Diptyque’s Eau Rose is one of its line of eaux de toilette, but the same fragrance is available in several different formats. I have a sample of the EDT and a bottle of the hair mist. This is a very appealing, fresh rose.

The only notes listed on Diptyque’s website are rosa damascena (aka “damask rose”), rosa centifolia (the true “Rose de Mai”), a litchi accord, and ambroxan. Fragrantica has translated those as: top notes of bergamot, black currant and litchi; middle notes of jasmine, geranium and rose; base notes of musk, virginia cedar and white honey. I actually appreciate the directness of the Diptyque listing, which specifies ambroxan as a note, and also mentions in its copy the enzyme “nudix hydrolase”, drawing attention to its role in generating the scents we associate with fragrant roses. I appreciate the acknowledgment of the chemistry involved, although my familiarity with chemistry is both limited and outdated! In digging a bit, I found this interesting article in Science magazine: The Flowering of a New Scent Pathway in Rose.

As earlier readers may recall, I had a close encounter with airport security back in 2018 that involved Diptyque’s hair mist: Fragrance Friday: Hair Spray. I still haven’t figured out whether the scent involved was Eau Rose or Eau des Sens, so I have both now! I really appreciate the recent trend of high-end niche fragrances producing hair fragrances in some of their more popular scents. It is often a less expensive way to experience the fragrance, and it tends to last longer than an eau de toilette applied to skin. Not that longevity is a big issue with Eau Rose; I find that it lasts very well for an EDT, at least on my skin. The scent also comes in soap, shower foam, and hand and body lotion, so it is an ideal candidate for combining formats to make it last longer.

Ambroxan, listed as an official note, occurs naturally in ambergris but it can also be synthesized from clary sage. The Candy Perfume Boy explains this and much more in a detailed post: All About Ambroxan. I don’t know what exactly Diptyque means by a “litchi accord”, but a sweet fruity note is immediately perceptible as soon as I spritz Eau Rose. It’s very appealing and fresh; combined with the clear rose notes, it creates a smell that is very like some of the roses I grow, specifically some of the pink roses. (I really don’t know how flower color is related to the scent of a particular rose, but it does seem to be, in. my experience). One thing I like a lot about this opening is that while there is an immediate impression of sweetness and fruit, it’s not overly sweet or synthetic. The bergamot note, if present (at least as part of the “litchi accord”) is light. I don’t smell it separately as I sometimes do. I like bergamot a lot, but it feels right that it take a back seat to fruit in Eau Rose’s opening.

The rose comes forward quickly, and remains central to the fragrance for at least a couple of hours. It is light and fresh; one commenter thought it smells like the younger sister of Portrait of a Lady, but I disagree (YMMV). Eau Rose has none of the spice or incense that make POAL so memorable. A better comparison, for me, would be that Eau Rose may smell like that same lady’s morning ablutions, when she splashed rose water on her face, maybe from a rose-patterned washbasin. As it dries down, I smell the soft muskiness of the ambroxan, which makes this a pleasant skin scent after a few hours.

Eau Rose’s composition and development align perfectly with its description as an “eau de toilette”. To me, it is a morning scent. I would definitely wear this to my office, either as the EDT or the hair mist. I could see using the hair mist before going out to a casual date night with my husband; I would probably seek out something grander, more serious, for an “event” or a fancier dinner out.

Do you have a favorite Diptyque? Or hair mist?