Yves Saint Laurent Oriental Collection Majestic Rose : Perfume Review

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It’s easy to dismiss the Oriental Collection from Yves Saint Laurent as yet another banal attempt to capture the attention of the Gulf markets. Hence, we have the luxury packaging, high prices and a trite press release. Noble Leather, Majestic Rose, Supreme Bouquet and Splendid Wood are said to be inspired by “the splendor of the East.” But overload of orientalism aside, the collection judged only on its olfactory merits is very good. The ideas are clever, interesting and well-executed. And, as I discovered when traveling in Oman, traditional Gulf perfumery is spectacular enough to emulate.

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In traditional Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf perfumery, rose and oud are important players. With the discovery of oud by European and American perfumes, dark roses have become common enough, and every line worth its prestige brand name has attempted them with varying levels of success. Blend rose with enough dark woods, and even a novice can approximate something vaguely “eastern”, but what makes traditional perfumery and fragrances like Majestic Rose interesting is their use of bright accents. Harmony, especially if we’re talking about dark, rich notes, is hard to achieve.

A perfumer trained in the Omani or Emirati tradition might reach for saffron for its ability to lighten the heft of oud, musk and rose attar. A medicinal, peculiar note, saffron makes everything it touches radiant. (You can see this brightening effect of saffron when you add it to your meat stews or rich milky desserts.) This is exactly what perfumer Alberto Morillas uses to offset his roses for Yves Saint Laurent. He infuses them with saffron and then does another trick by muting the overly medicinal edge of this spice with raspberry.  The base of the perfume is a well-cured vanilla bean mixed with leather and oud. Wait long enough–and you’d have to, since Majestic Rose lingers for hours–and it turns into an ambery chypre. In the end, there are more woods than roses.

Majestic Rose has a polish that I often miss in the so-called French-Arabian perfumery. It’s one thing to copy the traditional forms, but it’s another to do them justice. In this case, there is much to enjoy. I like the dramatic character of the perfume, its richness and presence, but I also admire how it evolves on skin from the bold and bracing start down to the velvety base layers. It’s also a perfect elle pour lui perfume–I think that men smell irresistible in roses.

For other French-Arabian roses, you can consider Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady, by Kilian Rose Oud, Agent Provocateur, Serge Lutens Santal MajusculeTerry de Gunzburg Rose Infernale, or Guerlain Rose Nacrée du Désert. Am I missing anything else interesting?

 

Majestic-Rose

Yves Saint Laurent Oriental Collection Majestic Rose includes notes of bergamot, papyrus, raspberry, rose, maté, saffron, oud, guaiacwood, and vanilla. Available at Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus and YSL boutiques. 2.7oz/80 ml $250

Top image by Bois de Jasmin

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85 Comments

  • Kate: Nahema is the Ur fragrance of this type for me. The Frederic Malle Une Rose I found had too much geranium for my taste. This sounds wonderful, if, alas, way out of my price range. I have a real weakness for oriental roses. And I agree that they are fantastic on men. My OH bought me a bottle of Portrait of a Lady last Xmas. It is so complex that it took several wearings to ‘parse’ properly, and really came into its own, surprisingly, in the summer heat. I would love if he wore it but it’s a little daring for him, I think! November 30, 2015 at 8:26am Reply

    • Victoria: Nahema is stunning, and I know what you mean about the sharpness of Une Rose. To me the problem is less in the beginning but in the end when the woody amber notes kick in. They feel raspy, and although there are days when they don’t bother me, occasionally, they can be too much. November 30, 2015 at 10:12am Reply

  • Ida: Thanks for the lovely review, Victoria, I couldn’t describe it better. I tested Majestic Rose a couple of months ago at Heathrow airport and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. As the bottle is on a more expensive side, I didn’t want to rush into buying it (sometimes I wish I could just stop being so careful and analytical about things that give me pleasure!), but I’m definitely ordering a sample of this.

    The funny thing is that a SA at the airport was pushing me to test Supreme Bouquet (which I didn’t enjoy half as much). It looked as if he was convinced I wouldn’t like Majestic Rose and was trying very hard – definitely too hard – to get me hooked on something else. It made me wonder what he based his judgement on. Or perhaps it was just a standard tactic. 😉 November 30, 2015 at 8:39am Reply

    • Victoria: At Saks 5th Avenue, the SAs were also pushing Supreme Bouquet, which was pretty enough. The two I liked the most were Majestic Rose and Noble Leather. I didn’t expect to like the rose, because these kind of dark roses are available in most lines, but it was such a surprise. November 30, 2015 at 10:15am Reply

    • Surbhi: I had the same experience the other day at Saks. The SA kept asking me to try splendid bouquet. January 17, 2016 at 6:32pm Reply

  • Cristina: I tested Majestic Rose and Supreme Bouquet few month ago in our local Mall. All my admiration and respect for Majestic Rose, rich, dramatic, velvety, I like it a lot but it’s pretty expensive. On the other hand Supreme Bouquet it’s seems very familiar to me, a combination Cinema/Manifesto, lovely. Thank you for the review. November 30, 2015 at 9:05am Reply

    • Victoria: I agree, it’s very expensive, and although it’s a very high-quality perfume, the price is still more than I’d expect. Partly, it’s their positioning. So, Portia’s comments above are spot on. November 30, 2015 at 10:19am Reply

  • Nick: The knowledge that saffron note can be used to balance the hefty rose-oud signature accord .. is it something one learns as one familiarises oneself with a raw material? Or, is there a general rule that certain opposite materials tend to contribute to balance when juxtaposed together? November 30, 2015 at 9:10am Reply

    • Victoria: It’s a little bit of both. There are no hard and fast rules in perfumery, but different traditions have developed their own keys, their own accords. If you think about it analytically, you discover that they make a lot of sense. The same thing goes for the classical combinations in cuisine. For instance, the use of saffron and rosewater in rice or meat stews or rich desserts has a similar brightening effect. November 30, 2015 at 10:21am Reply

      • Nick: So, it is more like how one makes sense of the palette and creates his own creative rule. The food analogy makes perfect sense 🙂 November 30, 2015 at 11:25am Reply

        • Victoria: Yes, exactly. Also, once you learn the materials and smell them at different dilutions, you can see different facets. For instance, rose absolute when it becomes diluted smells more and more citrusy and green, so it makes sense to amplify that accent with bergamot or leafy-green notes. Or as in this perfume, the rose is darkened and warmed up with spices, incense, balsamic notes and then brightened up with bergamot and saffron. The best discoveries come when you simply experiment with materials and don’t think about the rules. November 30, 2015 at 11:32am Reply

  • Annikky: This sounds beautiful – I seem to like roses much more when they are dark, so I will definitely try this. Thank you! I had, in fact, sort of dismissed the entire collection for the very reasons you list at the start.

    As for French-Arabic roses: Lyric? And I know Mohur is inspired by India and it’s not particularly dark, but it does have a slightly similar sensibility (to my nose). November 30, 2015 at 9:16am Reply

    • Victoria: Lyric definitely is in that category and Mohur is too. While inspired by India, the accords it uses are reminiscent of a Persian and Arabic perfumery with a dose of Duchaufourdian magic. 🙂 November 30, 2015 at 10:23am Reply

  • Portia: Hey Victoria, Majestic Rose was nice to me but not $250 nice. If this range was $100-150 a bottle I would own the whole set. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the powers that be would go back to creating this level of fragrance, and better, for the regular fragrance wearer at a better price point. End rant.
    Portia x November 30, 2015 at 9:20am Reply

    • Victoria: I can’t agree more. But of course, there are some excellent fragrances in the lower price ranges, but the prestige category on the whole is becoming more and more expensive. YSL went in the Tom Ford direction with this collection, hence the pricing. November 30, 2015 at 10:24am Reply

  • Briony hey: Majestic Rose sounds lovely. I’m not keen on rose as a soliflore, but for some reason I can’t get enough of it when mixed with spices, amber and woods. My favourites are the Amouages like Lyric and Epic, but I also love L’Artisan’s Saffran Troublant, Ormonde Jayne’s Taif and Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Chypree. There’s always room for one more dark rose. November 30, 2015 at 9:26am Reply

    • Victoria: Oh, you’ve mentioned some great choices I missed, especially Ta’if. It’s one of my favorite roses. November 30, 2015 at 10:25am Reply

  • rosarita: This is exactly my type of thing in that I love rose – one reason I chose the username rosarita years ago – specifically dark rose, especially with spices, incense, woods etc. I think Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has a real gift in creating rose scents and they are way less expensive than this! I second Portia’s rant. With wages in the US stagnant for decades in some cases, the retail world is just too darned expensive. November 30, 2015 at 10:15am Reply

    • Victoria: I also like these kinds of roses best of all, because the woods, spices and balsams transform the flowers into something unusual. But it’s hard to do a classical Middle Eastern rose on a budget, since the concept itself involves very expensive materials and lots of natural essences. This being said, I still find YSL expensive. But if one can afford it, one ends up with an excellent perfume. November 30, 2015 at 11:02am Reply

  • Scented Salon: I never tire of dark roses. It has been years since the Eastern trend became popular and in those years, most of the perfumes with “Oriental” notes have been winners. I have not seen this line in any stores, however. I know they are available online but there is no way to smell them. I have to check my local Neiman Marcus. November 30, 2015 at 10:34am Reply

    • Victoria: Around here I haven’t seen the collection, but in the US they have it at Saks and Bergdorf. A very good launch overall, and this rose caught my attention right away. Like you, I like my roses dark and rich. December 1, 2015 at 1:30am Reply

      • Scented Salon: I looked and looked but have not found a physical store that carries this collection. They are available online only. I also came across another line I wanted to try: Givenchy’s private collection. But there is no way to sample these so I will keep waiting to see if they ever bring them into stores. December 1, 2015 at 10:35am Reply

        • Victoria: That’s too bad, but if it’s any consolation, if you have tried any of the fragrances I and others mentioned in this thread, you have enough dark, lush roses to enjoy. And if we wait long enough, some other interesting rose will come. This theme is still popular enough that brands are trying it out.

          I sampled Givenchy’s Private Collection and so far liked the neroli based perfume the most. On the other hand, it wasn’t anything exceptional, just a nice orange blossom. December 1, 2015 at 11:55am Reply

  • spe: What a lovely review! My favorite rose perfumes include the unfairly maligned Soir de Lune and the fabulous Rive Gauche. They aren’t that dark.

    I’ve owned Portrait, but sold it. I received a lot of compliments, but it began to feel oppressive to me. I like some lightness and joy in my fragrances. Perhaps some saffron?! I’ve owned Nacree and gave that to a friend. It also felt heavy and flat after a day’s wear.

    I very much enjoy the Middle Eastern influence, but those brighter nuances – or perhaps a more blended, “lotiony” feel – are important for me. November 30, 2015 at 10:52am Reply

    • Victoria: I also love Soir de Lune. It’s lush but still very easy to pull off. It doesn’t feel like it wears you. Rive Gauche isn’t that dark to me either, but what a great rose.

      As much as I love Portrait of a Lady, I don’t need more than a small decant. Now, that’s a fragrance that wears you. 🙂 December 1, 2015 at 1:32am Reply

  • Solanace: I am a huge fan of dark roses, and can’t wait to get my paws on a sample of this. Mohur, Amouage Epic and Rose Anonyme also come to my mind. November 30, 2015 at 11:32am Reply

    • Victoria: I forgot Rose Anonyme! That’s another beauty, and it’s also not a difficult perfume to wear. Le Labo Rose 31 might also be a good option. December 1, 2015 at 1:33am Reply

  • Sandra: Lovely review Victoria. Your writing is like poetry.
    My favorite rose perfume is La Fille de Berlin November 30, 2015 at 12:06pm Reply

    • Victoria: You’re very kind, Sandra. 🙂

      Yes, La Fille de Berlin is one of my favorites too. December 1, 2015 at 1:34am Reply

  • Aurora: It’s very exciting this new line, I wasn’t aware of it at all, it’s not at Boots counter of YSL.
    Your post is full of interesting information, Victoria, thank you for deconstructing this dark rose. There is also the beautiful if ever so slightly claustrophobic Saffron Rose from Grossmith that I tested thanks to the traveling box, but that is one expensive choice, I have a (not quite but good enough) substitute in my trusted Calligraphy Rose, and my favorite heavy in rose extrait perfume is the simply called Rose from Caron, I don’t know the status at the moment, in production or discontinued, it makes me even more grateful for my bottle. November 30, 2015 at 12:22pm Reply

    • Victoria: Rose de Caron is one of those fragrances that make me think of chocolate mousse–rich and delectable. At the same time, it’s a straightforward rose, but what makes it special is the quality of the ingredients. I really don’t think that they would use the same level of materials for it now. I have it in Caron decant bottle, the pebbly one. I might wear it today, since it’s been a while since I’ve reached for it. But these cold, grey days are made for such perfumes. December 1, 2015 at 1:37am Reply

      • Aurora: You will smell beautiful, Victoria; yes it’s more of a bright rose, perfectly balanced, just on the right side of sweet. Sigh, yes they probably wouldn’t use the same lush essence now, my bottle is pebbly too with the gold cap. December 1, 2015 at 4:14am Reply

        • Victoria: I almost thought I lost it during the move, because I couldn’t find the bottle for several months. And then it just turned up in one of the boxes with Christmas ornaments, out of all things. It smells luscious.

          Another Caron rose I like is Or et Noir. Or Parfum Sacre, if I’m in the mood for something spicier and not sweet. December 1, 2015 at 11:47am Reply

          • Aurora: Maybe someone thought it looked like a tree decoration! So glad it had a happy ending, moving is a bit of a nightmare. I’ve never smelled Rose et Noir and now I’m intrigued, next time I go to Paris (unfortunately it won’t be for a good while) I will stop in one the Caron boutiques, it’s always such a pleasure anyway and Parfum Sacre is such a cult fragrance, I don’t own it but admire it. December 1, 2015 at 1:13pm Reply

            • Victoria: Now that you mention it, this bottle would make a pretty Christmas tree decoration. 🙂 December 1, 2015 at 2:30pm Reply

  • Lora: My Middle Eastern rose/oud/saffron choice was a couple of years ago at Barney’s for a price a bit better at $185. It’s Laquared Rose by
    X-Ray. To my nose the combo of dark notes somehow comes off as rich and spicy but still smooth and creamy. And I too thought initially that it would be one for the cooler months, but as it turns out it’s also great in the heat. And the application of dabbing rather than a spray works better for me.
    Thank you for such insightful articles, Victoria! November 30, 2015 at 12:33pm Reply

    • Victoria: I noticed that these kind of perfumes do work well in heat, unless they have too much sweetness or musk. In general, in the hot but dry climates you can get away with a lot more than in the more humid weather.
      Lacquered Rose is very good. I have it on my to review list. December 1, 2015 at 1:40am Reply

  • Cornelia Blimber: I don’t know many dark roses. To my knowledge Montale has a few, but I never smelled them.
    To my nose Nahéma is not so dark, rather radiant. It’s a sublime perfume.
    Altough I am a big fan of Lutens, I don’t love his roses…Sa Majesté too sour, Majuscule too sweet, Fille too soapy.
    I would like to have Rose Explosion by Victor & Rolf, but that one has been discontinued.
    I stick to my Cabaret, not too bad! November 30, 2015 at 12:46pm Reply

    • Victoria: Cabaret is an excellent choice! For some reason I thought that it was discontinued, but I just checked, and no, it’s around.
      Nahema is definitely not that dark, and I wouldn’t put it in the category of a French-Arabian perfume, but it’s a splendid fragrance. December 1, 2015 at 1:42am Reply

  • bellaciao: Lovely review that makes me curious to smell that perfume even though I am not fond of rose oud combinations at all, at least not on my skin. On men it is something else and in Oman I wouldn’t miss it for the world. In terms of the rose saffron combo I was thinking of Noir de Noir, in the luxury line of Tom Ford which I definitely enjoy (less oud I guess). How does it compare to Majestic Rose? November 30, 2015 at 1:38pm Reply

    • Victoria: Noir de Noir is a bit in the same vein, but the oud is much more pronounced. Another fragrance that might be in the same category is Tom Ford Cafe Rose. Not sure if you’ve tried it, but if you like Noir de Noir, you might also enjoy it. December 1, 2015 at 1:44am Reply

  • Neva: Sounds wonderful! Somehow the description and all reminds me of the Amouages and the price certinly aims in this direction. Amouage to me has the overall flair that you describe in Majestic Rose. I’m very curious to smell it and I’m pretty sure I will love it. November 30, 2015 at 2:04pm Reply

    • Victoria: It’s more streamlined than most of Amouages, but yes, they’re aiming for the same audience. I’d love to hear what you think of it. December 1, 2015 at 1:45am Reply

  • SilverMoon: Thanks for the review, Victoria. I am a great fan of roses, so will look out for this. However, I do agree with others who have pointed out that the price seems a bit much.

    Lots of other roses come to mind in the Arab-French perfume category, and in a range of prices. I love the beautiful and abstract radiance of Nahema; OJ Ta’if is also delicate and very pleasing; JM Velvet Rose and Oud is a mix of dark rose and warm woodiness (and long lasting in contrast to most other Jo Malone perfumes). I tested Grossmith’s Saffron Rose and found it quite pretty, but too expensive for what it was. November 30, 2015 at 3:15pm Reply

    • Victoria: I liked Grossmith’s Saffron Rose, but I couldn’t put my finger on what was missing in it. It was definitely very expensive, so my expectations might have been too high.

      I have to try JM Velvet Rose and Oud at last. December 1, 2015 at 1:46am Reply

      • SilverMoon: Yes, I agree completely. There simply seemed to be something missing. Another expensive but beautiful satisfying rose is Lyric. And somehow it convinces one that it is worth it (although I wish Amouage perfumes were more affordable). December 1, 2015 at 3:53am Reply

        • Victoria: I like both Lyric for Men and Lyric for Women, and they’re probably my favorites after Gold. But yes, also very expensive. December 1, 2015 at 11:45am Reply

    • Karen (A): Velvet Rose and Oud is so gorgeous – and the black bottle is quite stunning, too. December 2, 2015 at 11:42am Reply

  • Kitty Van Halen: I don’t know if Montale Red Aoud has been mentioned? My husband wears it, and it smells grand on him. I’ve never told him the “red” is for roses, though. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. November 30, 2015 at 5:26pm Reply

    • Victoria: Aoud Rose Petals is another Montale I used to like. Black Aoud also has a lot of rose. There are many other perfumes like this in Montale’s range, but the one you’ve mentioned and Black Aoud are among the best. December 1, 2015 at 1:48am Reply

  • Lady Dedlock: I don’t know why but I couldn’t care much about this frag. Too common. Too contemporary. Too tart. Too expensive.
    I actually refer Guerlain insolence. And about to give Byredo rose of no man’s land a try.

    By the way, this frag not so new. It’s been around for a while. FYI: The latest collection is Les Vestaire des Parfums. November 30, 2015 at 5:53pm Reply

    • Victoria: Insolence is a charming perfume, although it’s more of a fruity violet than a woody Middle Eastern rose.

      The collection has been launched in 2013, but it hasn’t been rolled everywhere at the same time. In NYC you guys get everything in the first order. Those of us in the European backwaters are slightly less lucky. 🙂 December 1, 2015 at 1:53am Reply

      • OnWingsofSaffron: Now that really made me laugh :-)))
        We poor country bumpkins stuck here in Paris, London, Berlin and Rome … 🙂 December 1, 2015 at 1:51pm Reply

        • Victoria: Hey, I’m not in Paris, London or Berlin. I’m not even in Brussels proper right now. A short while back I saw a horse walking down the street, so… But yes, being facetious, of course. 🙂 December 1, 2015 at 2:07pm Reply

  • Allison: One of my favourites Czech & Speake Dark Rose isn’t mentioned yet. December 1, 2015 at 12:14pm Reply

    • Victoria: I agree, it’s a very good perfume. They used to have a great rose soap collection too, by the way. December 1, 2015 at 12:25pm Reply

  • Austenfan: This sounds right up my street, but I find it very expensive. Still mulling over whether or not to get a full bottle of Une Rose Nacrée du Désert. I’ve nearly finished my second large sample. Another expensive perfume.
    Apart from YSL boutiques (Parrots anyone?), do you know where this might be found? December 1, 2015 at 12:31pm Reply

    • Austenfan: In Europe I mean. December 1, 2015 at 12:32pm Reply

    • Victoria: They’re different enough, but it’s worth comparing them. Now, you can find it at any YSL boutique. Galeries Lafayette in Paris also should carry the line as should De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam. December 1, 2015 at 2:29pm Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: De Bijenkorf has a new perfume department with Dior La Collection Privée, Les Exclusifs de Guerlain, Le Vestiaire de Parfums YSL, but to my knowledge not the oriental collection YSL.
        Maybe I oversaw it. Will look again and report! December 1, 2015 at 5:01pm Reply

        • Austenfan: Thanks for keeping me posted. I would love to try these and Amsterdam is quite a journey from where I live. December 2, 2015 at 6:44am Reply

        • Victoria: Thank you for checking! Truth be told I don’t remember the collection either, but it might be because the last time I was there, it was still very new. December 2, 2015 at 12:18pm Reply

          • Cornelia Blimber: Hi Austenfan and Victoria!
            I was in De Bijenkorf today: they don’t carry the Oriental line, nowhere in the Netherlands, they told me.
            They do carry the Vestiaire, and the s.a. said that the orientals will be discontinued in the future, but the perfumes will come back in the Vestiaire collection. He was knew it not for sure, but heard rumours. December 4, 2015 at 12:12pm Reply

            • Cornelia Blimber: Oh, my english! He was not sure or he knew it not for sure. Sorry, Austenfan..my silly contamination must have hurt your feelings. December 4, 2015 at 12:15pm Reply

              • Austenfan: Ah, my feelings… 😉

                Just thanks for letting us know. It will save me a trip.

                It does feel weird though, addressing you in English when it is a second language for both of us, and we share our first language, but it would be very impolite to chart exchanging in Dutch. December 5, 2015 at 4:06pm Reply

                • Austenfan: I mean start! December 5, 2015 at 4:07pm Reply

            • Victoria: Thank you for the update! So now it makes sense why this line has such a patchy distribution. It must be in the process of being reshuffled. December 4, 2015 at 3:35pm Reply

  • orsetta: I’ve had a chance to try the line, liked Majestic Rose but Supreme Bouquet was somehow much more interesting on my skin.
    As for the price – well, will wait for some sales… 😉

    A dark French-Arabian rose that I like very, very much, is Aramis Calligraphy Rose – very nuanced interpretation of the rose/oud combo. December 2, 2015 at 12:53am Reply

    • Victoria: Aramis Calligraphy Rose should definitely be on that list–it’s a beauty.

      If it were at least 50-70 euros less, I might consider Majestic Rose for a full bottle, but as it is, I’m waiting for some sort of promotion. December 2, 2015 at 12:26pm Reply

  • Tati: This is one of my favorite categories. I love many of the above mentioned and will add two more: Ex Idolo 33 and Rosam by Histoires de Parfum. December 2, 2015 at 1:50am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you! Such nice choices too. December 2, 2015 at 12:27pm Reply

  • Danaki: I find Juliet Has A Gun Midnight Oud fills that spec well, there’s a strong saffron note and unfortunately not rounded out with anything soft to start with. So if you could bear the spicy beginning, the middle and dry down are excellent.

    My current fave rose Ann Gerard Rose Cut. I have a 7ml from a set but I’d love a full bottle (Santa?). I also bought a discounted Tom Ford Rose Cafe, which, to my horror is so light that I wear to work. Now that’s not an endorsement in my book. December 2, 2015 at 5:45am Reply

    • Victoria: Tom Ford is on a mission to discontinue my favorites from his line. I like Cafe Rose a lot. The one that I like but can’t get to lost long enough is Fleur de Chine. But it’s a moot point, since it’s also discontinued.

      Midnight Oud is a great option for the kind of rose I have in mind, and while I agree with you about the top notes, the drydown is very good. December 2, 2015 at 12:30pm Reply

  • Karen (A): Always happy to read about dark roses – and roses of any kind! December 2, 2015 at 11:44am Reply

    • Victoria: We have a lot of rose lovers here, including yours truly. December 2, 2015 at 12:11pm Reply

  • Raquel: Dear Victoria:
    In an older post (2011) you mentioned that Arabian Oud has some fragrances that smell like traditional Indian attars, would you please mention which ones you were referring to. Do any of them have roses? Thank you. December 5, 2015 at 6:56pm Reply

    • Victoria: I confess that I don’t remember, but mostly it’s because the line is huge and the perfumes change constantly. It’s probably that those particular ones aren’t even sold anymore. Most of their perfumes had a big rose note. December 7, 2015 at 2:16pm Reply

      • Raquel: Don’t worry, thank you! December 7, 2015 at 3:49pm Reply

        • Victoria: Oh, wait! Kalemat is the one I liked the most, and they still make it. December 8, 2015 at 10:56am Reply

  • Surbhi: Another rose that I like: Creed’s Fleur de Rose Bulgarie. December 5, 2015 at 7:52pm Reply

  • Linnea: Thank you for the lovely post! Once, when I was working as an usher at a concert hall, a Middle Eastern woman woman waltzed past me smelling like heaven. I complimented her on the scent, and she said she had put some rose attar on her scarf. So simple and yet so glamorous — makes me think of this poem by e.e. cummings:

    “and what were roses. Perfume? for i do
    forget. or mere Music mounting unsurely
    twilight

    but here were something more maturely
    childish, more beautiful almost than you.”

    As for me, I like Kuumba Made’s Arabian Rose. It smells like a bed of red rose petals! A tiny dab goes a long way … good for everyday use. December 6, 2015 at 9:59pm Reply

    • Victoria: I read it early in the morning still slightly bleary eyed, and you can’t imagine what a pleasure it was to find this poem first thing Monday morning. So, thank you. 🙂 December 7, 2015 at 2:30pm Reply

  • Malika: The bottle!! I could stare at this bottle all day. January 6, 2016 at 11:20am Reply

  • Yan: Do you find this perfume dense or thick? Or is it a rose + oud combination that you can get away with on a variety of occasions? The only rose + oud perfume I have is Oud Bouquet by Lancome, and while I absolutely adore the scent, I find it quite hard to wear outside of evenings and special events. October 24, 2019 at 12:22am Reply

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