SignoraPaola

I love rose scents and since Rose n'Roses practically flaunts rose notes, I had to test it, of course :-)

To be honest, I couldn't smell much rose when I first applied it, which might be due to the fact that my nose is usually slightly blocked thanks to allergies. I don't always perceive subtle fragrance notes. I was a bit disappointed, as I had expected an opulent bouquet of roses, and the opening didn't really appeal to me at all. Well, time will tell. So I strolled through the city, sniffing my arm every now and then, and lo and behold, after a few minutes a shy rose actually revealed itself. I began to tentatively rejoice! Had I finally discovered another beautiful rose scent for myself?
No, I had not. Rose n'Roses develops wonderfully, but unfortunately not into a blooming sea of roses. It becomes more herbaceous, more sparkling. And the more I sniffed my arm, the more a suspicion crept in...I know you from somewhere! And suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks. Rose n'Roses strongly reminded me of Ginza by Shiseido! Don't ask me how I came to this parallel; the fragrance notes of both scents are not even remotely similar, but I can't help it! I smell Ginza!

Would I buy Rose n'Roses?
Definitely yes, even though I think it has little to do with roses. I must add that my benchmark for a beautiful rose note is always Roses de Chloe, my absolute favorite fragrance! Nevertheless, Rose n'Roses is a lovely scent that develops beautifully and is neither too dominant nor too shallow to be dismissed as a mere water. The sparkling-herbaceous note fits perfectly with the upcoming spring, with mild summer evenings, and it will probably work quite well in autumn too. People like me wear it boldly all year round ;-D

Did I buy Rose n'Roses?
No, since the aforementioned Ginza by Shiseido is already in my collection, and I simply didn't want to spend another chunk of money on a similar scent. However, if Ginza ever runs low and Rose n'Roses is still available, I could certainly find myself in the position of purchasing it.

Is there anything else to say about the Miss?
Oh yes, the longevity for me was quite good for an Eau de Toilette; I could still perceive it on my skin about six hours later. Certainly not with the same intensity as at the beginning, but one usually doesn't wear it for others, but for oneself. At least that's how it is for me.

Conclusion: Rose n'Roses is a fine, sparkling-herbaceous scent that doesn't overwhelm you with roses. The longevity is convincing for me for an Eau de Toilette. It is wearable pretty much all year round, whether during the day, in the evening, in leisure time, or at work. A decent spritz was sufficient for me to smell initially opulent and later subtly. For me, it's a very nice everyday companion and definitely worth a test.

Yes, that's how I would describe "la petite robe noire." A sweet cream puff with vanilla cream and a warm cherry filling :-D
I first encountered this "little cream puff" when I noticed it on a good friend. This sweet and lovely scent always surrounded me. Wonderful!
Now, unfortunately, there are several kilometers between my friend and me :-D, and I lost my "little cream puff" from my nose.
One day, I was strolling through the virtual perfumery and stumbled upon "la petite robe noire." Immediately, I thought of my friend and that sweet scent that always enveloped her when she wore it. And although I no longer remembered exactly how it smelled, "la petite robe noire" jumped into my shopping cart. When it finally arrived, I could hardly wait to sniff it. At first, I was slightly disappointed because I didn't perceive that sweet and lovely scent at all. Of course, I am aware that fragrances develop differently on different people. But I didn't remember that initially powdery note at all. Nevertheless, I generously sprayed "la petite robe noire."
As is often the case with me and fragrances, "true love" only develops after the second sniff.

I sprayed "la petite robe noire" once more, and suddenly I was enveloped by this wonderfully sweet cherry scent. I actually smell a sweet cherry first, thinking of the small cherries found on Black Forest cake. Delicious! This cherry is slowly joined by the scent of tasty marzipan (but not in a heavy, cloyingly sweet way), followed by a lovely vanilla note. I always picture a cream puff filled with delicious vanilla cream and slightly warm cherry compote.

The vanilla note continues to develop, and the sweet, preserved cherry note remains subtly present. Finally, the smoked tea joins the vanilla. To me, the tea smells more like a very sweet and mild pipe tobacco. Thus, the scent accompanies me throughout the rest of the day.

I hardly perceive the other listed fragrance notes at all. I only smell this cozy cherry-vanilla-pipe tobacco note. Wonderful!

The scent lasts a good 5 - 6 hours on my skin. Sometimes I perceive it intensely, and other times I only catch a subtle hint.

I really like the bottle; I appreciate the gradient of black. Furthermore, it feels good in the hand.

In my opinion, the scent can be worn well year-round. In the warm season, perhaps more in the evenings. However, I wear it whenever I feel like it. In summer as well as winter. In spring and autumn. Morning and evening.

Conclusion:
A beautiful vanilla cherry scent with a hint of sweet and mild pipe tobacco. Not light, but also not unpleasantly heavy. I like it very much; it reminds me of my friend and the wonderful times we had together. And of course, of vanilla cream puffs with cherry filling.

This was my first thought as I eagerly unwrapped the bottle and took a sniff. But first, let's go in order...
I was strolling through the city center with my partner when it suddenly hit me that I wanted to visit Lush. I hadn't been inside a Lush for a long time and, accordingly, hadn't bought any products, but the unique scent of the "Comforter" was still fresh in my memory. So, I did what I said. I stood in the corona-related line outside the store and was soon allowed to enter. Unfortunately, the shopping experience is somewhat marred by the fact that you can no longer smell the products yourself; instead, if you're interested, you have to call over a salesperson who then assists you with your purchases. Understandable in the current situation, as not everyone should be pressing their dripping noses against the unpackaged products. So, I had a nice saleswoman wrap up a "Comforter" for me, and then she asked if I was already familiar with the scent that corresponds to the "Comforter." I said no. When she then asked if she could apply it on me, I of course said yes. The "Comforter" as a fragrance? *scream* How cool is that? She enveloped me in a cozy cassis cloud, and I melted away. I had to have it! So both the perfume and the bath bomb ended up in the shopping cart.

Happy and a bit high from the time spent in Lush (anyone who has been in a Lush knows what I mean...an olfactory giant orchestra!) I blissfully floated back into my partner's arms, cradling my treasure.
We continued to stroll through the city, and I kept sniffing my arm, each time pure delight.

Back in the car, I naturally couldn't hold back and had to smell this sensational scent again. But as soon as I took the fragrance out of my bag and read the name, I started to hesitate: "Junk"? Shouldn't it actually say "The Comforter"? I shrugged and pushed the doubt aside for the moment. I sprayed a bit into the cap and smelled again, and I was shocked. This was definitely not the scent of the "Comforter." It smelled like a very fresh Ricola herbal candy. What had happened? Had the saleswoman made a mistake? Did she perhaps even trick me into promoting "Junk" because it might have been a slow seller? I don't know. My partner suggested simply exchanging the fragrance, but I didn't want to, because somehow I liked my new Ricola.

The scent initially smells very herbal. Rosemary and sage are clearly recognizable. The sage is a bit more dominant to my nose at first, but not by much. Gradually, the mandarin and lemon join in. However, this does not smell or feel artificial. I didn't even notice the blackcurrant at first. It only appeared after several tests on my skin.
And what can I say? The more I wear it, the more I like it. And the more I wear it, the more it smells to me like the "Comforter" bath bomb. However, not as sweet as the bath bomb, but fresher and a bit more bitter, without being too masculine or heavy.

I find the longevity to be above average. I can still perceive it on myself for a long time. Nevertheless, one should indulge in a maximum of three sprays, as it is quite intense.
My partner, for example, doesn't like it at all. To him, Junk smells like cleaning products (the philistine!)
I, however, like it very much, and when I want to completely step away from my gourmand perfumes, I gladly reach for it. So, you see, opinions are divided on it.

In my opinion, it can be worn all year round. Sparingly dosed, it lasts all day. The bottle is simple and functional. Not a design highlight, but the inner values count, and those are great.

Conclusion:
Junk is a lovely herbal-fruity scent that lasts long. I would definitely recommend it to men as well. The herbs, citrus fruits, and blackcurrant together create a rounded, fruity-bitter blend. In short, a Ricola to scent yourself with :-D

P.S.: I researched for a long time and finally found out that there once was a fragrance named "The Comforter" by Lush. Unfortunately, it seems to have been limited and is no longer produced. Whether Junk is now a fresher version of the old scent or whether the two have no connection at all, I couldn't find out. Maybe someone among you knows more details?

After I was very taken with Queen of Life (I have already written a review of the scent), I dared to try more fragrances from La Rive. My next candidate, or rather my next candidate should be Donna. Said and done. I wanted to know how similar the big and little sister are. I had already tested the original and was somewhat disappointed by its longevity. It certainly doesn't hurt if there's an affordable alternative here as well, especially since the original seems surprisingly weak despite its price.

So I cycled to my trusted drugstore and joined the fragrance shelves (after I had already filled my basket with all the other (alibi) stuff) and immediately found my favorite for today. A paper strip generously sprayed, waved three times in the air, and under my nose with it. Ah yes... oh yes... you smell just like your big sister, like freshly showered, wonderful. So I packed it up and added it to my basket. I sank the test strip into the depths of my handbag; I love it when I open my handbag and a light wave of a pleasant scent wafts out. That instantly puts me in a good mood.

At home, I immediately unpacked the fragrance and took a hearty sniff from the bottle. My new scent should go on my skin the next morning.

The scent starts wonderfully fresh for me, like freshly showered. I detect a slightly artificial citrus note. This artificiality is neither unpleasant nor piercingly intense. Images of the advertisement for the big sister immediately come to mind... oh Donna, let's go to the Amalfi Coast and let the sun shine on our bellies :-D

Now I would love to describe how the scent develops on my skin, but unfortunately, I cannot. After about an hour, I could no longer perceive the scent on myself. A quiet disappointment settled in. But I didn't give up and trudged over to my husband after about four hours of wear and let him sniff, and what did I hear: "Ohhh, that smells good!" (an "Ohhh" is rarely heard from him) This surprised me a bit. I could no longer smell it, but my husband certainly could. My "logical" conclusion: Donna was still there, even if she had hidden from me.
They always say that you get so used to the scent you wear that you no longer perceive it yourself. Others, however, still do. I think the same applies to Donna.
Since Donna is also a very light and fresh scent, this effect probably kicks in much earlier than if you were wearing a very heavy and sweet fragrance.

I would have liked to know how Donna develops further on me. Instead, I am happy to have elicited an "Ohhh" from my husband and am somewhat satisfied that the scent is still perceptible to others. If I want to smell it, I can just reapply.

I think the scent is only perceivable to others due to its lightness when in close proximity, but you don't always have to scent an entire room passively.

By the way, the bottle particularly surprised me. It no longer looks like the image above but has visually adapted to its big sister. The bottle itself is made of milky, slightly heavier glass. The cap is made of plastic and is in a pretty sky blue. Simple but chic, I would say.

Due to its lightness, Donna fits perfectly into the current season, especially on very hot days, it provides at least an olfactory refreshment.

Conclusion: Although I was only able to test the original once, I find the scent very similar. Also very similar, if not identical, to the scent of Anna Biondi with Light Silver.
Also regarding longevity, Donna does not need to hide from her big sister. Both are very light and soon not necessarily perceivable to my accustomed nose, but apparently still to others. The big plus is, of course, the price and good availability.

All in all, a solid scent for a small price. No more, but also no less.

P.S.: The test strip in my bag still smelled good after two days :-D

My first encounters with the fragrances from La Rive were marked by little enthusiasm. After hearing that there were supposed to be some decent dupes of brand-name perfumes, I had to give them a sniff. Who doesn't like a great scent for little money? So I marched into the nearest big red R and took the brand's "flagships" for a test: Cash and Queen of Life. I sniffed the testers with dedication and wrinkled my nose. What was that? A really strong smell of alcohol hit me, followed by a piercingly sweet scent. You could sense the inspiration behind Queen of Life, but the entire fragrance was immediately flattened by a stinging intensity. Back on the shelf it went, and I grabbed Cash. But here too, the same game. First an alcohol smell, and then again an indefinable intensity that buried the scent of the original. A bit disappointed, I left the red R. I knew from other inexpensive drugstore fragrances that price does not necessarily indicate quality, but I couldn't understand all the positive reviews about the brand. I forgot about La Rive for a long time. But eventually, the brand came back to me.
I was browsing the WWW and looking for a dupe for "Love Chloé" and ended up here on Parfumo. I clicked from one link to another and eventually found fragrances from La Rive and many quite positive reviews. How can that be, I thought? Where are all these positive voices coming from? If everyone had smelled what I had, the positive reviews would surely have been significantly fewer. So I took a closer look at the fragrances again. Armed with a little note with my sniffing candidates, I headed to the drugstore and reliably made my way to the perfume shelf. I confidently grabbed Queen of Life and a paper strip and applied the scent. A few wild waves and then to the nose. And what can I say? Completely different from the first sniffing session. No alcohol smell, no stinging intensity! But before I broke into cheers, I sniffed the other potential candidates and got the same result. All presented themselves as fine fragrances, some matching my preferences more than others. I pondered that the first rather lackluster sniffing encounter was probably due to tipped testers. I can't explain this qualitative difference any other way.

A trophy to all those who made it this far. Now comes the review for Queen of Life, I promise;-)

Years ago, I owned the big sister of little Queen and back then I was very taken with it. I liked this sweet heaviness and the fine scent of roasted almonds and cotton candy. When I apply Queen of Life, I have exactly that scent back in my nose. To be honest, I can't really detect the fruity top note. I first smell a fresh sweetness, which, however (typical for top notes), doesn't last long. The scent soon transforms and becomes sweeter and heavier on my skin, but not so heavy that I feel overwhelmed. After about an hour, this wonderful scent of roasted almonds and cotton candy develops, and I also smell a slight vanilla note here. The scent then stays with me and perhaps gets a minimal bitter touch.

To what extent it is THE DUPE to its big sister, I can't say 100%. The time when I had the original was long ago. But from my scent memory, I would say they are very similar. Those who probably don't engage intensively with perfume in general might not smell a difference.

I've been wearing the scent for about five hours now, and I can still perceive it well on myself. The wear time is therefore decent. To what extent others perceive the scent on me, I can't say for sure as always. Tests with my husband only resulted in a "Yes, it smells good!" Since I can still perceive it well on myself, I think others can still catch a whiff of it when they stand behind me at the checkout without getting too close to me:-)

If one were to assign a seasonal classification, I would place it more in the autumn/winter months. I, who really likes such sweet and gourmand fragrances, wear it year-round. With one spray, you are actually quite safe from overdoing it. Still, there will always be someone for whom even that is too much. But that's all a matter of taste:-D

Since I bought a small 30 ml version, the bottle is small and handy. So it's good for the handbag.

Conclusion: I am convinced by both the scent and the longevity of little Queen. I really like this cozy warm cotton candy note. For the little money, it is highly recommended. I would also recommend it to those who are eyeing its big sister but are still hesitant to spend that much money.

Ah yes, I am so glad I gave La Rive another chance, thank you!