Our take
What does Eau de Rochas smell like?
Eau de Rochas came out in 1970, composed by Nicolas Mamounas. It was made as a fresh summer splash at a time when big feminine perfumes were still heavy. The opening is a basket of citrus. Lime leads. Lemon and bergamot follow, then grapefruit and mandarin. Verbena adds a herbal edge that recalls iced tea. The heart is restrained. Coriander and carnation lightly spice a bouquet of narcissus, jasmine and rose that you barely notice. The base shifts the mood. Oakmoss and vetiver bring a chypre shadow while musk and sandalwood soften the finish. That base is what sets it apart from a plain cologne. Compared with Dior's Eau Sauvage from four years earlier, it reads more feminine and mossier. Fifty years on, Rochas still sells it. The moss shows up after about an hour and gives the skin a faintly bitter, green finish.
When to wear it
A high-summer scent to spray freely on skin and hair. You will need to reapply at lunch, which the price allows.
It belongs to the Citrus family. Eau de Rochas is one of 21 creations by Rochas in our encyclopedia.
