Rose Cross

[brineydeep]

A profound symbol of an individuals personal initiatic process, spiritual refinement and evolution, synthesis, grace found as a result of trial and suffering, and the alchemical process by which we transform the raw essence of our souls through light in extension. This is a holy oil, a representation of the triumph of spirit over matter: purest rose with sacred frankincense.

I can't believe that I haven't reviewed this as it's the first BPAL I fell in love with.

This is all lush rose and deep frankincense on my skin. This rose is not light or delicate but rather rich and fragrant. Every once and a while my skin chemistry turns the rose sour, but mostly close to the skin. There's a good balance between the rose and the frank and they're both prominent.

The throw and longevity are both good (though I adminittedly slather this).

This blend is gorgeous on my skin, both simple and complex, and will always be a favorite for me.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Rose and frankincense. The rose isn’t a voluptuous red rose. It is either a pink rose or a tea rose.

 

Wet: The rose dominates. I still think it’s a pink or tea rose. I have a fresh imp and an aged one, and this is the case in both versions, although the frankincense is more prominent in the aged version and is very light in the fresh one.

 

Dry: The rose continues to reign, but it is softer now, and the frankincense now plays a greater role. This is the case in both the fresh and aged imps (although the frankincense is still stronger in the aged version).

 

After a few hours, the frankincense becomes more prominent and is more evenly balanced with the rose.

 

Verdict: This is nicer than I thought it would be for a rose + resin blend. I don’t think I would likely reach for this over other scents in my collection, but it was nice to get to try it!

[monocainsheresy]

My favorite dusty musty frankincense smoke over a pool of the freshest, juiciest rose. I was hoping for a powdery rose, but this is a magnificent scent nonetheless. Best appreciated from a distance - this is a sneeze inducer.

[Sitra Achra]

First on it's like a fresh, wet rose. Very powerful! I was miffed I couldn't smell frankincense at all, but when it dried, it became predominantly frankincense with a faint rosiness. Think this will become a new everyday scent for me! Sophisticated and mysterious. 

First on it's like a fresh, wet rose. Very powerful! I was miffed I couldn't smell frankincense at all, but when it dried, it became predominantly frankincense with a faint rosiness. Think this will become a new everyday scent for me! Sophisticated and mysterious. 

[spookyumbrella]

Slightly dusty roses - nice and simple. Smells a lot like Cleric from the RPG series.

[roseus]

In the imp I get deep velvety rose, a bit like Peacock Queen. On my skin the rose is a bit lighter and more dusty, less of that deep fruity quality from before. The frankincense is bright and comforting. A very simple, beautiful blend. Really good throw on me, and lasts very well. 

[splendidissima]

A frimp from the Lab! Not one I'd've necessarily picked for myself, but I'm not opposed - some of the Lab's roses work well on me, especially if they're sweeter/sugared types, but sometimes they turn soapy! Let's see...

 

Both in the imp and on me, I get strong full-blown rose alongside a resin-y, incense-y warmth - something's reminding me a lot of Parlement of Foules, in fact, which I do have two bottles (different years, both partials) of! Good strong throw.

 

I think I like PoF slightly better, though I'm not sure why - different roses? - but this is pretty. I'll wear and use the imp, especially when I'm teaching medieval literature courses, but I probably won't need a bottle.

[torischroeder9]

In the imp: A lot of frankincense, a little rose. As someone who normally amps rose to high hell and holy heaven, this is promising. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's rose through a soft resin. Both notes are present, but the frankincense is actually more prominent. As it dries, however, the scent becomes fairly soapy. Like, rose soap that is a lot of soap and not super a lot of rose. 

 

The more it ages, the more the rose comes out. It's less soapy on me than it was, but it is a drier tea rose. 

 

It never loses that soap completely for me, however. 

 

Another rose scent I've tried. Alas, another rose scent that does not work on me. 

[skyturtles]

How have I not written a review for Rose Cross yet??

The imp of unknown age that I have has been getting a lot of love from me in the past couple of months. The first time I sniffed it, I was taken back to a winter over a decade ago spent as a very poor college student in frozen Norway. Something here reminds me of that time.

Rose is quite hit or miss with me; in fact, I think this is the first rose-forward BPAL scent to be a winner with me. The frankincense is soft and not smokey.

This is also the first GC bottle that I've purchased new from the lab.

It is clean and soapy, yet churchy, and floral. It's a funeral mass for that old lady who just loved her pink roses.

 

[crystaltongue]

Rose Cross was a frimp in my Lupercalia order, and it definitely pleases! In the bottle the rose and frankincense are pretty evenly balanced, in a way that honestly made me think it might be too much incense for me, but on the skin that lovely fresh rose amps and amps until it is mostly rose with just a whiff of ecclesiastical dignity. I don't know how often all I will reach for this over my favorite Rose Red, but I am glad to have it in the collection of roses for variety.

[SmellsPrettyGood2Me]

Definitely smells...liturgical. Evokes memories of my aunt who passed last year and had, amongst other things, played the organ in her local church for decades. May keep it for remembrances sake but not a pick for every day or frequent wear.

[dirtysugarglider]

Unfortunately the beautiful fresh-cut rose note is equally matched by soapiness on me. Not sure why, as Two, Five, and Seven is lovely with my chemistry. 🤷‍♀️ This one is just too soapy for my taste.

Edited June 5 by dirtysugarglider

[jmakes]

In the bottle: I'm not getting much of the rose here. It's like headshop incense lite. My skin amps incense, so I'm bracing myself for the drydown on me. 

 

Wet on my skin: Strong floral incense that could probably clear my sinuses with a heavier application. A touch spicy, that makes my tongue tingle just a little. 

 

Dry on skin: 

• 5-10 minutes: This is beautiful. I'm getting the image of the Empress Theodora, a beautiful, dark-eyed, pious woman (with perhaps a secular past), looking regal in an ornate, gilded church. 
• 30+ minutes: The sinus-clearing aspect of the scent has calmed down a little. It's not spicy like it was a bit in the bottle. I don't get nauseous the way I normally do with strong incense. That's probably because the rose is balancing out the incense (and this rose is quite nice - it does smell like true rose across a cloud of incense). My favorite true red rose is Peacock Queen, and the rose here smells truer and purer than the one in Whip, Blood Rose, or Persephone. Hopefully this won't turn into mega-amp incense on my skin the way it always does? Waving my wrist around in the air, it smells mature and gorgeous and like someone who knows loss. 
• 60+ minutes: The incense is starting to amp, but it's not as nausea-inducing as it usually is on me. It's got a touch of sharpness in my nose like menthol. The beautiful floral is still in the background, though it seems to be receding. It smells like what I hope a confessional booth would smell like. 
• 120+ minutes: A feminine incense. This is the smell of a cultured and principled lady.

 

Who would wear this: An elegant, silver-haired woman in an ancient, august church. She is so culturally Catholic that the catechisms and rites are in her blood. She is always wearing a knee-length designer skirt suit with black pantyhose and heels, as well as a hat with a small black veil indicating she is a widow. She still wears her wedding band, though she sold her engagement ring for the war back when she was young. You both know, without speaking, that you shouldn't ask when her husband passed. This is the smell of a beautiful older soul who's experienced heartbreak and is open to love again. 

Edited 22 hours ago by jmakes