Les Parfums de Rosine - La Rose de Rosine

I love roses. Simple as that. I grew up in a house with a huge garden full of roses. At least to my childish eyes that's how it seemed. I loved their smell- that heart-filling, sweet fragrance that envelops not just the outside of your body but inside as well. The feeling you get when you take gulps of the smell- just simply closing your eyes and enjoying it. But I have never found the same roses of my childhood. 

Many years later, I was walking down Marylebone High Street to my favourite haunt there - The Daunt's Bookshop- I when a lady passed me by and then I caught the wiff of that rose- yes, THAT rose smell. I am not normally in the habit of stopping perfect strangers in mid-stride to ask about the perfume they are wearing but that is exactly what I did that day, I must confess. She mentioned Rosine something and pointed me to a boutique.

Les Parfums de Rosine says, "The woman who wears it is ultra feminine, and a kind of diva. She is sensual, noble, beautiful and so refined. Her world is the boudoir and opera front seat. La Rose de Rosine is made with the sumptuous and opulent red rose."

The perfume was created in 1991 by François Robert. The top notes are Violet, Tagete, Ylang Ylang and of course roses. The middles notes are once again rose, Grasse, Jasmine and Iris. The Base notes are Tonka beans, Benzoin and Balsam.

It is powdery and vintage perfume. It's light. It's a rose perfume for the late afternoon. It feels as if the roses belong to the gardens of Empress Josephine. The first notes for me are of the violet. Its presence is very real. But of course the rose takes over, gently at first and not overpowering but slowly and surely. I could imagine the Empress walking among her roses in the morning with just a bit of dew caught on the petals. The middle notes of jasmine and iris once again blends beautifully with the rose. 

But what I like most about Rose de la Rosine is that although it sits close to my skin, it stays with me. Perhaps I am nostalgic for the roses of my childhood. But it is long lasting. And I love it. But then again, I love roses....

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, 2. 2.