Rose Week 2014
M. Micallef Rouge No. 1 is a “throw back” fragrance to me. It’s a clean aldehdyic floral that brings to mind bits and pieces of pre-1980’s fragrances that I wear. Now this is rose week and I’ve focused on rose perfumes. Rouge No. 1 is more about the aldehydes and powder but it does have a nice “dewy” rose.
No. 1 opens with tons of aldehydes that will probably remind some people of hairspray (which I like. I’m from Nashville). It’s a jasmine with peachy aldehydes. Because of this, Rouge No.1 has an old-fashioned feel. It smells vintage. It’s fruity aldehydes and powdery “clean” florals. It reminds me of many great feminine perfumes pre-1980’s. In the heart, the rose opens and is accompanied by a fruity jasmine. The dry-down is a clean powdery white musk.
What I like about Rouge No.1 is that it reminds me of something a 14 year old girl would have worn circa 1959. It’s a fruity floral but it’s nothing like the fruity florals of 2009.
Notes listed include peach, tangerine, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, white musk, vanilla and benzoin. Launch date 2013.
Give Rouge No. 1 a try if you like vintage aldehydic florals. Or if you like perfumes like Huitieme Art Vohina, Tommi Sooni Jinx, Evyan White Shoulders, Chanel No. 5 EDT, Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps, Krigler Ultra Chateau Krigler 212 and/or Van Cleef & Arpels First EDT. Because it reminds me of other “vintage” feminines, I think of Rouge No.1 as more feminine. However, it’s a must try for anyone that feels comfortable wearing those vintage aldehydic “feminines”.
Projection and longevity are average.
The 3.4 oz bottle retails for $245 at Parfumerie Nasreen. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Old school aldehydic peachy floral with a powdery base. This is one where I think people read the note list and expect something else. They read it and don’t think of 1950’s era perfumes. Well, that’s what it is like. Try it if you like those “flirty” floral vintages.
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Fragrantica – Member reviews
I was at Scent Bar this weekend and tried this one (it wasn’t on my to-try list but someone else in my group was trying it and I fell in love). To me it didn’t seem clean at all, there was a bit of an animalic tinge to it that I really liked. The top notes were a very classic rose/jasmine/aldehyde, but unfortunately that disappeared after a few minutes. There was a period in the middle where there was a bit of an ambroxan tinge that I disliked, but that went away and there was a nice musky drydown that lasted forever. The fruitiness was well-blended and very subtle, I didn’t find it to be similar to modern fruity florals at all. This would be a great one to try for people who like vintage-inspired scents.
I totally see it being one for those that appreciate vintage. It’s technically a fruity-floral but nothing like the modern genre!