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nevesomaya – :
I got a decant of Sideris on a whim because of the fascinating pyramid of notes, more out of curiosity than anything else: I couldn’t imagine what this combination would smell like, especially the mysterious mountain tea note, and I just had to find out. And I’m very glad I did – this scent is pretty far from my usual thing, and indeed unique and hard to describe, but I do like it very much.
That’s to say: I like it very much after it’s had some time. The opening and early heart do very little for me: you can smell it’s a unique and high quality perfume from the start, but the balsamic notes dominate this part in a cold, raw, green way – interesting and well done, but too austere or even bleak for my own taste. I’m sure those who enjoy this genre will be over the moon with this one, but I can’t help it, I just need some spark of brightness or sweetness or warmth to really enjoy a scent, and there’s none of that in Sideris, at least not at first.
But once it’s had some time to warm up on the skin, it’s a different story entirely: the beeswax note becomes more and more prominent, and it’s gorgeous, warm and just sweet enough, pretty near intoxicating. And the best part is it just keeps getting better and better for hours – Sideris lasts all day, and in the end the sweetness has conquered the balsamic aspect so much that it becomes a bit reminiscent of vanilla as it’s finally fading away. Very nice! Perfect for spring and especially early fall, I think, and totally unisex.
I don’t think I’ll ever need a full bottle of this one – it just isn’t entirely my genre, and I tend not to get very much wear out of scents where I enjoy the drydown more than the opening anyway, because I’m an impatient type I guess. But I’m very glad I have my decant, and I’m sure I’ll keep it in my collection for years to come.
vetskor – :
Balsamic, Incense and little else. Not too high sillage and moderate longevity. For hard hippies.
KZXuqu58 – :
A light blend of spices!
Benzoin, balsamic note, myrrh, incense, honey, & black pepper.
It begun quite good with that incense balsamic honey, then turned balsamic fir with myrrh, thrn settles on black pepper & benzoin with allot of labdanum, saffron, and sandalwood. I detect red roses as well in a powdery state.
Mmm, i could say it’s ok, but nothing that would strike up! mostly everything in the same doses, and that’s really doesn’t make a blend balanced! meh!
Maybe i need to give it more time!
uto590bedyWelty – :
To quote Elf: I’m in love I’m in love and I don’t CARE who knows it!
Wow, was not expecting to love this perfume so much! It is truly beautiful and I’m not getting to the other scents in my order because of YOU Sideris! I’ve sprayed it on my couch, blanket, pillow and of course me, me, me.
I can see a full bottle of this in my very near future. Such a beautifully arranged perfume!
Edit, same day: I wore this out on errands for the first time today, and for the first time in well over a year, I got a compliment on my perfume.
Che_Che – :
On a blotter I am underwhelmed in the extreme: some medicinal herbs maybe? Having never smelled sideritis, I have to assume this is it. After a minute to dry, there is only a gauzy, weak incense.
The skin, however, is an entirely different story; alone, I would use this fragrance to demonstrate this phenomenon to new perfume collectors. On the skin this intimate, fatty, beeswaxy resinoid fog rises. I’d argue this uses sweet myrrh (opoponax) over bitter myrrh, padding out the ambery labdanum-heavy bottom even further. Sideris is a boudoir lit only by hand-poured candle, heavy drapes drawn against the chill summer night. It is introspective and solitary.
VIKING3293 – :
Imagine sitting at a comfortable, well-worn table reading and rereading a letter at twilight. The windows of your solitary stone cottage are open, admitting the fragrance of wild roses on the cooling salt air.
Soon you shake yourself out of your reverie to light a beeswax candle and put water on to boil for tea. The tea is faintly sweet and floral. You hold your open hand as close as you can to the candle, turning it this way and that, listening to the very faint shushing of the flame. Your hand is warm, dangerously hot even, so close to the flame but your body is chilled. Soon you will light a fire to warm your cold stone walls.
Not yet, though. For now you are content to dream of the letter’s sender and decide if your cottage will remain solitary.
vast – :
Wonderful parfum,soft,hot and dusty. Here incense is not the usual sweet incense, there is something magical about this perfume that makes it unique! extraordinary harmony and mysticism that is breathed, immediately puts a smile …is docile,almost innocent and delicate, I had never heard so perfume.. the drydown is woody and aromatic. Scent of another world. VERY BEAUTIFUL!✧♥
Sillage: 7./10
Longevity: 8./10
Scent: 10./10
Overall: 10./10
Alexandra_fromAD – :
Sideris is beautiful. I have grown up drinking lots and lots of Mediterranean mountain tea. In fact back in Greece when we say tea, we mostly mean mountain tea (we refer to the other tea as ‘black tea’).
Sideris does not bring to mind mountain tea exactly, but it gives me all the warm, soothing sensation as if I really had a cup of the steaming hot beverage.
It is serene, herbal, some incense may be there too.
A very special creation. I have found that it smells glorious if sprayed on freshly washed hair instead of on the skin; this way it wafts around you all day creating an aura of equilibrium and calmness
vradjakumar – :
Got a surprise sample of this one in a package of decants, and I must say it was perhaps the best of the whole bunch!
To me it is a sheer and airy combination of beeswax and incense on a warm base, not cloying at all. Addicting stuff to someone like me who enjoys their orientals and ambers, will be looking into getting a FB. Interestingly enough reminds me of summer!
So good, such a pleasant surprise!
Aerohoplenerisal – :
From Maria Candida Gentile web site,
“The central note of Sideris is the Cysts Laudanum, a very Mediterranean essence. Together with the Myrtle they are very similar to the wild roses. The prestigious woods enhance the aromatic herbs in the formula, and the Benzoin creates a very rich base note.”
“Olfactive pyramid
Top notes
Incense, Cistus, Corsican Myrrh, White Pepper, Saffron
Heart notes
Turkish Rose, Rose Ayrshire Splendens
Base notes
Sandalwood, Benzoin, Waxed Woods
Family
Amber, Flower, Wood”
NO trace of Sideritis, mountain tea at all but ROSES.
Wandegraff – :
I’m not getting anything done today because I am too captured by what I tried on. Really, it’s like the day after that fabulous date, the one where you know in a flash that your life is going to be permanently altered. Wow. If I hadn’t fallen so completely into this rabbit hole, I would be forsaking all others just for this This is incense, yes, but it’s a soft. warm hug of the most comforting kind.
chelrad – :
This smells awfully tasty for something composed almost entirely of inedible notes.
Yomacasy – :
At first spray I’m blown away by the incense in this one…smells like a church (just like Elixir by Penhaligon’s). I don’t happen to like that very much. After a few minutes it settles down. I can smell the beeswax and surprisingly lemon, even though it’s not listed. Myrrh and benzene also quite prominent. I do not smell any rose here?
Longevity seems to be just OK, and projection is probably no more than arm’s length (upon the first spray). It does become kind of linear in the dry down.
I was expecting to really love this one and the reviews were so promising, but unfortunately, I’m not in love.
I expected it to be a little more “sweet incense” but I think this fragrance is very masculine. I’ll have to offer it t a friend or possibly swap if someone is interested.
nika2006 – :
Beautiful! A truly comforting soothing fragrance. It really does smell like incense and vanilla just as other reviewers have noted, but its the benzoin for sure! The composition is sweet, powdery and resinous, very easy to wear, a gentle wispy incense perfume.
Zxcvbnm1 – :
I agree with a reviewer who said that all the perfumes in this line have a similar base. It’s in-distinctively woody-powdery, but it also doesn’t smell like Iso-E-Super (even if it is–who knows?). So if you find that base agreeable, like I do, you can’t go wrong with this house.
I love Sideris as an alternative to Burlesque, which is more floral and my favorite in the line. Sideris smells like beeswax and myrrh with a hint of tea. The perfume doesn’t play out on my skin the way the pyramid suggests. I get something like a black tea with lemon and honey at first, and as it dries I get more myrrh and woods. I never really sense any saffron, but that’s ok, I still love the perfume on the whole.
The scent sits surprisingly softly on the skin. I was expecting more sillage and a more robust scent in general, but I’d say it’s more soft, cozy, and intimate.
Actually the beeswaxy scent smells a bit like sweetened wheat flakes cereal (like Wheaties). So while there is indeed plenty of church incense, I can’t lump this into the category of Cardinal, Avignon, Full Incense, Resin Sacra, Incense Extreme, etc., and to me that’s a good thing, as there are quite enough of those.
skin1888 – :
Those familiar with the burning of Frankincense resin will recognise it immediately in the opening of this fragrance. It’s a distinctive and dominating note. The Frankincense seems to me to be supported by freshly chopped Rosemary herb, Lavender essential oil and Sandalwood.
Later on a soft vanilla appears in the background, along with a little smokiness.
Sideris is a potent and high quality formulation, but strongly herbaceous. It’s not something I would choose to perfume myself with.
ASintez – :
To me, this is a nice fragrance, similar to Paestum Rose.
These are the notes listed on AZLD:
Top Note: Frankincense, Labdanum (Rockrose), Myrrh, White Pepper, Saffron
Heart Note: Turkish Rose, Rose
Base Note: Sandalwood, Benzoin, Woods
Serkophlf – :
It’s just like a pharmacist went to the church and tried to prepare some herbal medicaments, (elixirs?) in the smokes of the churchy incense.
Maybe later I will write more about it. The opening is breathtaking and it makes me down on my knees – I NEVER smelled anything like this (as I am the incense lover).
If you want an aromatic incense in a completely new and original version – it’s for you.
tigrina16 – :
I’ve waited a few weeks to review this glorious scent, but I’m not sure my review will do it much justice. At first spritz, Sideris comes off somewhat medicinal, but it quickly dries down to a wonderfully comforting and meditative scent. Past the initial hit of saffron, the only prominent notes that I know well enough to identify are incense, benzoin, and beeswax (and it’s the best beeswax note ever!)
Like a previous reviewer, I would also say that Sideris is fairly linear with little development throughout. However, I don’t view that as problematic. The only slight negatives for me are projection and longevity. Sideris is more of a skin scent and has a longevity of about 6 hours on my skin. I need a good number of sprays per wear, so I’m glad that I invested in the big bottle.
Edit 7/23/15: I get so many compliments on this fragrance, so apparently it projects more than I think. It seems that this fragrance deepens (or cures) the longer I have it. My last wearing of 3-4 sprays clocked in at over 8 hours.
Borovskoe – :
If I had to describe this fragrance with one word, I’d say – hippy.
This is super raw, Earthy, green, herbal, incense mix. Super natural labdanum and myrhh make it mystical, honey & saffron – gentle and sweet, some spicy notes – a bit dirty.
Sideris is certainly an artistic creation, I really appreciate it, but it will take a certain person to pull it off.
astry – :
Sideris is well done by an expert perfumer. There are many lovely notes and it has good longevity and medium sillage. It would be a perfect incense scent for me if the perfumer had gone a bit lighter on the labdanum and myrrh and the ISO-E-Super which I always smell very strongly in just about every perfume, as super spicy and rather bitter.
I will say that Ms. Gentile has done the best job with myrrh and labdanum of any perfumer I know, but while I appreciate the skill of the perfumer, this fragrance is simply not for me. I do love others in the the Maria Candida Gentile line, however, so do try all of them.
polic2000 – :
Sideris finds me in an incredulous stupor of disturbing beauty.
Opening with aromatic, peppery bitter notes, I immediately recognize this as a healing tonic. The bitterness eventually makes way to an herbal infusion that is enlivened with a floral nuance. Then transforms into a stillness that I can only describe as cool, luminous, celestial goddess-like breath.
What I smell is very much like the roses presented in L’Or de Torrente–newly bloomed pink roses, delicate lychee, herbal angelica and gentle vapor of cedar. However in Sideris, this divine aroma is achieved with Turkish rose (noted on other sites), saffron, labdanum, fruit-nuanced bees wax, myrtle, airy herbal tea and laudanum, and is by far more transcendental.
Not listed above, but noted on Maria Candida Gentile’s website, myrtle and laudanum create a wild rose accord. However I’m a little confused as other websites list labdanum (which I do detect). I haven’t experienced laudanum but research reveals that it is a tincture of opium and used as a narcotic.
No wonder I am awestruck by the rapturous power of Sideris.
Apepaydaywomo – :
You can call Maria Candida Gentile´s fragrances anything but run-of-the-mill or bland. In each of her perfumes I´ve sampled so far, I detect a vast amount of originality, expertise and passion for perfumery. Her creations are far from straightforward or instantly lovable. On the contrary, it takes some time for their wearer to get under their skin and appreciate them. This was certainly my case. I´ll never forget my first encounter with a Maria Candida Gentile perfume, “Barry Lyndon”. At first, I just did not get it at all. Fortunately, instead of deterring me, that experience stiffened my resolve. I kept testing it and now “Barry Lyndon” is one of my favourite perfumes from Ms Gentile´s line.
“Sideris”, inspired partly by Cesare Pavese´s (unrequited) love poem, is another fragrance from Maria Candida Gentile. Unlike “Barry Lyndon”, I found “Sideris” a little less challenging. It was the flawless blending of all its notes that struck me right away. None of them is allowed to “shout”, yet there are quite a lot of them that are perceptible even to an untrained nose like mine. “Sideris” opens with a pleasant combination of saffron and myrrh, which is soon joined by incense. However, don´t expect any pungent, churchy incense. What we are given instead is a soft, incense-y background. In the heart, I pick up a delicate rose note, once again playing a supporting role rather than being the star. The whole fragrance rests on a pleasant benzoin and vanilla base which provides it with a hint of sweetness. Somewhere along the way, the Greek mountain tea sideritis is supposed to feature in the perfume, but since I´ve no idea what it smells like, I can´t confirm nor refute its presence.
All in all, Maria Candida Gentile´s “Sideris” is an extremely well-balanced and beautifully composed fragrance. It´s a perfect olfactory interpretation of Pavese´s poignant poem and so much more. Whenever I smell it, it reminds me of an embrace. A warm, reassuring embrace from a close friend whose mere presence makes my heart jump for joy.
LOX ZZZZ – :
Yippie ! The first incense scent that really gives me the feeling it belongs to me !
Etro´s “Messe de Minuit” was my first try with incense. Well, the lemon and the floor wax note did not help to keep my affection. It smelled peculiar on me.
“Full incense” by Montale was too cold for me. Cold stones, cold walls, cold mood. Not my cup of tea.
Now I found this wonderful brand and fell head over heels for “Sideris”.
In the beginning rather herbal and woody but then quickly changing into a lovely, slightly vanilla-incense. Rather feminine, soft and cuddly but the atmospheric mood is not spoiled by its cuddliness. You feel comforted, loved and welcome. It is not a bomb fragrance, medium sillage, stays pretty close to the skin.
voloshinyurik – :
I love Greek mountain tea.. And I actually wondered, why I can´t find essential oils and haven´t read it as a perfume note before.. As it has such a nice herbal incense smell..
Unfortunetaly the search by notes doesn´t bring out any results.
Hope to find at least this one to sample it. 🙂
панда – :
The first moment is incense made out of living plant material — something… vegetal? herbal? difficult to describe, but full-bodied in a way that straight olibanum, e.g., can never be. I’m attributing this to the mysterious sideritis, as it seems green.
Moments later the beeswax melts in, a fast but graduated shift that just feels right. Incense, candles, of course. Now it’s getting sweeter, and the vegetal body steps into the background.
Through it all I feel a floral quality. At first it seems distinctly white floral. Later liqueur-ish facets, matched with a light powder, reveal themselves. Maybe even a hint of a plum. Perhaps this combination accounts for the perception of rose.
Has the smoke turned to powder? Of course these are related sensations, small particles in the airways. Not completely. I enjoy the confusion. I imagine saffron also contributes to this accord, with its scent of course but also its association to another great particulate: pollen.
Then I smell honey. I love honey, but it sticks out here in a way that nothing else has stuck out so far.
Now the liquored flower is back, perhaps a scented alcohol providing fuel for a very slow and steady burn. It’s neither hot nor cold.
And then, gradually, it solidifies. The wax has cooled. The incense is now a resin once again. Amber emerges, grounding, nostalgic, and sweet.
As the scent becomes faint, the solid slowly erodes, as if you ground up these materials and scattered the dust all about.
azak – :
It’s a balmy, powdery slightly sweet,mild sophisticated fragrance for delicate women. There is noticeable antique book aroma to this scent that takes you back in time.
I’d imagine Marie Antoinette’s boudoir smelling like this. Luscious and lovely!!!
Credo221 – :
This is amazing. Truly, truly unique and beautiful.
lion10152 – :
One of my new favorites. Unique; outdoorsy. Not your typical floral. Reminds me
of India.
Drolukserok – :
This fantastic, all natural perfume does not contain any sideritis or mountain tea whatsoever. In fact the heart note clearly consists of roses. So, Sideris blends saffron, labdanum, rose and benzoin. All this adds up to a warm and balmy melange indeed. A very beautiful scent!
sidste – :
I am soO surprised that vanilla is not listed in the notes
Alright. I love this perfume. I have no idea what Sideritis/ mountain tea is
but this smells like nothing else and i love it. did i already say that
Incense, beeswax, saffron; are you kidding me!
I sprayed some on my coat like a month ago and i can still smell it
Its just so pretty. I definitely smell vanilla which is not normally my favorite
scent in perfumes but this is like a ‘can do no wrong’ smell to me no matter what and the vanilla smell just supports the scents gentle wooded warmth
Mmm soothing
sitting in the lodge sipping tea looking over the snowy capped mountains
breiks – :
Someone recommended this to me, and I’m very glad they did! What a delightful fragrance – almost like incensed sweet tea. I was worried that I wouldn’t like the beeswax/honey note, but its not indolic at all. I will most likely get a full bottle of this.
Tatsy67078 – :
This one is surely for rose lovers. The sweet velvet rose is sleeping on the pillow made of incense and soft spices. Very comforting scent.