Roses and Berries
posted Thursday, 25 January 2007
Roses and berries seem like an ideal scent combination, especially a true fresh rose with a juicy tart raspberry. Sad to say, I have not yet found this particular combo, at least not untainted by a powdery iris that I feel takes some of the limelight away from the main ingredients.
Such is the case with the two scents below. I have often seen them paired, "if you like Roseberry, you should try Balkis," and vice versa. In my seemingly obsessive need to obtain a sample of all things rose, I happen to have both of these in my possession. I decided to do a side-by-side sniff test.
Parfums di Nicolai
Balkis
Notes: raspberry, Turkish rose, black pepper, coffee extract, iris, benzoin, vanilla pods
Les Parfums de Rosine
Roseberry
Notes: chamomile, black currant, rosebuds, Turkish rose, sweet briar, raspberry leaf, sandalwood, iris
Balkis is a sweet rose fragrance with a hint of berry, I find the extremely powdery iris to be completely overpowering at first. It settles down quite a bit in the drydown to allow the basenotes to make an appearance, causing this fragrance to become a slightly rosy vanilla. I'm sad to say I don't notice either the pepper or the coffee.
On the other hand, Roseberry, though possessing similar notes to Balkis, couldn't be more different. Tart raspberry leaf, black currant, and rose predominate, while the iris takes a back seat. As with most Rosine fragrances, the rose is the real star of this scent.
Neither scent is saying anything new, although both are quite pleasant. I perhaps can see the similarity between them in my mind's nose, or intellectually, and will grudglingly lump them into the same category. But neither are the ideal rose/berry scent for me.
If you have a suggestion for a similar scent to try, I'm all ears!
Such is the case with the two scents below. I have often seen them paired, "if you like Roseberry, you should try Balkis," and vice versa. In my seemingly obsessive need to obtain a sample of all things rose, I happen to have both of these in my possession. I decided to do a side-by-side sniff test.
Parfums di Nicolai
Balkis
Notes: raspberry, Turkish rose, black pepper, coffee extract, iris, benzoin, vanilla pods
Les Parfums de Rosine
Roseberry
Notes: chamomile, black currant, rosebuds, Turkish rose, sweet briar, raspberry leaf, sandalwood, iris
Balkis is a sweet rose fragrance with a hint of berry, I find the extremely powdery iris to be completely overpowering at first. It settles down quite a bit in the drydown to allow the basenotes to make an appearance, causing this fragrance to become a slightly rosy vanilla. I'm sad to say I don't notice either the pepper or the coffee.
On the other hand, Roseberry, though possessing similar notes to Balkis, couldn't be more different. Tart raspberry leaf, black currant, and rose predominate, while the iris takes a back seat. As with most Rosine fragrances, the rose is the real star of this scent.
Neither scent is saying anything new, although both are quite pleasant. I perhaps can see the similarity between them in my mind's nose, or intellectually, and will grudglingly lump them into the same category. But neither are the ideal rose/berry scent for me.
If you have a suggestion for a similar scent to try, I'm all ears!
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