rubj eau de parfum Vero Profumo for women

Rubj EdP came as a surprise to me. The thing is: I like it. And I would have bet everything on either loving or hating it. Here is why:

The facts
- fruity top notes (passion fruit): I'm always a bit wary when it comes to fruity florals. Guess I smelled too many cheap ones of this category.
- Rubj contains tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom so I was prepared for a heady floral mess which can work out just fine or be a scrubber
- Cumin... don't mind it in Fleur d'Oranger (SL), Eau d'Hèrmes or Amaranthine but hate it in Absolue pour le soir (MFK) and the like


What I got
- It's quite fruity in the early stages but not in a refreshing way. The passion fruit gives Rubj some juiciness but it kind of lingers on the edge of smelling overripe. Interesting
- Later: A perfect blend of the florals - not too heady, not one particular note but a creamy white melange
- Maybe it's my skin chemistry but I don't get much cumin. IMO it's perfectly safe for cumin phobics.
- There is a mossy, almost earthy note lurking in the base of Rubj. I believe it is this note that eventually captures a lot of perfumistas.

My overall impression is so so. I admire Rubj for its elegance and vintage-style (I can easily imagine women wearing this to a chic evening garden party). It is a rediscovered chypre. High quality ingredients.
But I don't love Rubj. This may be because I am not the world's most addicted chypre lover. Elegant, classic perfumes are not "me" (if you now think "but that's what I am!!" then please go straight to your nearest nieche perfume shop or order a Rubj sample!)
At the end of the day, I will happily use my sample of Rubj and enjoy its unique development but I do not see myself throwing my credit card (and 135 EUR) over the counter.

(This review is for Eau de Perfume)

RUBJ was certainly an interesting fragrance to try. I love the strong aromatic opening blast of bergamot and basil. It has a lot of character and it is delicious in a kind of strange savory way. There is just a slight hint of passion fruit and cumin to spice it up. The scent continued with very light passion fruit, tuberose and orange blossom in the heart notes. I have expected the tuberose to be usual strong-headed gal but in this fragrance it is actually tamed and shy prude who does not show her flashing character. The light floral mist continued on my skin for hours and it was quite pleasant. Then I have arrived at the dry down and let me tell you – I did not expect this turn because until the dry down this fragrance on me was quite pleasant and safe. But the musk in the dry down is a bit dirty and animalistic. My skin loves musky scents, which usually do not turn out vulgar on me. In RUBJ it attempts to be discreet but still… I have to say that this one walks the line and at times just about to cross it but then it stops. I guess it was designed to create this kind of risky tone.

I still have to decide whether I like it or not. I certainly love the opening, the heart notes are kind of too light for me and the dry down…well…a bit risky. Nevertheless, RUBJ is certainly a fascinating creation. The sillage is medium but the longevity is great. It took over 3 hours on me to finally arrive at the dry down. I would love to try extrait de perfume.

I fully expect to be punished for my review here but as long my penalty doesn't involve being doused in Rubj EDP I think I will be okay.

I have worked really hard to like this perfume with multiple skin tests and a paper test in case my skin was distorting the fundamentals of the creation. I even turned on the air-conditioner in case the ambient heat was the problem.

To no avail, Rubj EDP still smells for all the world like the skin is oozing the waste product of last night's champion indian curry banquet out through its pores in rivulets of warm sweat. Passionfruit-basil-tuberose I can pick them up but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

It isn't until the musk enters in the drydown (on a skin test) that Rubj truly defies belief though. It has that peppery, fruity, musky male odour found emanating from a healthy scrotum after a sweaty day's work. As a heterosexual woman this is enjoyable in small doses and infiniately superior to the curried sweat accord but still mind-boggling to say the least.

All in all, far too intimate and honest a fragrance for my timid heart.

I remember the extrait being very special, so was eager to try the EDP. To me this has a spicier opening, which is more enjoyable.

The middle phase comes on rather quickly, with a smooth transition to a lovely floral mix. I know a lot of scents like to associate themselves as 'fit for a Queen', but this is one that actually deserves it. The spiciness carries through and allows the florals to wear lush and full. There is a darkness to this scent, cedar?, and I would say this is definitely unisex and could justly be called an oriental woody.

On me as well this wears close to the skin, and I would want to reapply at the 4 hour mark.

Exquisite, simply, exquisite. When first applied, the oak, musk and basil predominates, but only for a few minutes. Then the the orange blossom and tuberose unfold. The scent I experience next must be the passion fruit. It is also present in Onda. It is truly wonderful. The development is complex, every note seems of the highest quality. I received this in a scent sample and am very happy to have done so. Rubj lasts for 9 or 10 hours, which on me, is a miracle. The only problem is that it lies so close to the skin, and there is little or no sillage. Also, unfortunately, it costs a small fortune so after my tester is finished, it will just be a lovely memory-----

I prefer rubj in eau de parfum, the top note of passion fruit made a magical transformation to the entire composition. It became a delicious fragrance very comfortable to wear. My favorite part is the contrast between finest fruity-floral nuances and sexy rough base. Very strange and very appealing, can't compare to anything... I wear it with pleasure.

The color is definitely red, and the feeling is very safe.