I was immediately drawn to Vilhelm Room Service because of the name. How luxurious is that? And then I read that it is a fragrance inspired by the legendary Greta Garbo and how her hotel rooms would be filled with bouquets. You can see why this one of the first perfumes I reached for out of my Vilhelm samples.
Well, I’m not going to withold the suspense. Room Service is disappointing. It’s not really the perfume as much as it is a case of terrible pairing, another case of “Wrong Perfume, Wrong Marketing”. This is the sort of fruity-floral that was popular with designers in the early 00s. It’s like those “girly” perfumes, those perfumes that were made junior high dances. To me, it doesn’t bring to mind Garbo or fancy hotel rooms.
Room Service opens with sulfuric grapefruit peels and a musky, overripe blackberry. I actually really like this opening, but it really resembles so many designer pink juices that were launched circa 2004. Like I’m wearing this and I can just feel the goopy, vanilla-flavoured MAC LipGlass in Oyster Girl on my lips. I’m reaching to pull up my extreme lowrise jeans that are exposing my butt crack and my rhinestoned whale tale (thong). Yes, I’m wearing a belt, but that’s just there for the bling. Let me adjust my Von Dutch trucker cap and get to the rest of my review of Room Service…
There’s a tart, green and watery floral accord. Do you remember in the late 90’s/early 00’s how bamboo and watery florals/water lily were so popular? Well, it’s back in Room Service. This paired with a laundry, white musk that is almost scratchy and starched. The watery floral turns into a “pink floral” – like fruity roses and a powdery violet. The dry-down is slightly powdery with a white musk and violet. It’s soft, warm and clean like a used dryer sheet. I’ll admit at this stage it could be starched, white linens.
Room Service is a pleasant fragrance. As someone that’s an “old Millennial”, I’ve smelled many things like this before. And when I want something pink, flirty and “girly”, it’s going to be YSL Paris. Maybe if I were in that mood, I’d wear Room Service but I’m not dropping that sort of cash on something I can find for $200 cheaper. I’m more likely to rewatch all of the Simple Life again and dust off one of my pairs of Roberto Cavalli shield sunglasses when I’m feeling nostalgic.
I wanted to include a glamorous picture of Garbo or some starlet eating chocolates in bed but that feels so wrong. So, here’s Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell:
Notes listed include mandarin orange, blackberry, orchid, bamboo, violet, black amber, musk and sandalwood. Launched in 2015. PERFUMER – Jerome Epinette
Give Room Service a try if you like the sort of fruity-floral perfumes that usually come in a pink bottle or have pink juice. Or perfumes like Chloe See by Chloe, Dior Addict II, Gucci Envy Me (basically any of those “pink” Gucci perfumes), Versace Bright Crystal, Lanvin Jeanne Lanvin and/or Balenciaga L’Eau Rose.
Projection and longevity are average.
The 3.4 oz retails for $245 at Aedes. A travel size and samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – “Pink” fruity-floral. Like I’ve already said, it’s a perfectly fine and pretty fragrance. If I had it, I’d probably wear it or spray my sheets with it. It’s just that to me, this doesn’t bring to mind Garbo or Old Hollywood so I find it disappointing in that regard. It’s more Paris Hilton and I’m sure she gets room service, so maybe “New Hollywood” would have been more appropriate marketing.
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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from the brand. Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell (RIP) pic from Daily Mail.