Rose Splendide

Some may not like it, but I LOVE this scent. Rose Spelndide did not initially strike me as a rose + something-else composition. I did not even think of it as green, dirty etc. I just thought of it as being incredibly natural, non-sweet rose... I love real roses, and I find that their smells are actually incredibly diverse. This is one thing I don't think many Fragrantica members are aware of... Some roses smell exactly like this. Equally, there are sweet roses, spicy roses, fruity roses, powdery roses, floral roses, citric roses, deep roses, light roses, peppery roses, jammy roses, etc. The label on rose bushes usually tells you. When a fragrance note lists Damask rose or May rose, for example, it is an approximation of what it smells like. In the garden industry there are so many hybrids that people rarely buy "Damask" or "May". Even within these categories there are variations. I'm not so knowledgeable that I can tell you exactly what type of rose this is. But I know, despite pear, magnolia and musk being listed as notes, this simulates a very natural rose. To me it is red. And fresh. With its vegetation intact, as if there's a cut bunch standing up in a vase. My bottle came damaged in the mail (50% spilled out), so I made the most of this sad situation by placing the drenched box on the hall table. It is a wonderful fake bouquet!

Rose Splendide is a beautiful delicate fragrance. It's a pity they don't list vanilla as a note, but it's on the official Goutal website and I can perceive it. I have a really good iranian friend, and whenever she visits her family there she brings little pink rose buds they drink as tea. I'm in love with it, and the scent is so soft and delicate. I'm glad I've find a scent so similar to these rose buds: Rose Splendide! The pear and vanilla are there to support and make the scent more uplifting and fitting to the perfume category, but the the smell is very similar. So what I get is: First spray - splash of synthetic grass. Yes, I hate to admit it, but there is something synthetic about this fragrance, which is unusual for Annick Goutal IMO. Dry down - this grass note leaves the scene very quickly, opening stage for the softest rose, magnolia, pear and vanilla. I don't feel a strong musk as in Petite Chérie. The scent is quite linear and on my skin it lasts rather long, surprising for AG. It's my happy scent!

Another love of mine by Annick Goutal. This is just a sublime rose perfume. Far different to Rose Absolue. A pure rose smell - very much like a tea rose from the garden, very gentle. The rose is prominent on my nose with just a touch of pear and vanilla. Oddly when I put it on it smelt of virtually nothing and I honestly thought I had got an watered down bottle! But as time went on the scent grew (much like a rose!) - I went back to Space NK and then read that Eau Parfumee has a lighter concentration than an eau de toilette or an eau de parfum - hence the lightness! I love this smell of rose and it works very well on my skin! To me this is the most natural rose perfume I have come across!

This rose is fresh and innocent. A perfect spring fragrance, green and uplifting. Some rose scents are heady, sensual -for instance, La fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens, but this is light. It makes me smile, I love it.

This one starts off with a blast of slightly green and sour pink rose. It's not too much of either, but just the right amount for a light, refreshing, springtime fragrance. The pear and musk notes appear about 20-30 minutes later, softening and sweetening the edges - again, not too much, but just enough to make it very pleasant to my nose. I haven't gotten much of the magnolia, but I know it's there, rounding off and adding a little depth to the composition. I can not detect the vanilla at all. Longevity and silage are typical for a Goutal creation, which is to say expect them to be moderate at best. It's what I would call your basic "pretty" scent. It won't change your world, but if you enjoy rose and want something to just spray and go, then this would be a very nice choice. EDIT 10/16/20 - I had to upgrade this to a Love. It may not be earth shattering, but it's a rose I can truly love due to its gentle nature. It joins Drôle de Rose as my other "I feel pretty" fragrance, full of romance! EDIT 1/3/2021 - Yes, I definitely get that earthy dirt smell in the opening. Surprisingly, I don't find it unpleasant. If anything, it contributes to the natural smell of this perfume, and if I close my eyes, I can easily imagine walking through a rose garden after it rains. The dirt fades away after about 20 minutes, which is fine with me, because while I appreciate the tip of the hat to nature, the way it segues and settles into a proper rose makes me appreciate it all the more.