C'est La Rose

So I walked into the Zara store in the mall when I saw the sale sign. I headed straight to the perfume shelf and test sprayed every single one of them. This, C'est La Rose, was the one that instantly caught my attention at first sniff. It just so happened that I ran out of Labo's Rose 31 and had been looking for a bottle. Call it fate, C'est La Rose indeed opens like a spicy rose as R31 does. I knew I had to get it. But, C'est la Rose is NOT a dupe of R31. After five minutes, the spices die down and the fragrance slowly morphs into a deeper, powderier rose closer to the og Cafe Rose, which I own as well. This fragrance is a perfect 50/50 blend of these two beautiful roses.

This is gorgeous! Remind me of Damascena by Keiko Mecheri and Recto Verso Sweety Fruity. So happy to find this - I miss RV Sweety Fruity so much.

The Nightingale And The Rose ‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest song.’ But the Tree shook its head. ‘My roses are white,’ it answered; ‘as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.’ ‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest song.’ But the Tree shook its head. ‘My roses are yellow,’ it answered; ‘as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.’ ‘Give me a red rose,’ but there is no red rose around. This is the pink rose. It’s true, there’s no doubt about it. The delicate scent of the pink rose is tangible, in all its purity and delicacy, fresh, joyful, and young. It’s a simple rose, reminiscent of rose-based skincare products used to tone the skin like Roberts’ “Acqua alle Rose”, created with pure Rosa Centifolia essential oil and distilled spring water. Pure pink blossoms, semi-sweet and semi-fresh, with a hint of tart citrus. C’est La Rose is a slightly classic fresh and spicy rosé fragrance. It opens with pink pepper that is bold and right in your face. It’s there, noticeable. You don’t need a trained nose to recognize it if you’re familiar with the true spice, but it’s not so pronounced, long-lasting, or overwhelming to result in obnoxiousness. Fresh spicy, and nearly piquant, the initial accord takes a few moments before transforming into something fruity and juicy. There is a sort of freshness and savouriness in the opening, although it has nothing in common with the fresh dark soapiness of Mystic Rose. I can get the creamy bergamot peel, velvet-like, intertwined with the pink berries. The sensation I experience is like when I crumble the pink berries between my fingers and then mix them with citrus juice to prepare a dressing. Slowly, the spicy and citrus aspect settles down and gives way to something distinctly flowery. The rose appears creamy, sweetish, naïve, mixed with other indolic and mellifluous flowers, with shades of jasmine, iris, and lavender. All the flower scents are well balanced, and a robust greenish geranium supports the rose. In the heart, the floral aspect is well perceived. The iris adds the right dose of powderiness with no baby talcum sensation, while the lavender intensifies the freshness without appearing too herbaceous or too aromatic. And then there is jasmine, I think the night jasmine, so creamy and luminous. At a certain point, I capture the lemony vibe of the Marsiglia soap, which I bet is coming from lemongrass or whatever it is. Not bothering at all, but just giving that sense of cleanness. When C’est La Rose approaches the dry down, soft woody accords emerge, with resolute salty and musky overtones. The woods produce dry and smoky nuances, a little released by the resinous cedar with pencil shavings tinges and a little by the guaiac wood, balsamic and slightly smoky scent with honeyed-sweet tones. Besides the mix of woods, you can also feel in the background the clean touch of laundry that comes from the white musk. The delicate rose, the white flowers and the clean musk form the trail that accompanies me until it becomes a skin scent. There are no dirty, animalic, or seedy notes in there. It is simply pink, clean, clear, and pure. No trace of oud, patchouli, resins, or any other dark or sticky accord. The lightness and freshness make the perfume ideal for warm seasons, and spring mornings, a safe daily fragrance for the office. Both projection and longevity are moderate, and those looking for subtlety can find it in C’est La Rose. It projects well in the early hours and lasts at least half a day. The overall development, apart from the peppery opening, revolves around the floral area, which gives the perfume a more feminine edge. I bought it for the pink pepper, although overall the scent doesn’t have the virility of Mystic Rose. I'm basing my experience on a bottle I've owned since February 2024.

Lovely spicy rose, very green with a hint of woodines. I bought this because I fell in love with Café rose and when people suggested this as a dupe, I decided to spend like 10 euros and see for myself. It lacks the complexity of Café rose, but it could be considered it's far away cousin. It's a wonderful scent, feels more sophisticated than other (imo, often tacky) Zara fragrances. If you like a slighty unisex, peppery (green, a bit soapy) rose, you'd probably want to try this!

C'est La Rose is truly the most interesting rose from this series. Pleasant, slightly peppery, soapy. After some time, some wood appears, which adds charisma to the composition. I bought it for my mother because she likes pink and it is very comfortable to wear, especially in the summer. The rose here smells very cosmetic, like from rose cosmetics, but it's a nice scent, it doesn't feel synthetic. This rose is a bit soapy and refreshing. Longevity quite good. 7/10