Women's Perfume Essens W168 — a Fragrance Inspired by Victoria's Secret Bombshell

A floral fragrance — delicate, fresh and seductive

🏛️ The Legend of Victoria’s Secret Bombshell

Bombshell was launched in 2010 and instantly became one of the most recognizable fragrances of the Victoria’s Secret brand. The composition was created by perfumer Adriana Medina-Baez, master perfumer at Givaudan and the author of many iconic fragrances, including 3121 for Prince and Meow for Katy Perry, as well as Britney Spears Believe and Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Divine. Working alongside her was Mark Knitowski, senior vice president of product innovation at Victoria’s Secret Beauty and Fragrance, who formulated the brief and approved the final version.

💥 The «no edits» story. When Adriana brought the first version to the Victoria’s Secret management, it was approved immediately, without a single edit. Fragrances usually go through dozens of iterations before being approved, and this case is exceptionally rare in the industry. It highlights both the perfumer’s instinct and how precisely the spirit of the time was captured.

🌸 The fragrance pyramid. Top notes are passion fruit, mandarin, grapefruit and pineapple. The heart is peony, lily, stephanotis and jasmine. The base is musk, woody notes and amber. Passion fruit is the signature of Bombshell, without it the fragrance would be just another fruity-floral. It is the tropical sweet-and-sour passion fruit combined with peach that makes Bombshell instantly recognizable.

💎 The bottle. The bottle is transparent with golden accents and the signature pink ribbon at the neck. The liquid inside is pale yellow, almost transparent. The pink glass belongs to the Bombshell Fantasy flanker, not the 2010 original.

🎬 The face of the campaign. The face of the original 2010 campaign was Candice Swanepoel. Later campaigns featured various Victoria’s Secret Angels, including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo and Lily Aldridge.

🇺🇸 The phenomenon of America’s most worn fragrance. Bombshell is not just a Victoria’s Secret hit. According to Independent and Harper’s Bazaar, it is the best-selling fragrance in the US among young women aged 18–25 for several years running. It has been called the «American equivalent of Chanel No. 5» in terms of recognizability, though this comparison is more marketing than olfactory.

🎸 3121 for Prince. Prince (also known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince) commissioned a personal fragrance 3121 in 2006, the name of his album and his Las Vegas apartment number. Medina-Baez created it personally for the musician, and the fragrance was released in a limited edition. This is one of the most unusual perfume commissions in history, a rock star personally choosing his perfumer.

How it sounds and wears. «A tropical fruit cocktail with passion fruit and peach settling on clean musk and amber» is a recognizable description. The start is juicy, sweet and sour, passion fruit with mandarin, grapefruit and pineapple. In the heart is delicate peony with lily, stephanotis and jasmine. The base is warm, musky-woody, with amber. Concentration is Eau de Parfum. Longevity is moderate, 4–6 hours, typical for the mass segment. Sillage is noticeable but not «bomb-like», the name is more about the image than projection strength. Fragrantica rating is 3.96 out of 5 with 11,000+ votes.

⏳ The line. Bombshell has spawned one of the most extensive flanker lines in mass perfumery. Bombshell Summer (2013), Bombshell Forever (2016), Bombshell Intense (2016), Bombshell Paradise (2017), Bombshell Seduction (2018), Bombshell Rose (2019), Bombshell Gold (2020), Bombshell Holiday (2021), Bombshell O.G. (2022). The 2010 original remains the reference point.

📖 The Story of Four Notes

Grapefruit — a sunny citrus note with sparkling tartness. In the opening of W168 it gives the composition energy and freshness, making the start bright and joyful.

Lily of the Valley — a delicate spring flower with cool freshness. In the heart of the fragrance it adds femininity and lightness, and together with carnation, aquatic notes, peach and rose it sounds especially multifaceted.

Peach — a juicy fruity note with velvety sweetness. In the heart of the composition it creates a feeling of warmth and comfort, adding soft sensuality to the fragrance.

Musk — a velvety note with sensual tenderness. In the base, together with woody notes and amber, it creates an enveloping, elegant trail that stays with you for a long time.

👤 The Woman of W168

She is modern, energetic and always the center of attention. Her charm is natural and her smile is contagious. She loves life, adventures and knows how to enjoy every moment.

Bright colors, light fabrics, sunny shades and natural makeup suit her. She loves travel, parties and meeting friends. Her style is lightness, femininity and a spirit of adventure.

Essens W168 stays with her all day: in the morning it opens with grapefruit, mandarin and green notes; during the day it reveals a floral-fruity heart with lily of the valley, carnation, aquatic notes, peach and rose; in the evening it warms with musk, woody notes and amber. This is a companion fragrance for those who value a bright yet gentle presentation.

⚖️ The Original and Essens W168 Side by Side

The only difference is the price and the bottle. The scent remains recognizable from the very first seconds.

✨ Women's perfume W168 by Essens is a floral fragrance that unfolds with sparkling citrus, a delicate floral bouquet and a warm musky-amber base. It captures the magic of modern femininity — a precise analog of the legendary Victoria's Secret Bombshell. Every drop conveys the recognizable accord familiar to fans of the original and gives a feeling of freshness, seduction and adventure.

A versatile fragrance for any season and any occasion. Try it and see for yourself.