Paestum Rose (2006)
by Eau d'Italie

One of the ingredients used In PAESTUM ROSE is reported to be 'davana', a naturally derived substance prized for its tendency to react with the wearer's skin and alter fragrance nuances. Perhaps there is some truth to this claim for on my skin the fragrance develops a little differently - doughy at first, with a musky undertone that surprisingly borders on the animalic, before settling down to a soft woodsy rose and finally fading to a refined skin musk.

Imminently wearable, if a little laid-back. The opening might be a little funky to me but at least it adds some character, had it all but persisted longer into the development. Unfortunately Paestum Rose, with its Sunday grocery list of notes, suffers from 'overblending' and fails to break free of the comfort zone. No wonder it usually gets overlooked.

Notes:

davana, cinnamon, pepper, coriander, black currant buds, Turkish rose, peony, incense, osmanthus, elemi, tea, papyrus, benzoin, myrrh, opoponax, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, wenge wood, amber and white musk.

1st July, 2011.

I persist (obstinately) in searching a rose scent that I may like, but with poor results. Maybe I should definitely resign on the fact that I don't like this smell. Said that Paestum Rose is one of the most "affordable" for my nose because Mr Duchafour mixes this floral note together with a massive dose of incense and cedarwood so to (barely) blend and attenuate the characteristic acidic-sweetness of this ingredient. A nice composition, well crafted but absolutely dominated by a generic rose note.

IMO the Rose has one of the most recognizable smell and that's why Rose Fragrances are a very dangerous territory as they often end smelling much the same.The only rose-based perfume I really enjoyed is Parfum Sacre where the main ingredient is treated to become almost "piquant", quasi-desweetened. It's unequivocally a rose note but at the same time it's different form almost any other rose fragrance around. Other good examples are CDG 2 Woman, CDG's Palisander and Malle's Bigarade Concentre where the rose it's just a kind of "adjuvant" to other notes.

I've to be honest, this is a nice scent, but absolutely not for me.

6th April, 2011. (Last Edited: 7th April, 2011.)

Big thumbs up. An all-time fave. It puts me in a happy state of mind whenever I wear it.

6th January, 2011.

I never thought I'd meet a rose I'd like. This is a woodsy, citrusy rose with some spices around it. Elegant and calm.

15th July, 2010.

A casual, light and thin rose, bolstered by some incense and given depth with some woods. Sweet, but not diabetic. Rose refinement.

18th March, 2010.

Fresh, slightly sweet rose. Light woody, light balsem support. Nice for a summer or spring day.

22nd December, 2009.