My last review of a rose-centered fragrance was posted way back in June, if you can believe it or not. (It was a review of Maria Candida Gentile's Cinabre, which would actually make an excellent fall fragrance.) What's become of me? To remedy this situation, here's a double review of two newish rose fragrances from brands that have been around for a while.
The Italian house Acqua di Parma has just released Rosa Nobile, "a tribute to the 'Queen of flowers'" that includes top notes of Sicilian mandarin, Calabrian bergamot and pepper; peony, violet, lily of the valley and Centifolia rose in the heart; and base notes of cedarwood, ambergris and musk. The Acqua di Parma website features an entire page focusing on Rosa Nobile's story. It mentions Rosa Nobile's "brand new and modern personality," because — of course — the consumer must be assured that there's nothing dowdy about roses. And when I stopped at the Acqua di Parma counter in an upscale department store to sniff Rosa Nobile, the sales associate was quick to inform me that this fragrance was "not old-fashioned, nothing that would make you think of old ladies." (Insert eye roll here.)
So, what did I think of this modern rose fragrance coming from an Italian "heritage" brand? It's fine. I like it in the same way I liked Parfums DelRae Coup de Foudre — that is, I think it's a well-made, light, sheer (yet expensive) rose perfume. It has a fleeting top note of bergamot, but the main idea is a fresh rose note (definitely a pink rose!), backed up by some dewy peony and some slightly sharp lily of the valley. The lily of the valley actually seems to persist longer than the other floral notes, and the musk in the base is transparent and cool. Rosa Nobile has moderate sillage and below-average staying power for an Eau de Parfum. It's definitely pretty; it just lacks any mystery or depth or glamor for me.
To paraphrase what I wrote in a review of Roses de Chloé back in February, if you enjoy Diptyque Eau Rose or Caron Délire de Roses, you might like Rosa Nobile too. Then again, if you already own Eau Rose (as I do) or Délire de Roses, you might not bother to add something similar to your collection. I've been a fan of Acqua di Parma for years; I like its combination of retro style (e.g., its classic Colonia) and contemporary luxury (the Blu Mediterraneo collection). I used to own and love Iris Nobile, but I'm just not very excited by the brand's more recent soliflores. For a simple rose with lily of the valley, I'd sooner choose YOSH Sottile, which melds better with my skin.
Meanwhile, in Paris, Les Parfums de Rosine has launched Ballerina No. 1, the first of a promised duo of fragrances inspired by dancers. Ballerina No. 1 comes clothed in its own little tutu, and the scent inside includes top notes of pear, peach, freesia and bergamot; heart notes of rose, peony, violet and raspberry; and base notes of milk, vanilla, musk and sandalwood. It was developed by perfumer Delphine Lebeau. According to the Rosine website, it personifies a "mischievous and delicate" young ballet dancer.
That description suits Ballerina No. 1, which turns out (unsurprisingly, based on its list of notes) to be a fluffy confection of fruity rose with plenty of powder, as pastel-tinted as a dish of Jordan almonds. The pear note is fleeting, but the candy-like raspberry notes runs throughout the fragrance. The rose is lightly jammy, and it rests on a base of vanilla-infused whipped cream. And yes, there's also a strong suggestion of talcum powder in the musk notes. Ballerina No. 1 doesn't last as long on my skin as I expected it to, but it's good, girlish fun while it does last.
As you can guess, this is the kind of sweet fruity-floral you'll either love or hate, depending on your personal tastes. I actually didn't care much for the last few Rosine releases (Glam Rose, Vive la Mariée), but I found myself oddly charmed by Ballerina No. 1. Then again, I'm a passionate fan of Lipstick Rose and Drôle de Rose, right? I happen to enjoy perfumes that smell like the contents of a 1950s dressing table. I've nearly finished my sample vial, and I wouldn't mind owning a decant. It certainly doesn't feel like a workplace fragrance, but it would be perfect for a birthday party, a springtime walk in the park, teatime with a friend, or similar light-hearted occasions.
Have you recently tried any new rose fragrances that you enjoyed (or didn't enjoy)? Feel free to share in the comments!
Acqua di Parma Rosa Nobile is available as 50 ml ($120) and 100 ml ($180) Eau de Parfum, as well as a matching body cream. For purchasing information, see the listing for Acqua di Parma under Perfume Houses.
Les Parfums de Rosine Ballerina No. 1 is available as 50 ml (€95) and 100 ml (€125) Eau de Parfum. For purchasing information, see the listing for Les Parfums de Rosine under Perfume Houses.
Note: top image is Heritage Rose Garden [cropped, tripled & colorized] via HarshLight at flickr; some rights reserved.
I was never a rose girl until this year but then I sniffed Jardins d’Armide from Oriza L. Legrand and it was immediate love. I also bought Rozy edp when I visited Los Angeles last month and would have bought the voile d’extrait as well but my vacation budget wouldn’t cover that
I’ve heard good things about Vero Kern’s Rozy! I must hunt down a sample.
The two versions are quite different
I tried the Rosa Nobile the other day and went, ‘Meh!’ Found it totally uninteresting. It was gone within minutes, anyway. Such a shame.
My favourite rose perfumes are Creed Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare (so fresh, so true) and SL La Fille de Berlin (sweet and slightly dirty), which I’ve been wearing since last year and still love.
I hate the bottle of Ballerina No. 1 as much as I like that of Rosa Nobile.
Bela, that classic Acqua di Parma bottle shape is great, isn’t it?
I love Creed FdTRB and SL La Fille de Berlin, too!! I miss that Creed… shame they stopped making it.
I didn’t know they stopped making FdTRB! I am totally out of it. I would never have bought the big expensive bottle anyway – why they never made a smaller bottle I don’t know. But I’m glad I have a very large decant of it from a few years ago!! I really neglected my rose scents this summer.
Yes, it’s a beautiful bottle and I think it’s especially gorgeous with that delicate pink juice in it.
I cherish my decant of FdTRB. I hope it won’t ever ‘turn’.
I wore Sottile one evening earlier this week. It’s really amazingly well done, kind of a silvery tea rose.
Isn’t it nice? I’ve liked that one for a while. It seems simple but it’s more than the sum of its parts.
Yes, and it seems like rose soliflores can easily go weird or wrong.
I’m gagging on Ballerina just for the description. I like some of the other Rosine line, though. The only thing that stops me from buying (Rose D’Ete and Rose Praline, for example) is their short life and boring drydown – unless you tell me that some of the good ones are different.
Poor Ballerina! She is definitely *not* to everyone’s tastes. I think she must be the sweetest Rosine yet…
Have you tried Rose de Rosine or Poussiere de Rose? Those both last well on me.
Rose scents usually don’t agree with me, but Friedemodin Rosée de Nuit was a nice exception, fullbodied with a few dewdrops, neither sweet nor sour.
Oh! I think I have a sample of that in my “to try” box. Thanks for the reminder!
I have so many rose fragrances and for a long time rose had such a bad name. So I am glad there has been this modern trend the past few years giving rose it’s due and introducing rose to new sniffers, etc, etc. It’s a good thing that no one has to muffle their response or hang their head to admit they’re wearing a rose anymore. However, I find that hand in hand with this trend has been some rather boring rose scents that cost way too much money for what they are. It’s ok if it’s marketed as “rose water” and only costs $35 a bottle, but to put so many ‘this is not your granny’ or ‘this is not massive’ rose fragrances out that are so polite and almost apologizing for their busty, voluptuous heritage, is disappointing to me. I really like Delire de Rose and Coup de Foudre, but they are too $$ for their comparitive simplicity to some of my other richly developed whoppers. If a bottle of any of these (aside from perhaps the ballerina) crossed my path, I’d probably adopt it, but I have so many rose bottles already. Nahema and Ce Soir ou Jamais and Ta’if and Sa Majeste la Rose and FdTRB and Velvet Rose are getting ready for Dames vs. Missies smack down, and I know who’s gonna win.
I agree — I don’t mind paying a lot for a rose fragrance as long as it’s complex or lush or unusual in some way. If someone really just wants a nice rose soliflore, she could spend much less on Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater or Sonoma Scent Studio Velvet Rose!
Many years ago, when Rosine had fewer than half a dozen fragrances, & a stand-alone counter in Selfridges, I managed to blag samples of each one from the SA. Rose tends not to sit well on me but these ones did. Have just looked at the Rosine website & the only one I recognise is ‘La Rose de…’ – I do seem to remember one that erred on the green side (always my first choice), perhaps with stem & leaf in there.
It looks as though they’ve stopped offering some of the older ones…what a shame. Glad to see La Rose de Rosine there, at least. On me, it’s rose and violet with some stemminess and a chypre base.