Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare Creed 1890

I have tried so hard to at least like this scent, but I just can't seem to do it.

A blooming rose is a revelation, and each one smells different. The white rose is bright and clear, with a hint of peaches; the yellow and orange rose is strong and juicy with an apricot aroma; the red rose is flattering, warm, and very erotic; and the pink or fuchsia rose has citrus notes with pear and honey.

A rose fragrance MUST convey something of this to be liked by me.

Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare starts off quite shrill and extravagant with a strong, earthy rose scent. I cannot detect bergamot or even citrus notes at any time, no matter how hard I try.

Gradually, tea joins in, and the combination of tea and rose becomes downright unpleasant: it smells like roses that have been past their prime for more than 3 days, and the tea has been steeped for the 5th time.

In the end, amber adds the final touch. There is no creaminess, no cozy rose scent, but rather a bitter rootiness mixed into the overripe rose and tea smell.

When I think back to my childhood, I remember my Aunt Agnes, nicknamed Nessl. She hated that nickname but would never have expressed it in her very refined way. She would just always say, "my name is Agnes." This aunt smelled like that. I liked her very much and feel melancholic when I smell this fragrance now, but that doesn't earn it any points with me.

I held out for 6 hours and "observed" the scent, but instead of getting better, it got worse and worse. Thank goodness it also got weaker.

I really wanted to give it a fair chance and sprayed it again 20 minutes ago, but the same pattern is emerging again. Sorry, but I can't hold out for another 6 hours; it has to go because it stings my nose and gives me a headache.

For all the lovers of this fragrance: I am very sorry, as I said I love roses and rose fragrances and own quite a few of them, but this scent turns into a disaster on my skin.