Laura Biagiotti - Roma

The really pretty and "different" bottle caught my eye more than anything. It was in the $19.99 grouping at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada - sometimes a place to find fragrance products that aren't "main-stream" (mind you, there's a lot of Britney Spears and Justin Bieber stuff there too!). There isn't always a tester of the products on these particular shelves but there was for Roma and I sprayed myself with some but honestly couldn't tell if I loved it or disliked it - at first, it was one of those scents where it is honestly really hard to tell! By the time I got home, that "jolie/laide " aspect had resolved itself into something quite "jolie" - it was almost a baby powder scent and really quite warm, soothing and lovely. I went back to the store the next day and picked up a bottle. And for 20 bucks, who wouldn't? I may actually purchase another bottle of this the next time I'm in the store, if they have any left (I think they will - there were about 8 bottles!) especially since reading that this fragrance seems to have been discontinued!

UPDATE: I did go back a week later and did, indeed, pick up another bottle of this lovely scent. It's not as pungent as I initially thought (perhaps because the tester was exposed to light, it changed somewhat) so I use this somewhat liberally and may actually purchase another bottle at some point in the near future.

I wore almost a full bottle of this when it first came out. It's a warm citrus tinged amber, somewhat sweet, with vanilla, but totally different than a sugar vanilla scent today. Not gourmand. Although it has some mint, I never detected any when I wore it, and I am surprised, reading the notes today, that it is there. Back then, I often wore men's fragrance, and this was one of those that was in between. (I also liked vintage Karl Lagerfeld for men, another warm toned amber). I have since moved away from Amber and somewhat away from floral orientals.

I am a fan of vintage fragrance and if you are interested in this, I would recommend seeking out a vintage sample from a reputable source. I am not familiar with modern versions (reformulated to comply with current rules). Some reviewers comment that it's a mature perfume. I would point out that it was mature when it came out. I think people gravitated toward it because it was confident, quiet and comforting. . . Suitable for an office or a signature scent for almost all seasons and every day. This makes me think of EStee launder spellbound (the amber juice, not the reformulations) not because they are similar, but because Spellbound elicited the same kind of complimentary remarks in reviews due to its warm, ambery and cuddly nature. Spellbound is not gourmand either.

I'm in love with this perfume, its my favorite

As a perfume junkie with 80+ bottles of perfume, I rarely buy a second bottle of the same perfume--except Roma. I'm on my 3rd bottle (with a 4th in storage--Roma has been discontinued--oh why oh why?). As for the scent--on me I smell spicy powdery with hint of orange. I've smelled nothing quite like it, so I guess when the 4th bottle gets used up...:-(

I am an absolute perfume junkie....to an extent that instead of wine i keep my perfume in my wine cellar....
I go from season to season, mood to mood, day to night - always change....i don't stick to flowers or citrusy smells, woody or amber....it is all about feelings for me - not names or ingredients.....

This is one of those.....where i smelled a men's one on a friend of mine and thought the house that created the mens one so delicate and sweet yet fresh and masculine cannot make a mistake with a women's one....ordered a miniature off ebay and fell in love...it starts with a playful grapefruit note, going into a more settle soapy and feminine smell....what can i say...i am in love with Rome:)

I wish we could use half-lippies -- I'd actually give Roma a 3 1/2. Roma is your basic amber, of the powdery amber variety. It's got a little more ballooning in the base of the resinous and subtle vanilla notes. There's also a distinct citric/herbal spine that keeps the fragrance from getting too sweet.


But in the end, it is an amber variant, much like a lighter, drier Moschino. You could do much worse. The harshest thing I can say about Roma is that it didn't hit me as wildly original. Still, it's very pleasant to wear, and smell on others. Like most of the powdery ambers, if it's on too strong, it can be cloying, suffocating, and irritating as anything. But with a careful hand,subtle and very nice, with a pretty, lasting, girly powder. If it had to be a choice, I like this better than Moschino - softer, with a snugglier feel. Moschino is more leather and bitter flowers - sort of the difference between a lip-softening, matte, pale red lipstick and a dark, dark, shiny, vampire red lipstick-laquer - both "red lipstick" but worlds apart in effect.

Well, hm, not too sure about this one. I got it in Austria for around E24 so I thought I would take a punt at it. the notes are bergamot/vanilla/myrhh. I don't get much of the bergamot and the drydown reminds me of something else, maybe a Lauder perfume. still and all it is no bad. A pretty oriental fragrance with fairly good staying power. I like but don't love. Would possibly purchase again as the price is good and it is quite pleasant.

This has been my signature fragrance for over ten years now. If you don't like sweet, strong scents, maybe this is not the one for you, but on me it just works beautifully and never goes unnoticed (in a good way!) What I smell mostly when I wear this is sweet powder- so feminine and comforting. Love it.

I just got my bottle of Roma which I have bought unsniffed, primarly because of the comments on MUA! I took my first spritz last night and the verdict is "unsure". More anon!

Update: this fragrance is NOT for me!! I reduced the rating. PLEASE let me know if anyone wants to swap. Please!

I discovered this wonderful scent a couple of years ago and have been in love with it ever since. I never grow tired of its warm, sunny personality, which makes it stand out in a crowd.

This is a perfume for exuberant, confident women.

My favourite parts are the minty, citrussy opening ( which always fills me with "joie de vivre") and the sublime, balsmic/vanilla drydown.

I often get complimented when I wear this Italian gem. Such a travesty it was discontinued along with Venezia. Who makes these decisions?