Now, you may be thinking – is she crazy today? No not more so than any other day. First, the picture above, I’ve seen the Byredo Flowerhead graphic, which is cool, but everyone is using it, and I really loved this painting just for the pure weird.
Reviewing Byredo Flowerhead and Roja Dove Musk Aoud side by side may seem a little odd, but with Colorado weather being 30s and snowing one day and 80 the next, I need them both!
Byredo Flowerhead is the newest release in their line. I was a little excited to see another pure floral showing up since I’m a big fan of the not-loved-as-much-as-it-should-be La Tulipe. Flowerhead’s inspiration is the flowers worn by Indian brides. Okay! Notes include angelica seeds, lingonberry, lemon, sambac jasmine, green notes, rose petals, tuberose, suede and ambergris. It opens very floral with a sharpish lemon/green note, then some fuller jasmine, tuberose and jasmine chime in. Nothing naughty to find here, which is a darn shame, since I always think jasmine should avoid smelling clean’ish. It’s not Tampax fresh, either, which is a blessing. It’s a nice, charming floral that I would have loved had it been dirtied up a bit more. For something that’s über clean, I’m sticking with La Tulipe, which is still my favorite spring perfume (yes I missed that last week, but I was sick all week).
Roja Dove has been one-upping high end lines and has a Musk Oud Absolue Precieux that sells for about $900 for 30 mls (regular parfum is less). Okay, I confess, it was a shopping accident! What I wanted was the regular parfum, but my finger wound up on the Absolute Precieux instead, and, well, I didn’t WANT to send it back once I had it! I mean, the shrink wrap was a little loose, and I just barely touched it and it just came off enough so I could get my hand in the box and sneak out the bottle to sniff it a wee bit. Oh, I’m lying. It was an accident, but no way would I send it back once I smelled it.
I know Roja can do skanky, but he hasn’t really gone there in his regular line. He saved that for his semi-bespokes he used to do (still does?) So I didn’t expect some perfumed privates peep show. Hoped for it, but did not expect it. Well, and I didn’t get it either, though it is a wee bit dirty and rough in all the right places.
It’s some lovely, smoooooooth oud. It’s rich and has a gorgeous birch muskiness oozing up through that throaty little oud roar. Notes are bergamot, lemon, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, agarwood (oud), ambrette (musk mallow), birch, leather, musk, nutmeg, oakmoss, precious woods, sandalwood, tonka bean and vanilla. It’s an oily, lovely smokefest. Because of the concentration, it stays close to the skin, which is an excellent idea. It’s not dirty, but there is a carnal incantation going on around this. I like oud fine, but I’m not faithful to it at all, just enjoy flirting from time to time. If I loved oud, I’d definitely want this oud with musk, birch and leather swimming around to make it more than a little interesting. As it is, I’ve enjoyed the few nights I’ve spent with this happy little accident. Pretty sure you could be pretty happified by the less pricey parfum instead of the rarefied Absolue Precieux.
Wearing Roja Dove Musk Aoud on one hand and Byredo Flowerhead on the other. I feel at home with the snow melting in April. But now I want my La Tulipe!
Winners of the By Kilian Asian Tales two-perfume sample set of Imperial Tea and Sacred wood are – wordswrote/jillm, Audrey and Bridget B. Click on the Drop Us a Note at the top of the blog or e-mail patty at perfumeposse dawt c awm, remind me what you’ve won and give me your mailing address. I’ll send you a quick confirm that I got your e-mail so you know it didn’t land in my spam filter, and I’ll get your samples sent out.
Of course a drawing for today. A teeny drop of the Roja Dove Musk Aoud and a sample of Byredo Flowerhead and Byredo La Tulipe for two lucky winners drawn from the commenter’s on today’s post. Love oud, over it? How many oud perfumes are too many, or is there always room for great ones, even if they cost four fingers and three toes to own?
Don’t have any oud fragrance, would love to try one!
Oud fatigue for sure! Although, just tried Rose Oud and Pure Oud (Kilian) and damn they are nice. That’s why we have perfume bloggers, to trudge through the oud aisles!
I’m not over oud, I think there are so many different interpretations that I don’t think I would ever say ANY note is “over” for me. For example, I think 10 out of 10 of my top fragrances are either iris or leather (or both) and they’re all so different. Thanks for the draw!
I’d love to try any of these perfumes. An oud perfume I really liked is Petroleum, by HdP. Thanks for the draw!
I have not yet found the perfect oud, so I am happy to keep trying more! That goes for pretty much any note, really 🙂 Thank you for the draw!
I am late to the oud exploration, so I have lots to try; its’s overwhelming. But the Roja sounds to die for and I haven’t sampled any Roja or Byredo before so I would be very happy to win this draw. Thanks for the opportunity!
Perhaps I haven’t tried the right ones, but I just don’t get the obession/passion about oud. I love florals, however, and would love to try the two in the draw. Thanks for the opportunity!
I would love to try that oud, but unfortunately am all out of arms and legs. Thanks for the chance to sample it!
What a contrast! I would love to try the RD Aoud–I love musk and this sounds right in my wheelhouse. Animalic, barnyardish scents entice me. Wow, I am a perfume weirdo. Erm, connoisseur. The Flowehead weirdly might be, too. La Tulipe is the only one of the Byredos that I really enjoy, and I’ve tried quite a few. I keep trying them, but that is the only one that really sings to me, too. Thanks for the reviews, and I hope you are feeling better, and able to enjoy perfumes and spring thaw, soonest. Be well.
I’d love to try all of those…I’ve been in the mood for Spring florals lately. I’ve been wearing a lot of La Chasse and To See a Flower which I never seem to get tired of. Please enter me 🙂
I really LOVE the image! I’m still into Oud, how can I not? Talking about Flowerhead, I’ve been walking around and taking photos of wildflowers all afternoon. I can still see all those flowers when I close my eyes. 🙂 Thanks for the draw!
Gorgeous painting! I love it! As far as oud goes, I have been enjoying some of those babies lately. Le Labo’s is one I have been liking. Both Flowerhead and Musk Aoud sound like something to be tried! Thank you for the draw!
I haven’t tried any specifically Oud perfumes, so I’d be curious to try this one! I think I smelled one of Tom Ford’s Ouds once, but I don’t remember much about it. And Flowerhead sounds lovely, I’d like to try it. I love Byredo’s 1996.
Oud is a multifaceted material, so I don’t see a material of that depth going out of style. Badly designed perfumes that poorly imitate oud and are overpriced might though. I’d like to try all the scents listed, ty
i don’t know there can be too much perfume. isn’t that like saying there can only be so much art? or more specifically, more art but but no more oil paintings. we’re over oil paintings.
I have some perfumes with a touch of oud (Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme, and I believe Tom Ford Sahara Noir may contain oud), but I have never tried an oud-centered scent so I’m not sure I would recognize the note. I would love the chance to try the Roja Dove!
I remember buying a sample of La Tulipe based on the review you did of it a few years back. It was a great scent smelling like wet, stemmy flowers in a florist’s refrigerator to me. Flowerhead sounds good to me since I don’t like my jasmine dirty. I’ve never tried any scent with oud in it as far as I know, nor have I tried any of the Roja Dove ones. Thanks for entering me in the drawing.
I’d love to try the samples. I feel like everyone is so over oud nowadays because of the over saturation of oud scents recently, but I’m a beginner in the scent sampling game so I’m just now discovering the oud note.
I really think the Oud frags I’ve tried may have been some kind of synthetic wood concoction. I would like to try a proper Oud. I think this note might be replacing sandalwood in some lines. I don’t think it’s going away. I’m really like the idea of flowerhead. Seems perfect for spring!
Hi, Patty! So sorry to hear you’ve been under the weather, but hope you’re feeling much, much better now. I recently tried Flowerhead and liked it, but didn’t spend enough time with it and I really need to. Oud doesn’t agree much at all with my skin, so I’m not going there, even for Roja Dove. P.S. I love La Tulipe, too. And no draw for me, of course. Thanks!
I’m neutral toward oud and don’t mind all of the releases containing it. I do find the current obsession with magnolia a bit baffling though.
I can’t imagine I’ll ever be over Aoud!! Some are better than others, of course, but there is something weirdly magical about how it combines with other notes. I haven’t ventured into Byredo territory (yet), although Tulipe piques my curiosity in a very big way!!
I have a tiny sample of La Tulipe, and it really does remind me of a tulip in the Spring! Your review of Roja Dove Musk Aoud has me longing to try it! Please enter me in the draw, and thank you for both your wonderful review and for the draw.
The building block which is oud will be a staple long after we’ve hung up our noses. It is such a chameleon. Was just thinking about wearing Byredo’s Pulp today, but since it’s chilly, or here in Colorado, not chilly, perhaps Roja Dove’s Enslaved would be good. It’s easy too see why those treasures are so pricey. Of course, I’d love to try both of them.
What did you wear to watch the blood moon?
I love most things Byredo with Gypsy Water being my favorite so far. Would love to try the new florals as well! Some ouds are difficult for me and come across and pungent with an underpinning of bandaid accord. This one sounds lovely though! Thanks for the entry.
Such an interesting pair! I must confess I don’t get La Tulipe and had to wash it off when I spritzed a friends bottle on my wrist. Oud sounds fascinating and I’ve never really tried a true Oud thanks!!
I have only tried a few perfumes with oud, and it is a note I just don’t like, it seems. I have skipped trying most of the perfumes with oud in the name, also because many include much rose in them, another difficult note for me. La Tulipe is a totally different matter, I really want to try it but have not ventured into the shop carrying that line. The SAs there can really be a pain unless you dress like you have a huge budget to spend on cosmetics and clothing. Tulips are such a nice sign of real spring, so if the perfume conjures up that kind of picture it would be very welcome.
I’m not done with oud, I’m just done with everyone naming their perfumes “Oud this” and “Oud that”. It reminds me of food and diet fads like when everything was labeled Atkins.
Would love to try both of these–Byredo hasn’t yet bowled me over with anything, but I am always curious to try.
No need to enter me in the draw for Flowerhead. I’ve sampled and you couldn’t have described it better, Patty. I am also a big La Tulipe fan. It is one of my most-reached for perfumes and one of those that just sings on my skin. Flowerhead is similar, but something is just a little off, maybe a little too clean scrubbed, I dunno. I would LOVE however to be included in the drawing for RD Musk Oud (haven’t met a Roja thus far I don’t like, or at leas admire!)
I have been lusting after Tulipe as I have heard wonderful things, but never really dared hope to try the Roja. At my present wage scale, his stuff goes beyond the fingers and toes I would gladly spend into decapitation territory. Thanks for offering the chance for a sniff 🙂
Saying that one is “over” oud is like announcing “I’m so done with jasmine!” It’s one if the great notes, and will be around for millennia longer than its detractors. I would give a great deal to sniff this one.
I have tried the Flowerhead, and it made me think of an Indian wedding in which the actual wedding night never happens. For consummation, you need Tawaf.
I’m one of those never can have too much oud – this seems extraordinary and yes, not in this person’s reach but I will try the perfume. Would love a drop of the precious stuff !
Good to hear your take on Flowerhead. I feel like I’ve read some reviews but they don’t seem to stick with me. Maybe ’cause it seems most have been meh on it? Would love to try it as well as Tulipe, which did sound lovely. I’ve got my eye on a split of Seven Veils which could end up being my first Byredo. I do like some oud, but I can’t bring myself to do the Roja prices… I know it’s gotta be fab stuff! Thank you for the giveaway, glad you’re feeling better.
I’d love to try them, but clearly the Roja Dove is out of the question for mere mortals. Thanks for the draw.