In Astra Betelgeuse Review (Sofia Bardelli)+ A Supergiant Giveaway.

  1. In Astra Betelgeuse

In Astra Betelgeuse by J.

In Astra’s journey through the solar system takes us to Betelgeuse, one of the largest stars that is visible to the naked eye. Although we are light years away, scientists report the star to have dimmed by about 60%, believing it will explode or may have already done so. with In Astra Betelgeuse, perfumer Sofia Bardelli pays homage to this dying star in the Orion constellation. She evokes the vastness of Betelgeuse and its dimming light through a unique combination of osmanthus, iris and coffee.

Sophia and Fabiola Bardelli

Perfumer Sophia Bardelli  with sister and founder Fabiola Bardelli of In Astra, courtesy of the brand.

 Betelgeuse by In Astra pulsates and shimmers as the scent hits your skin. Perfumer Sofia Bardelli captures the epic scale and glow of the dying star through hazy osmanthus and coriander. Osmanthus glows in orange and yellow hues as a deep rich sweetness radiates. Dry spices from coriander evoke sparks of heat. You feel its slow vibrations as the floral and aromatics form an aura that feels like a sensual rough silk. Betelgeuse envelops you in its luxurious aroma that swirls around you.

perfumer Sofia Bardelli

Perfumer Sophia Bardelli and the star Betelgeuse via wiki.

Iris takes this silk and floral cloud giving Betelgeuse a powdery elegance. Its smooth petals merge through the osmanthus stretching out its scent.  A smoky roasted coffee note brings a lovely counterpoint of darkness; the contrast makes the iris feel mysterious and as it becomes the main floral player in Betelgeuse. The opening’s bright fruity sweetness is decadent as cacao intertwines with the iris and coffee, adding multi-dimensional depth. The beginning’s gilded floralcy changes too. Betelgeuse’s iris turns milky and creamy, as the smoky coffee swirls through its soft silky petals. Osmanthus’ leathery facets are delicately drawn out here adding a suede like texture, its rough nap moving sensually over the iris’s silks, just like the stars final light stretching through time.

osmanthus, iris and coffee

Osmanthus, Iris and Coffee, the main notes of In Astra Betelgeuse collage by J photos Wikipedia

Oakmoss extends the suede tones adding verdancy. Betelgeuse feels cooler now, with its greenery around you. Almost as if we’re back on earth looking up at Orion and feeling Betelgeuse’s star light reaching us. Its powdery facets have a striking soft touch like a cool breeze on a moonlit night. The coffee aroma mellows too, moonlight, making and feels ethereal, while also keeping us feel grounded. Betelgeuse feels luxurious, as if the Milky Way is wrapped around us, the cold night’s sky warmed by faint memories of the evening’s coffee as we gaze up into the stars.

Betelgeuse In Astra parfums

In Astra Betelgeuse courtesy of the brand.

Sofia Bardelli’s ode is magnificent and spotlights iris in a unique way. She really encapsulates the majestic and spectral beauty of Betelgeuse through her use of florals while bringing in the dark mysteries of space and time. I could wrap myself in this perfume forever.

Notes: Coriander, Iris, Osmanthus, Oak Moss, Coffee.

Disclosure: In Astra Betelgeuse was sent to J for review, thoughts and nose are his own.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist and olfactive writer.

Betelgeuse In Astra

In Astra Betelgeuse courtesy of the brand

Thanks to the generosity of In Astra we have a 50ml bottle of Betelgeuse for one registered reader in EU ONLY. To be eligible, please leave a comment on what you enjoyed about J’s review of In Astra Betelgeuse and where you live. Draw ends 6/10/2026.

In Astra Betelgeuse launched in 2020

You can read J’s review of Antares here and Olya’s review of Wega here. Editor Ermano Picco included In Astra Wega in his best of show for Esxence 2024

The In Astra collection is available to purchase from official brand’s website 

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30 comments

  • southirina says:

    The way Betelgeuse moves from warm and gilded to cool and powdery sounds like an actual journey, not just a fragrance. Sofia Bardelli clearly poured something real into this one. I’m in Romania and honestly, this is the kind of bottle I’d wear until it’s gone.

  • Alex_h says:

    The coffee and iris pairing caught my attention immediately — dark and elegant, the kind of contrast that actually makes sense. Betelgeuse sounds like a serious fragrance built around a real idea, not just a concept slapped on a bottle. EU based

  • Sorohan Adriana says:

    The combination of soft, velvety iris and roasted, bitter coffee forms the star of the show.

  • AromaAdventurer says:

    J’s review of Betelgeuse stopped me in my tracks with its cosmic ambition. What I enjoyed most is how he connects the scientific reality of a dying star—”scientists report the star to have dimmed by about 60%, believing it will explode or may have already done so”—to the olfactory experience created by Sofia Bardelli. The idea of a fragrance that pays homage to “the vastness of Betelgeuse and its dimming light” through osmanthus, iris and coffee is extraordinary. J’s description of the perfume as “pulsating and shimmering” with “osmanthus glowing in orange and yellow hues as a deep rich sweetness radiates” and “dry spices from coriander evoking sparks of heat” creates such a vivid sensory image of a star’s final light. The contrast between “gilded floralcy” and “dark mysteries of space and time” with “smoky roasted coffee note bringing a lovely counterpoint of darkness” sounds like wearing a supernova. J’s final image of “the cold night’s sky warmed by faint memories of the evening’s coffee as we gaze up into the stars” is pure poetry. I am a registered reader in Germany and would be honoured to win Betelgeuse.

  • Lastochka says:

    What I enjoyed most about J’s review is his observation that Betelgeuse “spotlights iris in a unique way.” As someone who loves iris but has smelled countless variations on the theme, the idea of iris paired with osmanthus and coffee sounds completely fresh and unexpected. J describes how “iris takes this silk and floral cloud giving Betelgeuse a powdery elegance” and how “its smooth petals merge through the osmanthus stretching out its scent.” Then “a smoky roasted coffee note brings a lovely counterpoint of darkness; the contrast makes the iris feel mysterious.” The evolution is beautiful: iris becomes “milky and creamy, as the smoky coffee swirls through its soft silky petals” while “osmanthus’ leathery facets are delicately drawn out here adding a suede like texture, its rough nap moving sensually over the iris’s silks.” That interplay of textures powdery, creamy, silky, suede-like, rough—sounds like a fragrance of extraordinary complexity hidden within a seemingly simple note list. EU

  • FragranceFrenzyS says:

    J’s review captured me with his attention to texture and contrast. What I enjoyed most is how he describes Betelgeuse as forming “an aura that feels like a sensual rough silk” that “envelops you in its luxurious aroma that swirls around you.” That image of rough silk rather than smooth satin is so unexpected and intriguing. The way the fragrance shifts from “bright fruity sweetness” to “iris turning milky and creamy” to “osmanthus’ leathery facets adding suede like texture” to “oakmoss extending the suede tones adding verdancy” to the final “cool breeze on a moonlit night” shows a perfume with real narrative and textural evolution. J’s description of the final stage where “Betelgeuse feels luxurious, as if the Milky Way is wrapped around us, the cold night’s sky warmed by faint memories of the evening’s coffee as we gaze up into the stars” makes me want to experience this cosmic embrace on my own skin.
    I am from the EU.

  • R2D2 says:

    The phrase that stayed with me from J’s review is his final declaration: “I could wrap myself in this perfume forever.” What I enjoyed most is how he captures the paradox of a dying star—its dimming light, its imminent explosion—as something beautiful rather than tragic. The “osmanthus glowing in orange and yellow hues as a deep rich sweetness radiates” and “dry spices from coriander evoking sparks of heat” suggest a warmth that persists even as the star fades. The moment when “the coffee aroma mellows too, becoming ethereal, while also keeping us grounded” and “Betelgeuse feels cooler now, with its greenery around you. Almost as if we’re back on earth looking up at Orion and feeling Betelgeuse’s star light reaching us” creates a shift from cosmic scale to human intimacy. A perfume that can evoke both the majesty of space and the simple pleasure of coffee on a cool night is rare indeed. Greetings from the EU

  • Scentofme says:

    I like this brand and the perfume Tistar also created by the same perfumer Sofia Bardelli. Betelgeuse is inspired by a very big star in the Orion constellation. The combination of iris, osmanthus and coffee sounds intriguing and I would be happy to try this creation. Greeting from Bulgaria, EU.

  • Pieter says:

    What I enjoyed the most is that In Astra Betelgeuse uses coffee and iris.
    It sounds next level. I was looking at their website and Mismar based on the North Star sound wonderful with incense and ginger. I will order a discovery set too.
    EU

  • jennapark says:

    This bottle is absolutely stunning. I love a creamy iris in my fragrances. The milky way wrapped around us on a cold night really drew me in. i wish this giveaway included the US it sounds stunning

  • Jeremi says:

    I really enjoyed J’s vivid, poetic textural descriptions – especially the “sensual rough silk” aura, the suede-like osmanthus over silky iris, and the beautiful shift from warm gilded florals to cool powdery moonlight with coffee grounding it. It makes the cosmic theme feel tangible and luxurious. I live in Poland, EU

  • gabriel says:

    “I love how J described the contrast between the powdery iris and that smoky roasted coffee note. Iris can sometimes feel a bit one-dimensional, but pairing it with coffee and that suede-like texture sounds absolutely beautiful and incredibly cozy for a space-themed scent. Thanks for the wonderful review! (I’m located in USA)”

  • flyingfox says:

    I have been curious about this house since it came out, but sadly never managed to try it. I have been on the hunt of a good, not too sweet coffee scent, which is not leaning gourmand, and Betelgeuse seems to fit the bill perfectly. I am also wearing a lot of irises recently, I am super intrigued to try the combination of coffee and iris together. Fingers and toes crossed I win!! I live in the EU.

  • Taleofarose says:

    A mysterious iris.. “iris turns milky and creamy, as the smoky coffee swirls through its soft silky petals”.
    Thank you, J for making me searching for Betelgeuse on the night’s sky.

    Greetings from Portugal.

  • kaitracid says:

    Iris is one of my favorite notes and love all facets of it. Osmanthus has, to me, a very delicate fruity-flowery-leathery smell that I truly enjoy and I would say it pair very nicely with iris. The coffee is the interesting part here and the review make me curious on testing it myself. I mean…”I could wrap myself in this perfume forever.” this is quite a statement!
    And the bottle is gorgeous!
    Thanks, I am in the EU.

  • George1979 says:

    I liked this phrase… “Betelgeuse feels luxurious, as if the Milky Way is wrapped around us”.. it’s almost poetic. Didn’t know the brand, I’ll explore it in the future…

  • iudita says:

    J’s words like “the floral and aromatics form an aura that feels like a sensual rough silk” sparked my interest. Also the combination of iris with osmanthus and coffee seems “spatial” and I would love to “wrap myself in this perfume forever”
    I live in Italy

  • Sonbahia says:

    In this journey through space that the Bardelli sisters offer us, it’s the turn of one of the largest, brightest, and closest stars in existence, destined to explode in a spectacular supernova. Will we be lucky enough to see it? What is certain is how we can smell Ms. Bardelli’s interpretation in a combination of osmanthus, iris, and coffee. Osmanthus for its brightness; coriander and other species for its warmth. The iris and coffee dance with the elegance of the root and the darkness of the bean. And my beloved oakmoss adds a fresh green, as if Betelgeuse were a star of flowers floating in the darkness, waiting for the moment to burst. I live in Spain, EU.

  • Euglena says:

    Never heard of this brand, lovely concept for sure. I have just checked it and also looked at the other fragrances and I would like to try Betelgeuse and Mismar the most 🙂 For the last year, I feel enchanted by the iris note, and looking for any concept except the classic, vintage-y flower-y ones. Reading through this, I could imagine floating in space and smelling the decomposition of elements, coldness and warmth at the same time (which is irl nonsense, of course, because of the vacuum out there, ha ha). So I am really curious of Sofia’s perception and interpretation 🙂 Thank you for this review.
    I am based in Czechia, EU.

  • wallygator88 says:

    What I enjoyed most about J’s review is the textural journey he traces through the composition. The description of osmanthus and iris forming “an aura that feels like a sensual rough silk” sets up a tactile language that carries beautifully through the entire piece, from the suede-like quality of osmanthus’s leathery facets moving over the iris’s silks to the oakmoss extending those tones into something cooler and greener. Sofia Bardelli’s choice to pair iris with coffee rather than the usual violet or leather companions feels genuinely unexpected, and J’s observation that the smoky roasted coffee “makes the iris feel mysterious” as it swirls through the milky, creamy petals captures something I haven’t encountered in other iris compositions. The moment where the perspective shifts from cosmic scale to human intimacy, where Betelgeuse suddenly feels like standing on earth looking up at Orion with faint memories of the evening’s coffee warming a cold night’s sky, is the kind of reframing that makes a fragrance feel lived-in rather than merely conceptual. Antares was already on my radar after J’s earlier review, and Betelgeuse sounds like a stunning counterpart in the In Astra constellation. Cheers from WI, USA

  • lavknows says:

    Thank you for the article. You had me at coffee and osmanthus. The notes sounds great and the name is genius. The inspiration for this perfume, the analogy with the solar system is really interesting, and the fact that it reflects in it resulting a darker, more mysterious floral really caught my attention. I live in the EU

  • Patricia R. says:

    I love the depiction of osmanthus´s suede like texture, a nap moving over iris´s silk, just like the final light stretching over time. Added with verdant greens, the moonlit night, cooler breeze and above all the most befitting, though minimalist, notes that totally go with my personality. I can´t imagine a better inspiration and name for that go together so well. I live in the EU. I also love the sound that the word “Betelgeuse” produces in English, once pronounced.

  • Paradox Scents says:

    What I enjoyed most about J’s review was the way he described the contrast between the creamy, powdery iris and the smoky roasted coffee note. The idea of a fragrance inspired by a dying star, combining osmanthus, iris, coffee, and oakmoss, sounds both elegant and mysterious. As someone who enjoys iris fragrances and realistic coffee notes, Betelgeuse immediately caught my attention. I’m based in Romania, EU.

  • xplg8r says:

    What I enjoyed most about J’s review was the way he described the contrast between the creamy, powdery iris and the smoky roasted coffee note. The idea of a fragrance inspired by a dying star, combining osmanthus, iris, coffee, and oakmoss, sounds both elegant and mysterious. As someone who enjoys iris fragrances and realistic coffee notes, Betelgeuse immediately caught my attention. I’m based in Romania, EU.

  • Jonathan says:

    What an interesting combination of notes! I am having trouble even imagining the scent, but it sounds lovely. I live in Indiana

  • mmerline says:

    Betelgeuse feels like an exercise in subtlety, favoring the warm pulse of spice, florals, and powder over any intense notes that steal the show. “Osmanthus glows in orange and yellow hues as a deep rich sweetness radiates. Dry spices from coriander evoke sparks of heat.” I’m also intrigued by the combination of iris and coffee. Great theme, well executed.

    I’m in WI, USA.

  • Laurentiu says:

    This looks like a complex fragrance, although the note list is very short, of only five ingredients. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that this is going to be a great one! A combination of notes that feels pretty unique. For sure iris and coffee ain’t something that I have heard of before! Sounds great! Please count me in! Thank you!

  • MoSho says:

    I find it very appropriate to compose a fragrant ode to a dying star, using iris. I’m imagining an ethereal iris, an olfactory experience that feels both luminous and grounded.
    Betelgeuse has a very appealing list of notes, a balance between earthiness and light sweetness that make me think it’s like nothing I’ve smelled before.
    Thanks for the review & the draw, ftom EU.

  • nixa says:

    Oh, I love how this sounds! “In Astra Betelgeuse pulsates and shimmers as the scent hits your skin. It envelops you in its luxurious aroma that swirls around you. Betelgeuse feels luxurious, as if the Milky Way is wrapped around us, the cold night’s sky warmed by faint memories of the evening’s coffee as we gaze up into the stars.”
    EU

  • Amanda32828 says:

    I haven’t had the opportunity to experience any perfume from the In Astra niche house, but based on everything I’ve read here, Betelgeuse sounds like the perfect place to begin
    Described in this review as magical, imaginative, and distinctive—a truly unique composition that feels out of this world. But, what does a constellation of stars smell like? How could such an experience even be described? I’m especially drawn to fragrances that tell a story, and Betelgeuse sounds like one I’d genuinely enjoy discovering firsthand. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this draw. Commenting from Orlando, FL, USA.