~Rock n Rose~

Rock n Rose is a fragrance by fashion designer Valentino. This fragrance collection includes an Eau de Parfum, body lotion, deodorant and shower gel. These products can used alone or together to enhance the Rock n Rose scent on the skin.

The shower gel in the Rock n Rose range is described as being 'fabulously creamy' and 'delicately fragranced'. It follows the same fragrance path as the perfume and incorporates the following fragrance notes :

*Top notes - crisp green leaves, muguet, bergamot and blackcurrant
*Heart notes - orange blossom, gardenia and rose
*Base notes - sandalwood, orris, vanilla, musk and heliotrope

This shower gel promises to cleanse and scent your skin whilst showering. It is the perfect base product to use.

~Packaging~

This shower gel is presented in a baby pink, round plastic bottle with black writing. A silver neck is topped with a black, unusually shaped lid which has quite sharp edges. It isn't the most comfortable to open! This shower gel is dispensed via a small hole under the lid - this helps control the product flow. The bottle can be recycled and this shower gel has a 12month shelf life.

I find the bottle design to be quite attractive. It is girly but with a modern edge and looks lovely when sitting in my bathroom.

~Price and Availability~

Rock n Rose Shower Gel can be purchased in a 200ml bottle or as part of a gift set in a 100ml size bottle.

*Amazon - £14.10 (200ml) or £49.94 (gift set inc 50ml EDP, 200ml body lotion and 100ml shower gel)
*www.forget-flowers.co.uk - £13.95

~My Thoughts~

There are benefits of having a sister who doesn't use highly perfumed body lotions or shower gels that she receives in gift sets - little sister gets to use them! I was given my 100ml bottle of Rock n Rose Shower Gel in one of my 'little sister beauty bags' earlier in the year. For some reason, this has become my 'holiday or overnight' shower gel and has been on 3 trips with me so far - with no leakage I may add. I do not have anymore overnights planned until November so I use this shower gel at home at the moment (alternating with my other shower treats).

Whilst I do like this shower gel, I cannot say that it is my favourite designer shower gel. It smells exactly like the perfume and at first, can be a little bit overpowering. The shower gel has a runny consistency and is visually clear. Despite being runny, only a small amount is required on a flannel or body puff to create a beautifully rich lather. The lather is thick on my skin yet incredibly lightweight and gently cleansing. It feels luxurious and is a treat to use in the shower. My skin always feels cleansed, refreshed and soft after drying off - I do still need to apply a body cream as the shower gel alone isn't moisturising enough to hydrate my dry skin for the day ahead. Despite being highly perfumed, my sensitive skin hasn't experienced any reaction to this shower gel.

Scent wise, this shower gel is very strong. Personally, I am not crazy on the scent. Unlike an actual perfume, the different fragrance notes tend to become a little muddled together. Rock n Rose is a nice enough scent but I feel there is too much going on when I am using this in the shower. The scent is very floral with the rose being the prominent note that my nose can pick up - everything else seems to blend together and acts as an undertone to the rose. Once I have dried off, the scent lingers on my skin in a more subtler way and I witness some delicate sweet notes coming through but it is difficult to determine what I am actually smelling. The overall scent is quite fresh but the floral notes are just too strong for my liking.

~Conclusion~

I wouldn't buy this again. If you are a fan of heavily perfumed shower gels and like rose scents in general then this is for you. It would have been more appealing to me if the other fragrance notes (especially the top notes) had been more noticeable as they could have taken the edge of the floral rose. The scent does linger on my skin for a few hours.

This shower gel would make a pleasant gift for a rose fan. My 100ml bottle has lasted well and I feel a 200ml bottle represents good value for money at the current selling price.

Thanks for reading x

Written for ciao Aug 2012.