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Top Review
In the Name of the Moss Rose
“To the Rose”
Forever carried in the womb,
Sweet queen of the meadow!
You and I, the silent, great,
All-reviving Nature;
Little rose! our adornment ages,
Storms strip you and me bare,
Yet the eternal core unfolds
Soon to a new bloom.
(Hölderlin)
This, my first review, is in a way the continuation of my blog post “In the Name of the Rose.” The Acteur, this undoubtedly olfactory masterpiece, has accompanied me for almost 25 years now - thus I have had enough time to engage with it in various life situations (not a three-time wrist test). Sometimes it is my parachute and sometimes my powerful engine; with it, I can dream and be creative, it is at all times the perfect and enduring companion. Out of 10 possible points, it gets a solid 11.
Even though I still find it difficult to mentally break down scents into their individual components (who can really do that without just piecing something together from the fragrance pyramid?), the prominent main themes of the scent are rose and moss, refined with spicy and woody nuances.
Now, it is not so easy to create a masculine scent with rose without making the rose too dominant. The Acteur offers us, in a way, an indirect rose nestled in soft moss.
Undoubtedly, a certain self-confidence is needed for a man to wear a rose scent at all, but that is exactly what the Acteur makes easy with its modified rose. Just as if it were translating the theme of rose into the masculine, it invites: "Wear me and engage with me - and you will seduce whomever you want." For some, it remains a riddle - the wearer remains the magician.
What would I give to learn something about the motivation of the perfumer Maurice Maurin, who created the scent in 1989. Is it perhaps an ode to old rose varieties, like the moss rose? The most beautiful of all moss rose cultivars was achieved by the French breeder Vibert in 1825. Wikipedia notes about the group of moss roses: “Curly parsley, green leaf growths, and the oil glands make the calyx and flower stems look mossy. This mossing, especially of the opening bud, gives this old rose its special charm for lovers. The sticky resin smells very spicy when you rub the leaves and stems between your fingers. Once often found in traditional farmhouse gardens, they are now somewhat rarer in gardens. Painted depictions on old porcelain still testify to the former popularity of moss roses.” I love these magnificent roses with their thick and dense flower clusters. Sometimes you still see them in gardens. On my frequent trips to Bavaria and Austria, I often encounter them on historical farmhouse furniture, paintings, and porcelain.
Ohhh - I got sidetracked ;)
Back to the scent - In my opinion, the Acteur requires dedication from the wearer; it wants to be understood. Those who engage with it and accept it become the Acteur.
The sillage is above average, as is the longevity. Admittedly, it takes a little time at the beginning for it to show its full strength and for the components to unite in perfect harmony. Then it becomes softer and rounder, without ever losing its character. The scent lasts well for about 8 hours on me.
Still incomprehensible to me, the scent was discontinued years ago. On eBay, you can occasionally find a (usually hopelessly overpriced) bottle, but I would advise against miniatures. I have stretched my feelers wide, and should soon receive generous supplies. Let’s see if it is still in good quality. Maybe it will be enough for a sharing :).
The Acteur bows - and I give it a standing ovation. You are welcome to join in ;)
Forever carried in the womb,
Sweet queen of the meadow!
You and I, the silent, great,
All-reviving Nature;
Little rose! our adornment ages,
Storms strip you and me bare,
Yet the eternal core unfolds
Soon to a new bloom.
(Hölderlin)
This, my first review, is in a way the continuation of my blog post “In the Name of the Rose.” The Acteur, this undoubtedly olfactory masterpiece, has accompanied me for almost 25 years now - thus I have had enough time to engage with it in various life situations (not a three-time wrist test). Sometimes it is my parachute and sometimes my powerful engine; with it, I can dream and be creative, it is at all times the perfect and enduring companion. Out of 10 possible points, it gets a solid 11.
Even though I still find it difficult to mentally break down scents into their individual components (who can really do that without just piecing something together from the fragrance pyramid?), the prominent main themes of the scent are rose and moss, refined with spicy and woody nuances.
Now, it is not so easy to create a masculine scent with rose without making the rose too dominant. The Acteur offers us, in a way, an indirect rose nestled in soft moss.
Undoubtedly, a certain self-confidence is needed for a man to wear a rose scent at all, but that is exactly what the Acteur makes easy with its modified rose. Just as if it were translating the theme of rose into the masculine, it invites: "Wear me and engage with me - and you will seduce whomever you want." For some, it remains a riddle - the wearer remains the magician.
What would I give to learn something about the motivation of the perfumer Maurice Maurin, who created the scent in 1989. Is it perhaps an ode to old rose varieties, like the moss rose? The most beautiful of all moss rose cultivars was achieved by the French breeder Vibert in 1825. Wikipedia notes about the group of moss roses: “Curly parsley, green leaf growths, and the oil glands make the calyx and flower stems look mossy. This mossing, especially of the opening bud, gives this old rose its special charm for lovers. The sticky resin smells very spicy when you rub the leaves and stems between your fingers. Once often found in traditional farmhouse gardens, they are now somewhat rarer in gardens. Painted depictions on old porcelain still testify to the former popularity of moss roses.” I love these magnificent roses with their thick and dense flower clusters. Sometimes you still see them in gardens. On my frequent trips to Bavaria and Austria, I often encounter them on historical farmhouse furniture, paintings, and porcelain.
Ohhh - I got sidetracked ;)
Back to the scent - In my opinion, the Acteur requires dedication from the wearer; it wants to be understood. Those who engage with it and accept it become the Acteur.
The sillage is above average, as is the longevity. Admittedly, it takes a little time at the beginning for it to show its full strength and for the components to unite in perfect harmony. Then it becomes softer and rounder, without ever losing its character. The scent lasts well for about 8 hours on me.
Still incomprehensible to me, the scent was discontinued years ago. On eBay, you can occasionally find a (usually hopelessly overpriced) bottle, but I would advise against miniatures. I have stretched my feelers wide, and should soon receive generous supplies. Let’s see if it is still in good quality. Maybe it will be enough for a sharing :).
The Acteur bows - and I give it a standing ovation. You are welcome to join in ;)
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8 Comments
"Out of 10 possible points, it's a solid 11."
Nothing more to add!
I can hardly wait to try the Acteur; I'm really curious after reading your comment.....sounds just like my taste :-D
Cheers.....!