Essence No. 1 Rose

Essence No. 1 Rose by Elie Saab is a unique fragrance that balances a rich, dark rose with a light, powdery touch. While there are only roses in the note profile, there is a bit of spiciness and a hint of woodiness that add depth without being overwhelming. In the opening there is a smooth creaminess that becomes powdery as it settles on the skin. The blend of different roses make this fragrance more complex than the note profile would suggest. It has a natural floral sweetness that never feels cloying or heavy. It's a pleasant experience from the initial spray to the gradual fade. Versatile enough for nighttime in warmer weather or any occasion in cooler seasons, Essence No. 1 Rose carries a sensual, almost gender-neutral appeal. Though leaning feminine, its dry rose quality makes it intriguing for men seeking a rose fragrance. The rose is a little dryer and the sweetness much more natural than with more feminine leaning rose fragrances. The projection is strong for the first 2-3 hours, easily reaching well beyong arms reach. After that it settles into a more subtle, intimate aura that lingers for 6-8 hours. The seamless transition from bold to subtle enhances the overall allure of the fragrance. A subtle resemblance to MFK Oud Satin Mood caught my attention, both being creations of Francis Kurkdjian. While not identical, the rose in Essence No. 1 Rose feels like it could have laid the groundwork for Oud Satin Mood, showcasing Kurkdjian's distinctive touch. The presentation is beautiful and classy, with a heavy, high-quality glass bottle featuring a magnetic lid. The simple matte black box complements the fragrance, underscoring its place in the brand's exclusive range. The only downside is the atomizer, which, while good, is comparable to average designer offerings. Despite its discontinuation, Essence No. 1 Rose remains available at some discounters, usually priced between $100-150 CAD. Considering its quality and elegant presentation, it's a worthwhile investment for fragrance enthusiasts.

3/5/24 This fragrance has just bloomed, it's gorgeous, just gorgeous. It smells unlike any rose I have and if your on the fence, try it.. That woody vanilla note melds with the rose beautifully. Another FK rose that I love. This is such a hard review to write because I've only had about 10 days and it's evolving nicely. I will admit to loving the initial spray so much that I bought a second bottle, having learned the bitter lesson of dc'd fragrances. This one won't be reformulated bc they don't make it anymore. I literally hurt when I smelled the reform of Stella Absolute years ago and a rose scent that I love is one that's hard for me to find. Now about the scent. When you first spray you get a lovely floral sweet (not sugar, caramel or fruit) rose with an undercurrent of something green or brightish. Not enough to take away from the rose, but enough to liven it up. The rose doesn't turn sour on me, which Bulgarian rose oil can, but smells more like a sweet taif or centifolia mix to my nose. Definitely something resinous, balmy. Like a great quality woody vanilla, not cake vanilla or sweet vanilla tonka. It's just a really beautiful scent that's hard to get across in words. Anyway, I love it but not sure if it's a safe blind buy bc as its opened up over the last days, there's a spicy hint of something that's just really made this fragrance go to an 11 out of 10 for me. It's still all rose, just with supporting hints delicious woody vanilla and a resinous underpinning. Longevity is about 3 or 4 hours, but it's more of a skin scent by the time hour 1 is up. That's changing, though, as its been sitting........ but I don't think this will ever be a room filler. It's a personal scent and I'm fine with that bc I really do love the way this smells.

I treated myself to a bottle of this fragrance for a number of reasons. I love exploring rose perfumes, and as it happens (and through no design of mine) it turns out that Francis Kurkdjian is the nose behind several my favourite fragrances. I also find Elie Saab fragrances to be of good quality and reliably elegant and well-balanced. Onto the juice... I can see why in some markets this would be considered a unisex fragrance. It's rose with a warmth that comes from woods, resins and some spices. However in Western markets, I see this as appealing more to women, and the man who would purchase this would likely be someone who is keen on exploring options outside of what is admittedly a narrow band of olfactory experiences typically found in men's fragrances. Put it this way, I don't see this being a popular Father's Day gift! The juice is without a doubt Turkish delight. But for those of you who like the taste and smell of rosewater or have used it in food yourself, you will know what I mean when when I say that it's more that kind of Turkish delight rose than the smell you get as you eat the sugary sweet confectionery. I found that the fragrance that lands up on my clothing smells of Turkish delight rosewater with a delicate powdered sweetness. Whereas what ends up on my skin develops into more of a warm vanilla rose with a green stalkiness. I do wish this projected a bit more, and I wish it lasted a bit longer on my skin. True to my prediction, like the other Elie Saab fragrances in my collection, it's elegant and classy.

I just bought 2 back up bottles. This is a deep,velvet beauty! Essence No. 1 is a rose solifleur with enough character for me to wish to wear it out, not just for lazy Sundays or to go to sleep, so I am wearing it today :) I simply adore the opening of this. It ́s spicy rose; full of character. She has "get up and go" and reminds me a little of the presumptuous rose of "Le Petit Prince". The spicy rose gives way to jammy rose in the heart, while the drydown is clean and powdery fresh rose. Since rose scents are fragile molecules, same as citrus, I always wear rose scented cream on the areas I apply perfume to extend the longevity. This way, I can get aproximately 4 hours of fragrance. To be honest, I get better longevity out of Acqua di Parma Rosa Nobile or LOccitane, but Essence No.1 has bite and I love the way it transitions. I love it so much that I bought backup bottles and am willing to go through the trouble of spraying again, so you decide. In my view, this is a natural and voluptuous rose that has enough presence and body to be worn from spring through autumn. I can take her to the office, out for coffee and shopping, and that ́s what we ́re doing today! LOOOOVE<3

Ellie Saab Essence N1 This is the rose that dances whirls, twirls all the while morphing into different rose varieties. It quite literally is a rose that changes its nuances thru the wearing. Its supported by a light vanilla ribbon weaving through the petals of rose and cedar to add structure. Sometimes the rose smells like rosewater infused confections, sometimes a herbal aspect, a touch of sour moment, and other times.. a fresh velvety deep pink rose with dark red jam on the edges. Never veering into the heavy, red, dark gothic variety. Longevity is long, sillage is moderate. Note it is not in the gourmand sense of a rose dripping in caramel, or drown in a syrupy quagmire. This is a lithe, supple shapeshifting rose that moves in and out of its light gourmand aspects. Make no mistake, this is a floral and its masters thesis is rose. Notes: Centifolia Rose, Damascena Rose, Turkish Rose, Bulgarian Rose, Rose Absolutes from Grasse and Turkey, Vanilla and Cedar