Geisha Rouge is my “It is terribly cold outside, the wind is howling, my cheeks are frozen, but I still try to smile, when I get a whiff of my perfume!” scent. Perfect for harsh conditions, the oil of Geisha Rouge is like a little oven to carry about your person in the depth of winter.
Notes include tonka bean, tobacco, vanilla, sandalwood, cinnamon, star anise and clove. Geisha Rouge was created by Maria McElroy.
In anticipation of the new Geisha perfume Amber Rouge, that has been released recently and is on its way to me, I unearthed the tiny vial of Geisha Rouge that is undeservedly spending time in my sample box, patiently awaiting its turn in my review queue. I’m very glad I did. Rouge is just what I need at this time of the year.
Flowerless, based on the spices and woods used in traditional Japanese incense, Geisha Rouge is a quite linear scent that, to me, is dominated by cinnamon and clove. Those two hot spices do their best to warm me up, to glow like embers of a fire in the night. The base of sandalwood and a bit of sweet tonka, are the ideal structure to keep the spices going. Anise and tobacco are lost on my nose, but what I do smell is enticing enough.
Can you imagine, it is late afternoon, early evening, you are standing at a little table at a Christmas market (in German: Christkindlmarkt), drinking a steaming hot cup of mulled wine, stamping your feet, warming your fingers on the cup and you bury your nose in your scarf and inhale deeply?
What you want to smell then, is Geisha Rouge! It goes perfectly with glistening snow, jingle-ing bells and red-nosed bloggers reindeers.
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Oh, lovely review Birgit!
Japan is such an inspirational and evocative country, with superior aesthetics. Anything related to that, is worth experiencing. I am thinking about ordering it unsniffed right now! I might have to revisit the memoirs of a Geisha, as well!
Have you smelled their Geisha Amber Rouge?
I have, it arrived the other day. I need to do more testing, but I can say now it is less spicy, warmer and more honeyed than Rouge.
I love the Geisha line, Noire is amazing!
Thanks dear,
And reflecting yesterday’s post of yours, what we have witnessed right now is yet another introduction of new scents to my world via your review!
That is wonderful to hear! It makes me happy to introduce indie lines to potential new customers. Aroma M deserves wide recognition.
yes, because you might be called bloggers but you are actually agents of perfumes!
Maybe, but we represent only what we truly like. (Well, I can only speak for myself of course, but I think a good many perfume bloggers have intact morals.) 🙂
Alexandra, Memoirs of a Geisha is such a great book! Well worth re-visiting.
yes Tara, it’s one more evidence of my infatuation with the country of the rising sun!
Oh wow, so many notes in this perfume that I love plus a lovely warming feeling in the cold weather, my quest for today, should I accept it, is to find a sample to try. A no brainer really, I accept the quest. 🙂
Great quest! May the force be with you!
Found them and just about to order the 10 set of samples, now if that does not keep me out of mischief over Christmas then I don;t know what will.
😀
What a great review,I adore cinammon!!!
Where can you oder it?I hope they ship to the UK.
oops,sorry for the cinammon-cinnamon!
Hello Katya,
Aroma M perfumes are available on her website, at Luckyscent.com and in Germany at suendhaft.com, the last two ship to the UK.
I’ve heard a buzz about Aroma M so it’s nice to learn about one of their perfumes. I’m all for more floral-free fragrances and this one sounds perfect for this time of year.
I want to be at am Christkindlmarkt!
Another floral-free Aroma M scent is Geisha Noire, I reviewed that one too.
I’d love to show you the Viennese Christkindlmarkt! 🙂
Thanks B, I missed the Geisha Noire review from when I was away, so I’m glad I’ve caught up on that now. Sounds exceptional for a perfume oil.
Noire is a powerhouse, I’m glad for the oil, I think the EdP that is also available might be a bit much for me, I have not tried it yet though!
oooh yesssssss… mulled wine!!! I’m missing so much my beloved Czech Republic, where it is called Svařák… I have many friends there and I’m going once a year since a long time ago, sometimes in close Christmas holiday that is when I love to be there the most… “stamping your feet, warming your fingers on the cup and you bury your nose in your scarf and inhale deeply?”
—> I’m so moved… deep nostalgia!!
My particular ‘Christmas’ perfume (or the one that “It is terribly cold outside, the wind is howling, my cheeks are frozen, but I still try to smile, when I get a whiff of my perfume!”) is LouLou. In a sense I find some coincidences between the two (some notes and certain oriental/japanese connotations in common… it’s so curious!)
I’m glad to having evoked so so many good memories in you. 🙂
PS: Oh, certainly! I’m just thinking in one of the several perfumes that I tested last saturday, so is still fresh in my memory. I got the most vivid impression of the hot ‘mulled wine’ ever!: it’s L’Eau by Dyptique. I think it’s due to the dominating cinnamon and clove, too… at least for the opening and heart of the scent, I can’t assure about the drydown… But it’s A TOTAL worth to try for you! Christkindlmarkt in a bottle!
Thanks for the tip, GeM! I will smell L’Eau next time I see it.
With that review and the beautiful photo, and knowing that you have Geisha Rouge (which I love!) wafting about your lovely self, all I can say is that I wish I was standing at the Christkindlmarkt next to you!!!! xo
That would be a treat! 🙂
Beautiful photo, and this sounds like such a nice winter fragrance. I am looking forward to eventually smelling the Aroma M line.
Too bad you didn’t get to smell them at the Scent Bar… I would have been just as overwhelmed though. 🙂
Yes, I was disappointed that these were the ones I forgot, as they are hard to find otherwise. But eventually I will, I’m sure.
We can’t be kept from a perfume we want to try for long, can we? 😉
I really enjoyed reading your review! It is very tempting now to run and buy some samples. But I love the packaging so much that I would also be tempted to buy blindly for the lovely designs. Oh the dilemma!
It is a dilemma! The packaging is gorgeous indeed. I’d try samples first though, to be on the safer side. 😉
Hi Brigit,
Geisha Noire is currently in my TPC shopping cart. I’m just waiting for pay day till I can close my order. Now I’m super curious about Geisha Rouge.
Hi Alexis,
Those two, red and black, are my very favorites of the line! Enjoy the “soon to be yours” Noire! 🙂
Geisha Rouge sounds so warm and cozy. Perfect for the snowy season!
I must try this line very soon!
I think the line is very affordable and offers lovely perfumes. I didn’t think I’d like the oil form as much as I do. A very nice experience…
It was 67F today, so I don’t need any warming up (thank goodness!) but I do love the smell of cinnamon and clove! Perfect for reminiscing of colder Decembers from years past 🙂
Do you miss the winters? I can’t imagine living without seasons, even though I complain about them a lot. 😉
I miss the idea of winter only, and am quite enjoying the warm sunny days! But ask me again in a few years, and we’ll see if I’ve changed my tune 😉
I’ll ask next July what you think of Texan summers. 😉
As Dee, I do not really need warming up (and no, for the last 10+ years I wasn’t missing winter) but notes sound interesting and your review was… really nice (I can’t find proper words but I REALLY enoyed reading it). I smiled when I finished reading and wished I could transport – just for an hour or so – to the place you described.
I would love to meet you in that hour. 🙂
I’m sold! 🙂
You know I’m on the lookout for anything reminiscent of Christmas, and snow is my favourite part!
Did you try any Aroma M scents yet? There are a few I think you might like, christmas-y and otherwise.
None yet, but I have high hopes for them, they seem to be getting a lot of good reviews.
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This review made me happy! =) What a cute image of you all chilly but smelling great!
I’m happy to hear that! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a cup of glogg together? 🙂
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