Red Roses EdC by Jo Malone 2001

Hey All You POSSE Peeps,

Portia with you again from AustralianPerfumeJunkies. I know I know!! Many of you’ve probably tried it and own it or have moved on by now, well, I thought that seeing 2012-3 are quite a lot about roses that I should try some of the most revered. It’s a large fragrance category, that of roses, almost every brand has their own take and some of them are beyond magic. I thought it might be fun for you to come along on an initial test drive. In advance I need to warn you that Jo Malone is not a frag house that I find works for or with me. So though I have reservations, what better rose fragrance to bring you than one dedicated to the King of roses, that glorious, dipped in blood, steeped in folklore, heart breaker of a rose the

Red Roses EdC by Jo Malone 2001

RedRoses FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these accords in one line:
Mint, red rose, violet leaf, lemon

This incredible short list of accords looks like a JC Ellena fragrance. Well we are in for a surprise because Red roses opens photo realistic, the red rose that reed roses dream they’ll be when they grow up. A dashing, dark red and devastating blockbuster: Rose Squared. The mint, violet leaf and lemon create a fabulous cushion for the Red Rose to be placed, like a diadem. Maybe they are the setting for the ultimate stone. If you love the smell of roses and want to smell like one then this is your baby, remember Tea Rose by Perfumer’s Workshop? As real as that but more interesting, deeper facets and more mysterious. This is what I imagine Charlize Theron smelled like in Snow White & the Huntsman, there is a definite darkness and forest-ish feel to this rose, a mythical, fairy tale quality that speaks more of the evil witch than the innocent heroine. The crackle of violet leaf, which could easily be a torn rose leaf, is exquisite as the rose starts to take a back seat, now Red Roses smell like a dozen red roses delivered in a box and still it keeps pumping out the gorgeousness.

dozredrosesboxed finesseflorist.Photo Stolen finesseflorist

This is also the first Jo Malone fragrance that has lasted on my skin for more than half an hour! It has heft and sillage and for the first hour is fragrant for all before it gently quietens to a soft and luscious body scent that you must come and have a hug to smell. I want to wake Jin up and ask him to smell me! OH DEAR!! I thought I was safe from falling in love today, already there are a few rose scents in the library but Red Roses is so different to them all and so yummy. I think I definitely see a large decant of Red Roses in the VERY near future.

So next morning at 7 hours later I still have traces of Red Roses, definite smellable traces and linear, but way softer.

Further reading at Musings of a Muse
JoMalone site has 30ml/$90
SurrenderToChance starts at $3/ml
PoshPeasant has a Sampler “A Rose By Any Other Name” with 6 amazing 1.5ml sprays $38

I love to be amazed! Whenever low expectations turn out to be absolutely and utterly misplaced. Sorry Jo Malone corporation for not taking the time to find that at least one of your frags is fabulous on me. Better late than never! Has this happened to you? What frag house and fragrance? Is it now in your collection?

If you enjoyed this come on over and see what’s happening on AustralianPerfumeJunkies. We’d love to see you there too.

I hope you smell gorgeous today, till next week,
Loads of love,
Portia xx

  • Emily S says:

    You’ve sold me! Roses are my weakness. A new lemming it is!

    • Emily S, I never would have picked roses as something I would fall for in perfumery. It seems the fragrance Gods like to have a laugh and turn our tastes in and around constantly.
      I am glad though that so much excellent rose is coming through currently.
      Portia xx

  • Lean S says:

    Yessss!! Aah I can’t believe I didn’t stop to try this at the Jo Malone counter.

  • maggiceat says:

    I like blending this scent with Jo Malone’s French Lime Blossom (either 50/50 or you can tone down the rose a bit). Try it – it’s even more beautiful than either scent alone, and it lasts pretty well too.

  • Merlin says:

    Yes, thats the one i mean!

  • oohlily says:

    Hi Portia, I’m trying to live vicariously through your wonderful travels, it sounds like you’re having a fabulous time! I’ve had to accept that rose soliflores just don’t work on me. Red Roses is very realistic and for a modern cologne it lasted quite awhile on my scent-sucking skin. Too bad I hated every minute of it,lol!

    Do try the Luten’s since you’re a rose fan – it’s richer and deeper, and it lasts much longer.

  • poodle says:

    I like Pomegranate Noir from Jo Malone. Haven’t tried Red Roses. Most of the JM scents don’t last on me either.

  • Ari says:

    I loooove Red Roses! I was also so surprised by it- really didn’t expect such a “strong” rose from Jo Malone. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Thank you for the review, Portia!

  • Merlin says:

    I don’t own this one but I like it very much. I probably prefer Sa Majeste La Rose, but only by a matter of degrees. Tea Rose is lovely but far too strident, and this one, as well as the Serge, has more depth.

  • Connie says:

    I tried Red Roses recently and found that I didn’t like it very much. It smelled like a florist’s shop to me; a lot of waxy leaves, plastic, some chemicals. The Jo Malone’s as a whole, though, aren’t to my taste. I think my favorite is Blackberry and Bay or Black Vetyver Cafe.

  • eldarwen22 says:

    It sounds nice but not quite my deal. When I saw the EDC, my response was, if I have problems with EDT’s sticking to skin for any legnth of time, an EDC is gonna be gone within a half an hour.

    I have a few perfumes that I didn’t care for in the beginning but love now. I didn’t exactly love Mitsouko right away. It took time, a few more tries and smelling Diorling to get it and love it. Prada Infusion d’Iris is growing on me and I’m starting to love it. It’s to the point where I am starting to eyeball that 6.5 ounce bottle on Amazon.

  • shaney says:

    I feel the same! No Jo Malone has ever quite worked on my skin…all rather linear and unforgettable. This, however, sounds wonderful, and I do want to sample!

  • fleurdelys says:

    Same here with Jo Malone fragrances – most that I’ve sampled smell nice, but not really distinctive enough. The exception is Lime Basil Mandarin, one of the only citrus fragrances I can wear. As for Red Roses, it is very pretty, but I’m not sure if I want to smell like a photorealistic rose all the time.

    Another low-expectations house for me is L’Artisan Parfumeur. Nothing in their line worked for me until I received Nuit de Tubereuse in a swap, and it’s love!

  • rosarita says:

    Greetings, Portia! I thoroughly enjoyed reading of your trip to Vienna on Olfactoria’s Travels. More tales to follow of your journey, I hope? My feelings about Jo Malone are the same as yours, and Red Roses is the only one I like of those I’ve tried. For similar but better, try Dawn Spencer Hurwitz American Beauty. As to low expectations, I like/love all of Tom Ford’s mainstream line which is a pleasant surprise since his niche line leaves me cold.

  • Liz K says:

    I, like Alityke, have a full bottle that I no longer love due more to a stressful time of life rather than an illness. The sad thing is that it is an almost completely full bottle because the husband insisted on replacing the one he knocked off the vanity and smashed. I did have the best smelling bathroom wall in Texas for about 5 months though. I find that it makes a lovely linen spray and I can still wear it on occasion if mixed with Eau D’Hadrien.

  • Alityke says:

    I yearned for this and hubby purchased it for me, along with a family apple tree as a get well pressie after some surgery. I loved the luxury I felt it gave me. Unfortunately now the merest whiff of JM Red Roses has me running to talk to God on the big white telephone.

    A warning to all perfumistae, never wear scents when unwell

  • Ann says:

    Howdy, Portia! Not sure what leg of your trip you’re currently on, but hope you’re having a fabulous time! Thanks for this review; isn’t it a nice treat to find a gem in an unlikely spot? Alas, I’m not too much of a true red rose scent girl, but if I were, I’d surely give this one a whirl.