Muse de Rochas

I find this scent to be beautiful. It's the first and only one I've tried from this perfume house. For me it has a bit of a split personality in that it begins slightly fruity, slightly green but mostly clean and soapy with a powder/dusty,salty sweetness as in Lolita Lempicka, like ChypreAnn mentioned. As it dries down, the sandalwood becomes extremely apparent on my skin. I wonder if that's why one of the reviews likened it to Samsara. The sandalwood in this reminds me of Estee Lauder Sensuous but Muse de Rochas is much sweeter and more feminine..while Sensuous takes on a more sappy, resinous vibe.Muse de Rochas manages to pull off sweet-fresh-clean and sultry-woody at the same time.Sure....I also found it at a bargain price at TJMaxx....but I wouldn't discredit it because of that....it's very nice and worth the money in my opinion. Initially I bought a bottle for myself and then went back to buy a bottle for my 20 year old step-daughter for Christmas. I'm hoping it will be just what she craves...as she is trying to transition into wearing more "grown-up" fragrances. I think this one might satisfy that requirement as it retains the sweetness of youth yet also offers a certain edginess found in the bizarre combo of notes and the spicy-woody-musky base. I can't say that the banana leaf ever really stood out but then again I can't say that I have ever smelled a banana leaf to know what one smells like. I'm guessing it lends to that fresh, green (slightly bitter) quality. I'm looking forward to smelling more from Rochas!

There's Rochas DNA here. I got a waft of Femme when I wore this yesterday and started to sweat while doing housework (is that the bergamot, peach and cinnamon?) This is nice. Low sillage, decent longevity. Banana is more noticeable if you spray with gusto. Smells artistic, I think the name Muse is befitting. As is the purple bottle. Kinda lets you know you're about to smell something weird but appealing. Note: I sampled Perry Ellis 360 Purple and did not think it was very similar. 360 Purple was much less tropical smelling, much more floral and musky. Update: Upgraded from "like" to "love." The more I wear Muse, the more I adore it! The banana leaf note weaves in and out, and the tropical notes play so nicely with the musk and amber. It has so much of what I love in a fragrance--green notes, orange flower, peach, and amber-- and is really perfect for hot weather. I appreciate how it's tropical without coconut, so it smells beachy but not like tanning oil. I'd love more sillage, but because it doesn't scream loudly, it's a perfect scent for work. It lifts my mood but won't disturb my coworkers (who seem to get migraines from EVERYTHING.) For the price, I don't mind having to spray a lot, those sprays DO last all day, although I get sad every time I see the fill line getting lower and lower...

I am so thrilled to have found this beauty blind at Marshalls for $14.99 per 1.6 oz. Just gorgeous! It is a fruity floral but divine and sophisticated, not Kool-Aid or cheap body spray. I can smell each of the listed notes and I can also detect violet like some other reviewers, although it is not listed. It smells like the fanciest candy or perhaps a delicious fruity cocktail made with fresh juices and top shelf liqour. I didn't really know what to expect, but Rochas rang a bell, it is an EDP, and made in France. I'm starting to notice that french manufacture at least gives an indication of quality, like french wine, cosmetics or lingerie. Those French know a thing or two about the feminine arts. The bottle is really gorgeous, with smokey purple glass and an almost heart shape. The cap is well crafted and snaps into place firmly. The outside of the box is basic but it is lined in violet lace print on a white background. It says "Une Muse sommeille en chaque Femme" just inside the box top, which google translates to "a muse lives inside every woman." Isn't that lovely? I'm starting to feel quite talented at blind buys, but I could never do it without Fragrantica! It's quite a thrill to pick a gem out of a cluster of celeb frags and outdated fashion house throwaways. I'm a happy lady!

Sometimes we blame a house for not performing to our standards. We expect every perfume they produce to be at some invisible standard we have set for them and if their newest creation has not towed this line, all hell breaks loose. I have read negativity posed at Muse and I don't know why. It's a delightful little oriental floral that sits close to the skin after it drys down. It eventually becomes a woody vanilla with a light musk dancing with swirls of resin. It's a surprise perfume because its beginning is nothing like its ending and I like that. It sits close to the skin making it perfect for a variety of uses, the office, close encounters, small spaces...you can figure this one out. There is a definitive powdery finish which is quite nice when the florals come back out to announce themselves. Sometimes I just want a perfume that's demure, dainty, coy and exquisite in its presentation and Muse fits this bill. It lasts quite a few hours happily for me and the bottle fits heftily in my hand. It's a beautiful dark lilac color with a metallic cap, no plastic and gold lettering on the front. Yes, sometimes I do want a feminine perfume that speaks of gentleness, not weakness. Muse de Rochas sustains a number of these qualities.

Lightly, delicately, perfectly divine. I usually favor the dark, spicy, mysterious, smoky orientals and powerhouse vintage fragrances, but this blend is a rare and special exception. It is poetry. Rochas is a true master. Gently sweet and soft but mesmerizingly gorgeous, it smells more expensive that it is. I smell the most beautiful florals mixed with rain and fine sandalwood blended with a lovely musk. This is a wedding day scent; a naked honeymoon smell. Of all the "nudes" going on right now, I choose Rochas Muse as The Perfect Nude. Other than a wedding, this scent brings the imagery of a lovely nude woman in repose while her artist lover paints her laying across their passion bed with a window of rainy rivulets as the background. The perfect light sweetness with a hint of peachy tart, sheer, perfectly blended, nothing too sharp, sour or sticking out, no fruit punch or candied pralines (Thank you, Rochas!) I think of fine ivory satin and French lace in a not-so-innocent way when I smell this. I usually do novels for reviews. I won't bore you to tears with this one because it is just simply beautiful, purely classic yet unique... and the name is perfectly fitting. Muse. Yes, Muse! :)

Soft, subtle, good for the office and professional settings, unobtrusive but noticeable. Mango and peach are well paired with a citrus that keeps it from becoming too sweet. The white florals are soft and sweet, and play well with the fruit. Musky, but more strongly vanilla, with a distinct amber note in the drydown. It is as different from Femme Rochas as possible; about the same "distance" as Eclat d’Arpège is from Arpege. Nonetheless, this on me is a soft fruity floral with a long, lovely drydown. I wear it to work quite often. Not a lot of compliments, since this wears very close, but very enthusiastic responses from those who manage to get a whiff. A little powdery violets on drydown, but mostly the florals are bright, white and sweet. Projection virtually nonexistent, longevity 5 or 6 hours, no silage to speak of.

It has taken me several weeks to be able to talk about Muse de Rochas as I am so frustrated that it is one of those rare perfumes that you occasionally find that you cannot smell on yourself shortly after applying ! I cannot even rate the notes other than the banana leaf as within a few minutes I just cannot smell them to pick them out,and can only detect the faintest whiff if I breathe on my wrists,whereas others can smell it on me ! All I do know is that this is a lovely,original perfume which reminds me a little of the original Lumiere which I loved,but then it's gone. A very dissapointing experience for me as I was so looking forward to receiving it and it wasn't cheap, but I still love it and will wear it, I'm just sad that I am not able to enjoy it properly .

My first experience with Muse de Rochas was Hmmm...where'd it go? I left it alone for a few days..One night I sprayed some on my neck & cleavage before bedtime and found it develops into the most intimate smell! Wears very close to the skin..not intrusive to others. After 8 hrs I can still smell the heavenly, almost secret scent on myself. Mango and vanilla in the opening, hours later I pick up the banana, so unique. I wear it to the office often! The only thing I would suggest is that you give it a try before buying, my daughter's chemistry only lasted about 30 minutes. So, that being said, Muse either loves you or leaves you! If this didn't work for you and you'd like to swap, please PM me!

Beautiful. I normally prefer bolder scents with at least a moderate projection. This is a gorgeous exception. The opening is interesting, fresh and green, most likely the banana leaf. The dry down is just stunning. It wears very close to the skin, musky, but it doesn't come across as weak at all. I get quite a bit of the cinnamon, vanilla, and sandalwood. The floral notes are very soft and the fruit is delicate, barely there, not overpowering or candy-like at all. Everything about this perfume is soft, subtle, and understated... the complete opposite of most of my favorites but it works. I'm very happy to have Muse de Rochas in my collection.

This a lovely powdery musk that gives the effect of a blurred line between having perfumed skin versus having skin that naturally smells perfumed. This is the latter. When I wear this, I don't get an outward feeling of wearing any perfume--what I get is a silken waft of sweet musk...my own pheromone. Rochas has yet to disappoint me. It is beautifully blended and thankfully not one of those screechy fruit-choulis that continue to captivate a large perfume audience...I admit to not being part of that audience anyway.

I like it very much and I don't get the negative comments. There is nothing in this that might make me think at an average floral fruity. I think the cinnamon gives a nice spicey touch to the perfumes heart and makes it really suited for cozy, intimate moments. I tested 4 times already and staying power is very good also. I want it and thinking of adding this to my list.

Took a chance on set of this fragrance and lotion that I found at Marshalls a couple of years ago and so very glad that I did. To me it's soft, feminine and romantic. Combined with the lotion it's divine. This will be a staple in my collection of must haves fragrances...simply put, it's lovely.

I love this. It's subtle but yet present... I think I smell more the air behind me in my silage, than I smell it on me. I don't feel the sweet fruit... It's more a softness. It's elegant and discrete. At a point the dry down on my skin reminds me of tarragon...

banana leaf and mango... 14 years ahead of its time. Imagine if Rochas released it now!

I have a bottle of this available, PM for details

I get a Caleche vibe from this one, it is extremely cheap at the moment and the stock after checking the batch code is a few years old too. So intrinsically yet a brief reminder and likeness to Hermes Vintage 'Caleche' Truly reminiscent, and there are so many reviews on Caleche, most of these reviews reflecting on what I would like to say on this fragrance anyway, and those vintage fragrances from yesteryear that have a similar vibe. This definitely reminds me of vintage 'Caleche' and other fragrances of that era, and I happen to love Chypres and those of this olfacltory group. Including Lanvin's 'Arpege' EDP, MaGriff, Carvan and Balmain's vintage 'Ivoire' Incidentally Revlon's inexpensive Charlie Blue the new version although the notes are completely different, and dissimilar. I feel Rochas Muse De Rochas harks back to an era where fragrances were statement accroutrements whether feminine or masculine, meant to reflect taste and patron loyalty to the fragrances design house. Most fragrances actually last quite long on me, however I am disappointed to say that the longevity even in the tropics does not last as long on my skin as I would like. Yet being price friendly at the moment it's selling for 10 Australian dollars for a 30 mill flacon, I paid 13 $ for mine, one can re spritz often. The flacon design reminds me of a feminine Haute Couture silhouette. The package has such a vintage vibe and thus clearly providing a fragrance niche for those wanting their beloved fragrances of day's gone by, a little bit of luxury and uniqueness restored. Very impressive. Pity there was only one bottle left, as luck would have it I scored the last one. But in reflection, I would probably not repurchase because of the lack of sillage. This fragrance could easily be unisex too, and that's a non issue for my fine self.

I owe Muse a apology. When I tested it some 20 months ago it was a very cool day in September and I'm assuming my skin was cool as well. It seemed an unremarkable fruity floral, was completely linear and had a "shortgevity" of under an hour. This past winter I was given a gift set by a well-meaning friend so I tried it again. Cold temps + cool skin = same result. But it was a gift so I kept it. Last night I found the bottle while looking for something else and decided to spray my pillowcase and, what the heck, my neck and arms as well. Hmmmm... warm night + warm skin and guess what? Muse took a 180 degree turn and became a satiny smooth sandalwood cloud sweetened with mango and orange blossom! It sprayed on my skin with an oily sheen and I could still detect it this morning on myself and my pillowcase. I applied it again after a shower this afternoon and can detect the faintest hints of cinnamon and musk under the blend of sandalwood, mango & orange blossom I picked up on last night. I'm 4 hours in and it's still going strong, as if I applied it just moments ago. Rochas Muse is truly a very, very pretty oriental fragrance and I say with all humility, "I was wrong." Now, about banana leaf... Really? Has anyone here who says it's detectable actually smelled banana leaf? I'd like to but my passport has expired so no weekend jaunt to a banana republic is on my immediate agenda. I suspect banana leaf is a "phantom ingredient" tossed into lists of notes just to add an aura of mystery. After all, who can say for sure? :)

Having a respect for the house of Rochas and out of my love for Madame Rochas, I took a chance on Muse and it has worked out extremely well. It really is a beautiful perfume. Serene and sophisticated, with a touch of luxury. The first spray of Muse gave me a flash-back to 1989 and the release of Samsara. That beautiful sandalwood is what I enjoy the most about this fragrance. I was glad to read that it reminds others of Samsara as well. The banana leaf is there in the top notes, which is a bit of fun. Then I smell green mango, perhaps slightly under-ripe and a little 'fizzy'. The base notes reveal themselves quite early in the wearing. Sandalwood, powdery musk and cinnamon provide a lovely balanced warm base which purrs along for hours. I don't find it to be strong, yet it leaves a soft trail. I wear it often to work (one spray distributed across both wrists) and frequently receive compliments on it. With one spray I can smell it easily for hours after I have applied it and it stays on clothing for days.

This is a very soft, gentle muted powdery floral musk. It is not fruity or green. It is barely there and nice. Cozy like the smell of fabric softener left on a blanket in the closet. Mainly white musk really. It leans slightly aquatic. Like a faded powdery Reveal with less salt and more white musk. I doused myself in this and can hardly smell it after about 10 minutes. Just the trail if I run my nose along my arm.

I was excited to find a 30 ml of this perfume at TJ Maxx for $9.99. This is a mellow, pretty scent; I can smell the banana leaf, but it's definitely not banana-pudding-like; it's sweet in the same way that Lolita Lempicka is. It smells much more expensive than it is, and I'm very happy with this purchase. True, it's one that needs to be reapplied frequently, but at this price, that's not a problem.