Parfum d’Empire Eau Suave
Garden flowers by Elizabeth Murray
When I first smelled Eau Suave I wasn´t as thrilled as I was with Yuzu Fou, another perfume by Parfum d´Empire. Yuzu Fou was like nothing I had tried before, an instant boost of citrus energy. But after using Eau Suave a few times I began to get more fond of it.
Eau Suave was created in homage to the rose collection of Chateau of la Malmaison from the Empress Josephine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon de Bonaparte. The Empress grew many kinds of roses in Malmaison and was very passionate about them. Especially three kinds of roses were kept in mind by the perfumer Marc Antoine Corticciato while making Eau Suave, the Rose Josephine, the Rose de Venus and the Rose Pourpre.
Eau Suave means smooth water. Smooth, honeyed and even double it certainly is. It may appear a straight rose perfume but it isn´t. There are more layers to it. Different aspects of roses maybe like the Empress Josephine herself. She had a wonderful garden and loved roses, all very lovely in itself but passionate and sensual as well. Josephine had a passionate affair with Napoleon. They wrote love letters from which many of Napoleon´s letters still exist.
Some mention spicy notes in Eau Suave. A hint to the birthplace in Martinique of Josephine of Beauharnais ?
I am still double about this rose scent. It may not stand out as a rose perfume if you have a lot of them. But after a while, it might be a perfume to grow very fond of. As a garden which develops in time and you grow fond of during the years. So who knows, just give it some time. *
Suave reminded me of a beautiful song by Luis Miguel called Suave. It accompanies the perfume quite well. Listen and enjoy !
Thanks Elizabeth Murray for letting me use your beautiful picture.
First published: March 2012, reedited September 3, 2015
*During the 3 years after I wrote this review I have grown quite fond of Eau Suave and posses a bottle now. What I really like is its honeyed quality much more than its focus on rose.
Do you own fragrances you have grown fond of in the last years, which did not impress you at first ? If so, tell us which ones !