Infusion de Rose Prada 2011

The opening of this is heavenly. It has a fresh punch of Orange, Honey and a tickle of Eucalyptus and Mint that melds together creating an old fashioned, luxurious blend that has little nuances and Complexity. The newer Prada Rose is more powdery and simple but still absolutely gorgeous where as this is more fresh, bright and Green with the Tea and Mint. It has the same double Rose heart. This is sweeter with the honey accord. I prefer the pungent effervescent opening of this but the powdery delicate soapy soft dry down of the 2017 version. Both probably the most gorgeous scents I've ever smelt along with Fleur D'Oranger.

"Infusion de Menthe" could have been an appropriate name for this scent, and it could have been marketed unisex as well.

But, from the beginning: To my knowledge, "Infusion de Rose" is only available in Prada boutiques, but I was lucky enough to trade with a dear Parfumo friend and came into a generous decant. Thanks!

The scent opens with a fresh, slightly sweet rose. There are delicate flowers, no "Wham, here I am" flower. More like in "Clair Matin" and yet different. For a more sophisticated explanation we need to ask our "Original Rosenliesl" member.

A more orange than yellow citric splash is also among the fruity notes.

Little by little the mint comes in, spreads out more and more, and gone is the rose. Again and again, the flowers are trying to battle but don't have much of a chance and then give up. Only a touch remains.

It was at that point when I thought that the name does not fit 100% the scent. And, it was then that I had the impression that the fragrance is quite suitable for men, too.

There is no further development.

The longevity is quite decent for such a fresh scent, with 4 hours.

In my closet "Infusion de Rose" gets a place next to "Pamplemousse Rose" by Hermes. I think that those two get along quite well.

I love the scent of roses and I'm a sucker for anything that smells like the traditional rose. Prada Infusion de Rose, in terms of comparison, is much fresher than my staple rose fragrances which I'm used to. This fragrance is better suited to the warmer weather.

The opening was quite beautiful. A sheer, Spring-like pink rose with mandarin orange and a touch of mint. It was perfectly refreshing in all its glory. Pretty and feminine as well.

I actually wished this fragrance stayed that way, however the heart, while not a complete disaster, introduced some notes that I personally think don't work too well with rose. I found the holly and honey notes a bit too much when blended with the sweet, delicate rose accord. It actually turned the scent a little bitter on my skin.

I'm pleased Prada took a risk, but I'm disappointed that they couldn't make it work. The bottle is a work of art in itself, yet the fragrance left much to be desired.

The drydown is mostly strong minty tea and soaped-up roses. I'm not too impressed with this strange blend. I had such high expectations I'm afraid.

The lasting power was poor, which is a sad effort from Prada who usually produces quality scents that linger for hours. It's difficult to find a clever mainstream rose-based scent, so in times like these, I still rely upon my niche loves, particularly Annick Goutal's rose fragrances.

I always look forward to testing a Prada fragrance (oh,… this is once again the last one for now due to lack of samples…). I find Prada fragrances really well made and, as I often mention here, they belong to the scents that are well crafted despite the synthetics. But I must also admit that I am somewhat envious of the ladies. Sure, we guys have d’Homme and Amber pour Homme, two great fragrances, but you ladies… you have so many infusions to choose from! Aaargh, luckily some of the newer Prada fragrances are unisex,… and I MUST get samples of these scents.

But I digress. Here comes Infusion de Rose, a lovely fragrance,… once again for ladies… of course…

The scent:
The scent starts off quite fresh (but not citrusy) and clean. Before you can even distinguish the individual notes, you smell the typical, slightly soapy and fabric softener-like Prada DNA.
In the top note, there is a light, but very fleeting mandarin, along with the sweet, but also slightly off-putting beeswax. However, the roses and mint are the most prominent. While the roses give off a beautiful, floral-sweet scent, the mint adds a certain freshness and blends well with the rest of the fragrance.
Of course, there is a certain synthetic quality, but it is well done. For the most part, the scent smells of roses and rose fabric softener with a hint of mint. And of course,… the powdery aspect cannot be missing here, although the scent is not as powdery as, for example, in the d’Iris infusions.

The longevity and sillage:
I saw it coming that this fragrance would not have great longevity. Even though I thought the beeswax could save the day, it unfortunately turned out to be a bit too weak, so the scent lasts only about five to six hours.
The sillage is also more average and will not leave a significant scent trail behind, but the fragrance still rises well to the nose of the wearer.

The bottle:
The bottle is rectangular with slightly rounded corners. It is transparent, allowing you to see the pink perfume liquid. On the front, the metallic Prada plaque is attached.
On the side, there is a label that shows the same pattern as the packaging and lists the fragrance ingredients. All in all, as always, a beautiful bottle.
Hmm, it must look great to have some of these infusion fragrances on the shelf. *sigh*

Infusion de Rose is also a very successful Prada fragrance that can captivate from the very beginning, as long as you don’t belong to the group of people who protest with posters against synthetic and/or “soapy”-smelling fragrances (but if you do belong to those people, then you’re just missing out on a lovely scent). I mean sure, I’m not particularly fond of synthetic fragrances either, but as mentioned at the beginning, Prada does a pretty good job here, as in all the infusions.

Moreover, the synthetics are much less noticeable here, so it could even be tested by the aforementioned protesters, as the scent has become a lovely rose/mint fragrance. It is an all-rounder that can be worn in any season, although it probably won’t be perceived at all outdoors in the cold during autumn and winter. Those who want to use it outside should rather apply it in spring and summer.

I would definitely recommend Infusion de Rose. I liked it, and I would love to smell it on a lady!