Olympéa Aqua by Rabanne

Peach, vanilla, and salt: Starts with citrus and green notes, super fresh and youthful, lighter than the original. Then comes the aquatic vibe mixed with geranium and orange blossom, keeping the vanilla-salt DNA but much more transparent. In the dry down, juicy peach meets creamy white flowers—elegant and clean. It radiates perfect summer freshness for everyday wear in the heat. 9/10: rich, elegant, and highly enjoyable, though different from the original, it still keeps that salty essence in a creamy version.

Not what I expected. It just smells very salty, almost metallic. On my clothes it smelled one way, and on my skin it was identical. I sensed a hint of the classic Olympea, but that metallic salty note lingers all the time. I thought the aquatic aspect would be more enveloping with the classic DNA in the heart. I tried it in winter; I’ll give it another shot in spring.

It happens to me again: the grapefruit note leaves me feeling flat and drowns out everything else. At first it smells bitter, though later it turns a bit sweet like Olympea and loses that unisex vibe, but I still don’t see it in me.

What a great flanker! By far my favorite from the Olympea line since I love the original. This is its summer version at full blast. It’s a citrusy Olympea that keeps the first one’s DNA intact. Very wearable, with acceptable sillage for a citrus scent. I get compliments every time I wear it. Pro tip: wet your neck or take a shower before applying; it lasts much longer and the citrus notes really pop. If you enjoy the original, this is a blind buy you can’t go wrong with.

Oh my god! I don’t know what magic ingredient it has, but it puts me in a great mood; I just feel happy wearing it. It’s been hard to find the 2015 version since the current one changed and I don’t quite like it. My favorite Paco Rabanne perfume.

My girlfriend loves fruity floral scents that are feminine and youthful; within that family, she especially enjoys white flowers (orange blossom and jasmine). Since she had her birthday, I stopped by the perfumerie and tested the Olympéa versions, and I liked this one. I knew she doesn’t like overly sweet scents, and this was fresher than the others. Result: she loved it, I loved it, and her family asked what she was wearing. Part of the perfumer team (Flipo, Ropion, Dong) also created aquatic florals like Armani’s Acqua di Gioia, which I gifted her too, though she liked this Olympéa Aqua more. It lasts much longer (it’s an eau de parfum légère), and I see it as finer and more versatile (I view the Armani as more summery). They create very harmonious, balanced, pleasant, and elegant fragrances. Also interesting, I think, is that the perfume includes something original; here I noticed they added ginger flower, which isn’t very common. As for seasons, I think it works year-round, performing best during the day. With vanilla, benzoin, and orange blossom blending so harmoniously, they achieve great versatility plus a relaxing, well-being effect. It’s very pleasant for personal enjoyment and for others; you won’t go unnoticed, but without being loud, with lots of delicacy and freshness.

I tried it for the first time yesterday. The opening is juicy, with that signature sweet-salty play of the line, lots of tangerine, like you’re scraping the peel. Weird that it’s not listed! Probably bergamot and orange. There was an acidic counterpoint, like caramel or candied peel. Within minutes it gets very sweet, too much for my taste, unlike classic Olympea. Twenty hours later, on the card, the dry down features ylang ylang talc, benzoin, and salt, with something fruity and creamy that could be ambroxan. I prefer this floral, less sweet finish. It’s complex, with great longevity and projection. I don’t get why they labeled it ‘Aqua’ instead of something reflecting the dose of orangey citrus it has.

Honestly, I don’t know why I keep trying perfumes from this house! As soon as I put it on my wrist, I wanted to rip it off. It smells terrible. The worst part is that everyone on the street smells the same. Paco Rabanne definitely doesn’t make perfumes for me, and forget the men’s ones, one is worse than the other.

Fresh, aquatic, with a sweet touch and the essence of its older sister, the great Olympea. I love it, and anyone who smells it will too. It’s super feminine, for all ages. For me, perfumes have no age or season if used moderately (in summer, if you wear La Nuit Tresor, spray into the air and pass through a mist to leave a trail ► said by the Perfume Academy). If you like the original Olympea, you’ll like this too. It’s more wearable because it’s more aquatic. Excellent summer option. Greetings from wonderful Mendoza, Argentina

The only Olympea I like. It has incredible longevity.

I agree with the previous review: it’s a ‘downgraded’ version of the original Olympea for summer wear, which is why I like it. The original is manageable for daily life but I don’t feel like wearing it in summer; this one, with its citrus opening, invites you to wear it in the heat. The scent after the first few minutes is the same as Olympea but softened. The longevity is the same. Note: I’m talking about the 2016 Aqua, not this year’s version 😉

Olympea Aqua is the same Olympea scent but diluted with aquatic notes, a bit less strong, and designed so Olympea can be worn in spring and summer, but nothing more. It doesn’t convince me; for the same scent but diluted, I’d rather stick with the original and buy less.

In my opinion, it’s an improved version of the original Olympea

At first I was hesitant because I’m not a fan of the original, but I was gifted it for Christmas and gave it a chance. It silenced my doubts and surprised me; I never expected such a different scent in my collection. I love it because, although I usually adore gourmands, this one is salty… yes, salty and aquatic, and that’s exactly what I like. I would never have bought it on my own, but I’m happy to have it and love wearing it. It works day and night; after a few hours it becomes sweeter, but the salt notes create a wonderful contrast. While it’s lighter than the original, you can tell the high quality; it lasts forever on the skin and I’d say it’s perfect for women 25 and up. It’s a scent that reminds me of a sea breeze on the skin, but elegant and sophisticated.

Finally, it’s in my hands! It’s as beautiful as Olympea, but Aqua is lighter and fresher, more summery. It has great longevity, just like Olympea, and I love both. On my skin, it smells like white flowers with a touch of vanilla. I own both versions, and they feel different: Olympea is sweeter, while Olympea Aqua is more refreshing. I love both! Perfect for spring and summer. Highly recommended.