Vero Perfumes - Introduction and Rubj

I had samples of Vero Perfume extraits for a couple of years now. I ordered them sometime early in my budding perfumista days, spritzed and promptly concluded I have no idea why they are hailed as great.
As you might have noticed, lately I've been going through those samples that didn't get my love in the early days and realizing you really need to build up to some perfumes and smell through many, many steps to get there. Eventually though, your effort is rewarded and new smelling vistas open before your nose.

That is what keeps happening to me. So, when I discovered samples of edp of Rubj, Kiki and Onda in the package Helg sent, I was overjoyed. :) I could finally test the extraits and edps side by side and see if I understand what the deal is. Which is what I've been doing the past week and today I'll talk about Rubj.

EdP notes: Bergamot, mandarin, neroli, passion fruit, cumin, orange flower absolute, tuberose, basil, cedar, oak moss, musk

Extrait notes: Moroccan orange blossom, musk, Egyptian jasmine

You know, you really need to have some serious talent if you can get 3 notes to smell like Rubj.

The extrait opened on me like a sweet, jasminy floral and for someone who loves orange blossoms, I seem to be able to miss them each time they come with some other white floral.

Rubj smells seducingly warm, lightly sweet and enveloping.

The edp on the other hand smells more and less sweet at the same time. Like a brash version of the elegant woman that is extrait. It's fruity sweet and louder and at the same time, that sweetness is tempered with something that smelled fir like to me, but there are notes in there that can lead you in that direction easily (and it's not like I recognize the nuances).
Honestly, to me, these two don't smell like variants of the same. The edp is fruity, cuminy warm (I'm warning you well in advance you smell cumin in there), stronger and bolder in a tropical way.
And the most interesting thing to come from smelling Rubj extrait is that I think it smells clean and light-hearted, and I guess clean smelling comes from the fact that it smells very much like L'Oreal hair color which I found very funny and enjoyable at the same time.

I should also warn you that wearing Rubj edp might cause some concerned smelling of yourself to check if your deodorant is working as it should. :) The cumin at its best work. ;)

To me, it was only in the drydown of both that I could see the family resemblance.

I should also state now that after smelling all the extraits and edps, I prefer the extraits. I believe the edps will probably sell better but the extraits are the strange, tempered beasts you want to spend time with.
Also, the extraits are much more elegant in their approach towards the world, they are not brashly spoken young things but softly spoken creatures in a world of their own.

I've read that Ms. Kern worked the edps around the passion fruit note. After smelling all of them, you cannot miss it.

Soon to come - reviews of Ondas and Kikis. :)


Notes and pic by: http://www.luckyscent.com/