Tuesday, April 26, 2011

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/

14 comments:

  1. Well, if I were curious about Vero Kern before - and I have been for quite some time - then your review doesn't help at all! Now, I'm hugely intrigued! Of the three of them, the one that catches my eye (Nose??) the most is Rubj, because orange blossom is one of my favorite notes, and because I've heard so much about it in either version. I've got to try this!

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  2. Tarleisio, I'm already looking forward to the stories these perfumes will make you write. :)
    I no longer remember how much I paid for samples of extraits but I think they are worth it as the vials are rather large and considering the amount you need to wear or test them, they can last a while.

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  3. Overjoyed you liked them!! :-)
    Rubj unfolds unchartered nuances in EDP because of the evaporation of the notes and the addition of passion fruit (which is as you describe less and more sweet at the same time). Enjoy!

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  4. I love how you describe Rubj, lovely review! Looking forward to the other two(or four rather!) :)

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  5. Thank you PS. :) I'm overjoyed you sent them.
    I've been tempering my enjoyment though, to make them last longer.

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  6. Thank you Olfactoria. I'm glad for your comment as I've been having serious problems putting my opinion into words, those are some slippery little things, they won't let themselves be described. ;)

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  7. Yes! Thanks for comparing the extrait and edp. I've been very curious. The only one of the Vero extraits I've tried is Onda, and your description of a strange, tempered beast you want to spend time with is perfect for it.

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  8. Have only tried the extaits of Vero's scents (I own a bottle of Kiki and wish I had bottles of the other two), but I actually get both a soaring sweetness and a dirty-low-down, indolic-white-flowers quality with Rubj. Oooh, good stuff!! ;)

    Great to hear about the edp's, but from the sounds of your review, I think I'm going to stick with the extraits since I love those "strange tempered beasts"!

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  9. I got both versions of Rubj and Onda recently in a friendly swap so I look forward to trying them soon. I enjoyed reading your review and now want to try them even more.

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  10. Thanks Aimee L'Ondee. :) Onda is next on my review list and I must say I am very intrigued by it - I like it and it makes me nauseous at the same time.

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  11. Suzanne, of the trio, Kiki is my favourite. :) And that's why I'm keeping it for last.

    I'm with you in keeping with the extraits. There's just no beating them but I can't help but wonder how well (or even better) do the edps sell...

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  12. Hi Undina, I hope you'll talk about them on your blog once you try them. I'm always interested to see what other people smell and get from something I am familiar with.

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  13. Side by side EdP/extrait reviews! Whata great idea. This is a line I an excited about and your review has me wanting to try it now ;)

    Looking forward to hearing your opinion on Kiki and Onda.

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  14. JoanElaine, I'm afraid the extraits are clearly winning this side by side comparison. :) Poor little young edps had no chance even though they show much promise.

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