Roses, Roses

A very good rose fragrance, to my nose--realistic, with some green, not terribly sweet, a little piquant. This is the third of a trio of vintage 0.5 ounce bottles in their original boxes from my wonderful rummage-sale-savvy friend Cat. It's a much truer rose accord than I'm getting in most contemporary scents, but maybe that's because I grew up smelling rose scents like this, not the current, more peppery-citrussy, "modern" iterations. This smells to me like some lotion that I used to have, rose-scented, naturally--and I think it was by Avon! I smell a lot of rose soliflores because I am always on the hunt for the perfect rose fragrance, and who would have thought that one of the closest approximations would be a forty-something-year-old formulation of Roses, Roses by Avon!

Roses Roses is definitely the rosiest of the Avon roses (and this is definitely the most times I’ve ever used “rose” in a sentence). To a Wild Rose is bramblier and Régence has dainty aldehydes and violets. While Roses Roses has other notes beyond those listed here (I get a distinct citrus and galbanum opening along with a supporting geranium in the heart) it is essentially a soliflore — even the groovy 70s nitromusk, while definitely detectable, serves more deepen this velvety rose than to announce its own presence. I’m quite impressed by this little edc. It honestly reminds me a bit of Serge Lutens’s La Fille de Berlin, although Roses Roses is certainly less spicy. Another solid entry from Avon’s glory days, all the more impressive given its approachable price point.

One of my favourite scents as a child and growing up with a Grandmother who sold Avon. Beautifully crafted, this scent was soft and delicate and sat well on my pale skin. It was a fragrance that took me right through to early adulthood as I loved it then as much as I did as a child. I haven’t bought Avon for a few years now as my grandmother has since passed away, but I’m sure if its formulation has stayed the same I will still love it today. A great perfume that I have fond memories of. Another great rose is Tea Rose made by The Pefumers Workshop. I wear this in the car when I’m with my mother when we get together as she gets a headache if she smells some of my other scents. But she never complain about this one or Tea Rose or actually Demeter ‘s Baby Powder...

Freshly cut dewy wet rose with a light musk. I usually describe it as a soliflore. You can find various sizes on eBay ranging between $10-30. I have a 5 oz bottle in the shape of a candlestick I got for maybe $25. Of the 3 perfumes in this family (Roses, Roses, Honeysuckle, Jasmine) this is my favorite. They all have held up extremely well, especially considering how old they are. After about 4 hours you're left with a light skin scent. I mostly wear this is spring and summer but occasionally wear it in the winter when I need a a reminder of spring.

One of the most decadent rose scents I know. These roses are slightly past their prime, wilting and dying in a vase. The vase water is here too, and this vase rests on a marble slab in a crypt. Slightly metallic. The older bottles with clear, non-pink liquid are best. One of my friends used to call it "funeral scent" and liked to spray some on whenever she came over to visit. The only drawback is it's short-lived at a couple hours, but a fine experience while it lasts. A must-have for goths.