Perfume Review and Budget Pick of the Month: Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Rose Oud

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

Notes: Rose, Rose Damascena, Oud, Cistus Labdanum, Cumin

Rose Oud was created  in 2016 by perfumer Annick Menardo who made Lolita Lempicka Eau de Parfum, Amouage Opus X and many other excellent fragrances. This woody fragrance is an adult, grown up and very dark red velvet rose. She had lead a bit of a turbulent troubled life and lost her innocence. Its darkness with boozy fruity aspects are quite surprising. Especially for a Yves Rocher fragrance. Some compared Rose Oud online to Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois. I can relate to the boozy plum soaked in alcohol part which both have in common but Rose Oud is much more floral in my opinion. I get cinnamon as well as part of the boozy plums.  A veil remains of slightly brighter dusty rose as a base. Honestly Rose Oud is slightly too dark for my taste, personally I prefer lighter roses. I wonder how this fragrance will sell as it smells much more like a niche fragrance compared to other Yves Rocher fragrances.

 

What can Rose Oud do for you?

What does it do? If might be a good scent for those who are dealing with hardships in their lives for example when having to make complicated personal financial decisions, dealing with lawsuits, losing their jobs, losing a loved one or at the end of a relationship. To go through this process and make the best of it as there will be light again. It helps to loose one’s innocence and maybe even naivity when one needs too when dealing with life challenges as we all encounter in our lives. I could have used this scent for this purpose while going through very rough times in my life.

Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection 

Rose Oud is part of the Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection which focuses on raw materials in perfumery like vanilla, jasmine, neroli, iris and rose. All of the fragrances come with excellent accompanying body products except Rose Oud. Yves Rocher Secrets d’Essences Collection was launched in 2005 with Voile d’Ambre. Two fragrances from this line have sadly been discontinued Rose Absolue and Iris Noir. I have to admit I bought all fragrances from this line.  The scents are not multilayered but very well made for a good price. Who doesn’t want that?

All Secrets d’Essences fragrances were created by well known perfumers like Olivier Cresp, also creator of Thierry Mugler Angel and Jacques Cavallier. He made Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey as well. The beautiful bottle was designed by Thierry de Baschmakoff who designed bottles for Bvlgari, The Different Company and many other perfume houses.  As you can see, quite some effort has been put into producing a high quality perfume line by Yves Rocher.

Why did I pick Rose Oud as Budget Pick of the Month?

Rose Oud is excellent value for money. If scented Rose Oud blindly one would believe it to be a fragrance sold at Harrod’s or the Dutch department store Bijenkorf for 10 times if not more its price. It is a marvelous gift or if you are on a limited budget (or both). The fragrance leans towards feminine but can be worn by men and women.

I recommend anyone who likes rose/Oud, darker roses or even boozy fragrances to try this fragrance as soon as possible.  No one ever knows when Yves Rocher will discontinue a fragrance as they have done so very often in the past. I bought my bottle blindly and recently ordered another bottle as I gave one away.

Bottom line: buy a bottle or test the fragrance while it is still easily available for a reasonable price.

Rose Oud in a few words: dark, troubled, turbulent, lost her innocence

Have you tried any fragrance of the Secrets d’Essences Collection? Do you have a favorite one?

Price: 55 euro for 50 ml (but it is frequently on sale, I bought mine for 27,50 euro online)

All photographs were made by Esperessence, Rose on photograph: Rosa Amor, In a few words was inspired by the excellent perfume blog The Scented Hound.