Rouge Smoking by BDK Parfums

High Expectations chapter three:
Rouge Smoking is not what I expected, doesn't sound like we are off to a good start, but hear me out.

Main accords are vanilla, sweet, powdery, amber and cherry, but from first spray, on paper, Rouge Smoking is purely sugary sweet. No cherry, no vanilla, no amber or powderiness. All I have to say is, huh. There is a cashmerean sweetness to it, very smooth, but absolutely no fruitiness or florals from violet or orange blossom, which are stated as notes.

I honestly expected more or at least some cherry, but the fragrance is an indefinable sweetness.

Nothing about Rouge Smoking alludes to anything red (red berries, juiciness or sexiness) or smokiness. Nothing. I am honestly baffled at this point. I expected to love Rouge Smoking and like Gris Charnel, but right now it is the other way around.

I waited a couple of days, if not over a week, and gave Rouge another go.

So, the same sweetness as before - not fruity, not like vanilla, but indefinable. Like a marzipan confectionery with a little bit of jam inside and a thin, thin coating of chocolate - a multum of different sweetnesses. After dry down, the scent is all but edible in its sweetness. I would actually describe it as a generic body mist from any brand. I know I just offended ninety percent of the fragrance community, but scents are very subjective and this is unfortunately my experience.

My boyfriend is no scent connoisseur, but he said I smelled like an old lady... 

I would say he represents the general public, so that's not good. 

And I have to agree, there is something Lancome-esque about Rouge Smoking. I have done everything I can do, lately, to try and do fragrances justice, because of the streak of disappointments I've had. I moisturise, I try it more often than usual, but I'm getting tired of smelling bad or boring... I am considering shelving testing new fragrances for a while and wear my own to enjoy fragrances once again.

I just got a kit of samples from Skins and might give them a go first...

My three chapters of High Expectations were, safe to say, a complete fail.