Perfume Review: Goutal Ce Soir Ou Jamais

Move over jasmine, this season’s it girl is the rose. Fresh, soft, spicy, sensual and fruity roses are at the centrepiece of this year’s latest launches. The epitome of femininity, the rose is re-imagined to create new and surprising olfactive expressions.

I’ve had quite the love and hate relationship with rose perfumes. I absolutely adore smelling roses in nature, but finding the right rose perfume is quite the challenge. I either find them too light and therefore lacking character, too heavy, spicy or metallic. But I feel that owning a rose perfume is like a right of passage in the perfume world. So when I found a rose scent that I actually really loved, both on the blotter and on my skin, you can imagine that it was a very exciting time indeed.

The perfume in question is Goutal’s Ce Soir Ou Jamais eau de parfum. It’s perhaps a more traditional rose scent, but I love it because it’s a fresh, radiant rose. And that’s my favorite type of rose. I’m attracted to the light, dewy and slightly fruity pear-like notes of certain varieties of roses. Just like the ones in my mum’s garden. That isn’t to say that I won’t appreciate roses with more depth and spiciness, but for now this is what I’m enjoying.

Generally speaking, Goutal has a great selection of rose scents. The common feature between these fragrances is a pear note (expressed at varying degrees), which brings a soft freshness. I was hesitating between Petite Cherie eau de toilette and Ce Soir Ou Jamais eau de parfum because they both have a prominent top note of pear. I ended up purchasing Ce Soir Ou Jamais because it evolves beautifully on my skin and has more depth to it than Petite Cherie.

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Key Notes

Turkish rose, ambrette seeds, a blend of 160 ingredients

Olfactive Classification: Floral Rose

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What to Expect

Ce Soir Ou Jamais opens with a punchy green pear that’s laced with a mouthwatering tartness reminiscent of raspberry. This fruity yet fresh note is one that can be found in a dewy rose. It reminds me of the freshly scented roses in my mum’s garden. This playful, lighthearted facet is similar to Goutal’s Petite Cherie eau de toilette.

As the perfume continues to unfold, it remains fresh but develops a more mature character. I can detect a citral and aldehydic undertone, which contributes to the freshness of the perfume and adds a sparkling character. It’s by no means an opulent, in-your-face rose. Rather, it has a delicate, dusky and velvety feel to it. Imagine a deep wine red coloured rose. It’s romantic and ultra feminine.

Finally, the dry down of this perfume is powdery and musky. It has a very vintage feel to it and I can completely see this perfume sitting on top Marie-Antoinette’s vanity… silver mirror, pearls and all. Ce Soir Ou Jamais is a very easy to wear rose and is a great daytime scent. Some may argue that it’s quite traditional but I find this perfume to be a timeless classic.

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My Olfactive Journey

A few spritzes of Ce Soir Ou Jamais perfume brings me to an enchanted garden filled with magnificent roses of all shapes and sizes. There’s an incredible display of pinks, reds, oranges and yellows. And a myriad of scents that bring on a sensation of pure euphoria. This is a garden fit for royalty and one of the estate’s best kept secrets…

Ce Soir Ou Jamais by Goutal also conveys a sense of tender playfulness. It’s time to explore the palace’s grounds away from court duties. Along the way, there’s a pear orchard. The pears are perfectly ripe and will do just fine for tonight’s dessert. An innocent and carefree moment.

The perfume’s evolution can be compared to a girl that’s blooming into a respectable young lady. This young lady has an undeniable love for roses. She spends most days in the garden basking in the smooth velvet aroma of the reddest of roses. Ultra feminine and graceful, she’s a true romantic at heart.

The undeniable vintage character of Goutal’s Ce Soir Ou Jamais perfume makes me feel like a modern day princess. Who needs a prince when you can simply live happily ever after with the most beautiful rose fragrance?

Outfits & Accessories

Dresses: Forever 21, Lace & Beads

Jumpsuit: Zara

Shoes: Aldo

Beauty

Face: Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup in Tawny, Tom Ford Bronzing Powder in 01 Gold Dust, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Concealer in 2C Light Medium, MAC Satin Powder Blush in Royal Sunset

Eyes: NYX Love You So Much Mochi Eyeshadow Palette, Benefit Roller Lash Mascara in Black, Estée Lauder Brow Now Brow Defining Pencil in 02 Light Brunette

Lips: MAC Matte Lipstick in Please Me 

Nails: Kiko Milano Smart Fast Dry Nail Lacquer in 160

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Disclaimer

Sample, images and views are my own.