Today we have two perfumes that couldn’t be more different. Let’s start with Beauty – Parfums de Rosine’s newsest release, Rose Praline. Notes of cardamom, bergamot, rose essences, Geranium, Rosen, grated chocolat, Lapsang Suchang Tea, Ambra, sandalwood, musk, cocoa make up this scent. It’s a little bit of a departure for Rosine. I’m not sure they’ve done a rose gourmand before, have they? Now, just as my bias, I love rose perfumes as much as March doesn’t. But only when they are done right, and I’ve been a big fan of the Rosines for a long time because they are so darn obsessive about roses and have tried about every treatment possible. I’m anxious for them to get to a wheaty/bready/hay rose next – I mean, they should, shouldn’t they?
But let’s look at this one instead of the one I want them to make. It goes on somewhat sweet, with that little girl beautiful dewy rose quality, slightly candied, like a sugar crystal rose or wedding cake rose… but with a tartness. Just when I’m thinking ruh-roh, this may be too much, that crystaline quality starts fading, and I get tea and a little cocoa and chocolate rolling up, and I swear, there are moments when I think it is a Montale and some oud and chocolate is flipping around in there, but that can’t be. The chocolate and tea are not overpowering, but has this very subtle quality that takes the sweetness down to the proper notch. Okay, it’s still a candy rose, but one that has a nice dark chocolate and a cup of tea sitting by it for a proper scented meal. I really like this, and I’m not sure why since it really shouldn’t be something I like, but Rosine tends to make these things usually work out for me, no matter what, and it is just sweet and lovely. If you’re not a fan of the rose or gourmands, keep walking, but if you like either the rose or gourmands, give this a sniff.
Now let’s take a look at the beast – Social Creature’s newest creation, Frankfurt Kitchen. Made to celebrate the independence of women, I presume from the kitchen, it has notes of resins, peppermint, coffee and osmanthus. That line-up of notes sounds pretty good. And it is, ohmy, resiny beyond belief, with a big peppermint thrown right in the middle of it. Those two things pretty much drown out the coffee and osmanthus, though the coffee is there if you like it burnt. But there’s something somewhat compelling about this, even though my nose is complaining bitterly about it. It feels much more masculine and leathery, like I’ve had my chaps on for a couple of days. Do I get any kitchen out of this? No. Mostly leather – rough leather with a little mint. It’s sure not uninteresting and mellows out to something I’m pretty much compulsively sniffing.
One hand — all sweetness and confectionary light. Other hand — leather pants with a melted peppermint in the pocket. Oddly enough, I like them both.
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