Elie Saab Le Parfum Rose Couture

Elie Saab's second fragrance Le Parfum Rose Couture launches Feb 2016, just in time for Valentine's. And it is perfect for the occasion as well, although I know many of you enjoy Rose scents for daily wear anyway.

Created by long-time collaborator, parfumeur Francis Kurkdjian, Saab's second offering takes a leaf from the original (orange blossom) but is less dense and heady, and has a crisper and fresher edge. 

Official notes

Top notes: orange blossom, rose petals, peony

Heart notes: rose nectar, fruity nuances, jasmine, vanilla

Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood

This scent is only available right now as an eau de toilette, and is described officially as a "bloomy chypre solar", which I know is not going to mean anything to most of you. So I'm going to break it down the way I experience it:

The opening is delicate and slightly "dewy" sweet, because of a blend of watery peony with a soft sweet rose. The orange blossom is very soft and just adds a light tanginess without being as fleshy and pungent as it can sometimes be. On my skin the initial phase only lasts for a short time, and the scent sweetens up as a denser, sweeter jasmine-rose accord blossoms. The jasmine and vanilla adds a more voluptuous, almost candy-like tinge to the rose at this point but it's still a bright scent, not dark and musky. If you like scents like Flowerbomb and La Vie Est Belle, you might be reminded of those at this point.

In the final dry-down, I expected the fragrance to get muskier and darker with the patchouli and sandalwood but surprisingly it just becomes transparent and almost like a clean skin scent. The peony, surprisingly, seems to come back out and blends with the woody base notes for a just-showered kind of effect. 

I don't consider it a linear scent (same from start to end), but it's also not really one of those scents that morphs from one animal to a completely different creature at the end; you can be assured that this has one distinct personality, but different facets/notes come out and take the spotlight as you wear it. 

If you're not a huge fan of florals in particular, you might still want to have a sniff and wear a spray on your skin, because it's got just enough fruity sweet woodiness to balance out the florals and keep it modern. I would say this is an extremely likeable, wearable scent. Elie Saab is not an avant garde line, and his scents are also designed to be tasteful, feminine and elegant. Don't expect something extremely unique and "out there". It's got presence but it's not extremely heavy, and I can see it being a year-round scent and equally nice in warm or cool weather.

The only con in my opinion is the lasting power is quite average. I get about 3-4 hours of presence, and then it fades to a complete skin scent unless I respray. But that's about how long many other eau de toilettes last on my dry skin, and I'm kinda hoping they will come out with an eau de parfum version. Otherwise you can purchase the body lotion and layer the scent on top for lasting power.

Elie Saab Le Parfum Rose Couture is available in 30ml (SG$88), 50ml ($125), and 90ml ($169) sizes. 

There will also be a promotion going on in Singapore at Paragon Lobby. From 29 Jan - 4 Feb 2016, customers can receive a little gift with every size of Le Parfum Rose Couture purchased.

• 30ml - 4ml sample vial

• 50ml - pouch

• 90ml - perfume miniature

• $250 or more - 10ml purse spray. PLUS from 29-31 Jan 1-7pm, you can get your own DIY rose bouquet at the pop-up station.