Bvlgari
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The mandarin erupts first, its zesty citrus snapping awake alongside mulberry's jammy undertone, creating a fresh-fruited prelude that feels almost like biting into candied peel. The rose hovers just beneath the surface, present but patient, waiting for its moment.
As the citrus softens, the rose emerges with genuine presence—Damask and Absolute layered to create a complex floral that's neither powdery nor soapy, enriched by the sweet, almost honeyed quality of those lingering fruit notes. The woody elements begin their slow ascent, adding structure and earthiness to the florals.
The fragrance settles into a warm, woody-musked base where sandalwood and gaiac wood provide a creamy, almost resinous backdrop, whilst patchouli and vetiver add subtle earthy drag. The rose lingers more as an echo than a presence, and the musk carries everything forward in soft, intimate waves that cling close to the skin.
Bvlgari's Splendida Rose Rose inhabits that delicious liminal space between restrained floristry and gourmand indulgence—a fragrance that trusts the rose without genuflecting to it. Sophie Labbé constructs something genuinely nuanced here: the Damask and Rose Absolute don't bleat out in unison but rather engage in a quietly sophisticated dialogue, their honeyed warmth tempered by the tart brightness of mandarin and mulberry arriving in the opening moments. There's a nearly edible quality to the composition, the fruit notes lending a jammy sweetness without tipping into dessert territory, whilst the gaiac wood and vetiver underpinning prevent the whole affair from becoming saccharine.
This is a fragrance for those who find traditional rose scents either too austere or too wedding-cake precious. It wears with an understated confidence—there's femininity here, certainly, but it's companionable rather than decorative. The woody base of sandalwood and patchouli gives the rose something substantial to cling to, preventing the heart notes from floating away into the ether. You'll find yourself reaching for this on mornings when you want something that feels both comforting and slightly elusive, something that rewards a second sniff. It's equally at home on a spring afternoon in neutral linen or layered beneath a cashmere knit as the season tilts toward autumn. The musk provides a skin-scent base that suggests intimate proximity rather than projection—a fragrance that speaks softly to those close enough to listen.
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3.8/5 (652)