Today’s Guerlain Advent sample is Rose Chérie, launched in 2021 and created by perfumer Delphine Jelk. The only notes listed for it are: Bulgarian rose, rose, violet, heliotrope, tonka, and musk. It is meant to evoke the chic of Paris and “la vie en rose.” The fragrance smells pink, too, like a fresh pink rose but with no greenery attached. The heliotrope accord is immediately evident to my nose; I really enjoy heliotrope in fragrances, I like the powdery aspect it lends. Here, it blends with the violet and rose accords to create a scent reminiscent of pink lipstick and face powder. The scent itself isn’t as retro as that sounds, though.
The heliotrope accord also smells like a mix of almond and vanilla, giving Rose Chérie a slight hint of gourmandise. It isn’t an actual gourmand fragrance though, which I appreciate because I have a limited tolerance for those. If there is any food it brings to my mind, that would be delicate pink macarons, lightly dusted with sugar. Now my mouth is watering, remembering the stacks of rainbow-hued macarons I saw in Nice a few years ago, in the patisseries of the old town and market.
Rose Chérie definitely leans toward the feminine end of the spectrum, but it could smell wonderful on a man. It doesn’t last as well on my skin as, say, Épices Volées, but its longevity is fine. Its development is quite straightforward, almost linear to my nose. The tonka bean emerges after a while, once the floral notes have mostly faded. It gives a little oomph to the fragrance, like vanilla without any sugar.
This is a very pretty rose, and if you like semi-gourmand florals, you should probably try it if you get the chance. I own so many rose fragrances (hello, Roses de Mai Marathon!) that I wouldn’t feel the need to add this one; besides, I tend to favor richer or greener rose scents. But sometimes, one just wants a macaron! Do you have any favorite gourmand florals?
Serenity Now Scents and Sensibilities 
Great review! I’ve really been wanting to learn more about this fragrance. I may have to buy a bottle. It sounds lovely.
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This piece is beautifully written. Thank you.
Floral gourmand fragrances? Hmmmm, without running to my stash the one that springs to mind is Floris Madonna of the Almonds. It’s a spring fragrance based around a fantasy almond blossom. There are also touches of bitter almond, vanilla & fruitiness but it’s mainly a spring blossom floral.
Both the perfume & the book it is named for are fabulous. It was a limited edition but worth looking for a sample if you like this sort of scent
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Thank for the tip, that sounds beautiful! The Floris I have my eye on is White Rose.
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I love the smell of almonds, less enamored of rose(although I’m currently using LUSH Rose Jam body wash in my shower – I prefer the fleeting rose…) I think I’d enjoy sniffing this one but probably not wearing. Someday!
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This sounds like a beautiful spring/summer wear.
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Yes, I agree. It’s very nice now, but I think it would shine more in warmer weather.
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This one sounds very pretty. The only gourmand floral I might own that comes to mind is L’Orchestre Parfum Rose Trombone, with vanilla and boozy notes. It’s not as delicate as a macaron!
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With a name like Trombone, I wouldn’t expect it to be!
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I bought a smaller bottle of Rose Cherie for my Christmas present after the Hummingbird didn’t work out. Mine has a pretty pink cord around it. I love Rose Cherie! It’s pretty strong and lasted overnight on my skin. It is reminiscent of French Kiss, but Delphine Jelk has definitely tweaked the formula a lot and made the former French Kiss into a more adult, more well rounded fragrance, in my opinion. I love rose and violet combinations in fragrances.
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