Image of Esxence 2025 Masters of Dreams Display by Olya Bar

This year marked the 15th anniversary of the expo, themed “Masters of Dreams.” Held from February 19 to 22, 2025, at Milan’s Allianz MiCo Milano Convention Centre, Esxence brought together over 378 brands from 36 countries, showcasing an extraordinary array of olfactory artistry. For the first time, the event introduced ticketed entry—industry professionals enjoyed exclusive access from February 19 to 22, while the general public joined all the scented experience on Saturday, February 22.

ÇaFleureBon Editors Olya Bar first time meeting Karl Tophman at Esxence 2025 Masters of Dreams

Despite a jam-packed schedule of back-to-back meetings, I managed to capture some of the show’s highlights and run into and hug two of the loveliest fellow editors, Ida Meister and Karl Topman. Of course, I couldn’t sample every single brand, but here are a few trends and standout moments that caught my nose:

Image of Fruits, Florals, Gourmands and Booze Note Trends Esxence 2025 by Olya Bar (Unsplash)

Trends

Fruit Explosion
Fruits dominated the show. Nearly every brand found a way to incorporate luscious fruits and berries—strawberries, mangoes, bananas, mandarines, oranges, and more—either by reimagining bestsellers or unveiling entirely new concoctions. This burst of juicy freshness felt especially invigorating at the end of winter, as we all longed for the warmth of summer.

Floral Frenzy
Florals, though not revolutionary, were undeniably glorious. From delicate, soft notes to bold, carnal compositions, the event featured everything from floral-oud blends and fruity florals to single-note soliflorals that perfectly captured the anticipation of spring. The undisputed star was Tuberose—whether presented in a green, vegetal form or as a deep, textured masterpiece, it had me falling in love over and over again.

Sophisticated Gourmands
Gourmand fragrances continue to thrive, but this year’s offerings were notably more sophisticated. Instead of being overwhelmed by sugary candy notes, many brands presented layered compositions featuring chocolate, coffee, and buttery vanilla, often enhanced with a savory kick of nuts.

Incense & Balsamic Woods
There was also a beautiful ode to incense and balsamic woods—though these notes were smoothed out with floral and fruity accents, creating a refined, aromatic experience rather than an overpowering, church-like scent.

Now onto the standout new releases and brands!

Image of L.T Piver, Kajal Ruby, Jijide parfums  Esxence 2025 Masters of Dreams by Olya Bar©

L.T. Piver: Set to launch in the coming months, this brand revives historic recipes with a modern twist. Their peach-centric modern chypre, Pompeia—fruity and bright yet refined with a classic dry-down bite—captivated my senses upon first spritz.

Kajal Parfums: The booth was buzzing with excitement over their new release, Ruby—a cherry jubilee with notes of vanilla ice cream, fruity tartness, and a thick, syrupy blend that’s become a signature to be reviewed by Nicoleta soon).

Jijide Milano: I had the pleasure of meeting this Italian-born brand’s founder. Their approach, basing fragrances on personality, ranges from fresh and zesty to intriguingly complex blends featuring unique notes like soy.

Image of Astrophil & Stella Chromodoro, Aphorisms by Dominique Ropion, Creme Ebene by Nicolai Parfumeur-Createur, Tonka Latte by Dusita Collage by Olya Bar©

Neela Vermeire Creations: Her latest  perfume composed with long time collaborator Bertrand Duchaufour, Eshal is one of the best tuberoses I’ve ever experienced, it was deep, waxy, textured, and utterly breathtaking.

Astrophil & Stella: They presented two new releases: Chromodoro, a vegetal, gin-like fragrance (to be reviewed in-depth by Karl), and Mon Santal—an upcoming release I can’t stop thinking about.

Dominique Ropion: His latest collection, Aphorisms, stole my heart—particularly Innocent Tuberose, a beautifully green and creamy take on the classic floral that wore so elegantly on skin.

Nicolai Parfumeur Createur: Their unveiling of Crème Ébène—a woody, spicy blend with a gourmand touch of dates that grows creamier as it dries—was a total hit.

Dusita Parfums: Made waves with their first true gourmand, Tonka Latte—a buttery latte tonka composition that promises to make a significant impact.

 

Image of M. Micallef Gourmand Collection, M. Micallef Ananda Nectar Eau de Parfum & Elixir, Essential Parfums Velvet Iris, Maison Noir Icarus 347 Collage by Olya Bar

Perris Monte Carlo: Introduced a stunning balsamic concoction – Encens Sacre, a beautiful blend of two olfactory shades of the incense from Somalia, an essence obtained through high-temperature distillation paying homage to the ancient art of fumigation.

M. Micallef: Introduced three new  fragrances- Hypnotic Musk, Royal Blue, and Notorious XO, together with the newest gourmand collection and a sneak peak of the Ananda Nectar in both eau de parfum and nectar versions which left me quite speechless.

Essential Parfums: Their latest fragrance by Dominique Ropion, Velvet Iris, with its green, earthy notes, is destined to be a hit.

Maison Noir: Debuted seven fragrances based on a unique fragrance wheel. Icarus 347, a juicy blend of crisp green apple with a fougère dry-down accented by earthy patchouli and woods, truly wowed me.

 Fugazzi Booth Esxence 2025, Orange Crush & Orange Crush Extrait, Xerjoff  Party, Teatro Fragranze Uniche Firenze Pompelmo Pepe Collage by Olya Bar

Fugazzi: Their booth, designed by a green farmer and filled with real fruits and veggies—each sporting a Fugazzi sticker—was as fun and rebellious as ever. Their upcoming Orange Crush Extrait de Parfum is already generating buzz.

Xerjoff: True to form, Xerjoff hosted one of the most lavish afterparties. The unveiling of Purple Accento, alongside a teaser of an upcoming collaboration with Duran Duran, was a brilliant PR move that left everyone craving more.

Teatro Fragranze Uniche: Had one of the most beautiful displays of Italian citrus perfumes and I had a hard time pulling away from their lemon and mandarin trees which were so fragrant and created a great atmosphere at the show.

Jacques Fath: Introduced the most mouthwatering Musc Couture which is officially launching in September yet it will remain etched in my olfactory palette until I can savor it on my skin once again. It is absolutely addictive.

Cale Fragranze Booth, In Astra Vanant, Reserve en Afrique Collection, Maison Noir Booth Esxence 2025 Collage by Olya Bar

Cale Fragranze Datoure: The booth design, by Esxence co-founder Silvio Levi, was a visual delight, with Mark Buxton’s creation, Fulcor, standing out in particular.

In Astra: Their upcoming release, Vannant, was beautifully presented, and I can’t wait to experience it on skin.

Reserve en Afrique: This standout new house from South Africa, founded just a year ago, showcased a collection celebrating indigenous ingredients and landscapes, with four fragrances on display and two more on the horizon.

I could have easily spent another week exploring Esxence 2025—there were simply too many gems to discover. Once again, I’m in awe of this industry and the emotional, artistic beauty it offers year after year. Esxence truly embodied the spirit of “Masters of Dreams,” and I’m beyond grateful to be part of it once again.

–Olya Bar, Editor.

Disclosure: Some brands gifted me

Karl Topham’s first installment can be enjoyed here

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