Rose Barbare Guerlain for women and men

I was torn between Rose Barbare and Rose Cherie- Spoiler Barbare won.

The honey combined with adelhydes is so light and appropriate, the combination reminds me of honeysuckle blossoms. If you played around Honeysuckle blossoms as a kid, or have been lucky enough to pass by them on a spring evening stroll - this will immediately put you in a trance and take you back to fond memories of being outside during a mild spring in-full-bloom day.

Few brands can actually pull off Adelhydes. When done properly they are so uplifting, like freshly washed linens on a clothesline left to dry in the wind/sun. Guerlain really nailed the use of them in RB.

I came across another reviewer that said something along the lines of “were Barbie to wear a perfume this is what she would pick” and I 100% agree. RB is so feminine, uplifting, and signature scent worthy that it would leave people dying to know what you have on, and you can just confidently reply- Rose Barbare.

I don’t understand all the hate this one is getting in the reviews below. Aldehydes, honey, tea, and rose. What smells more royal than that? I would prefer if they went all-out chypre with this and made it a fuller scent, but then it would smell like a Roja Dove or something like that. This retains the Guerlain etiquette and restraint. So many roses get too sweet and headache inducing; this one never does because the aldehydes and honey kind of block the rose in and keep it firmly in the oriental genre. Very cool and definitely worth a sample if you haven’t tried it

I cannot smell the rose in this. At all. Very bizarre. There’s something in here interfering with my ability to smell. Normally I would think it’s ambroxan but it’s not that. Whatever type of aldehyde they used? I have read that some of the newer synthetic molecules are too large for certain people’s odor receptors. This smells like pink water to me.

I bathed myself in a 2ml sample. Initially thought this was going to be stronger with more substance, but less than 30 mins upon application this falls flat, an uninteresting, slightly spiced rose with a bit of patchouli base. I kept spraying throughout the day, but I've given up trying to like it. My mind plays tricks on me with expensive perfumes, I keep trying to "look" for that special something that would justify the price or the high quality ingredients they claim to use. This is a nice rosey scent, with a bit of a spiced kick in the opening, but that's pretty much it.
Boring scent and waaaay overpriced.

It's a honey sweet rose, with the aldehydes giving it a fresh zingy brightness.
It would feel juvenile if it weren't for the fenugreek.
I thought the fenugreek was cummin spice, as Francis Kurkdjian likes to ad a funky spice to otherwise very tame fragrance accords.
The touch of patchouli gives it some further earthy funk.
The aldehydes and rose give a a slightly leaning feminine vibe. It reminds me of his Lumier Noire Pour Feme fragrance, now discontinued.
If you know Lumier Noire PF, and miss it. This would be a very close alternative.

rosey version of the super-honeyed 'Gucci by Gucci' (discontinued)..it's nothing groundbreaking , not offensive, it's just OKAY. bought a 5ml decant and im sure wont be buying the full bottle.. lol

A very enjoyable, gender neutral , warm spicy rose. It feels like clove and cinnamon. The rose is distinct and dominant.
Very similar to Noire Epices by Frederic Male, which leans a bit more masculine.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this fragrance. I went to Neimans to test Tobacco Honey. That was an immediate no. The SA sprays this beauty and it was love at first sniff. This is not your typical rose scent. It is absolutely captivating. I adore the patchouli note. I get the honey. I do wish it lasted longer. I work from home so I just touch myself up mid-day!

I quite enjoy the deep rose and honey in this one. It also smells smoky to me. Maybe it's the patchouli. Regardless, it's lovely.

To me it smells almost 100% like Parfum D'Or Kristel Saint Martin. So honey-ish. Not my favorite, but a good frag anyways. You can buy KSM for just 20 AUD in Chemist Warehouse...

A rose that is a lot more mature than Rose Cherie. It is sweet still but it has a certain heaviness

Smells 97% like my Burberry the original, meh...

I was hesitant to purchase Rose Barbare. I wanted a floral scent that was not overly sweet and syrupy. Rose trends toward the mature crowd and can feel a bit matronly. This one has a vintage vibe but the other notes give it a modern feel. The other accords (honey, fenugreek, patchouli, etc.) come through in a way that compliments the rose. They are also what some would say pushes the fragrance more towards the unisex/male side of the spectrum. I appreciate this take on rose and it's one of the few rose scents that I feel I can pull off. I'll be putting it into my spring/summer rotation.

I like aldehydes, but here, they really detract from the rose, IMO. The journey is: aldehydes, rosey aldehydes and then returns to aldehydes. The rose I get is more fresh, than deep. I appreciate both, so that’s okay with me. These aldehydes hang on and don’t let go. They hint at the molecular styling of many popular frags now, which I also appreciate.

Off the bat, I can tell this is MFK’s work. I like MFK, and I can see the historical progression and connection to his later body of work, as in EA Green Tea. Very cool to see this! It’s a little vintage, but a cool vibe for confident gals comfortable in their skin.

I like it, but I wish the other notes would shine with more depth. The price tag on this is too much for me, personally, since i prefer others in the line.

I am a rose lover, but It is really hard to find a perfect rose perfume.

Rose Barbare showcases Rose in a lovely and refreshing way, I actually want to drink it! The scent opens effervescent and bright. There is something almost yeast-like about this rose that reminds me of the way dry french ciders can smell. The rose is not sweet, it's fizzing softly with an astringent hint of bitterness that you can feel in the back of your mouth, also akin to the aftertaste of very nice craft ciders. (In that regard, this scent can remind me of the champagne-rosyness of the opening of Thé Noir by Le Labo.) I don’t get any fenugreek or honey, maybe a hint of honey when I imagine it as an accent note used to build this rose. The aldehydes come in soft and cool, they linger aside the rose in the opening for a short period of time. In the dry down, I get a small dose of that powdery and dusty synthetic oakmoss (Evernyl) that MFK uses heavily in Baccarat Rouge, mixed with a «clean» patchouli note (Clearwood).

As much as I love this refreshing Rosé Cider of a perfume, I don’t think it is full bottle worthy. On my skin, it has poor longevity and projection and no sillage. It lasts maximum 4 hours on me. Actually, I was really surprised how thin it feels on my skin. Really a shame because I love the scent. Towards the end it is a weak dusty abstract smell. This makes it hard to justify the price point.

This is one of the best rose fragrances ever made, I love when I wear this during summer but it’s fitting winter nights very well.
Gorgeous, elegant and luxurious scent.
Guerlain is the best house ever❤️

One of my favourite perfumes. A fresh rose aldehydic . An airy woody patchouli base …Super classy , lasts all day. In my top 5 favourites for ever !
30 plus , smells of old money and class !

I just don’t think I’m a fan of aldehydes, I smelled absolutely no rose out of this, just honey to my disappointment. Bought this as a blind buy from Nordstroms in 2013-2014 and immediately regretted it. So, I have this albeit expensive fragrance that I can’t stand and have no idea what to do with. It’s the 2012 formulation with the gold spray atomizer and the writing on the upper top of the label, with the box. I have 50ml left, anyone interested for sale or swap? Looking for more oriental roses right now.

I recently tried this at Lane Crawford. It was such a beautiful fragrance one me. Definately thumbs-up!

thin, poorly balanced, overpriced rose. this is for the original version of rose barbare, not the reformulation.

i still remember the day i went to the guerlain counter on the first anniversary of a new job with the intention of treating myself to one of their classic perfumes. the pushy SA instead steered me towards the l'art et la matière line as it had just been launched, and insisted that rose barbare was very "me". it wasn't at all, but i was young and meek and didn't want to offend, so i paid over $200 for a bottle. thankfully in the next couple of days i came to my senses and returned the bottle for full refund.

Key notes : Rose , Patchouli , honey …
Opens up with a lot of Rose , Aldehydes and patchouli
I don’t really like ( patchouli )
Drys down to a mild honey 🍯……. But Rose still dorminant
I don’t know the kind of rose thou
I reached out for it quickly being the over hyped nose 👃 _Francis Kurkdjian_

Ouf, the fenugreek burns my nose.
I cannot stand fenugreek - & the old
formulation has plenty - the newer is
more green & less "dirty" - but between that & the dreaded aldehydes, this is just not my thing; I picture somebody in their 70s or mid 60s, living on theUpper East Side wearing this, old monied, independent & maybe never married, careless of trends or what others like - & she wears it (lightly) well

This smells like Barbie. Like this is barbie doll in a bottle. The way the honey, aldehydes and rose combine, it's this musky sweet rose and I want hop in a pink jeep and douse myself in this.

Edit: I have tried to wear this several times and I find it cloying and offputting each time.

Guerlain doesn’t use much aldehydes and so reviews read like they dismiss this outright; not having the vanillary base as the others in the L’Arte line. But people must understand that this is a blue floral presented with a candied rose and perhaps white honey. Those not familiar with rose chypres will probably not find a liking to this but it’s well made.

Barbare to me translates as being outdated and not complying with the trends. Same as with this one, being a blue floral, a reiteration of the most bitter of the perfume genre. A long forgotten recipe of the glorious 70s coupled with pink rose petals which reminds me for a moment of Gucci III. Both boasting of a candied and juicy nuance hazing over the bitter hyacinth, moss and rose base.

Since people shun today most green florals thinking them as acerbic, this one is surprisingly with a watery quality. One which I find suitable for the springtime and early fall for its autumnal nuances suit those seasons.

And lastly, the aspect to which people mostly complain about: aldehydes. Ah, fantastic as it reminds me of the Chanel quality. I would’ve wished the sudsy opening hinted with turkish delight would have stayed for a while. I wished it was more powerful, like all chyprephiles would wish.

This is a mature rose. Very sophisticated and elegant, but mature. Like old money, pearls and tons of wisdom...
Aldehydes cover the rose scent, patchouli and aldehyde vapors create vague reminiscences of Chanel No. 5 with added roses. Something like the child of Nahema and No. 5. with a touch of No. 19
Try it first. You must like aldehydes to enjoy this scent. Probably you should like legendary scents from the past like No. 5, Nahema, Aromatics Elixir... sample it first.

I find myself describing this scent as “delicious.”
By no means is this a gourmand, but there something so delectable about this fragrance. It’s a bed of fresh patchouli leaves with soft and fluffy aldehydes, a young rose, and a drizzle of honey on top.

It all makes for such a soft yet elegant cashmere blanket. I find this appropriate for all seasons in a magical way.

When I first bought this, I thought it was okay. But I recently pulled this out of my collection for my bedtime fragrance and I found a new love for it. This is not one that’s meant to project, it’s meant to hug you close - comforting and soft.

This rose smacks you in the nose
It wasn’t something different than other rose fragrances but I enjoyed it nonetheless
I would’ve preferred a little more power
And definitely overpriced for what it is

Guerlain really has some curious names in this line. This is not a barbarian rose to my nose at all. Whatever that's supposed to be, this one is really civilized and polite!

There are lots of jammy roses with patchouli on the market today, and I love many of them. For a few seconds I thought this would be another one of those, then the aldehydes come in. At this point it smells like a mix of freshly washed laundry that was put outside to dry, rose jam with very little sugar, and earthy, resinous, but still polished patch. I find this combination quite unique, usually you get either earthy patch or clean laundry, but not both. And it works! The contrast of freshness and warmth makes this perfect for spring or autumn.
I'm sure the jammy impression of the rose comes from the honey, which I find subtle and lightly warming in this. To avoid any misunderstandings: This is not a fruity rose that smells like sweet berry jam, it just has that gooey texture of real rose jam and honey.
I can't detect any fenugreek, which I only know as a spice in Indian cuisine. I don't think I miss it here.
To my nose many of the L'Art & La Matière fragrances have a similar powdery, vanillic backbone and smell very Guerlain-ish. That's not the case with Rose Barbare, it stands out from the rest of the collection.

This is a very good scent, but it doesn't completely blow me away. There are so many patchy roses I love a while I enjoy the addition of aldehydes, I think in the end I prefer the warmer iterations of this theme.

My sample was decanted from one of the older golden 75 ml flacons.

It’s a nice roses fragrance but to me, it is just missing something. It’s not special. Just nice. With a huge wishlist that I have I will most probably never get to it.

I got the old bottle and I certainly confirmed this is reformulated. the new version is lighter, musky, and green. the old version is dirtier, more honey, musty, sour, animalic.

I bought the mini 10ml x 8 fragrance set of the L'Art et la Matiere collection and this is my least favorite out of them all. I cannot stand aldehyde note. I'm glad I did not have to waste my money buying a full bottle.

I hear this was reformulated a little bit from Guerlain's perfume consultant. Is that true? I really liked the dirty honey-like in this perfume, but the new bottle is muskier and greener, clearer than the old bottle as I recalled... but the memory can be easily manipulated by any word...

A mysterious or Fall version of Amyris Por Femme. In the beginning there is a layer of dusty rose, but not heavy and also with a fresh or Peony layer. Dries down and then ever so slightly has an incense that leans masculine, but masculine in the way I like to wear at times. The dry down after a couple of hours has a somberness or melancholy to it. Slight BO, but in a really sexy addictive way. Think Henry Cavill BO.

'd first say this is a dirty floral chypre through and through. I spent some time trying to identify what fragrance this reminded me of and I suddenly realised that it was Jean Patou's EnJoy, minus some of the fruity aspects. My bottle of EnJoy is an older one, I'm not sure what newer ones smell like.

The first spray was this odd, unusual spicy aromatic sweetness that I can only deduce is the fenugreek and honey melding together. After that, the honey goes into the background and the spicy aromatic plus patchouli take over completely while a soft, dewy rose sits in the background. I have been wearing for a few hours and it's mostly patchouli on me.

Overall I'd say its a lovely fragrance, but I've already got EnJoy so I don't really see myself ever needing this. I tested them both side by side and there's definite similarities beyond just rose & patchouli. I'd also say try before buy as I wouldn't necessarily call this a safe one if you have problems with patchouli.

I don't take a defeat easily, so i decided to spend some more time with Rose Barbare after my initial disappointment. I am pleasantly surprised. After having some time to settle down after shipping, this sure transformed into the most beautiful rose I ever wore, aside from POAL and Oud Satin Mood.
Interestingly enough, Rose Barbare dries down to a 90% copy of my favorite perfume on Earth - Serge Lutens De Profundis. It travels from antique, vintage rose to a bit tarter floral medley that is De Profundis, and I have never seen such a big difference between opening and the dry down in a perfume before. So for those who would love to get some idea of how De Profundis smells and they happen to have Rose Barbare, I'd say give it a spray of this and wait some 3-4 hours. I am not saying you will experience De Profundis 100%, but it will come pretty close to, at least, give you an idea.
De Profundis is an art in the bottle. I lost my son in a car accident a month ago, and I wear De Profundis only when we go to the cemetery. It's the only fitting perfume I can ever think of :(

Rose Barbare is the product of a collaboration between possibly my favourite fragrance house (Guerlain) and an external perfumer I admire (Francis Kurkdijan). The result is a high-quality, well-rounded, rich rose scent, beautifully feminine and grown-up. I have a love/hate relationship with rose fragrances, but happily, RB is in the former category.

RB opens with a burst of rose, neither green nor sweet, but richly floral and natural-smelling. There is a softly spicy, peppery quality that gives some bite. As it develops, a beautiful floral honey note, reminiscent of artisanal pots of the real thing, emerges. It provides the perfect natural sweetness, a cut above generic sugary vanillin as well as being a road less travelled. The use of honey here reminds me of Kurkdijan's work on Elie Saab Le Parfum, a seemingly generic white floral scent that is elevated by its honey note.

It fades to a generic rose scent, bolstered by soft woody notes and a hint of patchouli. Although it is not listed among the notes, there is a cosy amber note in the base, complementing the other notes nicely. Sillage is good and longevity is weak-to-moderate, fading to a skin scent on me after about three hours. Good quality rose scent with some unusual elements, a ladylike daytime choice. Rose without the barbare. 3/5.

FK is my favorite perfumer, and I legit expected to have my mind blown by Rose Barbare. This was my 30th wedding anniversary present, just arrived yesterday. I picked it especially for this occasion since I adore roses in perfume. I expected something extraordinary from Mr. Kurkdjian, especially considering this specific Guerlain line. However, it's just a like, and not a love for me.
This rose is super tame, and definitely not a rose for a Leo. I like rose in POAL, and Oud Satin Mood, well, actually I like all rose perfumes, even tart, knife-blade rose in Delina, but this rose is just tame, and soo well behaved. It reminds me of Nahema, to a degree.
And while a collector in me is thrilled to have a bottle of this, considering all the recent changes in the house of Guerlain, this will be a rose I seldom reach for. I love my rose to be wild and loud, and Rose Barbare is just not...that.

An elegant peppery rose, good for any occasion. Neither trendy nor old-fashioned and, importantly (for me), sugar-free. Timeless really. Reminds me a bit of Ormonde Ta'if, but more natural and less spicy. Some large yellow, orange tinged hybrid tea roses smell like that. Projection is medium-weak. It is a scent first and foremost meant to bring tranquility and poise to you, not to swoon the audience. Unfortunately, on my skin the performance is abysmal, hardly 3 hours, although on paper or clothes two sprays go strong even 24 h later. Perhaps it will do better in cold season. Anyway, no regrets whatsoever, I'll just scent my scarves with it. My full bottle comes in a gorgeous black box that, after taking the bottle-molded padding out, can be repurposed for a myriad of graceful uses. So, all is forgiven.

Update: we are in November, and indeed the lasting power of the scent on skin is much better now, I am wearing it quite a lot. Now, in cold weather, I smell a bit of pear in it and the opening suddenly strikes me as that of J'adore original (that I got to smell in 2001; I have no idea what the current version is like). Would I repurchase? No, as at this point my collection is so big that I am unlikely to use anything up in my lifetime, unless I begin to spray the rooms with it. That said, I am eyeing Serge Luten's Rose de Nuit, which is supposed to be a first cousin or something. So, as you can imagine, I like the genre.

Sensual, soft, complex, romantic and extremly well balanced. This is one of those perfumes that tell you stories and take you on a journey when you spray alone in your garden.
With my obvious inexperience in perfumery I hunbly declare this to be the best rose on the market!
Byond the smell technicality, I feel tickled by the wonderful and historically correct comparison between Ottoman rose and barbarism. Spot on Francis!

If it’s a Rose, then it’s very powdery and soft rose. Caramel and tea rose. Sweet. I can smell it until the opening of middle notes. Gentle scent. Not aggressive at all. You can wear it even to work as Magician at Kinder Garden. Not offensive. Very elegant, smooth. Very kind .

Guerlain Rose Barbare (2005) - Exotic rose - This fragrance isn’t wild as the name implies, but #franciskurkdjian got inspired from Turkish roses (not sure why the Ottomans were barbaric, but I digress). I’m seeing more rose and honey combinations now, but in 2005, this was unique and could still be with the addition of aldehydes and herbal yet earthy qualities of patchouli. Fizzy rose.

7/10. Very elegant rose with ginger ale at first. Then stale apricot honey. Later faint bitter rind. Spice / fenugreek. Powdery bitter. Gender neutral, more masculine toward the end.

This rose fragrance somehow has a Serge Luten vibe to it; and based on the reviews below, I'm not the only one thinking so.

It's an ORIENTAL rose. Not sweet, not green, and not your typical pink rose. The rose note is there throughout the whole development, but there's something equally strong (warm oriental spices) competing for attention. I'd imagine this rose to be deep reddish brown, like burnt umbre.

Like sparkling rose champagne... It’s fizzy, glamourus and enchanting!

I’ve always had trouble with honey notes in fragrances, and so far I just avoided honey in fragrances with no Prblm...

but this is the first time a fragrance makes me regret not being able to cope with honey 😭

I appreciate the beauty of rose barbare, that honey Chypre is so beautiful, it makes me sad not to be able to wear it...

also in the dry down, the honey balances the patchouli and creates a delicious sweet patchouli combo, almost edible 🥰🥰

Rose Barbare is a magnificent creation from the house of Guerlain and perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. As a Serge Lutens devotee, allow me to describe this scent using Lutens-ian references:

Procure one bottle of that elusive unicorn Nombre Noir. Extract the depths of its woody, green heart. Make sure to exclude any of its winey elements.

Next, secure a bell jar of Rose de Nuit. Isolate its honeyed, waxy rose, then discard some of that honeyed waxiness.

After, mix the extractions obtained from Nombre Noir and Rose de Nuit. Test tube, vat, witchy cauldron—your pick. Throw in some aldehydes for freshness and sparkle. (If using a cauldron, really go for it—sprinkle in some eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat, and/or tongue of dog.)

Finally, spritz judiciously onto skin. Go about your day as usual, armed with “thank yous” for the compliments you’re certain to receive. A touch-up midday is advised.

Mmm, the alchemy of scent!

Sweet pink roses dried, ground into a powder can be sprinkled on the cake. Rose Barbare light spinning like a ballet dancer, yes, it is very beautiful, everyone will love it. But for me, this is a very failure of the works ...... Why? Because a lot of good perfume Guerlain. So more than perfume of roses, Rose Barbare just one of them, nothing to say.

With a name like "Barbaric Rose" I was expecting something challenging, but this is a simple, clean, pretty rose. It smells like a bunch of pink, thornless roses in a beautiful garden in spring or summer. Easy to wear, beautiful, and simple. It has an air of rose-scented bars of soap. I imagine taking a bath in a sun-drenched English countryside cottage in summer with a rose-petal filled bathroom and fancy soaps. Very feminine.

The first phase is curry and rose, then goes to rose and curry. Well, I have to make sure my skin is not coated with garam masala powder. I just wanted rose and honey.

A beautiful herbal rose, similar to Rosabotanica Balenciaga.
Has a perfect elegant chypre-green accord in the base, like a breath of fresh air. Nothing like the popular candy sweet, jammy roses we're so used to smelling everywhere.

I received a sample of this from Neiman Marcus. I was so excited for it. Finally a note profile that I really liked. I had high hopes for this. Put it on and it smells like those sheets you put in the dryer. Why?!!

I can't get any notes from this except the aforementioned dryer sheets.

This is why its important to try before you buy. I am bummed but at least it was a sample.The search continues.

Im gonig to apologize in advance for the following review, I wish I felt different.

I dont understand the appeal of this perfume. Maybe I am not there yet, but this is what perfume that goes rotten smells like to me. It smells like an old lady and is so hideous to me. I guess I would have to smell on someone else when I didn't know and see if I felt different but its a scrubber for me 100% .. I want to smell attractive not off putting which is what this is to me.. But maybe I will get there someday. Its Guerlian so I know its special to some :)

Male here
Lovely juice
Can't stop sniffing
Lasted 2 hours.
Shame

This is a lovely amber rose. I don’t care for sweetness in perfumes and find some modern perfumes almost sickening but the honey in this is beautifully blended and unobtrusive. If it gets onto your clothing, it is absolutely beautiful on the second day.

My impression before I looked up the notes: beautiful honeyed rose champagne scent. Far from being loud, it's sensual, a bit spicy, sophisticated, evolves as you are wearing it. I want a full bottle!

To be discontinued. Stock up.

Rose Barbare is a real drama and somewhat a shame as it tells the story of a beautiful warm Jacaranda Rose at its peak of fragrant and petal beauty: It is a warm dewy and sticky day, enabling this magnificent flower to fully expose its fragrant and pheromone magic.
Then suddenly thick grey clouds appear out of nowhere and release a cold wall of hail the size of golf balls. As they come crushing down they destroy everything in their way, including this beauty of a rose, slaughtered and butchered by the storm.
All that is left is a cool glimpse of that warm rose lingering amidst the rapidly cooled off air, that turned this Rose into a 'Barbaric Rose' of great suffering and despair. However, the plant is still alive and it will bloom again, maybe this summer, but definitely next!

I feel so sorry for her!!

Verdict: A masterpiece of a rose: like your bitch of a boss, Miranda Priestley, that cannot ever fail, even when destroyed. The scent of a survivor. 10/10.

عشاق الورد ادعوهم لتجربة هذا العطر العطر ليس مثلا عطور الورد الخالص او الورد الحاد بل جمع العطار بين الورد و السبايسي العطر مناسب للمساء او في الصباح لمن يعمل في مكان مغلق

Absolutely fantastic! I've had this perfume for four years and felt very indifferent about it. Perhaps the fenugreek was little much for me! This last month decided to give it another try. The more I wear it, the more I love it! Today for the first time this spring was quite warm and I wasn't sure if Rose Barbare was a good choice, but I did wear it anyway. A divine aroma of beautiful rose and honey! It felt even better under the warm sun! Perhaps a bit more feminine also.

The moment I first experienced this fragrance I knew it was something special; the first sniff brought me back to the classic Chypres of the ‘70s. A spicy rose - not so much oriental as middle eastern, probably the Turkish delight note. Not your typical floral rose, there is an untamed quality to the wild red rose in this composition.
I see an earlier reviewer has mentioned longevity and sillage could be better, this seems to drift in and out, you think it’s gone and then suddenly you get a waft of it back. I have worn in three times in the last fortnight, it’s intriguing.
If you get a chance to try it, you should because it’s unique.

Extraordinary perfume.
But 1 note fenugreek makes it more masculine than feminine and for me its too much. Can't wear it.

This is a smooth powdered rose, so very creamy. It actually reminded me of my grandmother, whom I know for a fact did not wear this particular fragrance but must have worn rose. The powder (which I actually now think is powdery rose to me) is old world cosmetic, comforting and nostalgic. The rose floral note is dry and very high quality. The first 20 minutes or so is very strong, but it settles in warmly with my chemistry. It's a very smooth and lovely fragrance.

I'm basing this on a single test (on my skin and on a paper strip), so this is very much first impressions.

The Guerlain counter were really pushing this as exclusive-I was told that they only stock one bottle of each of the Exclusive collection at any one time so this is designed to be very much a signature fragrance and not mass market. I got the impression I was only allowed to try it on my skin after several minutes discussion about some of the other Guerlains, so she knew I wasn't just a dilettante squirting left, right and centre.

Anyway, it's a beautiful rose. It's a very smooth and gentle rose note-there's no harshness, no acid, and no real sweetness. I absolutely love rose, but sometimes on me they turn very jammy, very artificially sweet, almost fruity, but there is none of that. The honey note is mellow and rounded, its not in your face sugary. It reminded me very much of Van Cleef Arpels Rose Velours which has a very similar smooth dark honey tone.

It developed very differently on my skin compared to the paper spray-on paper it was quite harsh, but it was far more mellow on me. The base notes of wood and patchouli barely came through on me, just enough to ground it a little and stop it being evanescent floral, but not enough to swamp the rose gorgeousness.

I sprayed at 2pm, and at 9.30 pm I'm still getting a lovely skin scent so longevity is good.

It's lovely, its a very lovely not-quite-a-soliflore rose and really very pretty and elegant. I'm not sure its value for money though, but ignoring that, it is a very well done rose (although I'd expect nothing less from Kurkdjian, him being a miracle worker!)

Rose Barbare, the Intriguing Rose

This one needs to be tried out, sampled, tested, and then tested again. This rarely happens to me, but Rose Barbare went from indifference (this rose is ok!) to slight disgust (I don’t know if I like these spices) to disappointment (this doesn’t last long enough) to wonder (what the heck smells so good? Who is wearing a new leather jacket?) to hopeless infatuation (I know you’re not good for me, and I don’t know why, but I must have you…)

So that was my trajectory when testing this. It mostly a deep dark rose that has a few metallic flints, with a lot of leathery saffron, spices, woods, herbs and greenery. RB has this saturated, dense feel when you wear it, yet it is never overpowering or loud, and it will reassert itself during the life of the wear. I would like to think that the perfumer meant for that to happen, after all, perfume not only smells a certain way, but it ACTS a certain way, too. The rose is deep and grounded, while the spices/saffron/leather/herbs kind of jump all over the place. The more I wear RB the more intrigued I am by it—every time I wear it I find another facet, something that smells different, a note acts different. I don’t always love scent, but I always find it to be fascinating. Lasting power is phenomenal.

This is like meeting someone who you initially have an indifferent attitude towards. Slowly, as you get to know them, indifference turns to ambivalence, which develops into you wanting to find out more. When you do get to know them, you become more and more attracted to them, wanting to understand their quirks and habits, and eventually you just want them. So I guess it just took awhile but I really fell in love with RB…which is not good because she is crazy expensive! But worth it, I’ll be saving up my quarters.

A polished, restrained elegant rose fragrance.
Refined, mastered and a good choice for rose lovers.

It starts off beautiful. You can smell the roses, patch an honey, lifted by aldehydes. But in the drydown, the aldehydes take over and join with the rest of the notes to become... Eau de Dryer Sheets. In a more positive light, I would say Rose Barbare smells rosy and clean.

Honey was bad idea ...it got old too fast and became sour.

Unfortunately my last review got deleted so I'll keep this short: Rose Barbare is remarkable. Silky, creamy, sweet, smooth, decadent, dark, classy, warm, comforting. It's everything a well rounded, lovely and sweet perfume should be. So mesmerizingly pleasant! An easy 8.5/10 but perhaps and likely a 9/10. Superb.

I used to never be a fan of rose scented products or fragrances. They say our tastes change every 7 years, so I guess that explains why I'm now obsessed with rose scented everything.

I went into the Guerlain Boutique solely to buy Mitsuko and not spend more than that. But I asked about what rose scented fragrances they had on hand. We tried a few and I just fell in love with this one right away. My husband said "buy it" and it was my valentines' present.

To me this is a bouquet of soft florals, with just a whisper of a scent as you spray it on. I don't find it as heavy as some other Guerlain fragrances when its wet on the skin.

At first you get as sweetness from the honey, and another note which Im guessing is the adelydes? On the dry down you get more of the rose, but it is not your grandmothers old tea rose perfume, it is sweeter, more delicate and more modern.

This is very different from some of the other Guerlain fragrances that I own. I absolutely love the atomizer and the wonderful little leather box it comes in. This is one for special occasions or a date night out.

Nothing like a tea rose but a dark red rose hidden behind a pepper tree.

The top notes are sweet and heady.

This then develops into something close to youth dew but with a rose note.

Very, very sensual perfume. Definitely one for going out at night.

For those of you who have problems with roses going sour on your skin, this is a wonderful choice. It remains sweet and jammy and lush, yet has a nice freshness from the aldehydes. Needs to be sprayed on to be appreciated rather than dabbed to get a full projection. When I first sampled, I used a dab sampler instead of a spray, and I thought it was too subtle.

Francis Kurkdjian has a way with roses. His Lumiere Pour Femme under his own perfume brand is sweeter and has more patchouli as a comparison, but they both feature roses that stay sweet and don't turn too citric. And while he adds his signature hint of cedar in Rose Barbare, in this one he doesn't overdo it. A gorgeous rose for Guerlain that doesn't get a lot of attention.

I knew it was going to be love at first spray.
The very first notes projected me directly to Sisley's Soir de Lune. A vintage precious hand cream made of soap and an exquisite garden boquet.
Then her majesty the Rose. Persistent, talkative, powerful, petal after petal.
Very long lasting.

I wore this out on a cold winter night and ended up very late ( 3:30 am ) at a dive bar in NYC. A guy sitting next to me said: your perfume makes you visible to a blind man a mile away who just fell madly in love with you!!!!!
It is an intense, assertive, mature rose. It is firey and piercing. Pungent, wet, velvety, and cloying in a dirty sensual way, reminiscent of the ethnic prostitute traversing Rue Pigale late at night or the gender bending street girls of Rimini. Yet elegant, haute, and mysterious.
There is a resemblance to Serge Lutens Rose de Nuit. My favourite in the L'Art et La Matiere collection.

I was very eager to try Rose Barbare, because I love rose fragrances, and I've seen this described as a rose in a class of its own - which wasn't hard to imagine, considering the usual quality of these exclusive Guerlains. And of course, it turns out to be true: this is without a doubt one of the best roses I've ever smelled.

I especially love the early heart, when the honey has come out. At this stage it's really perfect: rich, velvety, natural honeyed roses - just sweet enough, and it warms up wonderfully on the skin. Exactly the kind of scent to fall head over heels in love with instantly.

I'm not as sure yet about the (rather soapy) opening and (rather spicy) drydown, though. I'd probably start appreciating them once I really got to know them, but there wasn't much chance of that with my 0.5 ml sample which only allowed for two wearings, but which was really all I could justify to get at that high price.
And that's where we get to the problem: it really is ridiculously expensive, at least double as much as even most other high end niche houses - so although Rose Barbare is certainly lovely, I have to doubt whether it's worth its price. If I ever see anyone splitting it I'll be on it in a second, but otherwise I think I can live without it, although regretfully.

Who'd of thunk it huh?
That I would love a composition based around Rose and honey?
But I do!!!
Don't get me wrong I kinda like both in their own way ...but together?
I was dreading it.
I needn't of worried as It was in the safe hands of Guerlain and Francis Kurkdjian.
(Having said that FK did make the horrendous pour Le soir using too much bee produce but that's a personal taste thing.)

Rose barbare is just that then, mainly a very beautiful, semi dark rose and boozy but not over powering with a perfect balance of honey. A hint of patchouli just to ground it in a thicker, earthy vibe as it dries down but again in total moderation.
The opening I perceived as quite feminine, not dated but something a more mature lady might wear perhaps? When I say this don't think I'm excluding men from this experience because RB is a very strong and bold perfume which could easily be perceived in quite the opposite way.
In fact the dry down on me is very woody and sensual and almost masculine.
Good, classy stuff yet again.

Not the best rose in fragrances. Not interesting(

this starts off as a green, watery rose with a kind of animalic note. later on the honey peeks out and the honey is quite beautiful, but during the first hour, there is something in this that just isn't working for me, and i think it's the chypre. some element of rose barbare reminded me of something in serge lutens rose de nuit, but not nearly as animalic or dark, and after looking up rose barbare reviews, i see that the bois de jasmin review mentions this same association.

however, i will say that once this has been on my skin for an hour or more, i find it to be more tolerable, when the honey and patchouli becomes more prominent, it works better for me. by then the rose is nearly gone and honey and chypre tend to dominate the scent. this was the 2nd scent in this guerlain line that i got to try and i can't wait to try the rest! even if a perfume is not to my tastes, or doesn't "work" on me, i still find it so interesting and educational to try and ponder, which is where i am filing away rose barbare in my perfume memory database.

Rose Barbare is a honeyed-warm, round, yet sutble rose. Very well behaved. The soft patchouli comes up about an hour after you apply, which is the "barbare" part of the fragrance, making it very unisex.

An overlooked gem in the collection of exclusive Guerlains, Rose Barbare deserves more attention. Perhaps the name is the problem, because this rose is not barbaric at all. Instead we have an opulent rose, petals upon petals that are just barely restrained in their exuberance. They never cross over into potpourri territory, but still have a vintage vibe.

The addition of honey is a welcome one, as it balances out the sharpness from the aldehydes. As the heart deepens, the blending of the rose and honey becomes very intense. It feels like they become infused, as if you just opened a jar of rose petal infused honey. This stage is quite sweet and I could see how it could be too much for some. But it never gets that way for me. And when the base notes take hold *fans self*.

The patchouli gives this a modern twist and takes the edge off the sweetness. The drydown lasts for hours on me and smells divine. There is almost an incense quality to the woody notes, combined with the herbal patchouli and the honey rose, it is a truly magical experience. There are lots of rose patchouli combos, but this one is something special. Kurkdjian really outdid himself on this one.

This is..... nice. It's in the same family as the more striking Sisley Soir de Lune minus the richer honey and heavy vintage chypre dry down. Rose Barbare is just..... nice and quite frankly, a bit underwhelming for a rose fragrance. The honey is faint and creates more of a fruity rose scent than a honey rose. Not FBW for me.

Francis Kurkdjian ha preso il suo Absolue pour la Soir, favoloso, lo ha alleggerito di cumino e spezie ed asperso di petali di rosa. Il risultato è una bellissima rosa, dorata, leggermente mielata ma non cremosa, vagamente speziata. Equilibrata ed elegante.
Romantica e di gran classe.

Lovely, restrained rose that is subtle and elegant and a bit reserved. The quality is apparent. The rose is red and velvety but not dark. A little sweet but certainly not overly sweet. It stays close to my skin and I would consider it a polite fragrance. Nothing much to dislike here but I personally like my rose with a little more oomph. But for those who like a simpler rose that isn't just strictly a soliflore, this is a beautiful, safe option I think. Although an expensive one.

The more times I sample this in store, the more I really want it...

This fragrance is not new, however it is not around anymore. It kind of reminds me of the 90's, but extremely classy. It's super duper long lasting - but that's not exactly a plus if you're not fond of the scent. Definitely try it out before purchasing, but it would be a nice luxury self spoil or present for a loved one.

I love rose, but this fragrance is just not for me. I feel it as plain and with no volume. Feels like just one single note that almost does not change with time. It lacks something. Rose is good but there is some other note that i dislike. May be honey. However, if you like stable quiet long lasting fragrance then this one may be for you. It's suitable for office use and it's also unisex. So it's very balanced.
And nothing barbaric about it at all. :)

This must be a peak for every rose person - The Rose with many beautiful, different facets; from unpretentious tea rose, to glorious, luscious, thick, buttery petal rose, ending as solemn, dusty, dark chypre rose. Serious, grand, mature, complex.
But, I am not moved by it - Rose Barbare, Portrait of a Lady, Villoresi Donna - nothing, sorry. I guess you really must love rose to be able to fully appreciate such heroine (or heroic?) roses.

Me? I will move on to graveyard roses, Oriental roses, funny roses, quirky roses...

This hit me between the eyes with a big cloud of powder out of the bottle. I'm not sure where I'm getting powder. Twenty minutes later the scent morphed into this gorgeous spicy honeyed deep sexy rose. Totally luscious and stunning!!! Absolutely worth the wait.

Like others, I am forever a fan of the more exclusive Guerlain's. Keep em coming!!!

edit: I now own this and have worn this a handful of times and each time I find the opening a challenge...not Shalimar challenge but the first 20 minutes are not fun. But pushing thru is so so worth it. What comes next is pure rose glory!!!!

I have this precious parfume. I am grateful and still trying to understand it. Is it attractive? I cant say yet. It is a bit unfamiliar to me. I find it has something grandeur yet I can not comprehend it yet. Smells of new strengths of truly majestic roses indeed.

Rose Barbare , what can i say. The barbare part of it shocks and awes you at first and then...... the seething seduction of the honey and rose absolute start setting in and transforms this experience into an enchanted and enchanting addiction ---- for you and everyone around you. It is warm, it is cool, it is soft, it is headdy, it is dark, it is just a tiny bit bright. Another treasure from Guerlain, the genius perfumery.

Twenty minutes in, and this fragrance brought tears to my eyes it's so beautiful to me. I can't even write a proper review.

Why do I cry? Because when I was 13 years old I fell in love. Head over heels. Obviously it didn't last because I was 13, he was 18 and lived hours away from me...

At some point during that tragedy of a relationship, I found myself getting some ink of a red rose on my ankle to remind me of him. I remember thinking, "I love him as much as I love Jesus Christ." (Yes, I was 13, but I didn't really get into trouble for getting this tattoo. I think my family and friends were trying to humour me; I was clearly in something way over my head and other than the tattoo and the endless stream of nights I cried myself to sleep I was handling my heartbreak well (good grades, regular babysitter, aced my piano exam, taught Sunday school). They let me have my relatively harmless moment of acting out, I suppose.)

The rose depicted on my ankle? I have imagined its scent my whole life since then... and it is Rose Barbare.

I've tried quite a number of rose perfumes due to them getting along well with my body chemistry, but Rose Barbare gets my crown without any dispute, and is perfect for daily use regardless of mood!

It is a very sumptious, elegant rose. Her family lineage is apparent, yet has been refined to fit into modernity, and has a calm, unmistakable character. If placed in a roomful of other roses vying for attention, she could just sit there quietly and I could pick her out without hesitation.

Her sillage is understated, lasting power, and wafts insistently, but gently. 10/10

Quickly desolving top sharp notes last only seconds to display a sweet rose caressed by honey. This honey is present as an accurate gourmand (perhaps enhanced by the fenugreek). I have never smelled a honey in a perfume that so accurately said honey. Small daggers of it pierce my nose for a short interval before melting into the rose.

Now everything is smooth, warm and soft - almost hypnotic. The rose is still front and center. I can see her petals scattered on a rose stuffed duvet which covers an artisan-made wooden bed. The room is decorated with very small sprigs of patchouli. A lamp made of a solid block of honey blended with fenugreek burns in the corner. It releases a constant flow of warmed sweetness.

This is a beautiful perfume and absolutely different from many other roses. I like it enough to add it to my want soon list.

As far as I am aware it is only available at Guerlain's Flagship store in Paris and a few other selected outlets in the world. It is not available at duty-frees.

WoW!
I stumbled across Rose Barbare today while trying to reach an exhibition and the exhibiotion, even if great, had to wait for a while. It was even more pleasant to see the works surrounded by this memorable scent.
I knew it existed before, but it's so difficult to find out of France.
I could smell many Guerlains "privè" in a perfume store and the salesman was supportive and understood my crave and love for perfumes and Guerlains most of all.
I tried Cruel Gardenia on my right arm and I was in delight, lovely citrus-stinging with a flood of gardenia afterwards, vaguely reminiscent of AdP Magnolia Nobile, but better IMO.
Then I tried Rose Barbare on a paper and on my left arm: boom!
My face probably said it all because the salesman smiled and said: I love it, too.
Here comes the rose! I mean, real rose with no excuse.
Why Barbare? I don't know. In my mind this divine smell was an experience for nose and brain.
I was offered to spray more on myself and I didn't say no!
I went off smelling myself like crazy all the way long to the exhibition, in the middle of the crowd, indifferent to my bliss, but who cares?
At that point, I had no imagery from the perfume. Iwas taken by it and that's all. Rose Barbare kept evolving, changing, talking to my chemistry to find the perfect balance between them.
It's not static, yet it keeps its theme till the end.
It's so feminine and refined, proudly seductive but not sexy in a clichè way at all!
Like most Guerlains it shows its nature slowly but steadly.
After 7 hours it's still on my skin, not steaming but presently whispering in clouds.
Only now I see that it could be kind of "middle east" rose, like the perfume of Arabic princess maybe.

All in all the concept is not original or new, rose &patchouli combo and I see how people compare with the lovely Idylle Duet.
There have been hundreds of rose&patchouli combos in these last years and I love many of them. Lady Vengeance is on of them.
Complimentary notes give interesting differences.
To be honest I don't know what fenugreek smells like.
I think I smelled the herb years ago, but nothing so soft as I can remember.
What makes the difference as usual is the blending mastery behind and I guess raw material.
You never smell this level of purity in mainstream fragrances, unless it is Guerlain! Still, Guerlain made quite a few mistakes and cheap choices.
Rose Barbare won me in an afternoon.
Now the patchouli has taken over a little bit but the rose is still there.
I didn't buy it because I couldn't afford spending 175 euro on a 75ml bottle, not now at least and I have a good mini-collection to survive on.
Anyway, in spite of its relatively simple concept because after all is yet another rose scent, I think that the price could be deserved in this case.
There are so many other expensive fragrances that don't stand up their pricetag.

This is my favorate of the ones I tested at Guerlain at 68 Champs des Elysees. Didn't get it 'cause just didn't want to take the risk of needing to pack in the check-in luggage. I got Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat instead.

Anyway, Rose Barbare is a cool rose over a warm woody base. Nice stuff indeed! Want it.

UPDATE: Got it for almost half the price on eBay and it's the real deal. My favorite rose. The eBay bottle was in an unopened box and a buy-it-now. I swooped down and purchased it in a hearbeat, as it always goes for more $$$. One of my more previlent eBay success stories. Oh how I love this juice!

It is a lemony rose to me, citrusy, soury, cold, and fresh, nothing barbaric about it. Great for spring and summer. Nice scent, but I prefer deeper, warmer, and sweeter rose. This one lacks complexity.

Very similar experience I had with Adrienne99 as it smelled sour...but really to me more like hairspray...until...

***The weather cooled down..Then I was taken by this lovely fragrance that people had spoken so highly of here. I was very glad I was patient with it...after all it was a pretty penny.

It is a more Noir..or dark rose in my opinion...with a serious factor...femine...but sexy. Not to exlude that a man could also wear this devinely...I absolutely ADORE it!

I find Rose Barbare as one of the best rose perfumes with a good sillage. It is really a NICHE perfume. I like roses very much. Rose Barbare is for me a representative of a Queen rose flowering in a beautiful garden. RB is a very elegant perfume. I can not find the "balloons" to award this lovely perfume but I give it FIVE STARS at least !!!!

This is the fourth sample I've tried over a 2 1/2 year time period, and it never fails to wow me. Barbare is a honeyed, magenta rose that floats atop a diaphanous canopy of precious woods. It smells faintly of amber, but in truth no one wood stands out to me. Rather, the entire composition comes together in a harmonious, rich ensemble that makes me think of the orient, back when the orient was a place of mystery.

This is not a strong rose but a refined, well polished one. What spice notes there are wear like whispers, keeping things in the bedroom and out of the kitchen.

However, I am now reminded why I keep coming back for a sample (and not a full bottle). Longevity is short, barely 2 hours. Bois d'Armenie from this line last 24 hours on me. And thus, is my 'Art et Material' bottle of choice.

Rose Barbare offers the aroma of a very smooth, ripe red flower, dripping with honey and haloed in woods. I prefer this to Creed's Bulgarian Tea Rose, although they're close. This of course lacks the spiky tea and ambergris of the Creed, which is a sensible deficit if ever there was one. It's also a mite less feminine - I enjoy how the woodsy notes fuse with the sweet rose and create a low-key, romantic, and genderless fragrance. It isn't particularly complicated, but this perfume is the result of masterful craftsmanship.

this one is quite strange when applied, it smells a little sour and watery and somehow does not get to the point.

after a while it melts and then some spices appear - i can mostly smell cardamom.

i was a little expecting something barbare - but this is obviously not it.

I'm not normally a rose person. It came as quite a surprise when I had decided to order a whole bunch of samples so that I might find the perfect rose fragrance. I was interested to see what an expensive, exclusive and somewhat niche rose fragrance, such as Rose Barbare, would do for me.

Guerlain has managed to create something that stands out in a crowd of rose perfumes lining our department store counters. On paper, Rose Barbare seems cold and metallic, watery in a sense with delicate rose petals, mostly white.

When applied to the skin, Rose Barbare becomes much more characteristic. I still sense an element of watery-ness, however the rose seems more natural this way. It's a much darker, redder rose than on paper.

The honey sweetens this fragrance considerably, with the spices providing an interesting balance. I enjoy the depth that this fragrance has.

When first applied, Rose Barbare smelt a little like turkish delight, so I certainly got the gourmand reference straight away. However once settled, the sugary tartness softens, making way for an incredibly feminine and natural rose concoction, which is rich in some ways, but not particularly warming.

Rose Barbare strikes me as more of a Spring scent, the cold weather doesn't seem to highlight its beauty. It makes me think of pretty pink dresses and tea parties.

My above statement leads me to question why Rose Barbare is not barbaric, wild and uncivilised like its name suggests. I get an edible rose with a somewhat refined nature. There's no dirty innuendos or rankness to be found here I'm afraid.

The sillage of Rose Barbare is very intimate, sometimes there are moments when I can't smell it at all. Lasting power is so-so. For an ordinary fragrance, I would be impressed, yet by something arising, like this fragrance does, from a big house like Guerlain with such a price tag, I'm a little disappointed.

The quality is commendable, however the longevity left me lusting for more.

Guerlain ROSE BARBARE is a beautiful composition of dark garnet red roses glistening with the thinnest patina of deep amber honey. This is a very refined display of the rose note, far from the "I only promised you a rose garden" frags. Simply exquisite. The development is not very complex, but ROSE BARBARE opens so appealingly that I'm happy for it to stay that way--as long as possible, in fact!

I do not consider this a chypre but a lightly oriental floral with a slightly gourmand edge. I could eqt these rose petals! The honey note is luscious and the dark red velvety roses are a welcome change from the pink ones so often featured in perfume. Although ROSE BARBARE opens fairly warm, the drydown becomes warmer still.

I am very impressed with this creation: proof positive that the illustrious Guerlain tradition continues on! Definitely FB- or decant-worthy. I would love to wear ROSE BARBARE again.

As I said in my review for Angelique Noire, I'm again wondering if I mistook this for something else. It's beautiful! Top: a sweet, vibrant, nearly edible bouquet of roses; middle: smooth, heavenly dark chocolate; bottom: honey and roses, but green, not sweet like the first stage. As I said, I tested it today for the first time along with Angelique Noire and Iris Ganache, and they all smell like dessert to me. Is that the idea behind them? They're all delicious!

Rose is a pleasant scent. I use rose water frequently in cooking. Rose is nice when blended with other fragrances. But i've never been a fan of strongly rose scented products. I remember the pleasant but unsophisticated and somewhat feeble "tea rose" and "rose rain" perfumes of the 70s.

But when i was at the Guerlain counter the other day, the woman had me test some Rose Barbare. What a surprise! It was so beautiful. It smelled like real roses, and was rich, deep, complex. This is no pastel rose, but delicious and dark.

A dark red rose, elegant and refined, without any intention to flirt with you, this is a weighty rose, with a hint of honey and beautiful sharpness of chypre notes.