Serge Lutens' Rose de Nuit is a true creature of the night. It's what his Sa Majeste La Rose is trying to be but is too sunny and lively to achieve. Both have an animalic musk element, but in Rose de Nuit it almost gets out of control. It's also somehow sweeter, more tempting and unlike Sa Majeste, never turns sour (on me). Rose de Nuit is also wickedly dark- not exactly your average romantic Valentine's Day rosy perfume and definitely not the dewy raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens you'd find in many a popular rose scent.
Rose de Nuit has a dirty honey note, a little bit like what you find in Miel de Bois (which might explain why some find it unpalatable. I think it's more waxy, though, and a little opaque- a heavy velvet to MdB's silk, if that makes any sense. Usually when one thinks about mysterious and mystical rose perfumes you expect them to be heavy on the incense. But Serge Lutens makes them look like high school goth-wannabes. They wear all black and Robert Smith eyeliner, while the real vampires walk among us reeking of heavy musk.
The late dry-down of Rose de Nuit is surprisingly tame and gentle. It stays close to the skin and is just a sweet musk with a hint of candied rose. Dabbing makes it a lot warmer and more intimate than spraying from a decant, something I find to be true with many Lutens perfumes.
Rose de Nuit is part of Serge Lutens non-export line. You know the drill- available only in Europe and in your dreams, but the Posh Peasant and The Perfumed Court sell samples and decants in various sizes.
Photo of the wonderful Juliet Landau as Drusilla the vampire (Joss Whedon's Buffy and Angel) lfrom somewhere on the web. I lost the source ages ago.
That photo is a perfect match for what I recalle Rose de Nuit smells like!
ReplyDeleteOhh, this sound wonderful. I love dark roses, honey and musk, I'm headed off to purchase a decant..... and of course, it's in the non-export line!
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to try this for a long time, and now you've just fueled my desire!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love Dru. Did you know that Juliet Landau is the daughter of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain?
I've never tried this one. Think I need to..
ReplyDeleteHappy-Happy-Joy-Joy I pop over today and get Dru & a Nude eyeshadow (Salute the Edward Bess post above) & a review of a newly aquired scent I'm trying to figure out ~ altogether, yet again, most serendipitous.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the hunt for the perfect nude eyeshadow, just got Season 7 of Buffy in the mail (Adore Dru!! But NOT more than my main vamp SPIKE :) ), AND just got a sample of Rose de Nuit in the mail from Posh (which I bought on a whim, exploring new roses for February). This rose is SO unexpected & I need a bit of guidance as I try to suss out the experience. Dru - YES!
And, you saved me from the not-so-Parrot-Green pencil-purchase & turned me onto Chantecaille's GORGEOUS lipgloss! (AND, while crusing for olive eyeshadow, thought well of their "Jungle" & seconds later found you've reviewed it!) And, while I'm writing too much, let me add that your review of Boxeuses was Brilliant! Just got that from Posh and LOVE-LOVE it 4-EVER!
And, LOVE The Non-Blonde. Go You!! :)