Please pardon me while I gush…
WHAT I SMELL: Deep and sweet, not sugary sweet, but sweet wrapped up in warm honey that seems to bellow up from darkened chasm. It’s intoxicating and hypnotic. The top notes are listed as citrus, but I’m not getting that so much as the lavender seems to absorb the sharper edges of what we typically experience with lemon and lime. Quickly the prominent jasmine takes the stage where it seduces you along with the ylang-ylang in a pool of heavy and heavenly juice. There’s so much depth to Enslaved that it literally creates this floral force field around you. Then add the rich and glowing labdanum and ambergris, Enslaved pulls out even deeper floral force field. Eventually the oak moss begins to dry out the juiciness, but it never leaves you out in the desert. Of course, everything is blended so seamlessly that picking apart the notes really is rather silly as in this case, it doesn’t really matter as I am completely intoxicated with its beauty.
From the Roja Parfums website:
“With Enslaved I loved the idea of falling in love so deeply and passionately there was no escape. In an old family dictionary, one definition of Ensalved was described as, to become a prisoner of love. I wanted to create a scent that enslaved both its wearer and those who smelt it on them: a scent with no escape where you become the wearers prisoner of love” – Roja Dove
Notes: bergamot, lemon, lime, lavender, carnation, geranium, Jasmine de Grasse, orange blossom, rose, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, oakmoss, patchouli, ambergris, labdanum, musk, vanilla
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Floral hypnosis.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ENSLAVED: seductive, addictive, breathtaking
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ENSLAVED: I only found comments on Fragrantica.
BOTTOM LINE: I was lucky enough to be introduced to Enslaved at Sniffapalooza and then a wonderful perfumista sent me a sample which I am guarding like a grand jewel. I am addicted to this perfume and can only hope that even with the hefty price tag that Santa or the Perfume Fairy will make this mine as we were meant to be together!
- Bone Rating: 5 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Oriental
- Nose: Roja Dove
- Classification: Feminine
- Expense: $435 for 50ml Parfum; also available in EdP
November 4, 2013 at 8:27 am
I bloody adore this!Don’t have it and probably won’t ever in this lifetime because it’s so expensive,but it’s just WOW!
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November 4, 2013 at 6:08 pm
Ana…I love your response. It is just so WOW! I couldn’t have said it any better! Everything about Enslaved feels rich, so I don’t have any problem with it being so expensive…hmmm, I don’t know if my wallet would agree however! Thanks for stopping by!
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November 4, 2013 at 11:29 am
Sounds lovely indeed Houndie!
Ya know, all Roja Dove perfumes has just appeared in Quality Missala in Poland (Isn’t Miss Stanisława doing a great job?) but I’m somehow afraid to test them. Samples have really high prices and flacons are even more expensive really. I’m afraid to fall in love!
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November 4, 2013 at 6:10 pm
That is one of the problems with being introduced to a line with a high price tag. You instinctively know that you’re going to love the quality and the attention to detail, but that makes it ever so hard to resist!
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November 4, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Perfect timing for a review, Roja himself is here in Dubai and I get to meet him tomorrow. I feel like I should be studying up before I speak to the master! (And lock my wallet away so I am not tempted to buy them all…). Fetish is my personal favorite right now but, I really should spend more time with the line.
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November 4, 2013 at 6:12 pm
Wow… you are so lucky. I would love to meet Roja! I liked Fetish pour homme myself… but it doesn’t hold a candle to Enslaved (at least for me). Have a great time tomorrow. I want to hear all about your meeting and it you picked up any goodies!!!
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November 4, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Sounds gorgeous, darling. I don’t think I got to test this one when I was at Jovoy, but I was overwhelmed by the selection, for Roja Dove included. Your beautiful description and writing makes me deeply regret that now. Hopefully, the hubster will get it as an anniversary present or something for you. xoxox
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November 4, 2013 at 6:13 pm
I can only hope my dear. I really think that you would like this one…it’s big and opulent and not shy in the least. 🙂
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November 4, 2013 at 3:59 pm
I do hope you figure out a way to get a bottle of this or at least a split. It did smell fabulous on you. There were a few scents in this line that I liked but I resisted the urge to try on skin because I already like too many that I can’t afford. Sometimes I think that if it’s really love, it’s better to buy that one bottle that costs more rather than trying to satisfy yourself with perfumes you like but don’t love.
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November 4, 2013 at 6:14 pm
You are the voice of reason my dear. I should have just held off on buying other things at Sniffa and just bought this instead. Next time I’ll know better. But it’s just so easy to get carried away!!!
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November 12, 2013 at 2:41 am
I don’t remember this perfume… Actually, I don’t remember any of Roja Parfums’ creations. I went two or three times over sniffing all the bottles, sprayed a couple on paper but didn’t go for a skin test. Of course, it was Jovoy so I was a little (?) overwhelmed. I’ll need to revisit them one day.
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November 12, 2013 at 12:22 pm
I have barely touched the Roja fragrances myself. I have tested Daighlev and Gardenia, but this was the real standout. You can tell with all of them that the quality is there, but spending that kind of money on a perfume it has to be a masterpiece. For me, Enslaved is 🙂
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November 12, 2013 at 1:29 pm
I agree about the expected correlation masterpiece/price and, to tell you the truth, every time I plan to try a very expensive perfume I secretly hope it will be something out of this world… It almost never is though 😉
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November 17, 2013 at 8:40 pm
I hope that Enslaved will be yours soon, Houndy! Maybe for Christmas? Fingers crossed for you! You deserve it!
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November 18, 2013 at 7:44 am
It is at the top of my list for Santa. I really don’t want for much this year, but this I really do! Santa, I’ve been good this year 🙂
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November 18, 2013 at 6:57 pm
So good! I hope Santa hears you!
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November 17, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Oh my, that picture is truly hypnotic. And 5 out of 5 bones…I feel an unsniffed (decant) purchase coming although I probably shouldn’t…I need to pop over to Bergdorf’s! Great review!
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November 18, 2013 at 7:45 am
I would love to hear what you think. It’s so over the top big floral yumminess!
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