Rose Red

[Ishtar]

The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut.

Rose Red is indeed beautiful. As everyone said, it has that "just cut rose" quality to it. It also has that definite mix of rose and green that could be found in Virgo.
Since I dearly loved Virgo and was so sad to see it go, this was very good news.

Unfortunately, Rose Red has next to no staying power on my skin (2 hours at most), which is unusual for a rose blend. I love it, but it fades so fast that I am considering swapping my only imp to someone who will enjoy it more.
It is beautiful nonetheless

[shelldoo]

I will preface this as saying before I met Beth's glorious concoctions I never liked any rose scent. They smelled well I dunno but definitely not me But this is my THIRD yes third rose scent of Beth's that I adore.

 

In the bottle: Just as others have described it smells just like the inside of a florist's fridge, there is a fresh fresh rose smell, but also I smell fern or something. just gorgeous!

 

Wet: very true to the smell in the bottle

 

Dry...this one juststayedthe exact same on as in the bottle! Thank goodness for ebay I never would ahve gotten this incredible fragrance w/o it.

[Macha]

*sigh* I was so afraid this would happen. I'm a girl who loves, loves, loves fresh roses, but I can't stand rose perfumes. They all smell too cloying and too sickly. Not like REAL roses. Well, I came to the LE game late, and by the time I managed to make my way over to Black Broom, they were already out of two blends, if in fact they ever had them in the first place: Rose Red and Mistletoe.

 

No big loss, I thought to myself. (Heh, what did I know, right?)

 

So last week ivyandpeonies swapped me for a few things, including an imp of Rose Red. So many people had raved about how this smells like fresh roses, rather than a pale attempt to smell like roses, that I began to wonder what I'd missed.

 

In the vial: Wow, that's nice. Smells just like fresh roses and very green to boot. My boyfriend, who had been just as eager as me to open up and smell all the prezzies, had stopped at this one, looked at me, and said: "Wow, this smells great. You should wear this a lot." Of course he says this about the perfume I can't get any more of....*laugh*

 

Wet, on skin: Huh. Smells just like fresh roses. Moreso, smells like wet, cold fresh roses. Roses that have been stored in the florist's fridge, or left out in the snow.

 

Dry, on skin: No change at all in the fragrance. It stays just as true and beautiful from start to finish.

 

Conclusion: I will cry when the Imp is gone. I will certainly save this for special occassions, because it is truly the most beautiful of any rose scent I have ever tried. It's hard to improve on the beauty of a fresh rose, and somehow, through what fine magic I know not, Beth has succeeded in not trying to. This isn't perfume. It's wearing a wreath of fresh cut roses as necklace and bracelets. Perfection.

 

Edit: I passed this imp around to some of my male friends last night, and they all agreed that it was one of the most amazing things they'd ever smelled. The two with girlfriends agreed that if it were possible to buy this as something other than a limited edition, they'd have readily dropped cash (and a lot more cash than $12.50) to buy it for their girlfriends. I've been sharing BPAL scents with them for a couple of weeks now, but this is the first time I really saw them understand what makes these perfumes so special.

Edited January 11, 2005 by Macha

[sarahmarie]

I will preface this by saying, as others have said, that I am not usually a floral girl and rose perfume sounds great in theory but never works on my skin.

 

UNTIL ROSE RED! Yes! This is so nice I regret not getting a bottle (but I love babykitty for sending me an imp ).Oddly, it doesn't go sharp on my skin the way most floral oils do. It stays true and beautiful, and it has great staying power on me. It can't be said too often - this is amazing, in that it smells absolutely perfectly just like a fresh red rose. Even though everyone said it, it still surprised me how perfectly real it smells - though I don't know why I'm surprised, really. Beth knocks my socks off.

[Jasminepearls]

Sniffing the imp: ROSES Ohhh, fresh roses!!! This is so pure and beautiful!

 

On my skin: Very fresh...ok...this is getting a bit sharp. I smell very organic...Ack! It is becoming attack of the killer earth note in Zombi!! Noooo!

I can smell the rosey goodness in the backround, but the rotting dirt smell that my chemistry is turning this into is too much. Too strong.

I had to wash it off.

the lingering whiffs smell just like I had hoped this scent would smell. Lovely womanly rose. No soggy earth, but now it is too faint.

Alas Rose Red, we will have to part ways and I will send you off to a more loving home.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: It's the cold rose smell of a florists refrigerator.

 

Second Impression: I'm pleased I got to try the revisited version so I could compare it to the original. Rose Red 2004 has the same cold, fresh rose scent but sweeter and without the sharp astringent scent that 2003 had. This scent is very strong when first applied. But it softens and rounds out as it dries, but still retains that pure, freshly cut rose scent.

 

Final Analysis: While there is no denying Beth's genius in creating Rose Red, it cannot eclipse Crucible of Courage as the most beautiful rosy scent ever.

[Gin]

Wow. This smells just like a floral shop. Or more specifically, the florist's refrigerated case. I can't even say much, since the Lab description is spot-on. It's the scent of a fresh, cold, dewy rose. While being a rose scent, it's not a typical rose scent. It's not "old lady" rose or tea rose or powdery rose. It's a juicy rose, if that makes any sense--a bit like Persephone in that respect, but without Persephone's fruity-sweetness.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: this is ridiculously perfect. i mean, just fresh-cut roses. i LOVE this.

on: oh my goddess! this is beautiful. a perfect, fresh-cut rose. it's amazing.

2 hours later: still beautiful. almost sweet, but not quite. i love this. it's simply and gorgeous.

3.5 hours later: lighter, but still there. the scent itself hasn't changed, just the intensity of it. i love this. it's so fabulously womanly.

overall: i'd probably slather this on in order for it to remain stronger longer, but i love it. i wasn't going to get it, but i'm so happy i did.

[LiberAmoris]

Before BPAL, I thought I disliked rose scents, having been scarred by a zealous junior high school teacher who had clearly burnt out her olfactory system after liberally dousing herself with a commercial rose perfume every morning for thirty years. She was a hugger, and hugged each student on their way out the door each day (she probably couldn’t get away with that in this day and age, but it was the sweetest thing ever).

 

But BPAL’s rose blends are incredible, and Rose Red is no exception. It’s absolutely the truest rose I’ve ever smelled, and the addition of the greenery and a hint of berry (to my nose) rounds it out perfectly. When I wear Rose Red at work, people literally lean in to smell me as if I was the flower myself. It’s my favorite of the BPAL rose blends so far, and I’m so glad I got two bottles, anticipating my obsession with this blend based on last year’s reviews!

[cricketshay]

How very true! In the vial Rose Red has the scent of lucious fresh cut roses. A boquet in a bottle, very lovely to behold. I spent several minutes just breathing in the aroma with my eyes closed. Lovely, oh so lovely.

 

WET It turned very sharp on my skin. I liked the smell better in the bottle than on my wrist. It was very pungent and reminded me of a household cleaner.

 

DRYAfter the scent dried, it mellowed quite a bit and turned to a fresh rose smell. Very nice. The more the scent fades the better it smells. Which is good because I so want to love this scent.

 

After a couple of hours, I still smell like a rose garden, though it is fading faster than I'd like it to. A definite keeper, to be used on special occasions.

[Moonpuff]

This is one of my favorites. I cannot fathom how a smell this accurately green and rosey lovely could ever be captured in a purfume, but it's been done.

 

One of the other notable strengths in this blend is its potency. It is one of few scents other people have noticed on me. Just a little goes a loooooong ways. It even combats an entire pool full of cholorine. I swim at lunch and I was kickboarding and I was trying my darndest to figure out why the pool smelled like roses and then I was like...Ooooo - duh. And now, after my swim & shower usually I still ooze chlorine smell and it grosses me out but today... I can only smell Rose Red & it's not even tainted by the chlorine. Quite pleasant for a change. I know what I'm gonna wear on days I swim now.

[Longstofly]

Rose Red is by far the most beautiful rose scent I have ever experienced. I wish I was better with individiual notes. Anyway, this is amazing. It smells exactly like a fresh cut rose. No weird artifical cloying rose smell here. There's something else that tones down the strength of the rose. Something green, and I swear something somewhat berry like. Anyway, I love it and I am so so glad that I got a bottle of this in a swap.

 

I made the mistake of thinking it was "just rose" when the limited editions came out. Rose Red is so much more than that. Perfect. I think this is the only rose scent for me.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

I got an imp of this from QuantumSpice.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I'll be the first to admit I don't care for roses but mention the words "limited edition" and I'll try damn near anything.

 

First sniff:

 

Rose Red's another contender (and most likely the winner) for the weirdest unexpected reaction/association award! Honest to God, I don't smell roses. I smell starfruit of all things! Slighly unripe starfruit to be exact. Anyone who's ever eaten it knows that it has a very unique smell to it and maybe my nose is busted, but I smell fresh-cut, not-quite-ripe starfruit instead of roses and it's wonderful!

 

Wet on skin:

 

I'm still mainly getting starfruit (weird, huh?) but it's mixed with that almost green scent you get when you smell unopened roses fresh out of the florist's fridge. This is nothing like the super floral powdery rose I normally hate. This is downright beautiful!

 

Dry down:

 

Now Rose Red is all unopened rosebuds and I have to admit it's gorgeous. I never thought I would say I even liked a rose scent, let alone loved one, but I stand corrected. This is so pristine and flawless and gorgeous that I'm absolutely amazed, completely and utterly.

 

The bottom line:

 

I never expected to like Rose Red and I don't...I love it and I'm ready to worship Beth as some sort of demi-goddess (as if I didn't already) for being the one person in the world who could make me love a rose scent. For some reason, it starts out smelling like starfruit (I know, I don't get it either) and ends up smelling like a tightly closed rosebud fresh out of cold storage. I've finally found a rose scent that I love the smell of!

[gingersnapp]

This is the most gorgeous, pure rose scent I have ever encountered. It is big, full, red blooms and the green, dusty touch of stems, leaves, and thorns.

 

I almost started crying when I smelled this because it is the exact scent of my bridal bouquet from my wedding in 2003 (18 red roses and 18 burgundy roses).

 

Too beautiful to describe adequately. I only wish I had found BPAL and this scent sooner so that I could have bought myself a billion bottles.

[brownbat]

One of my very favorite bpal blends!! It's bright without being too sharp. It's sweet without being cloying. It makes my nose tingle and perks me up. It smells like some of the old world roses in my garden, just after a light chilly rain.

 

I've got some of this mixed with alcohol that I use as a linen spray. Ah, sweet repose!

Edited February 23, 2005 by brownbat

[fragrantgrasse]

Contrary to many previous posters here, I really do love rose, especially rose absolute or a pure rose otto.

So of course I ordered Rose Red.

 

First out of the bottle I thought: Ye gods, toooo rosey! But I dabbed it on my wrist and let it marinate for a while. It didn't evolve on me the way I would have wished, it turned into something with.....too high a vibration? Does that sound too new age?

 

However, I am nothing if not persistent so I put it in my candle diffusor - a few drops of Rose Red in water atop a lovely stone candle diffusor - and viola! Utter magic.....a truly gorgeous room scent!!

 

Rose Red is so lovely as a room scent in fact, that even my husband, who does not love much in the way of fragrance, really liked this one!

[BellaCrow]

How _does_ she do it?

 

Now, I'm like Macha in this, I dont really like traditional rose scents. I do love actual roses, but have never seen that scent successfully put into perfume until now.

 

It's a perfect red rose, slightly chilly, slightly green.

Edited March 11, 2005 by BellaCrow

[Glitzie]

Absolutely gorgeous.

I just managed to get hold of a bottle of this in a swap. I now know how lucky I was.

It is a perfect freshly cut rose. the sort of rose that you hold in your hands and inhale that true rose scent, like an old fashioned rose before they got interbred to death.

A lot of the labs rose blends go to powder on me but lucky for me this stays true ( as does Whip) luckily that is a blend available all year .

 

I love it

[regyt]

This is, simply put, the only rose oil I have ever liked. Ever. In all my life.

[sarada]

Wow!

 

I have always liked rose, but the challenge is in finding rose scents that don't smell powdery or artificial on me. I've been pretty content with Zombi and Spellbound as my favorites that have a strong rose notebut have always wanted to try this, and now I finally can, with an imp from ivyandpeony.

 

In the imp this is very, very surprising, as I don't smell rose right away! I smell something very wet and mossy, but not exactly the dirt smell in Zombi, it's more like the smell of a block of that green foam that florists stick flower stems in to arrange them. More like grass and rain than dirt, but there is a hint of earth in it as well.

 

Once it goes on my skin though that dies down and the pure, perfect, icy rose comes through. This ain't your mama's rose! It lingers for a long time, just like having a fresh bouquet of roses at your side all day.

 

BPAL could take over the world with this scent alone, I think. Here's hoping it comes back some day! At any price!

[rainbow]

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I can't believe I haven't gotten round to reviewing this yet, since I bought it at Christmastime. I'm not sure there's much for me to add, so let me reiterate:

 

This is, quite simply, a gorgeous, perfect rose scent. It's a deep red rose kept cool in a florists cooler, stem, petals, and all. It is delicate, yet strong. It's so true to the flower, and so lovely, I'm just in awe. This is one of those oils that I use sparingly and treasure.

[SyringaVulgaris]

I think it's not Rose Red, but Rose Green

 

This stays green on me -- and the rose is behind the green.

 

It never comes to the forefront, and the green is sharp! A thorny green. And this thorn, she'll prick you.

 

Though I seem to be getting a different reaction from most people, I do really like this. It's so different from anything else I have, anything else I have smelled.

 

It seems to me (maybe along with sister Snow White) to be one of the few Yule scents I could wear through the summer....

 

PS: My husband says it smells like a Sharpie, as in "oh, you're wearing the pen perfume today." Too bad for him.

[Phaedra]

I recently got an imp of this one (2004 version). This is the most lush, beautiful, pefect freshly cut rose! There's really not much more to say about this one because it is so perfect. It stays the same all the way through and that's a good thing. I really hope this one comes back this winter. Absolutely gorgeous!!

[cormeretrix]

in the imp, this one reminded me of the cosmetics line that walmart used to carry called sarah michaels. specifically, the rose scent in that line.

 

same on me; it smells like sarah michael's rose.

[Finny]

Mmm, roses.

 

I love this, it is dewy, cold, green, fresh cut roses. It is gorgeous.

 

I usually don't go for florals, but I love this. It smells like a rose covered in icy frost. Fresh cut, still smelling green and herbal. And a little dab will do, it is strong and has a great throw.

 

I hope it comes back next year, I will be buying multiple bottes if it does, if it doesn't, I will certaintly cherish this bottle.