Very helpful Review
Gummy candies
Having worn it almost daily for over a month, I decided to write down my impression of this newly reformulated version of Yardley English Rose.
After I had got used to the green, bitter and oddly waxy opening, I was finally able to tell what it reminded me of very strongly with its waxy gelatin and dense, boozy juice: of blackcurrant gummy candies.
While I love the taste of cassis, I did not expect to smell it so clearly and distinctly in a rose scent. The subtly placed berries on the box were easily mistaken for mere accents. And yet, the gummy candies are the real stars in this fragrance. They remain strong throughout and never step aside for the eponymous lead. Perhaps the rose is neither lively nor energetic enough to keep up with the fruit - it has a 'withered' quality, no longer fresh, but already been processed into a potpourri or tea, which to my nose translates as rosehip tea. Since the woody bitterness is emphasised when smelling too closely to the skin, the best way seems to spray generously and enjoy the wafts.
At first, I found this new version pleasant enough as a short-lived berry-rose mist for warmer mornings. After a while, however, I started to perceive the rose note as artificial as the one used to flavour food. I have the same problem with some other fragrances that use this type of 'rose', for example in Oscar de la Renta's "Rose Gold". While it will certainly suit someone else's taste, this time, it just did not meet my cup of rosehip tea.
After I had got used to the green, bitter and oddly waxy opening, I was finally able to tell what it reminded me of very strongly with its waxy gelatin and dense, boozy juice: of blackcurrant gummy candies.
While I love the taste of cassis, I did not expect to smell it so clearly and distinctly in a rose scent. The subtly placed berries on the box were easily mistaken for mere accents. And yet, the gummy candies are the real stars in this fragrance. They remain strong throughout and never step aside for the eponymous lead. Perhaps the rose is neither lively nor energetic enough to keep up with the fruit - it has a 'withered' quality, no longer fresh, but already been processed into a potpourri or tea, which to my nose translates as rosehip tea. Since the woody bitterness is emphasised when smelling too closely to the skin, the best way seems to spray generously and enjoy the wafts.
At first, I found this new version pleasant enough as a short-lived berry-rose mist for warmer mornings. After a while, however, I started to perceive the rose note as artificial as the one used to flavour food. I have the same problem with some other fragrances that use this type of 'rose', for example in Oscar de la Renta's "Rose Gold". While it will certainly suit someone else's taste, this time, it just did not meet my cup of rosehip tea.
2 Comments
Anessa 9 years ago
Thank you! I might have let it sound more odd than it is - being not versed in rose fragrances, I couldn't compare on a 'general' scale. And after a while, a soapy rose can be felt so, depending on the wearer, some might find this a solid rose fragrance. It was a blind-buy for me without testing chance, and whereas it's in no way 'bad', I personally would've preferred something more fresh or more ros-y for a 'Rose' fragrance.
Bcars10 9 years ago
Sounds...odd. Thanks for the review--it's a good one! I love helpful reviews so I can decide whether a scent is worth my time or not. In this case, I think rather not.