Marni

I tried Marni Rose yesterday and immediately ordered a bottle...then tried the original version today and did the same. Both are precisely what my nose (and body and mind) loves. Earthy deep rose and patchouli, pepper, incense, cedarwood. Marni is a spicy, earthy, modern oriental that magically remains light and wearable, even in the daytime. Something that is so hard to come by. I am a huge oriental and balsamic fragrance fan and so many of them are too heavy for day wear (though I wear them anyway) but it is heaven on earth to finally find a light version of what I love that can be worn day or night, any time of the year and for any occasion. The Rose version is extremely similar (same base) but with a hefty dose of deep rose oil and it is slightly sweeter and a bit more feminine. I can not decide which version I love the most...so I had to have both. To me, Marni is a sexy unisex fragrance. Not at all mainstream and could scare the sugar, flowers and bows crowd who may be expecting more of a crowd pleaser from a debut designer fragrance. But it is right up my scent alley. Edit: I received my FB and I must say I am very disappointed in the quality of the bottle/nozzle/cap. Good grief. For $100 plus, the cap is an embarrassment to the company. It is ultra cheap plastic, lightweight and tiny, like something from the drug store. It is so cheap and yucky that I don't even want to keep it. The cap is so hard to pull off that it went flying across the room. I am used to much better quality than this and the terribly cheap presentation ruins it for me. I returned it and bought a bunch of samples instead because I do very much enjoy the fragrance.

I've always been a bit ambivalent about the scent of roses. Being a tomboy growing up, I always associated it with an intense femininity that never really suited my personality. Add to that the fact that I associated intense femininity with a) the prissy, pink-loving Mean Girls who tortured me growing up and later b) the older men who would hit on me as a 14 year-old whenever I dressed up or wore makeup, and you develop a dislike for "girly" florals like daisies or roses. With roses, it has to have a bit of a grounded and earthy edge underlying it, like leather in Kelly Caleche or patchouli in Coco Noir, to get me to appreciate the flower - cue the supporting cast of patchouli, amber, spice, aromatic woods... And with that you get someone who fell for this as soon as she heard the notes. Cedar, cardamom, vetiver and patchouli - and oh, yeah, some intense roses mixed in, to show that she's still a girl, but one with some deep roots. Lucky for me when I finally tried a sample the cardamom and cedar really came through on my skin, yet because of the rose and prominent bergamot it didn't have the "too heavy for summer" pitfall I usually find with the fragrances I go for typically. This is a perfect summer scent for someone into heavy spice and orientals, but who doesn't want to suffocate people on the Metro when the AC is broken in 90-degree heat. This is my kind of rose, and a definite must-have on my list this spring and summer.

I got a sample of this today at Saks: I really enjoyed the fragrance on the test strip, so went for a skin sample. The first hour was not my favorite part. Even though there seem to be no fruity notes, I got a sweetness reminiscent of over-ripe peaches; i did not get rose on the floral notes, but rather an undertone of white flowers...the development brought a nice, easy spicy note, not overwhelming, and not too sweet. The woodsy notes become more prominent, and these last quite well. After the initial burst, the fragrance has minimal sillage, and the lasting power is good (6hrs+). Will try the sample again; I don't think it will lead to a FB purchase for me. UPDATE: Tried the sample several more times....and found it more and more interesting while being intensely wearable just about anywhere. The spicy notes were warm and yet light, and I loved the overall lightness of the fragrance. Went back and bought a bottle. I have received compliments on it, and asked what I was wearing.

I find this one full of contradictions and not at all easy to describe. It starts fresh and somewhat citrusy. It's light but with a lot going on underneath. Its easy to dismiss this at first as a light airy floral scent but the longer its on, the more the incense and spices come out, while still being light and transparent. Overall its runs a tad sweet and I'd say the rose note is more floral than rosey. But describing this as a spicy/floral scent doesn't really do this justice either. I'describe this more as an evasive clean woody scent with a hint of spice. I feel a guy can pull this off, it has an modern edge to it and not super obvious. At the end of the day, I like this but can't put my finger on why exactly. Definitely takes some wearing to get use to. Proceed with an open mind. (As a side note I like Marni Rose better. The added rose note kicks thing up a bit more and gives it more bite and surprisingly more of a unisex vibe)

This starts with a refreshing gingery rose, but the rose is subdued, just as much as the ginger. There's something about it that's a bit masculine, like a cologne. I didn't give it much thought other than the fact that it was fresh and pretty at first...and I kept sniffing the paper strip I sprayed it on. Later, I asked for a sample and tried it out on my wrist. This becomes a sophisticated spicy rose in the drydown, but never heavy. It reminds me of Lady Vengeance from JHAG, but without the vanilla, less sweet, and more ethereal, a bit like Prada's L'eau Ambree. It doesn't create a lot of sillage on me and wears closely. I hope they create an intense version of this, because as unique as I find it, I'd love it if it was less of a wallflower. It's a perfect summer to fall perfume, but I need something heftier during Winter. That said, I'm incrediblely happy to find something that's not part of the trend in the market these days.

I tried this scent on at the Marni store and say what!?!?!? I LOVE this scent! First, I love the bottle - it brightens up my vanity tray with the red cap and the polka dots. Who doesn't like polka dots? Red rules! Anyway, back to the scent. I was looking for a warm/woodsy/spicey/floral fragrance, and this one is IT. It is not overpowering with the woodsy/spice notes. The rose tames it down. You can wear this all year round. It makes me feel happy and people ask me what I am wearing because it is so nice. I wish it would last longer than it does, but after 6 hrs., I am still able to faintly smell it. I am thinking of mixing it with Molecule 01 - another FAVORITE and see what happens. I will keep you posted. I am looking forward to trying out the new Hermes scent. PEACE!

I really liked this mostly rose perfume. I was very surprised that it reminded me of the drydown of Briar Rose by Ineke, a discontinued perfume that smells like rose confiture, slightly sweet and velvety/creamy. I smell more cardamom in this perfume than any other spice--love that! This is not a rose sillage-bomb, it's fairly light, but I think that is nice for a perfume like this. Not too heavy, yet warm enough for cool weather. If you loved Brian Rose and never got to own a bottle, this is close enough. I might even like this better, as it lacks the medicinal opening of Briar Rose. I got 2 manufacturer's samples, and I was going to give one away. Not anymore, they are both mine! A very beautiful spicy rose!

One of my favorite rose scents, where the rose is subdued by what surrounds it: dry spices with patchouli and vetiver in the base. Incense is here from beginning to the end. This is an informal, “dressed down” rose, and I can wear this in all seasons except in the heat of the summer. Some of my favorite perfumes are made by Daniela Andrier, and when she has a hit with me, it’s usually out of the ballpark. Prada Infusion d’Iris, ELDO Une Amourette Roland Mouret, and Guerlain Angélique Noire are beloved in my collection. Marni is also a rose that leans masculine, probably because of the vetiver. Men can wear this scent. My little splash bottle will need to replaced by a much bigger Marni soon.

What a surprise! Marni is a delight. It begins with rose and incense, mixed with a splash of bergamot and maybe cardamom. It is powerful, but not heavy. As it wears, the rose becomes stronger and seems to sweeten. I can't quite figure out what to attribute the sweetness to, but I keep catching it in pleasant wafts. I'm hooked. It becomes a skin scent fairly quickly, and seems to last about 5 hours. By no means a fragrance that goes the distance in terms of longevity, but I'm reasonably satisfied. The scent is so lovely that I can forgive a moderate exit.

I remember really liking this when it was launched and being surprised because Estée Lauder had the license. I didn’t buy it then but later found a bottle discounted and it was so worth it. Very pepper with rose coming out later and cardamom closing it out but REALLY pepper at first. The rose is more of a suggestion at the back of the spices. I feel like this is a good scent for fall and cool weather. I always thought it was a unique scent, at last for the time it was launched, and kinda edgy for Lauder.

The reason that I am so glad that I have Marni in my wardrobe is that when I can't decide... incense, patchouli, spices, floral... Marni gives me a bit of all of these notes. And does it well. She is a very pretty scent, and can be worn easily anywhere. A good go to when I want something interesting that doesn't fumigate the area like some of my other favorite incense/patchouli fragrances do. Oh, yes, I covet the "Marni Huggy Doll Purse Spray"!!

Cedar and spice dominate this lovely daytime concoction. I think of tailored wool peacoats, perfect bobbed hair, and sipping Earl Gray tea when I smell this perfume. The longevity and silage are perfectly moderate. The wood and warmth in the scent is very comforting and classy as hell. I've had this one for several years now, and I have never tired of it. It is above average all around. Composition 8/10 Longevity 8/10 Overall experience 8/10

Gorgeous incense and spiciness with a rose peeking in from side to side. This is what I feel when I wear this fragrance. It is a beautiful blend, I really can't pick out any distinct notes except what I just wrote above. This scent gets a lot of people asking me "what are you wearing, you smell good?". I love the precious bottle also, with its cute red cap and polka dots. I wish it had a little more staying power. That's my only complaint.

First spray has the masculine notes that I've seen in some of the reviews, but quickly turns into a somewhat sweet smokey scent that I am now in love with. As it dries down I smell a comfortable "dirty rose" incense, that makes me feel fresh and sexy at the same time. The scent lingers close to the skin, I keep sniffing my wrist to get more. This 5ml sample I have will not last long, I need a jug of it. :)

There's a dirty/rose dynamic and an even more impressive balmy/smoky thing going on - it's terrific! I agree with others: the packaging is somehow completely wrong and misleading for this scent. It's a heavenly balmy, and yes, a touch of Noxzema. It fades pretty fast, though. I bet this will be a hot seller this fall. Would go great with a leather jacket on those first days with a chill in the air.

I really, really like this, I wanted a rose perfume that wasn't too "rosy" if you know what I mean? I'm also a sucker for insence and patchouli so this ticks all the right boxes for me.It is a lovely woody,insence fragrance which the rose does not dominate like it can do and although a little pricy at £49.99 for 30ml it has been in my case very worth it indeed :)

Selling my 65/60ml bottle in Europe :) it is a lovely spicy scent but I have plenty. This is a spice bomb! Interesting, intense, deep, great sillage and longevity. On its own it might be a bit more unisex/masculine so I would layer it with either a vanilla scent or something like Khamrah.

Like atomised Bordeaux and patchouli. On a night out it soon grows tired of its opening elegance and begs to be married to a leather jacket and a cigarette or two. Smells better after sex. All time favorite.

I get a very toned down (unsweetened) Jimmy Choo, with amped up spices and lots of wood, when I wear this. Very smooth and chic, I wish it lasted longer on skin. The bottle is fab and unique.

spicy unique beast! Cardamom forward, spices, patchouli, hint of rose. So utterly sexy and wonderful. I detect pepper in the top and a myrrh cola note in the base