Dries Van Noten Rosa Carnivora Perfume Review

Dries Van Noten Rosa Carnivora Eau de Parfum is one of the more linear scents in the range, as it was primarily a fresh rose framed by lush, aromatic greener, woodiness, and a bit of earthiness overall. The vetiver was one of the more prominent notes through most of the wear with the rose being strongest in the first half of wear and just barely noticeable toward the end.

Rosa Carnivora Notes

It is described as “this rose is not romantic: it is strangely beautiful, real, imperfect and ambiguous.”

• top notes: pink pepper, rose
• heart notes: vetiver, floral bouquet
• base notes: patchouli, cistus

What does Rosa Carnivora Smell Like?

The vetiver was front and center in the opening, before it gave way to freshly-cut roses, in perfect bloom, and dusted with pink pepper–enough to be evoke pepperiness but not enough to overwhelm the rose. Over the first five minutes, the rose sweetened slightly, grew ever-so-slightly heavier, and a woody quality came through. The vetiver had burst onto the scene, then almost disappeared, and then returned to provide a lush, green garden for the rose to emerge from, though the rose seemed to be overtaken by the vetiver.

The addition of patchouli, which seemed more present about a half hour into development and then became more prominent (with the vetiver shifting slightly out of focus), enhanced the dusty, woody aspects of the vetiver. There wasn’t much more development until it really started to wear away and sit close on my skin, then it was more vetiver and less patchouli.

Longevity

It lasted for eight hours until it was a skin-scent and about 12 hours before it was quite difficult to detect on my skin. The sillage and projection were moderate with the sillage dropping faster than the projection within the second hour of wear.

Personal Notes

From reading others’ reviews and experiences, this seems like it may be similar to Le Labo’s Rose 31, which would likely be more affordable (given it would also come in different sizes). The nose behind this scent also was the nose behind several Le Labo fragrances, including Rose 31. (It has been too long since I’ve smelled Rose 31 to weigh in).

I love an earthy rose scent; I love darker, lush green with rosy florals, and I’m totally in the camp where earthy, dirty, and woody can supersede the rose without me complaining. I noted that this was one of the closer-wearing scents from the range that I’ve tried, which may make it a better pick for those who like subtle perfumes. As much as I enjoyed the scent, I don’t know if it’s something I’d reach for often enough to merit purchasing a larger bottle. I will endeavor to use my sample some more to see!

These are more subjective feelings based on what I like (or don’t like) in a perfume as well as considering the fragrance against other perfumes I own and love.

Testing Methodology

For testing, I used a fraction of a 2ml sample vial dabbed to the underside and topside of my wrist area. I used an unscented moisturizer prior to applying the scent as I found scent did not hold well here otherwise.

I purchased my sample as part of a discovery set in May 2022; fragrances are known to be reformulated over their lifetime, so be mindful of when a review was made, e.g. a review from 2010 may not reflect what the same-named perfume smells like in 2022.

Availability

Rosa Carnivora is available for $305.00 for 100ml or $375.00 for 200ml (refill).

If possible, I highly recommend trying a fragrance before purchasing a full bottle because fragrance can wear differently just because of skin chemistry. Skin chemistry can effect not just the longevity of a fragrance but also what notes are prominent or hidden.

Rosa Carnivora Samples

We recommend trying one of the brand’s discovery sets before investing in a bottle.

Where to Buy

• Selfridges
• Dries Van Noten