Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense Review (Roja Dove) 2023 + “Rebirth and Renewal” Giveaway

June 12, 2023June 20, 2023

Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense, Photo by Michael Devine

“Each time we exhale, the world ends; when we inhale, there can be, if we allow it, rebirth and renewal. It all transpires inside of us. In our consciousness, in our hearts. All the time.” — Tom Robbins

There’s a lot to unpack in the above quote from novelist Tom Robbins, but what truly resonates with me, the olfactively-obsessed, is the assuring notion that each inhale brings with it a sense of rebirth and renewal. I once wrote, in similar existential contemplation, that to observe each breath is to observe life itself. To smell is to breathe. I’m excited by the promise of renewal, reimagination, re-anything, really. Similarly, I was excited to learn that Roja Dove’s newest release Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense would be a reimagining of his 2017 megahit (and one of my all-time favorite compositions) Elysium Pour Homme. Will it bring a sense of renewal or is it just a rehash? Exhale and read on.

Roja Dove courtesy of the Perfumer

Roja Parfums has always set the bar for opulent, special-occasion compositions. With Brittania, Diaghilev, Haute Luxe, Chypre Extraordinaire, A Goodnight Kiss and a lustrous crystal-capped lineup of others, Mr. Dove’s library has always been replete with red-carpet-level head-turners. Enter Elysium Pour Homme in 2017, a head-turner of a different kind. Easygoing and carefree, Elysium, in both its eau de parfum and parfum cologne formulations (the latter priced to expand accessibility into the Roja universe), became instant bestsellers for Roja Parfums and redefined the idea of casual luxury. Aptly named, Elysium (a word defined by Merriam-Webster as “a place or state of ideal happiness”) is a heavenly cocktail of sparkling fruit accords atop delicate florals, smooth clean musks and soft woods. Punched up with black pepper and juniper berry, this signature blend further established a new niche within the world of niche perfumery. Often-copied, but heretofore unmatched, only Roja Dove could rival Roja Dove and positively expand on this hallmark creation.

Elysium Collection, Photo Courtesy Roja Parfums

Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense, released last month with much fanfare (and community buzz), takes and breaks the genetic code for Elysium, restructuring its proportions and expanding its mosaic of accords into something wholly new, yet assuredly familiar. If Elysium was perceived as a watercolor abstraction on pulpy, cold-pressed paper, Elysium Eau Intense is a mixed-media fusion of watercolors and oils on textured pulled canvass. It could also be considered a reverie for rhubarb. This purple/green accord is lifted by the bolstered grapefruit in a push and pull of unripe versus ripe, an energetic tension relieved by the sweetness of blackcurrant and orange blossom and by the softness of rose and jasmine. Part of the appeal and therein, the success of the Elysium trio is its paradox of laid-back energy.

Beach and Cliffs at Pourville, Claude Monet, 1882, public domain

The dynamic freshness of the original is recaptured in Eau Intense, but the energy is a touch more controlled, with a bit more muscle; it’s the view of the spin class from the weight room.

When we think of an “intense” version of a parfum, we often expect a formulation wherein the base notes have been amplified. With Elysium Eau Intense, in my perception, it’s the freshness of the opening which has been intensified. The frosted look of the Eau Intense bottle is apropos of its chilled vibe. And eau, is it smooth! Earthy vetiver, cedar and dry woods are revealed in the base, along with the Roja-nade of labdanum, ambergris and vanilla. Richer on every level. Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense renews and redefines without redundancy in the Elysium triumvirate as well as in Roja Parfums’ expanding summer line-up.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lime, Rhubarb, Lavender, Thyme, Artemisia, Musk; Heart Notes: Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom, Rose de Mai, Jasmine de Grasse, Tuberose, Apple, Blackcurrant; Base Notes: Galbanum, Black Pepper, Cypriol, Vetiver, Cedar, Dry Woods, Violet Leaf, Juniper Berry, Benzoin, Vanilla, Labdanum, Leather, Ambergris, Musk

Disclosure: This review is based on a bottle of Elysium Eau Intense graciously gifted for review from Twisted Lily. Elysium Parfum Cologne (for comparison) was purchased by the author.

Michael Devine, Senior Contributor

Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense, Photo Courtesy Roja Parfums

Thanks to the enormous generosity of Twisted Lily, we have a 100 ml bottle of Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense to give away to one registered reader in the contiguous U.S. only. To be eligible, please leave a comment indicating what intrigues you about Elysium Eau Intense based on Michael’s review and note if you live in the contiguous U.S. Draw closes 6/16//2023.

You can watch a video on Twisted Lily’s site with Roja Dove discussing Roja Parfums Elysium Eau Intense and Isola Blu here

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