Smyrna

❤️💕LOVE ❤️💕LOVE ❤️💕LOVE!💕❤️💕❤️💕 I have waited to review this, as I find it challenging to put into words how much I adore this fragrance... anyway, can't wait forever, so I had to use some emojis to make it clear 😂 As the name suggests, Smyrna is an oriental dream coming true! This is the first rose fragrance I've come across that proves to me that rose is a scent that I can enjoy on myself. Previously I've loved rose scents on others, but on me they never felt right. Smyrna feels just heavenly. It elevates my mood wherever I am! Whenever it wafts around me, I feel happy and lucky and protected against stress by the scent bubble surrounding me. As with other fragrances from Le Couvent, there is an aromatherapy quality about it that is very prominent to me. It's literally a mood changer. Smyrna is so classy, so romantic, yet suitable for every occasion, every personal style IMO, day or night, hot or cold weather. I'm female, and feel that the fragrance accentuates my femininity. However, scent wise, I think previous reviewers are right, that this is really unisex and can work wonderfully for any gender. If I'm going out, I spray 3-4 spritzes. Lasts the whole night and is a skin scent in the morning. Stays for days on clothes. I think it projects sufficiently for my personal taste, I don't need it to fill the room. Smyrna gets me a lot of compliments from both women and men, so it's really more detectable than I seem to realise sometimes. Highly recommend trying Smyrna if you love rose in fragrances!

Le Labo’s Rose 31 after attending finishing school in Switzerland. Smyrna (perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena) isn’t a dupe but it is a variation on a familiar theme: a woody, spicy rose for any gender. Sure, it was likely inspired by a couple of scents which came before it: Le Labo’s Rose 31, and L’Artisan’s Arcana Rosa 9, both signed by perfumer Daphne Bugey, but it can stand on its own. I have all three and if I was forced to choose which one to keep, I’d go with Smyrna, easily. Why? Because the Le Labo scent isn’t what it once was - I’ve worn that one since 2008, so I have some experience with it - and Arcana Rosa 9 is basically more of the same, minus the funky cumin angle and longevity. To me, Smyrna is more rose-forward, feels more polished and natural, and has black pepper in place of the cumin, lending a touch of spice without ever veering into body odor territory, a turn which makes the Le Labo scent uncomfortable for some people. Its longevity is superb and it can be had for less than half price of either of its predecessors. I happily scored a new bottle for under $60 and it’s my favorite perfume purchased this year. Edit: I am obsessed. I just pulled the trigger on a back-up bottle.

This underrated French niche house has some true gems in their collection. I own two, Tinhare and Smyrna and I have tested two other last fall during a trip in the South of Europe. All amazing quality, stunning smelling perfumes and very, very affordable for the quality and intensity of the scents. Smyrna is the rose centred perfume from their catalog. It’s such a balanced blend of deep, dark red roses with bright, fresh citruses, soft cardamom, smooth, clean vetiver and a light mix of woody notes. Nothing sticks out or feels out of balance in Smyrna. Smoothness is the best adjective to describe the flawless blend of notes Smyrna. I love how beautifully the citruses notes are paired with the Turkish rose. Goes hand in hand perfectly and creates such an elegant, uplifting scent. Performance is on par with the rest of Le Couvent collection, nothing beastly but having a decent intensity and sillage. For the price, Smyrna is a great choice for anyone looking for a fresh, spicy and sweet in the same time rose scent. In general, you can’t go wrong with Le Couvent fragrances in my opinion! From what I’ve tested or own so far they are the French equivalent of Laboratorio Olfattivo.

DIVINE! The first time I tried Smyrna, I didn't think I would like it and was already thinking about giving it away to my friend. To my nose it was sweet spicy black pepper all the way and I was like "where the hell is rose?????" I hated it so much. Because I was looking for a nice, realistic yet mature rose scent with depth and Smyrna's description sounded perfect! Disappointed and heartbroken, I groaned aloud. It was so loud that my boyfriend had to come out of the loo and ask me if I was alright. I shot my wrist out and had him sniff it, complaining how there was no rose at all. He said he thought it smelt great and quite rosy. ――What? I almost slapped him across the face for talking nonsense but it turned out HE WAS RIGHT. The spicy top had softened and velvety red roses were blooming. Oh my oh my, I loved it, fell in love head first. After complete drydown, rose is dominant on my skin with clear spicy black pepper and warm cardamon in tow. Such a great balance. Mature but not too classy. Appropriate for both casual and dressy occasions. I would love to go on a fancy date wearing a little black dress covered in this scent!

Smyrna is an absolutely delicious rose perfume..both green/vegetable and with this rose note that is neither too opulent nor diluted. For my part, after having tried a number of rose perfumes, two in particular caught my attention.. of the same genre with a more or less similar atmosphere, that is to say spicy: peppery and finally woody. One was Much Ado About The Duke, the other is this.. Without comparing the price of each: the most successful, the most pleasant is that of the Couvent...and yet it is still the most simply put together. I feel like the florist.. I cut the stems of these opulent, fresh roses to form a bouquet ! And frankly all the other notes only accompany this (absolute) rose to make it perfectly realistic ! It's neither masculine nor feminine, it's just natural and I think this perfume brings a significant touch of elegance and appropriateness to whatever outfit you wear ! I was looking for a dark and spicy rose... but I have no regrets about having finally traveled all this olfactory path to find an incredibly luminous rose in its place !

This smells just like the Le Labo Rose 31 toiletries you get at some hotels. I say this, because I first smelled those toiletries on vacation in a hotel and fell in love. I assumed I must love Rose 31, right? Well, not such luck. I got a sample and found the actual perfume not nearly as satisfying. It has more of a cumin funk and less of the beautiful spiced soapy rose I fell for. So I went on a mission to find a fragrance that actually smells like those toiletries I fell in love with - I tried Rosa Arcana (not close at all!) and Smyrna. Smyrna hit the nail right on the head. It's so satisfying. Not too rosy, not too spicy (perfect balance), not funky at all, and a touch of soapy drydown (which I love!). I will say that while Rose 31 is more unisex, this leans a touch more feminine. Long story short: if you love Rose 31 scented soap, you will love this.

The child of a Loukoum and 'Attendre & Espérer' by Frapin. Smyrna is a delightful citrusy rose, leaning a bit tangy, encapsulated by the smokiness of the presented black pepper. One of my rare blind buys that turned into a bliss. Not sweet, not cloying, it just sits perfectly on skin. I have been on the Rose scents train for a while now and this is up there with The Duke by Penhaligon's and Radical Rose by Matiere Premiere. Simply stunning. I envision a fully suited man or a woman in a stunning dress doing their day to day chores. It can be felt but doesn't fill the entire room and stays more sophisticated and classy. It was absolutely worth it and can be worn in any weather. Rating: 9.5/10; Edit: Projection is well over 10 hours, strong for the first 5-6.

This is my second wearing today, and oh my, is this stuff smooth, uplifting and divine. I never thought I'd like a rose-based scent, but Smyrna is so well balanced with spices and woods that I'm very happy with it. To my nose, the creamy rose is always in the mix, but pepper, cardamom, vetiver and resinous woods play around it and add depth to the scent and keep it interesting throughout the drydown. There is also a fresh and sweet citrus note in the opening, but it fades quickly. Overall longevity is pretty good, 5-7 hrs on my skin. For cool and cold times of year, this a high quality and versatile juice for any occasion. It's not loud at all and doesn't draw too much attention to it, but you can enjoy its beautiful presence throughout the day. :)

OMG! I discovered this perfume online while doing a search on rose scents. It was on offer somewhere so I di a blind buy. to be honest I thought I would sell it on and I just couldn't resist opening the box. The packaging is amazing. the spray motion is enjoyable. the bottle sits well in my little hand. I have a 100ml bottle . And the scent itself, I have fallen is love. It's mysterious and deep but comforting and slightly edgy. I am only 5ft3 but I feel 6ft tall wearing it . I imagine a cloaked noble woman walking under the arches of a cloître, silent but whose presence is felt before she appears. it is pure magic !

While it lacks the sharpness of a real rose, it delivers an authentic feel in a brilliant way. Well-blended with respect to each ingredient and delivering a wonderful combination that serves to highlight the rose. Is it realistic? Almost. Is it a turkish delight like some people have said in the comments? Absolutely not. If looking for a scent that provides comfort and a unique approach to an authentic and wonderful rose, this one's it. It's not sweet nor spreading all around you like most rose perfumes I've tried. Instead it's a pleasant and wholesome experience.

Absolutely stunning perfume. Warm and spicy, I would say more feminine but it can work on a guy too probably. One of the most beautiful rose scents I’ve smelled. I blind bought 3 different scents from this line (on sale)- Smyrna, Anori and Solano. Anori is nice but pretty mediocre, smells very natural though. Solano is too sickly sweet, not my type of perfume at all, headache inducing. Smyrna is just Wow, wearing it now during winter and love every second of it. Will buy more when on sale again.

Initially I get a short blast of citrus followed by many hours of sweet, juicy plump roses. (Not sickly, luckily) The dry down is slightly dusty powdery. My skin amplifies the rose so I don't get much spice. But after spraying my shirt I get gentle wafts of spicy pepper tangled with rose. It smells smooth, cheerful and comforting. FBW. This fragrance works really well for layering. It smells so exciting with Comme des Garcons, Blackpepper. It becomes a Peppery Rosy Smoky Woody explosion!

Immediate love, this is a beauty!. Similar to ‘Rose Muscade’, actually...they could be sisters 👯♀️ Although Rose Muscade wins on longevity, sillage and complexity, both win on quality of fragrance. Smyrna is absolutely gorgeous... from the mysterious looking box and bottle that contains it, to the addictive scent of damascena rose and black pepper that become alive with the first spritz. I absolutely love it 🌹♥️

This is a red rose, with steams, leaves and thorns. It’s spicy, romantic and oooh so dark. It’s not heavy or cloying, it’s a deep darkness, like finding roses in a forest during wolf hour. I imagine this is how Morticia Addams would smell. I’m getting prominent roses on a bed of cardamom and wood. Very well blended and mature.

Usually, I'm not drawn to rose scents but this guy here is absolutely divine. It is not crisp or overly rosy but more creamy, buttery and resinous. I don't think is similar to Rose from Le Labo in any way. Actually, it is one of a kind. And decently priced which is becoming rare in the niche perfume world. Beautiful stuff!

Fall has just arrived, we have the most beautiful Indian Summer here in the Netherlands, and Smyrna is simply perfect to wear now. Smoky rose with black pepper twist on nice wood base combined with vetiver. I'm in love.🖤 Feels like walking through Autumn fields with morning fog enveloping the gentle hills of heather.

I can detect the cardamom and the cedar (woody notes)... but where is the rose?? I tried layering it with a rose centered fragrance but even then the strong dry woodiness of Smyrna overpowered the rose to my nose.

I am a true fan of turkish natural rose oils, and Smyrna reminds me of lokoum the turkish delight. This is heaven sent believe me, i love the sillage which smells sugared musky rose

very peppery rose, fresh spicy and yet floral. as someone mentioned below it smells like rose flavoured lokum, which sometimes has a slight minty or herby smell.

Beautiful scent! I am happy rose is not too loud here. If you live in UK and want to get a free sample, just drop me a message. 100mls for my is too much! ;)

very similar to le labo rose 31. it’s basically a dupe but it’s better than rose 31 and it has much better longevity. and it’s way cheaper 👌🏻🌹

Loukoum. For those who know this mediterranean delight, they will understand why it was names as Smyrna. Sweet, delicate loukoum

Looking to sell my bottle, few sprays missing. UK shipping only

Smyrna begins with a blast of spicy and woody pepper, it softens and blooms into a full petalled rose almost immediately. The image it conjures is of a full red rose with the petals edged in finely ground pepper and the pepper has a dusty dry spiciness, sliiiightly powdery. The fragrance feels 'round' as in smooth with the dominant notes of pepper, rose, spice and wood all blending harmoniously, nothing sharp. As it develops, the rose becomes cleaner, the citrusy bergamot shows up, and combined with the slight powder begins to smell slightly soapy, now the citrus is a little sharp. I dislike soapy scents intensely, however it is subtle and elegant here. When the soap is at its most prominent, is my least favorite phase of Smyrna. The aesthetic of this scent is elegant combined with sensual because I feel very feminine with it in an enticing way. (Not to say a man couldn't wear this, definitely unisex.) I like 80% of this fragrance; it has a lot going for it including the quality ingredients of Le Couvent. However, it does read as soap to me and therefore it's a like and not a love, were the soap and the bergamot to be replaced with something creamy and soft like sandalwood or a non-sweet vanilla, I think it would be amazing. Further in the drydown, it eases off the soap and rose (still present though) but becomes more citrus, and in its final evolution, it is a faint, rose and wood with some faint creaminess and powder, very pleasant. My husband complimented me mid-scent journey with 'You smell really good' which I always appreciate. If you like rose with pepper and wood and don't mind soap, I definitely recommend.

This is red rose with black pepper, both top quality. There you have it. You've now smelled Smyrna. Rose always smells feminine to me, here too, but I do like rose. The pepper is fiery. Wife says Smyrna smells manly on my skin. Happy me. The real base notes, as per Le Couvent's own website, are Sandalwood and Cedar. This will dry down to a slightly woodier scent with the cedar. Smyrna seems to have taken over as my rose perfume from Declaration d'Un Soir. The Cartier is similar to this, but is more of a fresh Pink rose, has that iffy cheese smell of caraway early on, and dries down to powdery. A simple straight-forward scent like Le Couvent's usually are, Smyrna is remarkably versatile. It works in any season, any time of the day, but calls for a collared shirt. (Or whatever the equivalent is for women.) Note de tête : Bergamote Note de cœur : Absolu de Rose & Poivre Noir Note de fond : Santal & Cèdre

Santorini in a bottle for me. As a few people have mentioned, it’s basically Greek loukoum/ Turkish delight, which I consumed excessively while on holiday in Santorini much to my husbands disgust lol. Not like the fragrance is super sweet or anything. I think its the rose oil they use in the dessert. So delicate and fresh but somehow mouthwatering. It’s not a jammy rose scent, but more of a simple fresh classy rose.As a rose fragrance lover, this is simplicity at its best if you ask me. I had Rose 31 and I can see the similarities but wouldn’t say they are the same.

A serious dupe for Rose 31 (I wish I had bought it before I bought 31 - would’ve saved a fortune!) I’m astounded there isn’t a patent infringement lawsuit pending here... this one has a bit more cardamom on the opening (just a touch too much) and just a dash more pepper than 31. On all fronts an excellent, high-quality stunner from a fantastic house. A soft and dusty and slightly spicy beauty. After having owned this for a few months: i choose it over Rose 31 every time (the pepper makes it so interesting!); and it might be my favorite fragrance of all time!

Gorgeous rose scent. It's fresh, green and floral, ever so slightly creamy, and smells very clean and natural. Smells like those big, thick, silky, expensive, deep red roses. The spicy undertones make it feel like you can also smell the freshly cut green stem. A great thing about this scent is that it is amazingly long-lasting, several hours into the drydown it still smells of fresh rose. The pepper note does get a bit more prominent in the drydown, making the scent a bit more woody, but the crisp rose remains throughout.

I was looking for a mysterious rose fragrance. Smyrna was nice and had potential until the super soapy dry-down on my skin which put me off. Might try again to see if it performs differently.

A nice spicy rose scent with a big gust of hot breath from someone who doesn't clean their teeth enough. Or their tongue 🤢

Very peppery, beautiful bright rose. Green grass and green trees and bushes in sunny but cool summer. Totally unisex, if not even more suitable for men, in my opinion. I will let my man try this, and see if he likes it! I bought this and Perles de Lalique at the same time, and for me they are both too cold to wear alone. Today I layer it with Reminiscence Heliotrope (Les Notes Gourmandes) to get through the day with a warmer feeling.

Black pepper soft rose woody musk A very to-the-point composition. Spicy embellishments with citric elements over a big rose accord based around patchouli and hefty laundry musks in the base ring throughout the 4-5 hours wear. After the initial embellishments disappear (45 mins or so) it turn somewhat bland but still pleasant rosy floral musk. There is something satisfying about the soft, pillow-like powdery rose accord, but it soon collapses onto itself. PS Comparing this to Rose 31 is similar to those people comparing Sycamore to Encre Noire. Yes the core aromachemical structure (rosy musks in this case) is similar enough to resemble each other but all of the detail, texture, blending or artistic concept is different. Its like looking at two different bedrooms, going straight to the large wardrobe in the center of both rooms and claiming they are identical rooms because both contain the same large ikea cupboard. Details often make a big difference.

If you're buying this one as a replacement for Rose 31 then you're be disappointed. Both fragrance share the powdery spicy rose theme but the similarity ends there. This one is a pepper centric scent with a little rose thrown in on a bed of soft powder that feels like musk or unsweetened vanilla. Beautiful, spicy but soft and smooth. Quite comforting to wear but I wish the rose note is stronger. Rose 31 shares the similar treatment of the powdery musky undertone and that's the only similarity. Rose 31 is much more spicy and woody. It is much greener, sharper with lots of cumming (but not off putting or sweaty smelling) and the rose is very clear too. Disclaimer: My Rose 31 is purchased many years ago, so not sure if Rose 31 is now reformulated and smell like this one. But base on comparing Smyrna and my Rose 31, the 2 share less similarity than ...say... Rose 31 and Amouage Fate Man (if you add a rose note into Fate Man).

This is an aromatic and woody rose. It begins with dry aromatic notes of vetiver and what smells like eucalyptus mixed with herbs. This gives the impression of walking through highland forests, but it is not earthy or dirty. Rather it smells cool and reflective. This very soon gives way to a red rose note that gradually becomes more intense and sweet, although never heavy or jammy. The coolness of the opening swells to become a full blooming, smouldering rose accord which persists for several hours. It gradually becomes more woody and musky in the drydown but the rose is always there. Just beautiful.

This is one big, freshly bloomed red rose. Natural and realistic, green in soothing non-screechy way. There’s blast of pepper of course, a bit of earthiness from vetiver but a well balanced, refreshing rose smell is dominant. Such an uplifting smell, and I can detect neither syrupy rose-jam nor bathroom freshener rose notes (as it often happens with rose compositions). Win. Definitely unisex.

Opens up with a fresh mint sweet feel and then I'm greeted with fresh smokey cool log fire note. Normally log fire scents have a very smokey and warm quality but this is very fresh like that you find in eucalyptus. I'm wearing this as it shows outside and it feels like the right fragrance for today. As I sniff my wrist it smells like a spearmint chewing gum with chips of burning sweet wood.

If I liked roses, I would probably adore this perfume. As a no-rose fan, I still appreciate it. It feels very elegant and pure. Inoffensive, safe office aroma but still intriguing. The touch that makes it attractive to my taste is the black pepper - a wonderful counterbalance for the powerful rose notes.

One of my fell in love perfumes. This scent took me to the oriental world by only one spray pushing. Rose scent of SMYRNA is not sweet photorealistic/sweet kind, maybe a little metallic for some but very fresh, aromatic, wild and sensational. Also wonderful to layer with other perfumes.

Don't smell nothing like Rose 31. I see is as more feminine than masculine, even though is unisex fragrance.

I’m a bit dissapointed. This scent is tuberose on my skin. Similar to Truth or Dare by Madonna.