So I was super excited to sniff this because it was labeled a chypre. Actually I tunnel visioned so hard on it being a chypre that I didn’t remember the note at all. Hence I didn’t know it was going to be rose heavy. Now I feel very let down due to no fault of the perfume. Actually perhaps a little fault since how can a bergamot / rose / patchouli be called a chypre??? (ok upon further reading, this is what the "modern" formula for chypres has turned into). I would describe this as a very jammy rose, and is quite similar to Parterre’s A Tribute to Edith from my memory. It again confirmed that jammy roses are unwearable for me. It’s too intense 😠this scent does lighten up in texture as it develops. After an hour, the patchouli appears! It’s a very aromatic patchouli, but with some earthy aspects retained. But what do I know, I haven’t smelled any patchouli centric perfumes to know it’s (various) scents. But based on what I’m smelling here, I think I am a patchouli fan! The rose occasionally weaves in and out of the patchouli, this is definitely the best part of this perfume.
The rose is actually not as intense when worn on the skin, much to my relief. But it also weirdly doesn't project as much. I can clearly smell the tester strip when placed about a meter away, but pretty much can't smell it at all when sprayed on the back of my neck.
Overall, this kicked off a search for floral x clean patchouli fragrances (while avoiding rose, this is a herculean challenge). Stay tuned!
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Shorter thoughts on some that I sniffed for more data points:
Lancôme Idole
Feeling pretty ambivalent towards this one, the opening is fruity (green apple?) then floral. I see the mass appeal of fruity florals, and I don’t dislike the scents, but it’s definitely not my thing. Unfortunately this turns back to fruity after an hour and stays that way.
Miss Dior Rose n Rose
I got another sample of this since I lost the previous ribbon. The opening smells fresh, and the scent retains the freshness feeling even when the florals appear. Something like a sparkling lemonade with rose syrup, but the drink is stratified with the syrup on the bottom. The scent isn’t actually syrup-y or sweet though. The rose is definitely a fresh rose, like a handful of fluffy petals. Wish I’d gotten a sample vial of this to compare with my other fresh roses. Wait, maybe not entirely fresh. An hour in, the rose turns quite powdery, but still with a green edge that’s in fresh roses. I also caught a whiff of what I swear is specifically Bulgarian rose (thanks for the lovely lady that let me smell her 100% Bulgarian rose oil at an event).
YSL Libre
Hmm so I don’t get a strong impression of the lavender, or even vanilla, that this perfume is all about. Most of what I detect is a floral mix, but there’s a strange artificial quality to it. It feels like a 8-bit pixel image equivalent in smell to like 1080HD. I do get the fougere characteristic of it, and feel it is quite masculine. Wait, I take back the 8-bit comment, because a gorgeous white floral note came up about an hour in that smells wonderful and not at all artificial (despite it being more likely a synthesized molecule than one extracted from real flowers). I faintly detect some woody notes within the white flowers, perhaps the cedar? After the strong entrance of the white florals, the artificial feel came back. I think it's actually the lavender that's giving me this impression, which is strange since I'm usually a fan of lavender. The vanilla did appear in the dry down.
Georgio Armani Si Passion
Another fruity floral (red berries and roses I believe). The rose is not especially prominent to me, seems more like watery florals, carrying a strong berry quality. Again not my taste but it is pleasant. The berries stay throughout the dry down.
Lancôme Idole
Feeling pretty ambivalent towards this one, the opening is fruity (green apple?) then floral. I see the mass appeal of fruity florals, and I don’t dislike the scents, but it’s definitely not my thing. Unfortunately this turns back to fruity after an hour and stays that way.
Miss Dior Rose n Rose
I got another sample of this since I lost the previous ribbon. The opening smells fresh, and the scent retains the freshness feeling even when the florals appear. Something like a sparkling lemonade with rose syrup, but the drink is stratified with the syrup on the bottom. The scent isn’t actually syrup-y or sweet though. The rose is definitely a fresh rose, like a handful of fluffy petals. Wish I’d gotten a sample vial of this to compare with my other fresh roses. Wait, maybe not entirely fresh. An hour in, the rose turns quite powdery, but still with a green edge that’s in fresh roses. I also caught a whiff of what I swear is specifically Bulgarian rose (thanks for the lovely lady that let me smell her 100% Bulgarian rose oil at an event).
YSL Libre
Hmm so I don’t get a strong impression of the lavender, or even vanilla, that this perfume is all about. Most of what I detect is a floral mix, but there’s a strange artificial quality to it. It feels like a 8-bit pixel image equivalent in smell to like 1080HD. I do get the fougere characteristic of it, and feel it is quite masculine. Wait, I take back the 8-bit comment, because a gorgeous white floral note came up about an hour in that smells wonderful and not at all artificial (despite it being more likely a synthesized molecule than one extracted from real flowers). I faintly detect some woody notes within the white flowers, perhaps the cedar? After the strong entrance of the white florals, the artificial feel came back. I think it's actually the lavender that's giving me this impression, which is strange since I'm usually a fan of lavender. The vanilla did appear in the dry down.
Georgio Armani Si Passion
Another fruity floral (red berries and roses I believe). The rose is not especially prominent to me, seems more like watery florals, carrying a strong berry quality. Again not my taste but it is pleasant. The berries stay throughout the dry down.
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