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Rose perfumes that are on just the right side of floral are hard to come by – not every one is created equal and some can be a little overpowering. Here are some options I’ve loved…
While I’m not typically a florals fan, I make exception for a great rose-based scent. I’ll always come back to my one true loves (Le Labo, Armani Privé, basically anything with vetiver) but these are great rose-inspired options for lovers of the flower.
I always find the Viktor and Rolf fragrances to be appealing, every since Flowerbomb debuted. But this new incarnation, a lighter and more airy version of the original, really caught me. Rose accord, iris and musk combine to make a delicate and natural “second-skin” like fragrance, as the brand themselves tell me. They say the scent is “like a subtle drop of moisture on a rose petal from the morning dawn”, and as high falutin’ as that statement is, I kind of agree.
The top notes in this desert-inspired fragrance are oud, frankincense and of course, rose, creating a warm opulence and evoking the vibes of the Middle East. They pair up with red berries notes, inspired by the fruit-flavoured shisha enjoyed across the region. It smells expensive, it is expensive, but you’re unlikely to pass another person on the street with such an evocative rose perfume.
I could hardly let the opportunity pass to talk about Rose Prick, the next in line for most controversially-named Tom Ford fragrance, after Fucking Fabulous and others. This one I have only tried in passing, but have loved. It’s packed with all kinds of roses: Bulgarian rose, which is extremely rare, Turkish rose and also Rose de Mai. No denying it’s appeal from both a humour and a scent perspective.
€120 from www.fredericmalle.co.uk
I know, I know – another Frédéric Malle, but there’s a reason. This taster selection gives you an insight into the world of the fragrances that the brand make without – and this is important – having to plump for €550 worth of a perfume you’re not sure on. It includes all of their scents that feature rose, and includes Portrait of a Lady, arguably the brand’s most iconic fragrance.
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