth.
sizo555 – :
good spring and summer perfume.
VORONCOV18IPPOLIT – :
I used to love this one, I really loved the basil smell in it. In the end I got bored with it though. It’s an interesting fragrance, but not one to love for a lifetime.
LoraPalmer – :
Manifesto is a very affordable light, white floral with a pale peppery note that lasts through dry down. Lovely; stays close to the skin. Lasts about 5 hours, then needs a refresher spritz.