SOTD: Eau D'Italie Paestum Rose

I wanted to like Paestum Rose.

I failed, and resolved to give it away.

It didn't go away. It spent time in the Giveaway Ziploc and the Giveaway Shoebox. I don't remember if all of the people that I thrust those containers at ("Want some? Sure you do!") turned it down, or if I extracted it before making the offer. I suspect the second because, as I say, I wanted to like it. Badly.

After a few weeks of walking past the Giveaway Shelf and feeling its resentful eyes on me, I finally returned it to the collection. And I wore it today.

I liked it a fraction better than I did before--it's upgraded to "Interesting." rather than "Bitter. Eew." But I'm not there yet.

Image: By Vaikoovery. Wikimedia Commons.

SOTDays: Chanel Cuir de Russie and Eau d'Italie Paestum Rose

Yesterday was Cuir de Russie and a new pair of shoes. I enjoyed it, but Himself expressed a protest at the sillage.

Today, it occurred to me that my increasing fondness for incense might justify giving Paestum Rose another chance. I did rather enjoy it, though I'm still not sure if roses and incense belong in the same fragrance.

And that is all.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

SOTD: Eau D'Italie Paestum Rose (The Decluttering Resumes)

Yet another perfume purchased without a proper sampling cycle, yet another perfume that I'm likely to give away.

I like this one better than most roses mixed with incense or bitter notes, but it just doesn't have a niche. If I want incense, there's Serge Lutens Serge Noire, and if there weren't, I'd buy Comme des Garcons Kyoto. If I want a rose, there was Elizabeth W Rose and Hermessence Rose Ikebana and Rochas Tocade, and now there's Shiseido White Rose and all other roses can just run along.

So Paestum Rose is nice, it's interesting, it's high-quality, and I can't imagine why I'd wear it. I may give it one more try, but I think it's on its way out of the house.

Image: By Veshi.

SOTD: Frederic Malle Une Rose

This is one of Those Roses. I want to love them, and especially this one, but I just can't.

Those Roses are strong, grown-up roses with a bitter undertone, with or without incense. This category includes Czech & Speake No. 88 and Dark Rose, Tauer's Incense Rose, and several others that my nose, though perhaps no one else's, groups together. Perfume freaks adore these things and I want to be a proper perfume freak! But I can't, in this. The only one that I can comfortably wear is Eau d'Italie's Paestum Rose.

It's the often-citron-like bitterness I just can't get past. I don't demand that my rose be sweet or fruity or woody, but I just can't like it with that particular bitter note. Maybe it's because it's almost a food note, and roses and food don't combine for me? Maybe it's because I'm just too trained to expect sweetness, or, at the most challenging, tartness, to accompany a rose?

I'll be waiting this one out all day, to see if I can acquire the taste. But I don't really anticipate that I'll be returning with an epiphany.

Review Roundup: Now Smell This and Emergency Backpack and Bois de Jasmin and Perfume-Smellin' Things and Sweet Diva and PeredePierre and Perfume Posse.

Photo: Mine