Rose Red

[ghosttown]

The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut.

Rose Red '05. I was given an imp of this by a generous swapper and am so happy to be able to finally try it! It is a pure rose scent, strong and gorgeous. I'm not really a rose fan, but for her I would make an exception. She has a strong, apple bite, there is no fusty, musty old lady rose scent here. This is the real deal. There is that pure floral sweetness, but some thorns underneath. This is perfect for summer days in the park, relaxing in the grass. It is very evocative of the Rose Red fairy tale I have loved for so many years.

[Chrysantza]

A very, VERY generous friend gifted me with Rose Red 2005 edition.

 

In the bottle: rose. Fresh-cut, red rose. - like a dew-covered "Mr. Lincoln" deep red bloom.

 

On me: Rosey but with, alas, a soapy undertone. My body chemistry doesn't always play nice with the greener or sharper scents. Still, more rose than soap.

 

As a room scent, it's true rose, probably the closest thing to a real fragrant rose I've ever smelled in the bottle. Mmmm.

[monkey1123]

I got both Rose Red and The Peacock Queen in my Christmas 2005 order, and they make a really interesting contrast! The Peacock Queen is a really sophisticated rose, while Rose Red is the perfect fresh, young, greeny rose scent. I would love to see this one come back!

[DifferentDances]

I received this from a generous forumite...and now I'm in love.

 

Imp: Frighteningly green rose. Very strong, and somewhat off-putting.

Wet: WHEW rose up the wazoo!

Drydown: Mmm...there we go. It's green and fresh and the rose is settling down for the long haul.

Dry: This is amazing. Most roses turn to hand-soap after a couple hours on my skin; even after 15 minutes other BPAL roses get a faint soapy edge to them. This? This gets anchored so tightly on my skin that it's amazing. It's like a solid chunk of steady, green rose floating on my skin.

 

My rating: 5/5. It's a rose that one hundred percent works with my skin chemistry. I must track down more.

[JennyGardener]

This is the rose's rose! It smells like a fresh rose all day long! I, too, get the hand-soap roses effect, but not with this one. And this rose is not a "girly" rose. It's a true, magical, garden rose. The kind that will resist Japanese beetles and make big rose hips. Many thanks to my "adopter" for letting me try this one!

[bryghtrose]

My switch witch sent me an imp of Rose Red 05, and it's the best present she could have sent

 

This scent really is a perfect, luscious, dewy, red rose. Underneath the perfect rose is a hint of greenery, so the rose is still alive. It hasn't been kept in a florist's for days, nor is it in a hot-house. It truly is a perfect rose.

 

I'm absolutely in love with this scent, and I live in constant hope that Beth will make more someday.

 

-----------

 

Rose Red 2007

 

It's a very green rose scent. The green is almost overpowering, and it's very high, like a rose in the atmosphere. I sill like it a lot, but I think it needs time to age and mellow out.

Edited December 9, 2007 by bryghtrose

[somnambular]

Rose Red smells EXACTLY like sticking your nose into the middle of a dew-laden rose. It has a coldness to it that reminds me of pulling a bouquet of roses from the florist's case. There is also a green background, very much like a freshly cut stem. I love perfumes that deliver a scent that's true to its description.

 

Although I love the smell of fresh roses, I probably wouldn't wear this very often. It's more something I would like my room to smell like. I think I'll be pulling this one out a lot in wintertime. I live in the City of Roses, and I come to miss the smell when they're gone.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Somnambular

[alicia_stardust]

2004 Version: This is the smell of a just cut rose, bursting with green stems and red velvet blooms galore. It doesn't morph at all on my skin; it stays true from beginning to end.

Edited November 9, 2007 by alicia_stardust

[funkmoppet]

I'm getting no freshly cut rose from this. Rose, yes. In abundance.

 

But there's something sharp in here that I'm not liking. Can't pick out what it is, but it was very pungent when wet, and is still there now that it's dry.

 

I prefer Whip, for my fresh rose needs. This rose isn't for me.

[usamimi]

Though I usually don't like such simple rose smells, this one's probably one of the best I've smelled. It doesn't just smell like roses, it smells like a whole rose garden! You not only smell the roses, but you smell stems, leaves, roots, dew...it's a very earthy and organic rose. Very nice! Not something I'd wear, but a very pleasing smell none the less.

[Meshuganah]

I have carefully hoarded and rarely used my imp of Rose Red. It is so precious to me. It literally smells like I am sticking my face into a bed of freshly cut dew riddled roses! So fabulous, I can't enough sniffing to satisfy me. I would give almost anything!!!!! for a bottle of this.

[Tulliver]

Like Usamimi said, this isn't just the rose, this is the the entire rose garden. How stunningly beautiful, simple, noble and adult. There is nothing of the rosebud about this. However neither is there anything of the over-opened bloom at the end of its life. I have the '05 version of it which is, apparently, slightly different from the '04.

 

This is a perfect rose - and it couldn't be anything BUT red, from the scent - complete with stem, leaves, dew and perhaps just one or two thorns. It's that simple, that complex and that utterly perfect. There is no sweetness to it. There is just "rose".

 

I'm at a loss for a great deal of coherent comment about it actually, but I think that just says a lot about its impact on me. I shall be wearing this a great deal.

[Elizabethm]

2007 Version

 

This is my first time smelling and wearing Rose Red. It does live up to the hype for me.

 

I was expecting the scent of a single rose. But it's not. it's got the dew the thorns the stem and everything else in it. It's actually really lovely and on par with one of my favorite rose scents (Evelyn.. love david austin).

 

I disliked Persephone and thought it smelt sour this smells like rose.. with something I honestly can't get a handle on .. underneath and it's very pretty.

 

I'm glad I got a backup bottle of this

Edited November 1, 2007 by Elizabethm

[crescentmoon]

07 version:

 

A fresh, dewy rose. It's simply perfection. I have been searching for a rose scent that smelled like a real rose - not a perfumey rose. I wasn't having any luck, but now - I've found her! Rose Red is amazing. I kept smelling myself all day and it lasted all day for me as well.

 

My husband also said that he loved the way I smelled when wearing it - and he usually hates florals. That says a lot.

 

My poor credit card...between this and my beloved Snow White - I'm going to be broke!

[sookster]

straight sniff from the bottle is a definite fresh rose...being sniffed right from it thorny stalk...

 

once applied a lot of green beauty along with the fresh rose...

 

the best rose scent the lab has to date IMHO

[cranberry]

2007:

This is just like Rose Red 2005 – absolutely beautiful. Rose can go terribly wrong on me depending on the rose, but this one is always perfect.

 

In the bottle and on the skin, this smells of fresh, dewy roses. What makes this so amazing is that you can also smell the fresh, green, crisp stem. It makes this scent alive. It is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t stop huffing my wrist.

 

This is the quintessential rose scent.

[AliBabble]

(2007). i've been curious about this one forever - now i get to try it. out of the bottle, i am surprised that i get a dose of dirt smell, along with my rose, and something almost sharp, almost chemically. on my skin this is really strong, bright and intense rose. almost too much, at first. however, it does calm down and become much more of a well-behaved rose, that is not screaming "rose" anymore. i get the greenery that others have mentiones, and that is nice and much more realistic to what i am accustomed to smelling in a perfume. this rose is very "raw" smelling to me, it's not the warmest scent on my skin, it is rather cold actually. this is an odd one on me, not an everyday scent, but i'll definitely wear this once in a while, when the rose mood strikes - i can see wearing this one outdoors in a field or park.

[alicia_stardust]

ROSE RED (2007 Version)

 

WET: In the bottle this smells like apples and roses.

 

DRY: On my skin this turns into a fresh, crisp, vibrant red rose scent. Behind that I get an almost green apple-like undertone and there is a hint of cut stems, a smattering of fresh dirt, and a touch of dew. This is gorgeous! The rose is very different than most of the other rose scents I have tried. It is a young and crisp rose. This blend has a strong throw, wears long, and doesn't morph past the initial drydown.

[polesiren]

Just got my bottle today...2007 edition

 

Y'all describe this SO beautifully, not sure I can add more except to say it's the "Rose of my Dreams!"

 

Heady, totally indulgent, and a seductive, bursting cloud of roses...exactly the scent the word "rose" would trigger in my mind.

 

Have to get more,this one is a WOW!

 

ADDED Dec. 1:

 

I love this rose but I sneezed a LOT after I put it on...

 

Will try once more but am afraid it doesn't love me back.

 

A perfect red rose,the one you remember from the best bouquet ever!

Edited December 11, 2007 by Shollin

[ForeverLastcXs]

Most rose scents go horribly wrong on me; think powdery, dusty, "old lady with fading sense of smell" rose. It's bad. Really bad. This rose scent, however, is a surprise winner. I'm impressed! I was doubtful I'd find a rose that would work on me. This smells just like a lush, bright red rose in full bloom surrounded by vibrant, fragant, dewy leaves. The throw is incredibly strong on me - my skin amps rose like crazy, and most of the time that isn't a good thing. This one borders on a tad too strong, but I'll just have to remember to be less generous with my slathering hands when it comes to Rose Red. It becomes more beautiful and full-bodied as it dries down. Unless this takes a drastic turn (and I hope not), I will definitely be keeping this.

Edited November 12, 2007 by ForeverLastcXs

[n3m3sis42]

In the bottle:

Rose, with a hint of something fresh.

 

Wet:

This is definitely a rose scent, but it's got something almost fruity about it. Unfortunately, it also goes a bit soapy on me as it begins to dry down.

 

Dry:

This dries more green than soapy. It's a sharp, bright rose that I hope will work for me.

 

Edited to add:

I gave this its first real, all-day wearing today, and it was a success. I loved it more than I expected, and apparently my husband loves rose scents. I wonder how many of this year's Yules are going to end up being multi-cottle purchases... so far, probably several.

Edited November 19, 2007 by n3m3sis42

[hackess]

2007 Blend

 

Bottle: The gorgeous red full rose I fell in love with in the earlier versions.

Wet: An odd berry bubble-gum note is present. It's definitely a sharper rose this year.

Dry: Still beautiful red roses, freshly cut, green stems and all. I got a distinct lemon note about 30 minutes into wearing it. 2007's brighter than my aged '05 blend and I'm not sure which I prefer. It's still like swimming in rose petals a la Mena Suvari in American Beauty.

[euterpe414]

Rose Red 07

 

 

Yep, this is the perfect rose. I remember try a sniffy of the 05 version and it was definitely a bit sweeter than this current version, but I suspect that aging might mellow this one out. Even if it doesn't that's OK b/c this one is also phenomenal. It's a very fresh, wild rose with slight hints of dirt and greenery. It smells exactly like my grandmother's rose bush in its entirety, and I'm reminded of being a little kid when I used to get up close to it and inhale deeply . I am loving this blend and am thrilled to be able to own a bottle of it. Many, many thanks to the lab for bringing this back!!

 

:D

[maribouquet]

Oh my god that is just the best thing I've ever smelled in my entire life. Juicy, sweet, green, elegant, sensual, spinning rose.

 

I'm sadly foiled by my skin though, as the dry down is weirdly acidic and powdery.

Edited November 16, 2007 by maribouquet

[Poenari]

2007: I said in another review that I don't usually wear rose scents, but I have heard so much about Peacock Queen, Rose Red, and Snow White that I ordered decants of each to try.

 

Rose Red in the vial is very sharp red roses. Once on my skin, it went straight to my sinuses, as if they were stuck by a thorn, and caused an instant headache. I had to wash it off right away. I'm not having much luck with the Yule scents I've tried.

 

2021: hahahaha and here we are, all these years later, deciding that my nose must have evolved enough to give Rose Red another try! I'm so glad that I did. I only ordered a decant, but that may be remedied soon. 2020/21 Rose Red is deep true red rose, fresh on the vine, not a bland grocery store rose. The scent is luxurious and just perfect. Long lasting too!  What a n00b I was in 2007. 🤣

Edited February 5, 2021 by Poenari