Maroussia by Slava Zaitsev

It’s my absolute signature. It reminds me of myself and fits perfectly. It’s very animalic, and I love it. Others might think it sounds femme fatale, but to me, it evokes old churches and temples, with that dark tonka bean and dried autumn flowers. It’s not for everyone; the perfume and your personality must go hand in hand.

Good price and quality, charismatic and full of personality. Warning: almost all perfumes contain BHT, not just this one. Wish they cared more about the fragrance than the marketing. It’s super feminine with 10/10 charisma.

Almost medicinal with a dominant clove. Very intense and trendy in the 80s and 90s. It has elegance but smells like a balsam pharmacy. Being an old-fashioned clove without modernization, it’s deeply vintage. It’s a balm full of cloves.

I admit it smells like a sneeze at first, but the first time it fascinated me. It transports me to an Orthodox church: smell of little candles, incense, solemnity, and icons. It doesn’t resemble anything else; it’s wonderful. I recommend it to those who are running away from modern and overly sweet fragrances.

I’m writing this in pain: I was convinced I’d love it, but it disappointed me. I don’t want to offend, but I DIDN’T LIKE IT AT ALL. On my skin, it smells like sweat and dirty. The animalic touch didn’t work for me; it’s too strong and vintage. Maybe it just doesn’t suit my pH. If you like sweet or fruity perfumes, don’t buy it blindly.

It was my first perfume as a teenager; I copied it from an older girl in my gang whom I admired for being beautiful, sexy, and independent. She’d walk into bars and her perfume would fill the whole place. I loved it and copied it without a second thought. I convinced my mom to buy me a small bottle, which I kept like gold, only for those Saturday night outings—ephemeral but full of beautiful memories from a new, passionate era. Then I made it my own; everyone asked about it, and I proudly said it was Maroussia. No one dared copy it; it was my signature. I wore it in winter and summer. Blessed were the 90s and early 2000s, when perfumery was good and every scent was distinct. I wish that era would return. Then came Mugler’s Angel, which, while it doesn’t quite fit my style today, remains a great perfume. Now I keep a small bottle of Maroussia and spray it occasionally to dream of stolen kisses and discoveries from that time. Hugs.

Is the carnation for the dead? To me, this flower feels more alive than many others. That spicy sweetness is sensual, like the frenzy of two couples dancing the tango. It smells like crimson lipstick on the skin of the wrong men. For her, the bad guys are the best: they entangle you in narcissistic conversations, flatter you without knowing you, and move their bodies with eroticism to lure you into a trap. She wears extravagant niche perfumes, laughs, and takes them for what they are. She is wise, feeling like a sly fox who learned to hide. The carnations must be freshly cut, at midnight, with that intoxicating bite. She loves vodka, leathers, and furs. Her satin lingerie smells like the incense from her travels. There’s an aldehydic, orange-flower, romantic aspect of her innocent past that hasn’t disappeared entirely, but one must move forward due to the world’s demands. She loves talking about transformation. When sharing her scent, she isn’t so dark; strokes of the past appear to lead to her current heart—carnation-scented, earthy, and passionate. The vintage version was amazing; I enjoy the current one immensely. The fragrance stays right on the skin, lasts forever with a resinous, floral, animalic, and earthy touch. The nights with her are the ones I enjoy the most.

What a find! As a kid, I saw something exotic and feminine on TV, and now I have my own bottle. On a guy, it looks incredible: soft, elegant, sensual, nocturnal, and very masculine. It has a dark touch, perfect for winter and special events. It’s intense and addictive; I think it’s super current. One of the best blind buys I’ve ever made. A raw diamond. 100% recommended.

Fantastic vintage fragrance with original notes that stand out from current trends. Timeless and unique.

Maroussia is a majestic, elegant, and magnetic oriental with a floral and spicy touch, powerful and bright aldehydes, and warmth… it gives so much for so little. Its opening is a punchy floral blend driven by a creamy, bright aldehyde; it might be intimidating at first, but that’s what gives it the great personality you sense the moment you meet it. It’s a Russian princess with genuine character who doesn’t do half-measures: what you smell is exactly what’s there. Then comes that red velvet softness in its evolution, giving you the warmth a precious perfume deserves for cold days, thanks to the spice’s kick, the oily ylang-ylang, the heat of amber, and the docile vanilla. Its ending is very different, marked by galbanum, the star component that adds color, passion, and tenderness. It’s dirty, but in a creamy, sensual way that adds mystery and completes it. If you don’t like civet, run, because it nuances everything and could knock you out if it’s not your style, but if you can handle it, it’s irresistible and unforgettable. It feels mature, not serious, with a cold-warmth both physical and emotional. It doesn’t overwhelm, but it has a lot of personality, like someone very much their own who, when they commit, is loyal and devoted. It’s the vintage Maroussia, which varies by box and bottle, perhaps less deep than the current version. The trail is soft but noticeable, and the longevity is impeccable. A must-have for those romantically cold and melancholic days.

Smells like skunk pee, valita87? OMG! I’d be worried about my sense of smell if I were you…, just kidding.

I’d say it’s my favorite among the classics I own. It seems elegant yet fresh, very wearable, long-lasting, perfect for winter, autumn, or even spring days. It’s not seductive, but it conveys security and is extremely pleasant. Quality-to-price ratio is a 10! Fun fact: in Germany’s dm drugstores, they sell a 15 ml bottle for 5 euros, beautiful for collecting. Scent 8/10, Longevity 8/10, Sillage 8/10, Value 10/10, Versatility 8/10, Packaging 9/10. Would I buy it again? Yes.

If you have patience and don’t go by the first impression, it’s one of the best you can find. The opening is abrupt, like a slap in the face. After 40 minutes, that slap transforms into a sweet caress that becomes addictive. You unconsciously bring your wrist to your nose because you need to feel the scent over and over…

Buy blind, don’t do it! A horror, I had to gift it to my mother-in-law. After two hours, I started smelling skunk pee or cat, did this happen to anyone? Oh, and it can definitely be unisex.

A great perfume that can only be found in Europe now, I think it’s been discontinued in other countries. It’s one of my top 5 in my collection.