Damarose

For me this is undoubtedly The Queen of Roses. I'm a sucker for rose centered fragrances and they come in all sorts of forms and shapes. Or should I say: concentrations, formulations and from different corners of the world. We have pure, innocent roses like Diptyque Eau Rose, we have roses who pretend to be loud but are in fact shy: Juliette has a Gun Midnight Oud, we have hidden roses Amouage Lyric (sorry but I cannot smell rose there!), we have slutty roses pretending to be ladies FM Portrait of a Lady, we have rose that will carnage your nostrils Armani Prive Rose d'Arabie, we have mysterious, spicy hot roses Guerlain Rose Nacree du Desert, we have roses that smell almost like armpits: LL Rose 31. The cool, restrained and refined rose in Pierre de Velay no11 and the hot, sunny, optimistic rose in Xerjoff Emery. And so on and on... And then then there is XJ Damarose. My first thought when I smelled it was: this is royal. This one is few steps above any rose I've ever smelled. It's sophisticated, alluring, captivating and its beauty almost made me cry. It's not loud and it's not quite. It doesn't demand attention but it's impossible not to notice it. It's smooth, mellow and almost warm but also cool. It seems to be so close to you and yet somehow it's also distant. It's like the best of all roses you smelled before but it's none of them. To me Damarose whispers: here I am, the way I am, the best I am. I fell in love with this scent! Update 1: managed to get a sample of this o Ebay. I got so excited I accidentally splashed almost third of it on my neck. (Damn!). But dear lord I do smell heavenly. Update 2: Got the FB. I love this scent to bits. My friends love it. Everybody loves it! And dear lord, it lasts and lasts, and lasts. 10-12 hours at least and that's with my skin that loves to eat scents... so not really sure why others had issues with longevity?...

Wow!!! Where do I even begin with this stellar offering...?!?! Damarose is all about rose... Damarose opens with fruit but this is a sweeter fruit note than many rose-based offerings... I.M.O, it is the right choice to lead into the heart. It's a beautiful Turkish rose that is at the heart of Damarose and it is simply gorgeous. However, this rose does not stand alone, it has an equally adorable partner- jasmine sambac, which pairs perfectly together..... The presence of the jasmine adds foundation to the rose and creates an unusual depth in the heart of the fragrance..... Rose and ylang-ylang are the primary notes that my nose picks up coming out of the fruit and at this point Damarose starts to smell oh so familiar- yes, like so many other rose fragrances out there. This sambac jasmine, not only pairs with the Turkish Rose, it actually starts to dominate the composition and seems to meld into one intense sort of rose-like accord. Damarose is just a CLASSIC ROSE CHYPRE!!! For me, it is very sexy, very seductive; and yet, at the same time it's poised, sophisticated and elegant............ If the price of $645+ does not deter you, then please do add this masterpiece to your collection and wear it when sheer elegance is called upon......

Absolutely stunning rose but the price is ridiculous. I might pay 2-400 for this, but 645? Sigh. Noped right out of there. I am very envious of those of you who can afford this, however. It really is a rose that combines the best elements of the flower- it is sweet, cool, noticeable and very luxurious smelling. It's not really a jammy rose or a dark rose, more like a rich raspberry rose. The "coolness" of the scent keeps it from being cloying or too strong. Despite me describing it as cool, warmer facets come out to play after a while-- it is strengthened and heated up by the amber, giving it a super sensual, languid type of feeling. Recommended to at least test for all who love rose.

Damarose is classic feminine rose chypre fragrance, a type of fragrance known for its balance of seduction and poise. It's is a lovely, soft and romantic type rose with a trail of ambar and musk that evolves into a fresh and dignified rose bouquet wrapped in what almost smells like fresh wood shavings. I wish it could last a little longer on my skin, but even so it is a unique rose fragrance that you certainly should have.

Imagine a damascus rose together with a baby powder grounded in a pestle. A green petaly rose on the opening with a dusty iris and calming drydown. This is what you smell when classy millionaires pass by that wears mostly white. It leans a little bit feminine. Smooth, mellow, royal and sophisticated.