MFK – L’Homme A la rose – Wonderful fresh, invigorating opening of grapefruit and rose. Watery, dewy, and never overbearing. Unfortunately, it falls relatively flat as it progresses. The unremarkable woody amber dry down, mimicking countless other “generic man” releases. Still, it is a step up from what you’ll find on the department store shelves. Maybe a good everyday wear for the office, but for mine, if you’re after a masculine rose from MFK, Lumiere Noire Pour Homme is the way to go.
Moschino – Toy Boy – I’m still not sure what to make of the bottle. I guess it’s the juice inside that counts. Toy Boy is one I’ve wanted to get my nose on for a while. It’s been riding the hype train since its release in 2019. It didn’t disappoint. Toy Boy is great. It’s by no means a masterpiece, but it is one of the better designer releases I’ve tried in some time.
A fresh fruity initial accord of pear, nose tickling pepper, and candied rose making for a fantastic, modern opening. The addition of cloves adds a spicy, warming effect that complements the top beautifully. Cashmeran and creamy woods in the base providing a convincingly strong finish. Toy Boy is an impressive balance of sweet and savoury notes—very nice work by Yann Vasnier.
Aesop – Rozu – Another quality scent to join the suite of quality fragrances from the Australian botanical brand, Aesop. Rozu is a dark rose with spicy, crisp green touches from shiso. No doubt, it bears that earthy, natural vibe that is the hallmark of Aesop. Smoky guaiac wood, patchouli, resinous myrrh, and green vetiver add intrigue and complexity, making for a unique take on rose. Perhaps the only downside is the sillage and longevity, but it’s a small gripe. Every year there are countless new rose releases, and Rozu is a standout rose release for 2020.
Have you tried any of these new rose releases? Do you have a favourite?
Note: Bottle images courtesy of Google. Samples purchased by the author.
That Toy Boy bottle is not my cup of tea to say the least. I found the scent overly peppery for me but yes something different from most designers. Shame about the MFK rose, I will stick with A La Rose from the sounds of it. And the Aesop I am yet to try but sounds interesting. Thanks Daniel for your informed impressions, great to read.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Marcus. Let me know what you make of the Aesop.
Nice that you have tried Rōzu! Interesting, on my skin it has great performance! I enjoyed the Homme version of MFK’s Rose, I feel that it’s like a mature version of L’Eau a la rose. The Toy Boy one I still need to try, the bottle turns me off, to be honest! Great overview!
Yes, I think I would like to give Rozu a few extra testings to come to a definitive conclusion on the performance. Hahaha, I don’t blame you for being turned off by the Toy Boy bottle. Thanks for reading and commenting, Tetê.
I haven’t tried any of these yet, Daniel. I’m so behind this year. Love that Moschino bottle! Great post!
Thanks Rich. Yes, I know the feeling, I’m only just starting to catch up on the new releases now.