Question: Eau de Rochas, male & female versions

[Yvan]

I've had 2 minis of Eau de Rochas, and both times I've thought they were the men's version (Rochas also makes a women's version of Eau de Rochas). The mini I have now is very lemony, with a lemon floral note, and some minor base notes. The box of the mini looks like this...
http://www.perfumeemporium.com/women...ls.cfm?id=6767
...which is a link to the women's version, and it does not say "pour Homme" on it...neither does the bottle.

I recently bought a large bottle with does say Eau de Rochas pour Homme, and it smells WAY different. There is a little citrus there, but it's nowhere near as strong as the mini. And with the big pour Homme bottle, the pine note is very pronounced (I never smelled that in the mini), and the juice smells sweeter than the mini, sweet like Lacoste pour Homme smells to me, like maple syrup. The juice from the big bottle also smells more deep and masculine than the mini.

Do you think the mini I have is the ladies version? Personally, I think it's still masculine enough for guys, and I'm disappointed that the big bottle doesn't smell like the mini. Any thoughts?

[scentemental]

[blue]Yvan,

The mini is definitely the women's version. I know; I have both.

I like the women's version a lot. I wear it quite regularly in the summer. It's *Eau Sauvage* with a jasmine twist. Indeed, when it came out in 1970, there were a number of women's fragrances that were moving towards a more *Eau Sauvage* inspired unisex notion of fragrances. Many women began wearing *Eau Sauvage* when it first came out in 1966 and *Eau de Rochas* for women (1970) is a product of a more eau fraîche, unisex conception of male and female scents.

Regards,

scentemental[/blue]

[Yvan]

Many thanks scentemental...nice to get the scoop on this! As a citrus scent for a guy, I think the "women's" version is plenty masculine, and I like its slight but nice floral element...even with that I think it's plenty good for a guy, and more masculine and long-lasting than many unisex scents I've tried, or perhaps I should say "other" unisex scents, since the origin of the women's version seems to have been of a unisex nature.

[scentemental]

Many thanks scentemental...nice to get the scoop on this! As a citrus scent for a guy, I think the "women's" version is plenty masculine, and I like its slight but nice floral element...even with that I think it's plenty good for a guy, and more masculine and long-lasting than many unisex scents I've tried, or perhaps I should say "other" unisex scents, since the origin of the women's version seems to have been of a unisex nature.

[blue]Yvan,

Your description is right on. I would encourage others to try this wonderful, truly unisex fragrance. It is after all a product of the sixties move to redefine gender roles.

I am really glad to hear it has another proponent on the board. Clearly, I am in good company. BTW *Eau de Rochas Pour Homme* is one of my all time favorite fragrances.

Regards,

scentemental[/blue]

[Renato]

I bought several bottles of Eau de Rochas Femme a couple of years ago. Although the women I gave them to loved them, I thought it was way too feminine to be considered unisex.

I sprayed it on my hand and thought it was pretty vile.

With all the good male and unisex citrus scents out there, I can't understand why any guy would could consider getting this one for himself,
Renato

[Yvan]

I bought several bottles of Eau de Rochas Femme a couple of years ago. Although the women I gave them to loved them, I thought it was way too feminine to be considered unisex.

I sprayed it on my hand *and thought it was pretty vile.

With all the good male and unisex citrus scents out there, I can't understand why any guy would could consider getting this one for himself,
Renato

Well, the thing was, when I went to the fragrance store at the mall, they had the mini (apparently the women's version) in the men's section. It doesn't say "pour femme" on it, only Eau de Rochas, and both the men's and the women's was an EDT, so how was I supposed to know! So, I didn't go with the intention of wearing a woman's scent. It just really smells like a strong citrus scent to me...it doesn't smell feminine at all, except for a lemon flower note. Either we're talking about 2 different fragrances, or it just the way chemistry works for different people.

[Renato]

Well, the thing was, when I went to the fragrance store at the mall, they had the mini (apparently the women's version) in the men's section. *It doesn't say "pour femme" on it, only Eau de Rochas, and both the men's and the women's was an EDT, so how was I supposed to know! *So, I didn't go with the intention of wearing a woman's scent. *It just really smells like a strong citrus scent to me...it doesn't smell feminine at all, except for a lemon flower note. *Either we're talking about 2 different fragrances, or it just the way chemistry works for different people.

Yes, it's ultra annoying the way a men's one is Pour Homme, and a woman's one is either "femme" or nothing.

I guess I'm just ultra attuned to most flowery notes - they seem feminine to me.

The good thing about picking up the wrong scents is that invariably there'll be some female friend or family member who'll be ecstatic when you give them an unexpected little present(providing you don't tell them it was an accidental purchase).
Renato

[scentemental]

Yvan,

I thought you might find the comparison between the two fragrances interesting. Here are the notes:

[red]*Eau de Rochas*[/red]
Top notes: Verbena, Lime, Mandarin, Bergamot
Middle notes: Wild Rose, Jasmine, Coriander, Carnation
Base notes: Oakmoss, Amber, Musk

[red]*Eau de Rochas Pour Homme*[/red]
Top notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin
Middle notes: Basil, Artemisia, Coriander, Pine Needle
Base notes: Vetiver, Cedar, Amber, Oakmoss


Regards,

scentemental

[Leo]

Hi! This thread made me want to try even more the 'pour femme' version. I think the 'pour homme' is an extraordinary citrus (although I cannot seem to smell anything sweet in it).

[Guest]

Ok, I guess I have to step in. No need to get upset about the "pour femme" or lack of it! Rochas fully intended it to be a unisex scent when they first launched the original Eau de Rochas. The advertising was always pointedly non-gender oriented and in France (where it still remains a firm favourite) the public used it as it was made to be. A refreshing 'water' that captures the freshness of a sparkling brook or stream for both men and women. A very similar thing happened (many years later) with Eau by Kenzo... the original wasn't meant to be either male or female. And then was followed later by the "pour homme" version. It was the realisation that most men wouldn't buy any fragrance unless it said "for men" that has led to this state of affairs.
Having said that, we are now the lovely receipients of 2 lovely scents from Rochas, and 2 from Kenzo.
As an afterthought, Hermes is pointedly and deliberately carrying on its proud tradition of unisex waters:
first the Green Orange, then the Mediterranean Garden and this year, the Nile Garden Eaux .
A rose by any other name...

[Renato]

Ok, I guess I have to step in. No need to get upset about the "pour femme" or lack of it! Rochas fully intended it to be a unisex scent when they first launched the original Eau de Rochas. The advertising was always pointedly non-gender oriented and in France (where it still remains a firm favourite) the public used it as it was made to be. A refreshing 'water' that captures the freshness of a sparkling brook or stream for both men and women. A very similar thing happened (many years later) with Eau by Kenzo... the original wasn't meant to be either male or female. And then was followed later by the "pour homme" version. It was the realisation that most men wouldn't buy any fragrance unless it said "for men" that has led to this state of affairs.

The alternative explanation is that most men perceived Eau de Rochas as I did - an unambiguously *feminine scent.
Renato