WHAT I SMELL: À la rose has a sparkling opening with clean and bright citrus mixed with violet and the freshness of green.  I love the fact that the opening is incredibly cheerful with an unassuming easiness about it.  In addition, there’s a nice light powder that dusts the perfume; and strange as it seems, the perfume is both cool and warm at the same time.  The rose in the perfume starts to come forward, but in a tender and soft way without any harsh turns or nuances.  There’s a bit of a “bathtastic” aspect to the perfume, but not so much that it feels like soap.  Overall, the perfume doesn’t transform all that much, but instead maintains this soft, clean floral warmth that is close to the skin and incredibly inviting.

From the Maison Francis Kurkdjian website:

Damascena rose from Bulgaria – bergamot from Calabria – orange from California – violet – magnolia blossom – cedar wood – musk – centifolia rose from Grasse

À la rose is an ode to femininity, a declaration of love captured in a fragrance. Two hundred and fifty precious roses from Grasse offer their radiance and their unmatched richness in every flacon.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  A Victorian woman sitting at her dressing table getting ready for the beautiful spring day ahead.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE À LA ROSE:  pretty, proper, soft

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT À LA ROSE: Kafkaesque, Colognoisseur, The Women’s Room

BOTTOM LINE: À la rose is not an earth shattering perfume.  What it is though, is a lovely, soft and thoughtful rose beauty.

• Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent:  Floral
• Classification: Feminine
• Expense: $245 for 2.5 oz. eau de parfum

Sample courtesy of Arielle Shoshana.