I’ve been sniffing my way through a lot of perfumes this month, but the standout one for me so far has been Rosabotanica by Balenciaga. Not a new fragrance – and one that I can’t believe I’ve previously overlooked, considering it has rose in it! But this is a beautiful, sparkly perfume that I think I’ll be wearing throughout the whole of Spring; it has just a little of those dark, woody undertones that I love so much, but at the same time is quite green and sharp thanks to the fig and citrus. It’s really a very interesting little number.
To be honest, you’d be quite forgiven for picking up Rosabotanica based on the quirkiness of the packaging alone; it’s like some kind of madcap Parisian hotel design, condensed down and squashed into a glass bottle. Graphic stripes and bold, acid-toned floral motifs make it a far cry from the usual “romantic rose” boudoir-esque bottles. But I suppose the fragrance itself is a far cry from that romantic rose; yes there’s a sweetness and a femininity to the scent, but it’s also incredibly crisp and clean, and the hints of cedar and amber and patchouli peek out just enough to sex everything up a bit.
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you will know that I am fond of “dark” rose scents; exotic, heady or woody fragrances that are borderline masculine. Rosabotanica is almost the opposite of a dark rose, it’s so light that it’s more like…I dunno…rose on helium? Roses over dry ice? This perfume won’t be for everyone – I see very mixed reviews on the web – but it’s so light and fizzy that it immediately grabbed my attention. Perhaps one to try before you buy, this one but risk-takers can order it online: it’s £56 at Selfridges.com
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