Description
For the event of opening of renovated main boutique La Maison Guerlain (The House of Guerlain) at 68 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris, Guerlain launched exclusive line of three perfumes – L ‘Art et la Matière (The Art and (raw) Material, a pun after the French expression L’Art et la Manière – the art and manners). Three famous noses were invited to work on the perfumes using the highest quality materials. The perfumes were launched in 2005.
Rose Barbare (Barbarian Rose) is devoted to rose – intensive, intoxicating, and passionate wild Ottoman Rose. The composition includes aldehydes and rose on the pad of sharp-sweet notes (‘honey chypre’). The beauty of rose is accentuated by spicy grass notes and elegant thin base accord. Rose Barbare is an endless sea of roses with heavy velvety petals. The perfume was created by Francis Kurkdjian.
mikola86 – :
Rose Barbare is a real drama and somewhat a shame as it tells the story of a beautiful warm Jacaranda Rose at its peak of fragrant and petal beauty: It is a warm dewy and sticky day, enabling this magnificent flower to fully expose its fragrant and pheromone magic.
Then suddenly thick grey clouds appear out of nowhere and release a cold wall of hail the size of golf balls. As they come crushing down they destroy everything in their way, including this beauty of a rose, slaughtered and butchered by the storm.
All that is left is a cool glimpse of that warm rose lingering amidst the rapidly cooled off air, that turned this Rose into a ‘Barbaric Rose’ of great suffering and despair. However, the plant is still alive and it will bloom again, maybe this summer, but definitely next!
I feel so sorry for her!!
Verdict: A masterpiece of a rose: like your bitch of a boss, Miranda Priestley, that cannot ever fail, even when destroyed. The scent of a survivor. 10/10.
Mepnu801bedyWelty – :
I re-sniffed this– this week and was impress with its originality in the floral category.
I remember it not holding my attention when I smelled it the first time back when the Arts and Matter collection came out about 10 years ago. I may have sniff all of them and my brain could only love Tonka Imperiale , Iris Ganache, Angelique Noire. I love the name though—Barbaric Rose!
Yet, this week I was impress also with the potency of the fragrance. I’m picking up a Lemony rose, base with ayldehydes. A powerful floral in the likes of Estee Lauder Beautiful. It not your teacher rose. This is a very complicated, well rounded scent. I’m rediscover roses…. after sounding off against them for… well… a lifetime. Yet these kind of rose fragrance is making me appreciated the note.
Also try : Diptyque’s L’Ombre Dans L’Eau , Plurielle.
This smell like a fine drink.
BestLipsPeople – :
عشاق الورد ادعوهم لتجربة هذا العطر العطر ليس مثلا عطور الورد الخالص او الورد الحاد بل جمع العطار بين الورد و السبايسي العطر مناسب للمساء او في الصباح لمن يعمل في مكان مغلق
Xeroxuqjij – :
Every time I wear this gorgeous scent, I am asked by someone “what are you wearing?”
Now, are they asking because they want to ensure they never buy it? Or, are they asking in hopes of obtaining it? I believe it is the latter, but judging by some of the reviews here, it could be the former.
My profile picture is of my colored (violet) bee bottle filled with Rose Barbare. Yes, I adore this scent. It works amazingly well for me, and I spent a long time deciding whether I would wear 125 ml of this one rose – and I am so glad I did. I love honey, I love patchouli. I have owned some very well-made Rose/Patchouli and Rose/Honey combinations, but the addition of aldehydes was simply magical. Of course, Francis Kurkdjian being the nose behind the scent certainly accounts for some of the magic! The Ottoman Rose is the star, and the rest of the materials are amazing supporting roles.
I adore this rose. I will keep it always, as long as I can afford to have it.
sanek99 – :
Absolutely fantastic! I’ve had this perfume for four years and felt very indifferent about it. Perhaps the fenugreek was little much for me! This last month decided to give it another try. The more I wear it, the more I love it! Today for the first time this spring was quite warm and I wasn’t sure if Rose Barbare was a good choice, but I did wear it anyway. A divine aroma of beautiful rose and honey! It felt even better under the warm sun! Perhaps a bit more feminine also.
asbest.com – :
The moment I first experienced this fragrance I knew it was something special; the first sniff brought me back to the classic Chypres of the ‘70s. A spicy rose – not so much oriental as middle eastern, probably the Turkish delight note. Not your typical floral rose, there is an untamed quality to the wild red rose in this composition.
I see an earlier reviewer has mentioned longevity and sillage could be better, this seems to drift in and out, you think it’s gone and then suddenly you get a waft of it back. I have worn in three times in the last fortnight, it’s intriguing.
If you get a chance to try it, you should because it’s unique.
zar197878 – :
Extraordinary perfume.
But 1 note fenugreek makes it more masculine than feminine and for me its too much. Can’t wear it.
09alexl – :
This is a smooth powdered rose, so very creamy. It actually reminded me of my grandmother, whom I know for a fact did not wear this particular fragrance but must have worn rose. The powder (which I actually now think is powdery rose to me) is old world cosmetic, comforting and nostalgic. The rose floral note is dry and very high quality. The first 20 minutes or so is very strong, but it settles in warmly with my chemistry. It’s a very smooth and lovely fragrance.
1199 – :
I’m basing this on a single test (on my skin and on a paper strip), so this is very much first impressions.
The Guerlain counter were really pushing this as exclusive-I was told that they only stock one bottle of each of the Exclusive collection at any one time so this is designed to be very much a signature fragrance and not mass market. I got the impression I was only allowed to try it on my skin after several minutes discussion about some of the other Guerlains, so she knew I wasn’t just a dilettante squirting left, right and centre.
Anyway, it’s a beautiful rose. It’s a very smooth and gentle rose note-there’s no harshness, no acid, and no real sweetness. I absolutely love rose, but sometimes on me they turn very jammy, very artificially sweet, almost fruity, but there is none of that. The honey note is mellow and rounded, its not in your face sugary. It reminded me very much of Van Cleef Arpels Rose Velours which has a very similar smooth dark honey tone.
It developed very differently on my skin compared to the paper spray-on paper it was quite harsh, but it was far more mellow on me. The base notes of wood and patchouli barely came through on me, just enough to ground it a little and stop it being evanescent floral, but not enough to swamp the rose gorgeousness.
I sprayed at 2pm, and at 9.30 pm I’m still getting a lovely skin scent so longevity is good.
It’s lovely, its a very lovely not-quite-a-soliflore rose and really very pretty and elegant. I’m not sure its value for money though, but ignoring that, it is a very well done rose (although I’d expect nothing less from Kurkdjian, him being a miracle worker!)
padik904 – :
Rose Barbare, the Intriguing Rose
This one needs to be tried out, sampled, tested, and then tested again. This rarely happens to me, but Rose Barbare went from indifference (this rose is ok!) to slight disgust (I don’t know if I like these spices) to disappointment (this doesn’t last long enough) to wonder (what the heck smells so good? Who is wearing a new leather jacket?) to hopeless infatuation (I know you’re not good for me, and I don’t know why, but I must have you…)
So that was my trajectory when testing this. It mostly a deep dark rose that has a few metallic flints, with a lot of leathery saffron, spices, woods, herbs and greenery. RB has this saturated, dense feel when you wear it, yet it is never overpowering or loud, and it will reassert itself during the life of the wear. I would like to think that the perfumer meant for that to happen, after all, perfume not only smells a certain way, but it ACTS a certain way, too. The rose is deep and grounded, while the spices/saffron/leather/herbs kind of jump all over the place. The more I wear RB the more intrigued I am by it—every time I wear it I find another facet, something that smells different, a note acts different. I don’t always love scent, but I always find it to be fascinating. Lasting power is phenomenal.
This is like meeting someone who you initially have an indifferent attitude towards. Slowly, as you get to know them, indifference turns to ambivalence, which develops into you wanting to find out more. When you do get to know them, you become more and more attracted to them, wanting to understand their quirks and habits, and eventually you just want them. So I guess it just took awhile but I really fell in love with RB…which is not good because she is crazy expensive! But worth it, I’ll be saving up my quarters.
Vixr7 – :
A polished, restrained elegant rose fragrance.
Refined, mastered and a good choice for rose lovers.
Sanek_0501 – :
It starts off beautiful. You can smell the roses, patch an honey, lifted by aldehydes. But in the drydown, the aldehydes take over and join with the rest of the notes to become… Eau de Dryer Sheets. In a more positive light, I would say Rose Barbare smells rosy and clean.
alexmurk – :
Honey was bad idea …it got old too fast and became sour.
rerehepf13 – :
Unfortunately my last review got deleted so I’ll keep this short: Rose Barbare is remarkable. Silky, creamy, sweet, smooth, decadent, dark, classy, warm, comforting. It’s everything a well rounded, lovely and sweet perfume should be. So mesmerizingly pleasant! An easy 8.5/10 but perhaps and likely a 9/10. Superb.
olisar – :
I used to never be a fan of rose scented products or fragrances. They say our tastes change every 7 years, so I guess that explains why I’m now obsessed with rose scented everything.
I went into the Guerlain Boutique solely to buy Mitsuko and not spend more than that. But I asked about what rose scented fragrances they had on hand. We tried a few and I just fell in love with this one right away. My husband said “buy it” and it was my valentines’ present.
To me this is a bouquet of soft florals, with just a whisper of a scent as you spray it on. I don’t find it as heavy as some other Guerlain fragrances when its wet on the skin.
At first you get as sweetness from the honey, and another note which Im guessing is the adelydes? On the dry down you get more of the rose, but it is not your grandmothers old tea rose perfume, it is sweeter, more delicate and more modern.
This is very different from some of the other Guerlain fragrances that I own. I absolutely love the atomizer and the wonderful little leather box it comes in. This is one for special occasions or a date night out.
косолапка – :
Nothing like a tea rose but a dark red rose hidden behind a pepper tree.
The top notes are sweet and heady.
This then develops into something close to youth dew but with a rose note.
Very, very sensual perfume. Definitely one for going out at night.
Bogomol – :
For those of you who have problems with roses going sour on your skin, this is a wonderful choice. It remains sweet and jammy and lush, yet has a nice freshness from the aldehydes. Needs to be sprayed on to be appreciated rather than dabbed to get a full projection. When I first sampled, I used a dab sampler instead of a spray, and I thought it was too subtle.
Francis Kurkdjian has a way with roses. His Lumiere Pour Femme under his own perfume brand is sweeter and has more patchouli as a comparison, but they both feature roses that stay sweet and don’t turn too citric. And while he adds his signature hint of cedar in Rose Barbare, in this one he doesn’t overdo it. A gorgeous rose for Guerlain that doesn’t get a lot of attention.
maks6700sl – :
I knew it was going to be love at first spray.
The very first notes projected me directly to Sisley’s Soir de Lune. A vintage precious hand cream made of soap and an exquisite garden boquet.
Then her majesty the Rose. Persistent, talkative, powerful, petal after petal.
Very long lasting.
VioletteYe14 – :
I wore this out on a cold winter night and ended up very late ( 3:30 am ) at a dive bar in NYC. A guy sitting next to me said: your perfume makes you visible to a blind man a mile away who just fell madly in love with you!!!!!
It is an intense, assertive, mature rose. It is firey and piercing. Pungent, wet, velvety, and cloying in a dirty sensual way, reminiscent of the ethnic prostitute traversing Rue Pigale late at night or the gender bending street girls of Rimini. Yet elegant, haute, and mysterious.
There is a resemblance to Serge Lutens Rose de Nuit. My favourite in the L’Art et La Matiere collection.
zwer86 – :
I was very eager to try Rose Barbare, because I love rose fragrances, and I’ve seen this described as a rose in a class of its own – which wasn’t hard to imagine, considering the usual quality of these exclusive Guerlains. And of course, it turns out to be true: this is without a doubt one of the best roses I’ve ever smelled.
I especially love the early heart, when the honey has come out. At this stage it’s really perfect: rich, velvety, natural honeyed roses – just sweet enough, and it warms up wonderfully on the skin. Exactly the kind of scent to fall head over heels in love with instantly.
I’m not as sure yet about the (rather soapy) opening and (rather spicy) drydown, though. I’d probably start appreciating them once I really got to know them, but there wasn’t much chance of that with my 0.5 ml sample which only allowed for two wearings, but which was really all I could justify to get at that high price.
And that’s where we get to the problem: it really is ridiculously expensive, at least double as much as even most other high end niche houses – so although Rose Barbare is certainly lovely, I have to doubt whether it’s worth its price. If I ever see anyone splitting it I’ll be on it in a second, but otherwise I think I can live without it, although regretfully.
doun ace – :
Who’d of thunk it huh?
That I would love a composition based around Rose and honey?
But I do!!!
Don’t get me wrong I kinda like both in their own way …but together?
I was dreading it.
I needn’t of worried as It was in the safe hands of Guerlain and Francis Kurkdjian.
(Having said that FK did make the horrendous pour Le soir using too much bee produce but that’s a personal taste thing.)
Rose barbare is just that then, mainly a very beautiful, semi dark rose and boozy but not over powering with a perfect balance of honey. A hint of patchouli just to ground it in a thicker, earthy vibe as it dries down but again in total moderation.
The opening I perceived as quite feminine, not dated but something a more mature lady might wear perhaps? When I say this don’t think I’m excluding men from this experience because RB is a very strong and bold perfume which could easily be perceived in quite the opposite way.
In fact the dry down on me is very woody and sensual and almost masculine.
Good, classy stuff yet again.
volka7777 – :
this starts off as a green, watery rose with a kind of animalic note. later on the honey peeks out and the honey is quite beautiful, but during the first hour, there is something in this that just isn’t working for me, and i think it’s the chypre. some element of rose barbare reminded me of something in serge lutens rose de nuit, but not nearly as animalic or dark, and after looking up rose barbare reviews, i see that the bois de jasmin review mentions this same association.
however, i will say that once this has been on my skin for an hour or more, i find it to be more tolerable, when the honey and patchouli becomes more prominent, it works better for me. by then the rose is nearly gone and honey and chypre tend to dominate the scent. this was the 2nd scent in this guerlain line that i got to try and i can’t wait to try the rest! even if a perfume is not to my tastes, or doesn’t “work” on me, i still find it so interesting and educational to try and ponder, which is where i am filing away rose barbare in my perfume memory database.
стружкин – :
Rose Barbare is a honeyed-warm, round, yet sutble rose. Very well behaved. The soft patchouli comes up about an hour after you apply, which is the “barbare” part of the fragrance, making it very unisex.
o9o51983 – :
An overlooked gem in the collection of exclusive Guerlains, Rose Barbare deserves more attention. Perhaps the name is the problem, because this rose is not barbaric at all. Instead we have an opulent rose, petals upon petals that are just barely restrained in their exuberance. They never cross over into potpourri territory, but still have a vintage vibe.
The addition of honey is a welcome one, as it balances out the sharpness from the aldehydes. As the heart deepens, the blending of the rose and honey becomes very intense. It feels like they become infused, as if you just opened a jar of rose petal infused honey. This stage is quite sweet and I could see how it could be too much for some. But it never gets that way for me. And when the base notes take hold *fans self*.
The patchouli gives this a modern twist and takes the edge off the sweetness. The drydown lasts for hours on me and smells divine. There is almost an incense quality to the woody notes, combined with the herbal patchouli and the honey rose, it is a truly magical experience. There are lots of rose patchouli combos, but this one is something special. Kurkdjian really outdid himself on this one.
Rulya1976 – :
This is….. nice. It’s in the same family as the more striking Sisley Soir de Lune minus the richer honey and heavy vintage chypre dry down. Rose Barbare is just….. nice and quite frankly, a bit underwhelming for a rose fragrance. The honey is faint and creates more of a fruity rose scent than a honey rose. Not FBW for me.
Grigoriy24 – :
Francis Kurkdjian ha preso il suo Absolue pour la Soir, favoloso, lo ha alleggerito di cumino e spezie ed asperso di petali di rosa. Il risultato è una bellissima rosa, dorata, leggermente mielata ma non cremosa, vagamente speziata. Equilibrata ed elegante.
Romantica e di gran classe.
lslavaa – :
Lovely, restrained rose that is subtle and elegant and a bit reserved. The quality is apparent. The rose is red and velvety but not dark. A little sweet but certainly not overly sweet. It stays close to my skin and I would consider it a polite fragrance. Nothing much to dislike here but I personally like my rose with a little more oomph. But for those who like a simpler rose that isn’t just strictly a soliflore, this is a beautiful, safe option I think. Although an expensive one.
said555 – :
The more times I sample this in store, the more I really want it…
Wwwillis – :
This fragrance is not new, however it is not around anymore. It kind of reminds me of the 90’s, but extremely classy. It’s super duper long lasting – but that’s not exactly a plus if you’re not fond of the scent. Definitely try it out before purchasing, but it would be a nice luxury self spoil or present for a loved one.
dagtornado72 – :
I love rose, but this fragrance is just not for me. I feel it as plain and with no volume. Feels like just one single note that almost does not change with time. It lacks something. Rose is good but there is some other note that i dislike. May be honey. However, if you like stable quiet long lasting fragrance then this one may be for you. It’s suitable for office use and it’s also unisex. So it’s very balanced.
And nothing barbaric about it at all. 🙂
DEAD43 – :
This must be a peak for every rose person – The Rose with many beautiful, different facets; from unpretentious tea rose, to glorious, luscious, thick, buttery petal rose, ending as solemn, dusty, dark chypre rose. Serious, grand, mature, complex.
But, I am not moved by it – Rose Barbare, Portrait of a Lady, Villoresi Donna – nothing, sorry. I guess you really must love rose to be able to fully appreciate such heroine (or heroic?) roses.
Me? I will move on to graveyard roses, Oriental roses, funny roses, quirky roses…
MichaelOLаааsgdg – :
And shame on these ebayers selling this for around 400 when its sold brand new for 250, obvously trying to take advantage of people that dont think to look outside of ebay. And I LOVE the fact that everyone comes to fragrantica before buying an expensive perfume, for several reasons but mostly I love that advertisments for that perfume with the REAL price for everyone tooo see
Diplodog – :
Ive never sampled any perfume that was so interesting yet so boring at the same time. It is a gorgeous honey dipped rose which doesnt sound knew and idk if its the addition of aldahydes that had pushed this rose into the next millenium. But it really is quite uniaue. Really such a simple idea that was just never brought to light until now. I live it but I would never need more than a large decant
arkan13 – :
I never tire of rose scents and was eager to try this one. Unfortunately, the aldehydes were just too prominent on my skin and it doesn’t lighten up until hours later.
Beeklymaymnlwkwp – :
This hit me between the eyes with a big cloud of powder out of the bottle. I’m not sure where I’m getting powder. Twenty minutes later the scent morphed into this gorgeous spicy honeyed deep sexy rose. Totally luscious and stunning!!! Absolutely worth the wait.
Like others, I am forever a fan of the more exclusive Guerlain’s. Keep em coming!!!
edit: I now own this and have worn this a handful of times and each time I find the opening a challenge…not Shalimar challenge but the first 20 minutes are not fun. But pushing thru is so so worth it. What comes next is pure rose glory!!!!
1glebka1 – :
I have this precious parfume. I am grateful and still trying to understand it. Is it attractive? I cant say yet. It is a bit unfamiliar to me. I find it has something grandeur yet I can not comprehend it yet. Smells of new strengths of truly majestic roses indeed.
vasy56 – :
Rose Barbare , what can i say. The barbare part of it shocks and awes you at first and then…… the seething seduction of the honey and rose absolute start setting in and transforms this experience into an enchanted and enchanting addiction —- for you and everyone around you. It is warm, it is cool, it is soft, it is headdy, it is dark, it is just a tiny bit bright. Another treasure from Guerlain, the genius perfumery.
ScuchFulPShet – :
Twenty minutes in, and this fragrance brought tears to my eyes it’s so beautiful to me. I can’t even write a proper review.
Why do I cry? Because when I was 13 years old I fell in love. Head over heels. Obviously it didn’t last because I was 13, he was 18 and lived hours away from me…
At some point during that tragedy of a relationship, I found myself getting some ink of a red rose on my ankle to remind me of him. I remember thinking, “I love him as much as I love Jesus Christ.” (Yes, I was 13, but I didn’t really get into trouble for getting this tattoo. I think my family and friends were trying to humour me; I was clearly in something way over my head and other than the tattoo and the endless stream of nights I cried myself to sleep I was handling my heartbreak well (good grades, regular babysitter, aced my piano exam, taught Sunday school). They let me have my relatively harmless moment of acting out, I suppose.)
The rose depicted on my ankle? I have imagined its scent my whole life since then… and it is Rose Barbare.
cav1505 – :
I’ve tried quite a number of rose perfumes due to them getting along well with my body chemistry, but Rose Barbare gets my crown without any dispute, and is perfect for daily use regardless of mood!
It is a very sumptious, elegant rose. Her family lineage is apparent, yet has been refined to fit into modernity, and has a calm, unmistakable character. If placed in a roomful of other roses vying for attention, she could just sit there quietly and I could pick her out without hesitation.
Her sillage is understated, lasting power, and wafts insistently, but gently. 10/10
iwg – :
Quickly desolving top sharp notes last only seconds to display a sweet rose caressed by honey. This honey is present as an accurate gourmand (perhaps enhanced by the fenugreek). I have never smelled a honey in a perfume that so accurately said honey. Small daggers of it pierce my nose for a short interval before melting into the rose.
Now everything is smooth, warm and soft – almost hypnotic. The rose is still front and center. I can see her petals scattered on a rose stuffed duvet which covers an artisan-made wooden bed. The room is decorated with very small sprigs of patchouli. A lamp made of a solid block of honey blended with fenugreek burns in the corner. It releases a constant flow of warmed sweetness.
This is a beautiful perfume and absolutely different from many other roses. I like it enough to add it to my want soon list.
vlad1966 – :
As far as I am aware it is only available at Guerlain’s Flagship store in Paris and a few other selected outlets in the world. It is not available at duty-frees.
олеголег – :
Finally a modern Guerlain I can love! The first impression of Rose Barbare is innocent, fresh rose scent, nothing barbaric. The untamed beauty is revealed slowly, but it is definitely worth waiting. RB transforms to fascinating honeyed, slightly animalic rose that lasts for approximately eight hours. Not exactly skanky, but elegant and a bit dirty in a very good way.
The sillage is perfect: Rose Barbare is impossible to overdose, but it is a scent that will be noticed. I had a 5ml decant and I am seriously considering a full bottle. Worth trying if you like rose with a hint of skankiness;
syp094Bessinepome – :
WoW!
I stumbled across Rose Barbare today while trying to reach an exhibition and the exhibiotion, even if great, had to wait for a while. It was even more pleasant to see the works surrounded by this memorable scent.
I knew it existed before, but it’s so difficult to find out of France.
I could smell many Guerlains “privè” in a perfume store and the salesman was supportive and understood my crave and love for perfumes and Guerlains most of all.
I tried Cruel Gardenia on my right arm and I was in delight, lovely citrus-stinging with a flood of gardenia afterwards, vaguely reminiscent of AdP Magnolia Nobile, but better IMO.
Then I tried Rose Barbare on a paper and on my left arm: boom!
My face probably said it all because the salesman smiled and said: I love it, too.
Here comes the rose! I mean, real rose with no excuse.
Why Barbare? I don’t know. In my mind this divine smell was an experience for nose and brain.
I was offered to spray more on myself and I didn’t say no!
I went off smelling myself like crazy all the way long to the exhibition, in the middle of the crowd, indifferent to my bliss, but who cares?
At that point, I had no imagery from the perfume. Iwas taken by it and that’s all. Rose Barbare kept evolving, changing, talking to my chemistry to find the perfect balance between them.
It’s not static, yet it keeps its theme till the end.
It’s so feminine and refined, proudly seductive but not sexy in a clichè way at all!
Like most Guerlains it shows its nature slowly but steadly.
After 7 hours it’s still on my skin, not steaming but presently whispering in clouds.
Only now I see that it could be kind of “middle east” rose, like the perfume of Arabic princess maybe.
All in all the concept is not original or new, rose &patchouli combo and I see how people compare with the lovely Idylle Duet.
There have been hundreds of rose&patchouli combos in these last years and I love many of them. Lady Vengeance is on of them.
Complimentary notes give interesting differences.
To be honest I don’t know what fenugreek smells like.
I think I smelled the herb years ago, but nothing so soft as I can remember.
What makes the difference as usual is the blending mastery behind and I guess raw material.
You never smell this level of purity in mainstream fragrances, unless it is Guerlain! Still, Guerlain made quite a few mistakes and cheap choices.
Rose Barbare won me in an afternoon.
Now the patchouli has taken over a little bit but the rose is still there.
I didn’t buy it because I couldn’t afford spending 175 euro on a 75ml bottle, not now at least and I have a good mini-collection to survive on.
Anyway, in spite of its relatively simple concept because after all is yet another rose scent, I think that the price could be deserved in this case.
There are so many other expensive fragrances that don’t stand up their pricetag.
Zmej9321 – :
This is my favorate of the ones I tested at Guerlain at 68 Champs des Elysees. Didn’t get it ’cause just didn’t want to take the risk of needing to pack in the check-in luggage. I got Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat instead.
Anyway, Rose Barbare is a cool rose over a warm woody base. Nice stuff indeed! Want it.
UPDATE: Got it for almost half the price on eBay and it’s the real deal. My favorite rose. The eBay bottle was in an unopened box and a buy-it-now. I swooped down and purchased it in a hearbeat, as it always goes for more $$$. One of my more previlent eBay success stories. Oh how I love this juice!
meleXx – :
It is a lemony rose to me, citrusy, soury, cold, and fresh, nothing barbaric about it. Great for spring and summer. Nice scent, but I prefer deeper, warmer, and sweeter rose. This one lacks complexity.
sybeer – :
Very similar experience I had with Adrienne99 as it smelled sour…but really to me more like hairspray…until…
***The weather cooled down..Then I was taken by this lovely fragrance that people had spoken so highly of here. I was very glad I was patient with it…after all it was a pretty penny.
It is a more Noir..or dark rose in my opinion…with a serious factor…femine…but sexy. Not to exlude that a man could also wear this devinely…I absolutely ADORE it!
Irbis1995 – :
I find Rose Barbare as one of the best rose perfumes with a good sillage. It is really a NICHE perfume. I like roses very much. Rose Barbare is for me a representative of a Queen rose flowering in a beautiful garden. RB is a very elegant perfume. I can not find the “balloons” to award this lovely perfume but I give it FIVE STARS at least !!!!
barry65 – :
This is the fourth sample I’ve tried over a 2 1/2 year time period, and it never fails to wow me. Barbare is a honeyed, magenta rose that floats atop a diaphanous canopy of precious woods. It smells faintly of amber, but in truth no one wood stands out to me. Rather, the entire composition comes together in a harmonious, rich ensemble that makes me think of the orient, back when the orient was a place of mystery.
This is not a strong rose but a refined, well polished one. What spice notes there are wear like whispers, keeping things in the bedroom and out of the kitchen.
However, I am now reminded why I keep coming back for a sample (and not a full bottle). Longevity is short, barely 2 hours. Bois d’Armenie from this line last 24 hours on me. And thus, is my ‘Art et Material’ bottle of choice.
cavid – :
Rose Barbare offers the aroma of a very smooth, ripe red flower, dripping with honey and haloed in woods. I prefer this to Creed’s Bulgarian Tea Rose, although they’re close. This of course lacks the spiky tea and ambergris of the Creed, which is a sensible deficit if ever there was one. It’s also a mite less feminine – I enjoy how the woodsy notes fuse with the sweet rose and create a low-key, romantic, and genderless fragrance. It isn’t particularly complicated, but this perfume is the result of masterful craftsmanship.
gogasync – :
this one is quite strange when applied, it smells a little sour and watery and somehow does not get to the point.
after a while it melts and then some spices appear – i can mostly smell cardamom.
i was a little expecting something barbare – but this is obviously not it.
ark03 – :
I’m not normally a rose person. It came as quite a surprise when I had decided to order a whole bunch of samples so that I might find the perfect rose fragrance. I was interested to see what an expensive, exclusive and somewhat niche rose fragrance, such as Rose Barbare, would do for me.
Guerlain has managed to create something that stands out in a crowd of rose perfumes lining our department store counters. On paper, Rose Barbare seems cold and metallic, watery in a sense with delicate rose petals, mostly white.
When applied to the skin, Rose Barbare becomes much more characteristic. I still sense an element of watery-ness, however the rose seems more natural this way. It’s a much darker, redder rose than on paper.
The honey