Sa Majeste la Rose

God I love this... It’s my favourite pure rose soliflore. A very solid pure and concentrated slightly honeyered rose with great throw and longevity. To me this is not really green it is just simply the essence of rose flower. I have several different rose absolutes at different concentrations and I add them to my skincare products for its treatment properties and occasionally make my own natural perfumes with it. This is not precisely like rose absolute but it has more in common with rose absolute than any other rose soliflore I have tried. If you’ve ever smelled rose absolute (which is solvent extracted) AND Rose Otto (attar of roses, derived from steam distillation), the door profile is different... Rose Otto is less true to the fresh rose flower - it’s rosey odor is slightly more muted and has a sort of nutty characteristic as well as a kind of damp plant matter note that is pleasant but it’s not a « fresh » green scent more like a few green. The rose absolute on the other hand is a sort of spicy and much more honeyed rosey scent. Sa majesté la rose is much more like rose absolute than. Rose otto - Lutens had managed to capture the extremely subtle spice and smooth creamy honeyed quality of the absolute. I’ve dabbed on pure rose absolute (which you’re not supposed to do but I was experimenting to see how long it would last). Even in its pure form the pure absolute had no lasting power or projection so that is one of the truly wonderful things about this perfume - it’s very close to pure rose concentrate but it has the projection and lasting power of an extremely well crafted perfume. The Guaic wood works perfectly in this fragrance - it subtly anchors the rose and lends additional depth and smoothness without stealing the show. In my opinion this deceptively simple concept - the rose soliflore - is one of the most difficult things to do very very well for perfumers. To my nose - this is the very best rose soliflore. It’s like a concentrated rose flower essence that’s true to the natural ingredients with a little artfulness and it performs like a powerhouse. It is closely followed, in my estimation, by Annick Goutal’s Rose Absolue. I’ve often seen this compared with Jo Malone Red Roses and it’s true that they are quite similar insofar as it’s straight rose with nothing distracting from the rose - as in the other notes are There to highlight various aspects of the Rose aroma and not to distract from it - but for me Red Roses doesn’t hold a candle to this perfume. You have to like the idea of a very straight rose scent though - if you’re looking for anything else this is not for you but if you want a potent loveley and true rose flower than you must try this. As a side note: I also often see this compared to La Fille de Berlin and to me the only thing he’d two fragrances have in common is that they feature some rose and were both created by Serge Lutens. Otherwise I don’t see how the two have much in common - to my nose La Fille de Berlin is so different - it does have a kind of jammy rose that has a kind of wine like quality with a grape kind of edge but the rose is - to my nose - at least equally met by potent amounts of pepper, some spices and heavy musks that smell masculine to my nose... I feel like La Fille de Berlin is different but comparable in its overall effect to Amouage Lyric... Rose plays an important role but it’s not the star of the show that it is in Sa Majesté...

Another creation of Christopher Sheldrake, Sa Majesté La Rose was released in 2000 as another tribute from Serge Lutens to roses, which he admires a lot. This time, the flower explored was the Moroccan rose that, as its name says, it is cultivated in Morocco (country worshipped by Serge and chosen by him as his residence). Its name means "Her Majesty the Rose" and the fragrance is one of the few inside the House that is marketed as feminine. However, it is another great example of shareable perfume (incidentally, I found it a little more masculine than La Fille de Berlin, at least on my skin). In the composition, Moroccan rose absolute, guaiac wood, cloves, white honey (one of the most valuable in the market because of its sweet content, its purity, and its color), musk, geranium, lychee, vanilla and a touch of Chamomile. When applied on the skin, I must admit that the result pleased me a lot! I still couldn't find a perfume of Roses as wonderful as what I felt in Montale Aoud Purple Roses, but I could wear this one easily. As the name says, the rose reigns alone and the rest is just a castle full of dreams, refinement, and hidden secrets about to become another cinema movie. There's not a lot of evolution and everything revolves around the Queen: the honey gives brightness and sweetness, while the lychee and the geranium give green nuances. The musk complements with a touch of sensuality, but the guaiac wood could be more present. With respect to the notes of cloves and chamomile...well, they must have been used only in the tea served by the monarch, since they are non-existent to my nose. Sa Majesté La Rose isn't one of those surprising fragrances of Serge Lutens but fulfills its role. Also does not have the same projection of the others, however, exudes satisfactorily. The lasting follows the standard quality of the House and the content deceives because it's not pink or red, but yellow. If you enjoy fragrances of roses, here's another name to your wish list.

Not a fresh rose, definitely not a clean rose, not a rose confiture even not so elegant also. That's what I believe. It's a warm rose, too much warm, to be a rose. Traditionally roses are related to youth and freshness whereas this has a dirty musk touch inside with a soapy note which seems to redeem it. But it can't. I love roses and I'm at ease while wearing fragrances with such a component but I'm not so, while wearing 'Sa Majesté'. It makes me feel as if I walked in the street wearing nothing but my frag! So... I can't see it as an innocent rose. I totally disagree (SORRY) also when it is compared to grannies perfumes when the expression "grannies perfumes" stands for old fashioned, harmless, inoffensive, puritan and innocent Eau de Toilette (you can choose between lavender or vervain): no, no, no! Grannies fragrances were much more than this, they were alternative, bold and outrageous especially compared to those of their modern nieces. The latest are overwhelmed (and me among them!) by more or less similar frags, whose ingredients are often disposed in a different order BUT quite always they are almost the same: wether resembling...or...or...or- why-not...or....!?! ..and when a frag is really 'new' it is left aside being not really understood. BUT if it must be compared to grannies frag...according to my personal definition of grannies frags ...yes! it's true - as well as old frags - this is not at all an innocent rose. I adore roses and perfumes on this subject but my bottle containing S.M.l.R. (a frag I like, after all) is almost full! Nothing to say about its persistence, which is remarkably good. Remarkably embarrassing... p.s. If it were a literary work it would be O. Wilde's tale "The Nightingale and the rose".

If you want to feel the purest of roses - this is the perfume for you. The opening is bright and strong, like the roses bouquet tied together and the aroma of unopened blooms is mixed with that of the leaves. Moments later - red roses come out in all their unapologetic and bold beauty. The scent is rich, with great depth and purity like no other. There is no powder or sweetness diluted by other flowers. There are just roses and nothing else. At some point, the honey peeks through, adding a bright and sharp edge to the roses petals. It makes the scent slightly candied and alcoholic, but only a bit. The honey is a backdrop, a tool to open up the beauty of the roses' singularity even further. It does not compete or blend with it, it merely highlights the beauty which is already there. The scent is enveloping, luxurious and unmistakable. You are in the presence and in the hold of Her Majesty the Rose. The perfume sounds different in different temperatures and personally I prefer it in crisper and cooler air, as then the rose is the most realistic and enveloping without being suffocating or overwhelming. You will be noticed when wearing this perfume, the sillage is brilliant and projection near perfect. It stays on for hours and best worn on the open skin of hands and chest. Sa Majeste La Rose is the one that is unapologetically honest, proud and incredibly beautiful. After her - no other rose will ever feel as good.

I am wearing Serge Lutens Sa Majeste La Rose today. When i first sprayed this scent, I was instantly reminded of my rosewater. But that is not it. I thought it was then my Bio-fresh rose cream mixed with Land of Roses rose perfume oil. The tart, green, powdery of my cream matches the fresh opening of SMLR. Meanwhile, the sweet, musky, woodsy rose of the perfume oil has the same vein as the middle notes of SMLR. It starts off as a bunch of pure, white roses cut off with the stem and leaves in-tact. Very fresh, green yet subtlely romantic. At this stage, the projection is going well and strong; people could smell SMLR from two metres away. The middle notes treat SMLR so well, it turns into a sweeter, light pink rose. The lychee is cheerful, while the green notes in the opening disappear. The honey note becomes more prominent mellowed by guaiac wood. The dry down is where the rose is tenderized with animalic musk and a blend of soft, oriental woods. This charming symphony lasts for seven to eight hours on my skin. Sa Majeste La Rose is a masterpiece of an old fashioned rose bush. It does not conform to the modern but rather embraces the past. When I smell this scent I am reminded of a fine spring day sitting on fresh white linen whilst sipping floral green tea, and catching up with dear friends. <3

This is a proper green rose. It is a stunner, and if you love rose scents as much as I do, I can confidently guarantee that you will enjoy this perfume. It is sharp. It is thorny. I can smell the honey (and dare I say, the money?). However, it is ultimately rose, rose, rose. And I am totally here for it! It is in the same vein of L'Ombre Dans L'eau, but this smells fancier and more realistic. It's also quite herbal with a bit of spice. I wear it sparingly because it requires the right kind of audience. It's also extremely expensive and I have heard that Serge Lutens is temporarily halting shipping to the United States, so I've got to make this last. It's appropriate for year-round wear. People will smell you, but it isn't overpowering. Some people might tell you that you "smell like an old woman" or that this perfume is grandmotherly. That is because those types of people associate rose with more antiquated fragrances. I also like to think that those kinds of people lack tact and sophistication, but I'm biased ;). In conclusion, Sa Majeste la Rose is the ultimate queen of fresh rose perfumes. If you are a lover of this type of flowery friend, then you cannot go wrong with this one.

Oh God, I really love Serge Lutens rose. It is indeed what its name implies. Rose is the "diva", the "grande dame", whose entrance in the scene is the whole play. This in not a playful, fresh and cute rose. This is a dramatic, excessive, dominating and expansive rose. This is not rose petals in the light air, this is a deep forest full of roses that some of them are born and and some of them die again and again. The forest has bees full of honey and varied woods and the roses grow among them and give their heavy aroma. Excellent sillage and staying power and a beautiful dry down with a destintive musky vibe that prevents the roses to be rotten at the end. Serge Lutens rose is not for school girls or grand mothers, this is a rose for very self-confident women, who want and will make a statement with their presence. This is a very sedductive rose but not with the traditional meaning of common open sexiness. This rose is imposed upon others and attracts by the power of his reign and self-esteem. This rose doesn't expect of you to like it, it dictates to you to like it.

CharlieRosie's review pretty much sums it up - this perfume really captures the rose essence well. I usually avoid rose perfumes for it's so easy to make one, yet hard to master one. Many modern rose incarnations have a heavy dose of white musk, powder, or sweet note, and the edible, slightly green, chewy waxy texture of rose petals is fundamentally lost in them. In Sa Majeste La Rose this texture is preserved and reinforced by the gentle presence of honey. The cloves add a bit of menthol to freshen the composition up. And of course the pure, unadulterated rose petals smell just like a bouquet of red roses. So so good. This might be one of the most user-friendly Lutens in that every ingredient works in harmony. The only challenging part I can see is the purity of rose as the one and only star of the show. Projection and longevity are both moderate. I got my hands on some old 50mls after noticing they transfer this perfume to the bell jar line. Bell jars are cute but I'd rather pay less for the humble rectangular bottles with equally good juice inside.

My fixation on rose has recently been ignited again (bless me, it hasn't been since high school), and I've been on a streak testing rose perfumes these past few weeks. However, one thing I've noticed is that most roses are either jammy, dewy, spicy, or dense and velvety, none of which can fully win me over. This one, however, is damn close to it. This is a real rose. Simple at first sniff but there are layers to it. Fresh green opening, spicy like the thorny stem itself, dewy but not in a way that feels flat. There's a velvet texture to it, a slight jam from the honey note, basically every well-known interpretations of rose bottled into one perfume. I can see why some says it smells like apples or lychees, there is definitely a resemblance. However it is not juicy at all; as someone who doesn't like juicy accords myself, the honey and musk really tame it down. We'll see if La Fille de Berlin can change my mind, but as of right now this is my favourite rose from the house and possibly on the market, ever.

I bought Sa Majeste la Rose as a blind buy, simply based on reviews I'd read. I recieved my bottle today and I couldn't wait to try it. I sprayed some on me and got a quick whiff of fresh roses. However, on my wrist I could smell something earthy and woody with a handful of dead rose petals thrown in. I was appalled - is this what I wasted almost a hundred euros on?! But I was patient and let it settle. After half an hour all that mess was softened with a dry bulk of honey. Better, but not what I was hoping for. Gradually roses got stronger. Now its been more than an hour since I sprayed SMLR on me and I can smell a beautiful bouquet of roses dipped in liquid honey. Definitely worth the money! --------- EDIT! I've had SMLR for a month now and I'm so, SO in love! This is my new signature. I don't know if it's the fragrance, my chemistry, or my nose that has chanced, but I no longer get the decaying earthy rose. Just a Real bouquet of roses, with a honey touched sweet note as a bonus. <3

Such a crisp rose, like the bite of an apple. I was gifted this beautiful bottle and I treasure it dearly for this reason. But rose isn't my flower. It doesn't sing to me in the way it does for others, which consistently makes me feel like I'm one of the kids on a playground not invited into the game. Regardless, this is a rose I can get behind. It's so straight edged and fresh, sharp and not a bit powdery or diluted. I've tried a couple of rose perfumes at this point, and what distinguishes them is the image they're trying to paint of the romantic flower. Sa Majeste is a sharp lady in a cold climate. One who is over the musky civet, the aldehydic, and the powdery perfumes of a yesteryear. This is a forward thinking rose, stripped down to it's bare essentials. Green and herby like it was plucked just before being rubbed against the skin. Wonderful composition. Any note beside the rose is merely there to elevate it. Fabulous fragrance. 8/10

Personally I really love this although I am not into rose scent. I find some are a) very strong and very synthetic or b) weak and smells nothing like roses. This one smells very authentic and you are carrying a big bouquet of freshly picked roses and you are saturated with all the rosey goodness. For somebody not into rose scent (I love rose flowers), I am very impressed.A little bit heady but tolerable and disappears in a few minutes, then turns slightly vegetal and earthy on me. That is when my family will say something about it. Comments ranges from ..."smells dank"... or a "little sour and kinda oldish" to..."smells like funeral wreath". To be fair any heady flowers (gardenia, tuberose, indolic jasmine etc...) smell like death to my family. Thank God I only have a small decant because at the rate I am wearing it(I only wear it if I am alone and you only 1-3 spritz for the day), this will last me years.

How could anyone not love this??? It's one of the best roses ever! It resembles a bit Montale Highness Rose, in it's purity. Personally I don't smell a lot else other than bright red roses, in full bloom, with a few ones not quite open yet. A bit of greenery gives it freshness, and blond wood comes in the drydown. It's dry, without any sweetness. A little cold, keeps the distance from many others that have tried to capture the timeless elegance or roses. It's almost like Serge Loutens tried to capture the thorns of roses in this scent too, not just the flowers, woods, and leaves. And then, in the drydown, it gets warmer, a bit spicy, a bit sweet, just gorgeous. Extremely noble and aristocratic, it's very "blue blood". Silage and lasting power are very good on me. This is pure love! I got this from nophaso, and I cannot give enough thanks to this wonderful fragrantican.

I love this. My signature scent is La Fille de Berlin, so I was excited to try this one to compare. After about a week of swapping between the two and sometimes wearing one scent on each wrist, I think I need to own both perfumes. Both are atypical rose perfumes--not saccharine, not powdery, but a true rose/rosewater smell. With the bigger honey focus (which also brings in some herbs like chamomile and mown hay) Sa Majeste La Rose feels rounder and juicier than La Fille, which instead has a bit of a patchouli soap dryness. I don't get any powder with either perfume. This, like so many of Lutens' fragrances, feels less like a perfume than a bottled up experience--no harsh alcohol or aldehydes, no false steps with manmade scents, no drugstore perfume overtones. Just fresh and pure, better-than-nature rose.

The ultimate rose for me. My mom used to buy me a bottle for my birthday every year when I was a teen so it's super nostalgic for me. A ripe pink rose, before she begins to fade, when she is at her best. The other notes are here to blend in and sublimate the rose. I had the flat bottle and I've smell it again at the Serge Lutens store a few months ago and I was moved by how good it is. I stopped wearing it when they decided to sell it in those round bottle without spray that you can find in their store or online only which is a shame. Edit : I smell it the other day at the Serge Lutens store, and what a weird pick for the grunge teenager I was. But it's still incredible and I will probably buy it again when I finished Rose Tonnerre. I still can't really say it's geen, vegetal yes, but not green to me.

Sa Majeste la Rose is like a real life roses in a bottle to me. After I sprayed on, I can immediately smell the fresh, green, nature, garden rose scent you can smell in a nice cool morning. Real and simple, but as elegant as what a real rose smells to me. After the fresh start, I get some florist’s rose scent. It’s still elegant, but with a tiny bit added sweetness and smells more refined. Then SMLR dries down to some velvet/powdery/warm/rich sweet rose scent. I was worried it might have a slight tendence to be some reminiscent of Paris Printempt, but it just stayed in the its own simple but elegant way like that. It's really a safe and nicely elegant scent that any rose lover shouldn't miss out. Worth trying.

This is an unexpected love affair. Really didn't think I would enjoy my sample of this as much as I do as my choice or rose is normally dark and velvety - even a bit 'skanky'. This is the complete opposite - a beautiful fresh, green and clean true rose fragrance. One of the best true rose fragrances I've encountered. I thought the honey might make it too sweet but I really don't pick up much sweetness at all - I do get the lemon hit which I think helps. It's very traditional & ladylike - not what you'd call a boudoir fragrance but neither is it prim & proper. Not for little girls - most definitely for grown ups. Sillage is great also - lasts over 12 hrs on my skin. Will most definitely be purchasing a FB.

Opulent, verdant, and slightly tart, this fragrance is an symphony of herbal nuances entwined with the rich fragrance of honey. As a soliflore, it captures the essence of the rose with a precision, and adorned with a subtle spice that adds complexity. There's a refreshing dewiness that lingers, evoking the sensation of morning mist clinging to silky petals. The initial spritz is a sharp burst, reminds me of walking into a garden and sniffing every rose bush that is there. Even after 8 hours it still vivid on my skin. What truly sets this fragrance apart is its impeccable balance. It refrains from falling into excessive sweetness, sourness, or greenness. It is simply a pristine essence of the red rose.

A lovely Moroccan rose soliflore style scent the central rose note is given a delicate Oriental twist with light woody spicy elements. The perfume is the rose throughout but initially one can detect slight whiffs of clove and honey, then notes of guaiac wood and green notes and finally settling into a synthetic musk base. Delicate and never overpowering, the feminine leaning scent has moderate sillage and excellent longevity. More an exercise in lovely perfume construction than showy projection, this one deserves to be tried by rose lovers and those into delicate Orientals for which this house is unparalleled. Enjoy!

I don't get the negative comments on this. I have smelled many rose fragrances and this is my favorite by far. After sampling all of Serge Lutens' feminine leaning scents I purchased a Bell Jar for my wife from the Palais Royale in Paris and I have no regrets whatsoever. Every nose is different but to me this is a very bright and authentic rose. It is a rose that you smell while it is still on the vine. It is also very long lasting for such a fresh scent. Random Side Note - The only other S.L. she considered was Un Lys Scent: 10/10 Longevity: ~8 hrs Sillage: Moderate Value: C Versatility: A-

The very first rosy rose fragrance that sent me down the rose rabbit hole! On me, this is as rosiest as roses can get. This is not a jammy red rose, more like a full bloomed pink rose. Very fresh and feminine. Definitely a soliflore. I have repurchased this little beauty over the years before they put it in jars and made it so pricey. I'm 2/3 in on my current bottle. Probably going to think very hard whether this journey should continue or not. If you can get along with Tea Rose, that might be an option. Not exactly the same but it certainly gives me the similar realistic rose vibe.

Sa Majesté la Rose by Serge Lutens used to be one of my favorite rose perfumes, especially the older version in the flat bottles. It had this rich...slightly “lipstick-like” depth that made it unforgettable. The new version still smells like that same tea rose, beautiful and natural, but it feels softer and less long-lasting than before. The opening is pure, fresh rose for the first hour, and then it slowly turns into something warmer and more subtle over time. Still lovely, just not quite the same magic it once had.

Spraying this on is equivalent to picking the reddest, most gorgeous Queen rose out of the rose bush and proudly putting it behind your ear for display. It’s a rich, bold, and quite literal red rose. It does smell like stem and leaves are involved, but it’s not as incredibly green as others are making it out to be. Sa Majeste la Rose is as lush as a rose can get, and I love that this fragrance is so true to its name. I got a sample of this to compare to La Fille de Berlin, but I actually love this one better.

This is going to be a short review; I can't really think of much to say about Sa majesté la rose except that it's very aptly named. It's simply an extremely successful rose fragrance, almost soliflore - a realistic rose, fresh and rather green, with its natural sweetness slightly enhanced by honey. Really wonderful in its simplicity! Definitely for rose lovers like myself only, but for those it's a must-try: so joyful and addictive.

Sa Majeste La Rose opens up as a peachy, velvety rose with a bitter tearose-like edge to it. Slowly, the rose darkens into a rounded, syrupy honeyed rose. Nothing artificially sweet at all, although there are hints of sweet rosewater in the background. There is also a mild backdrop of woodiness to it. A truly interesting, luscious red rose scent.

Finally a rose where the sourrounding notes aren't sticky sweet or where the rose has to fight with other floral notes for your attention - soliflore, paired with the perfect melange of sweet and spicy notes which makes - and that's the clue - a light green feeling in you nose and on your skin. 100% elegance.

I didn't think I was a rose girl but having been given a sample of this I am thrilled with it. This rose is a real old fashioned rose fresh from the garden - so realistic with a touch of turkish delight. Then to make it into a crafted perfume a soft woody, honeyed musk gentles in. Delightful!

This is a rose fragrance for when you just want rose in all its beauty. There are hints of clove and woods, and these are present as supporting roles. But the rose takes centre stage, and it's alive, fresh, and in full vigour. This is the full aliveness of spring and summer.

Rich Velvet Rose with some greenery underneath & depending on the weather it changes, So when its warmer outside theres a heat to it, like being in someones rose garden who lives in the desert and when its colder, then it turns dewy, like a roses after a good rain.

If you despise the powdery roses like I do, then this one is amazing. A green, juicy, sweet, crisp rose. I bought Tea Rose before, thinking it is what I'm looking for and I was terribly disappointed. That one is a basic grandma smell of low quality.

This is a bold, sweet rose that was just freshly cut you can smell the greeness of the stem too. If you are not into roses this one will overtake you because it is linear, a rose soliflore, but it is majestic and beautiful, a must for rose lovers.

Truly regal. This is a honeyed, juicy rose with fresh green facets that carry a subtle lemony tang. A very natural and vibrant rose: young, perfumed, and lush. It captures the full life of the bloom, from morning dew to sun-drenched petals.

Simple, sweet, honey rose to my nose, It is not complex, very "soft and innocent". I had been wearing consecutively for few days now since I got it. No regrets as I love rose scent perfume.

A great rose perfume. Warm, beautiful, classy. Cloves and honey give it warmth, although it's something green in there, as well. The notes mix so well together, it's perfection.

a wonderful deep, musky and carnal Rose, truly feminine with exceptional duration and robust sillage..if you are a woman into rose, this is basically a must....

Quite simply beautiful, intense roses without that powdery potpourri smell that some rose perfumes have. Simultaneously fresh and spicy.

This is one sexy rose perfume!!! If you like a deep, sexy rose scent, this one is for you. With a bit of musk to make it sensual.

Beautiful rose, amazing scent. Class and sophistication. Today I'm wearing this perfume layered on Idylle edt. Gorgeous.

It is a bight rosey perfume! I love this scent. I have many rose perfumes, but this one is always my favorite!

Beautiful, classy, elegant, refined, womanly. Rose. Gorgeous, sweet, earthy and wonderful.

Can't decide if I love this or Fille de Berlin more. Elegant rose perfume!

There is no rose here, just an abstraction.

Review from Off-Scenter on BN *I could not have said it better. :) Sa Majesté la Rose is the truest, clearest rendition of the 19th century Bourbon rose that I’ve encountered. (Keiko Mecheri’s Mogador comes close, but overdoes the sugar.) To those who know it, the scent of the Bourbon roses (Mme. Pierre Oger, Louise Odier, and Souvenir de la Malmaison among them,) is unique and unmistakable. It combines the rich, heady, and ever so slightly yeasty fragrance of a damask rose with a tropical fruit or raspberry note, with each component balancing and challenging the other in a complicated olfactory dance. Sheldrake and Lutens have nailed it. The Bourbon rose accord is evident the instant Sa Majesté la Rose goes on, and it persists in a fairly linear manner that’s unusual for a Serge Lutens product. Don’t for a moment think that I hold this against the scent. The central accord is so bewitching that I’d happily have it go on for hours. There are few distractions along Sa Majesté la Rose’s march toward its floral throne: just some woods and perhaps a touch of vetiver in the base, with a bit of musk emerging in the drydown. All take a distant back seat to the truly majestic rose. Superb sillage and projection, and fine lasting power to boot. All this without a drop of the heavy syrup that bathes most of this house’s offerings. Sa Majesté la Rose is a tour de force that demonstrates just what Sheldrake and Lutens can do when they lay off of their shared sugar addiction. They’re clearly not making all those sweet, heavy orientals because they can’t do any differently. If these guys put themselves on a diet more often, their line would be more diverse and interesting. Are you listening Serge and Christopher? At any rate, bravo to the duo on this one! I hope someday they’ll make a few more like it. 29th November, 2010

Deep and warm roses fragrance with honeyed sweetness! Most of all I feel the Moroccan rose, lemon, lychee, geranium and honey notes in it. The leading note in this fragrance is the Moroccan rose note. It's very bright and strong. As for me, I really love roses, and I always wanted to have a warm, intensive and sweet enough roses fragrance in my perfume wardrobe. I can say that this fragrance is more close to my dream fragrance than any other roses fragrances I know. But I have to say that I can't call this fragrance an absolutely roses scent. First of all, the lychee note is very noticeable. It's great that it makes the rose note smelling more deep, but at the same time it smells very fruity and brings a little bit its fruity sourness to this fragrance. The lemony sourness is also noticeable. Besides, the geranium note is noticeable, too. And brings a little bit sharpness to this fragrance. So this fragrance is more complex in fact. The honey note is also very noticeable and makes this fragrance very warm and sweet, sometimes even sickly sweet. I usually don't like sweetness in fragrances, but somehow I like it in roses fragrances, so I deal with it. This fragrance smells really intensive and quite natural. The lasting power is very good. I like Sa Majeste la Rose. It's charming. And it reminds me a blooming roses garden. But I wish it was more roses floral, especially without the noticeable fruity nuances, and a little bit less sweet.

Two stories: 1)it's 10 years ago, I am a tourist in Paris, walking on a shopping street in St. Germain du Pres. An elegant older woman walks by trailing rose scent. I actually follow her into a shop, I love the smell so much. Back then, I didn't have the guts to ask her, but I am convinced it was SMdR. 2)it's 25 years ago, my mother returns from Bulgaria (a very exotic, post-communist destination at the time) with a vial of pure Bulgarian rose essence. I expect to dislike it as too "girly" - I am a rebellious teenager trying to differentiate myself from my mother's image of me - but to my surprise it is not cotton-candy sweet, but rather spicy and rather sexy. The closest thing I have found to replicating this much-loved elixir has been SMdR. This is a pure rose essence that smells less like fresh roses and more like rose oil. I feel it is for a mature woman who is confident enough of her power in the world to wear a big floral. Not for the shy, but without any trendy or edgy pretensions. A very bourgeois scent (and I mean that in a good way). I don't wear it every day, but there are times that I want to make a certain kind of impression, and this is absolutely right. Incidentally, this lasts all day on me. Perhaps the differences in staying power relate to personal body chemistry?

I sprayed on two sprays of this Sa Majesté La Rose fragrance sample and my initial impression was that it was a very strong, green, true rose scent. It was very pungent for about 10 minutes and was almost overwhelming. The green fresh leafy note was most prominent to me, followed by a very authentic blooming rose scent and a hint of other florals. It was like walking through a rose garden in full bloom in the middle of spring. After about 10 minutes it calmed down quite a bit and had a softer, more powdery scent. The silage was moderate; I caught frequent whiffs of it, but I don't think anyone could smell it across the room. It was fairly long lasting. I could still lightly smell it on my wrists after about 5 hours. It is a very nice fragrance but I don't find it particularly "me." It didn't wow me and there are other rose scents I prefer. I was impressed with the authenticity of the fresh rose scent, but found it too potent. I guess I'm not really in the mood for a fresh floral right now; I'm loving warm vanillas and ambers for fall. But I will definitely revisit this fragrance for spring. Overall Grade: B+. Nice fragrance but I'm not feeling it right now.

This is a rose, rose, rose soliflore. Despite its focus, it's not one-note rosewater. Instead it's a concert overture of roses, full, round and deep. It's green without herbal bitterness and luscious without sweetness. These are mature, open roses, voluptuous with scent. In the top, a green note harmonizes. In the heart, the green slides further into the background and a soapy note develops. My mind's eye sees a waxy, white bar of soap, wet with bubbles. Thankfully, this sanitary note fades too. Then as the basenotes emerge I smell a bit of amber in the still glorious, but wilting roses. As others have said, it only lasts a few hours, and it's hard to justify the cost. On the other hand, next to the old master naturalism of Sa Majeste La Rose, other rose perfumes (Stella, I'm thinking of you) seem crass. Edit: Upon further wearing, the soapiness seems more persistent. Once the greens step back and the soapiness fades, her majesty once again has my adoration and I wish her reign wasn't so brief. My sample has been stored in the fridge. I wonder if that temperature favors the development of the soap notes.

This scent is liquid sunshine to me! Which is unusual because most "sunshine" fragrances are all citrusy and this one doesn't have a lick of citrus. It starts off with this beautiful happy rose, it's young but not fruity (something I don't see accomplished too often), there's a little bit of green in there, but not near enough to turn me off as I don't really like green in rose fragrances. Then it starts to smell like a high end candle, I think this might be where the Honey and the Rose are on par in strength and it gives the impression of a rather fancy candle or soap. Next phase seems to be a little dominant on the honey, not extremely, just ever so slightly. Funny thing, this honey smells of real floral honey. Like if you've ever had honey from wildflowers and you can taste the flowers in the honey. I don't ever notice the clove on my skin. And it is pungently strong, two sprays and I was almost overwhelmed! got some on my sweater and can still smell it 3 days later! Sa Majeste La Rose, I will own you one day

Quite rosy but not the sharply, the sweetened rosy blend, like the honey dew roses oud fragrance. Quite cooling and slightly sweetened. There is something beautiful something gourmandy in this fragrance somehow that makes it deliciously edible and amazingly captivating! something sweet, something delicious, something delicate, and something capricious! dunno what but it does attracts me although i'm not the roses lover. Edit (4th Oct 2016) it was a mistake, i have sensed the sweetness from my other perfume, i forgot that i have worn "Kniz 10 Gold Edition" before 4 to 5 hours and then i applied the sample of "Sa Majeste La Rose" on top. Today i have fully applied "Sa Majeste La Rose" and it is quite a pure rose fragrance AND for the rose lovers only, the Arbian type of red roses. Edit (6th Nov 2023) This is like the vintage "Elizabethan Roses" by Penhaligon's and NOT the current version. Very sharp straightforward roses. Beautiful.

Il faut réunir les pétales de trois magnifiques roses pour composer ce bouquet olfactif et somptueux : marocaine, turque et bulgare. La facette épicée est dévoilée par le clou de girofle qui intensifie la fraîcheur verdoyante de la rose sauvage, mielleuse avec une pointe légèrement acidulée. On dirait presque une odeur aromatique et fauve de la rose pleine d’épines longues, si familière et plus vraie que nature. Cette fragrance exhale chaque fois une senteur différente sur ma peau chaude en fonction de la température extérieure : à basse température imprégnée de musc blanc persistant, la rose se froisse, tout en aigrissant son caractère insolite. Mais, lorsque une belle journée ensoleillée commence, la rose reprend vie, tout en dégageant une odeur miellée de toute beauté. Sa Gracieuse Majesté est donc prête à captiver les coeurs...