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Eau de Rochas L'Essentiel
Eau de Rochas L'Essentiel Eau de Parfum is a short composition and there is no sense pretending otherwise: five materials, no citrus opening, and a scent that starts in the middle.
That is unusual and it changes how it wears. Most fragrances spend their first quarter of an hour on something bright that then disappears. This one goes straight to its flowers. Jasmine leads, full and warm with the slightly animal richness that good jasmine always carries, and orange blossom sits beside it, cleaner and more powdery, with a soapy brightness that lifts the jasmine off the ground. The pair of them are the entire top and middle of the fragrance.
Underneath, the base does the holding. Patchouli brings a dark, dry earthiness, amber adds a resinous warmth that spreads slowly, and white musk gives the whole thing a soft, laundered finish that keeps it close to the skin. The result is quiet but persistent.
Because it is an eau de parfum rather than a toilette, it carries more oil and lasts longer than the strength of its smell would suggest. It does not project far after the first half hour. What it does is stay, which makes it suitable for work, for evenings in company, and for anyone who finds most eau de parfums too loud. It reads as feminine and it is comfortable in any season, though it comes into its own in cooler weather where the amber and patchouli have something to hold onto.
Marcel Rochas opened his Paris couture house in 1925, and perfumery followed in 1936. His wife Helene inherited the company in 1955 and made fragrance its principal business. Interparfums became the owner in 2015, when Procter and Gamble sold the name on.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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