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Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Perfume Review: Les Parfums de Rosine Rose d'Homme

Rose d’Homme, as the name suggests, was meant by Mademoiselle Rogeon, the genius creator of Les Parfums de Rosine line, as a rose fragrance for men. I would urge and beg any woman who has decided against trying this perfume, because of the word “homme” in the title, to give it a chance. I am not prone to liking scents created for men and often find unisex scents leaning in masculine direction, but Rose d’Homme is a different story altogether. While entirely suitable for a man to wear (though I would guess an average man not interested in perfume might be put off by “rose” in the title), Rose d’Homme is a scent that any woman who likes rather dark, warm, sophisticated rose fragrances would enjoy wearing.

From the briefly hesperidic (bergamot) and earthy (vetiver) beginning, to the soft, sweet caress of the middle notes of vanilla and lavender, to the exquisite honeyed yet somehow at the same time dry base of rose with a hint of blackcurrant and vague accord of mandarin and even more vague one of jasmine, Rose d’Homme is a chic, extremely attractive and incredibly well-blended fragrance. I must add that although patchouli and leather are listed among the notes, they do not make an appearance on my skin. I do not miss patchouli but am a little disappointed that leather is not evident to my nose. Trying to come up with a scent that smells even a little similar to Rose d’Homme, I realized that there wasn’t one. Voleur de Roses by L’Artisan is much more about patchouli that it is about roses, Rose de Nuit by Serge Lutens is a darker, amber-heavy chypre that has a very powdery feel to my nose, Une Rose by Frederic Malle is darker still, a woody and earthy blend with a piercing geranium note. Compared to these three rose fragrances that could be also considered unisex, Rose d’Homme, though also somewhat a nocturnal, deep scent, is much softer, more “rounded” and understated, and, to me, much more wearable and enjoyable.

Rose d’Homme is available at Aedes, $98.00 for 3,4oz.

*The photo is from Aedes.com.

14 Comments:

Blogger marlen said...

This is high on my wishlist and one of the best of the Rosine line, imho. Thanks for the great review!

6:56 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Marlen,
The same here, on both counts. I also think this is one of Rosine's best and I would love to eventually have a bottle.

9:11 AM EST  
Blogger Victoria said...

Interesting, thanks for such a great review. I would have never tried this one. La Rose and Rose d'Ete are my faves from this line.
:O)

12:26 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Christina,
It really ins't maculine. It also has a very light, very pleasant sweetness to the rose note that I think you would like. Not to enable an unsniffed purchase or anything...I'm just sayin' :-D

12:46 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Patty,
Do retrieve but let you husband try it and then report on what he says. Did he like it, did he think it was masculine enough or not enough, did the word "rose" bother him? :-)

12:47 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Victoria,
I have so many favorites in the Rosine line. I guess I would say Un Zest and Flamenca are sharing the Top 1 spot.

12:49 PM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love Rosine. Love. I also found when I looked at Basenotes last night that I actually like a lot of fragrances that are the mixed use or masculines. This one sounds like it will be among that category when it joins my collection ASAP.
Thanks.

1:30 PM EST  
Blogger NowSmellThis said...

This is a gorgeous scent, but too much patchouli & lavender for my taste. Sticking with my beloved Ecume :-)

1:59 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Cait,
They should just stop doing this masculine-feminine thing. It confuses and often puts off people. I know I often overlook scents that have "homme" in the title or are said to be "for men".

3:50 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

R,
It is strange how I used to loathe patchouli and now, when it is in small doses, I practically cannot smell it, as if my skin absorbs it. Or- in big doses, like in Borneo or Lust- it just doesn't bother me anymore.
As for lavender...I am craving it this days.
I truly am your Evil Scent Twin LOL

3:51 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

V,
Rose d'Homme is quite dry and, in places, crisp. But to me, there is 40% of dryness-crispyness and 60% of softness and warmth. No, make it 35% and 75% :-) And so, I enjoy it very much. I am not ordinarily a fan of dry scents at all.

3:54 PM EST  
Blogger marchlion said...

Hmmmmmmm... now that I'm learning to love the rose, maybe this is one I should investigate? I wouldn't miss the patchouli either. How vetiver-y? That's not always a note that loves me.

9:37 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

March,
The vetiver note is there only briefly in the beginning. I think there is a chance you might like it!

10:13 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Patty,
Aw, I am sorry. Oh well, plenty a fish..um...scent in the sea and all that :-)

10:15 PM EST  

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