Nicolaï Rose Oud sample winner !
Last night we draw our winner of a 2 ml sample, using random.org. The winner is:
INES !
Congratulations !
Nicolaï, Parfums
A selection of perfumes and home fragrances made by the French perfume house Nicolaï, Paris and perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï
Nicolaï Rose Oud Perfume Review
Rose Oud is very soothing for the heart. Especially when you are suffering from heartache or confronted with difficult emotional situations in your life and want some elevation of stress/anxiety in a soft and gentle way.
Interestingly Patricia de Nicolaï made Rose Oud as a powerful very rich deep fragrance (see video) But Rose Oud wears very close to my skin. It is more the light stroke of a rose. Caresse in French. Caresse de Rose would have been a better title for the fragrance. I can only scent Rose Oud when I smell my wrist very closely, at less than 5 cm. Which is a pity but I reapply several times during the day. Longevity is not very good either. Very powerful rose perfumes on my skin are Guerlain Nahema edp and Maria Candida Gentile Cinabre.
Although I love rose fragrances I find it hard to find rose perfumes I wear regularly. They can either be too the linear like Jo Malone Red Roses, too uplifting like the spicy Amouage Epic or Majda Bekkali Mon Nom Est Rouge or too activating like Maria Candida Gentile Cinabre. I have found Rose Oud to be very appealing and wore it quite often last summer. Of all my rose fragrances, this is the one I used most.
Rose Oud could give an uncomplicated impression at first sniff. But I find it an interesting modern, elegant, radiant and subtle fragrance. You can wear it when you do not want others to smell your fragrance for example at your office or for a job interview.
What do I smell?
Personally I do not scent any oud in Rose Oud but some other male bloggers (Chemist in a Bottle and Geurengoeroe) say they do. At the beginning I get a fruity peach note probably due to the osmanthus. At the same time I get a lot of aldehydes the first few minutes adding lightness and brilliance. The aldehydes are not used in a retro vintage style like Antoine Lie in Rien Intense but in a more modern 21th century way. What remains afterwards is an oily fragrance according to Perfume Shrine due to Nargamotha/Cypriol*. I get a sweet raspberry/rose note as well which is very similar to the Oliver and Co Santalum scented candle.
What does it do ?
Rose Oud is very soothing for the heart. Especially when you are suffering from heartache or confronted with difficult emotional situations in your life and want some elevation of stress or anxiety in a soft and gentle way. I used it a lot when my mother was in the hospital last summer. Part of this soothing effect could be a result of the usage of cypriol or to the calming effect of the rose.
Which image do I get ?
I get the image of the fur of my cat, Rubio as caressing him has a similar calming effect on me as wearing Rose Oud.
Composition: (according to the official Nicolaï website)
Top note: raspberry, davana, osmanthus
Heart note: rose, lily of the valley
Base note: agarwood, patchouli , sandalwood, musk, amber
Fragrance family: according to Patricia de Nicolaï chypre due to the rose and patchouli absolute (I would say floral chypre with fruity accents due to the raspberry or fruity chypre, Michael Edwards classifies it as a rose soliflore which makes sense)
Sillage: 1/5
Longevity: 1/5
Fragrance: 4/5
Overall: 3,5/5
Origin of bottle: my own, Nicolaï is sold in The Netherlands by The Perfume Lounge and Parfumaria, both sell samples.
* Nagarmotha/Cypriol is a plant of the Cyperaceae family belonging to the papyrus family. Cypriol essential oil is harvested through steam distillation. Lotus Garden Botanicals states on its website that its fragrance has similarities with vetiver and oud. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy and is said to have an emotionally calming effect. According to an article of Swiss perfumer Andy Tauer most of the oud in perfumes are bases often made with Cypriol.
Give away: we are giving away a 2 ml sample of Rose Oud
- Subscribe to our website if you already are you can skip this
- Leave a comment telling us what scent relaxes you or soothes your heart
- Draw will close september 3, at 12.00 PM Parisian Time
- We will contact the winner by mail, announce it on our website and on twitter, if you are the winner please check your mail and other folder
- Worldwide draw
Fragrant Holiday Gifts – Discovery Sets and Home Fragrances
In the Netherlands we are getting ready for the traditional day for gifts on the evening of December 5th, Sinterklaas. This period is accompanied by fragrant almond and spiced cookies speculaas, marzipan, chocolate letters and others sweets. Some families accompany their gifts with self made rhymes. This is my top 5 of personal favorite fragrant gifts including perfume discovery sets, scented candles and room diffusers. All of them have in common that they are made by perfumers running their own independent perfume company which (in my opinion) are worthy of our support.
1. Ineke Scent Library: a beautiful gift with 5 large 2,5 ml samples from American perfume Ineke Ruhland Floral Curiosities Collection, it is a low risk and not too expensive but beautiful gift. I have not used this Scent Library but bought it as a gift recently for Sinterklaas for a avid book lover to introduce her to these fragrances. price: 20 euro
2. Lorenzo Villoresi Vintage Collection: a discovery set with 6 fragrances in 2 ml small sprays from the Vintage Collection of Italian perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi including: Garofano, Ambra, Incensi, Tropicana, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang. They all come in a very practical small box which is perfect for travelling. price: 18 euro 
3. Parfums de Nicolai Room Diffuser (bamboo fragrance sticks): for a very special gift as they are not cheap but really worth its price. Most of French perfumer Patricia de Nicolai room diffusers last about 9 month but less if put close a source of heat like central heating. This is high perfumery in a room diffuser for me as I prefer Patricia de Nicolai room fragrances to her perfumes. Personal favorites are Ambre Precieux and Maharajah. 
As a gift I bought a Route du Cedre room diffuser. They come in a beautiful box which can used afterwards to store perfume samples or jewellery. The Ambre Precieux room spray is excellent as well and works wonderful sprayed on skin be careful though if you have a sensitive skin as it is not made to spray on skin. price: 43 euro (room diffuser), 37 euro (room spray)
4. Oliver & Co Scented Candles: (free worldwide shipping until the end of 2014) wonderful strong scented candles made by the Spanish perfumer Oliver Valverde. My favorite candle for winter is Ambarina and Tuberosen for summer. Very suited for Christmas is Silver Fir which I am using at the moment. price: 42 euro (Oliver has regular discounts, it is wise to check his website regularly or subscribe to his newsletter on his website) 
5. A cheaper gift alternative are empty perfume sprays or a Travalo Perfume Spray. I always help my mother to refill her purse spray for her large Estee Lauder Beautiful eau de parfum bottle and noticed several friends appreciate empty perfume bottles as they do not know where to buy them.
This is a small selection for fragrant gifts. What will you be giving for Sinterklaas or Christmas ?
Disclaimer: all products in this article were bought by me
Photographs: from the official websites http://www.ineke.com/, http://www.lorenzovilloresi.it/, and http://www.pnicolai.com/en/ and http://www.oliverandcoperfumes.com/en/ Please check these website for further worldwide information where products can be bought.