A Rose Perfume Aficionado’s Review of Tom Ford Rose Exposed

• Longevity: 20/20
• Universality: 15/20
• Strength: 20/20
• Popularity: 17/20
• Wearability: 16/20

Total: 88/100

I am an unabashed lover of florals, and, in particular, roses. There’s something romantic about them, and as a self-professed hopeful romantic, flowers are essential to curating joy in my life. While I’m not one to gravitate towards floral prints, the one way I do like to incorporate flowers is through perfume. Currently, my vanity is home to seven (soon to be eight) full-size bottles of rose perfume, and going to department stores to sniff the latest offerings is a favorite pastime. Thus, I can confidently say I know my way around. When I learned that Tom Ford had launched a new rose perfume (its fourth in three years), Rose Exposed, and that it was a top seller, I was intrigued. After wearing it for a weekend, here’s my take as a rose perfume aficionado.

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Rose Exposed is Tom Ford Beauty’s latest rose perfume, joining Rose Prick (2020), Rose d’Amalfi (2022) and Café Rose (2023). The brand describes it as “A rose that bares it all. Rose Exposed is a flash of the flower at its peak—the image of a pristine beauty with a wild side, wrapped in supple leather.” Top notes include white and pink peppers; heart notes of rose, rose oil and orange blossom; base notes with leather, musk, olibanum, sandalwood and cashmeran. At $300 for 50ml, it falls neatly in the middle of the brand’s offerings alongside Rose d’Amalfi, priced less than the $405 Rose Prick and roughly double the price of Café Rose at $160.

Over the course of 48 hours I exclusively used Rose Exposed and abstained from other fragrances, including hair perfume and eau de toilettes. I evaluated it on the PureWow100 scale, scoring it on five qualities:

• Longevity
• Universality
• Strength
• Popularity
• Wearability

Additionally, I did some research to see what other people were saying about the perfume, from the haters to the fanatics.

The first bottle of rose perfume I ever bought was Jo Malone’s Red Roses. It’s said to be the quintessential rose scent, and perfectly captures a bouquet of roses in full bloom, soon to wilt. It’s sweet, feminine and soft. Jo Malone is a favorite brand of Princess Catherine, and I’d be comfortable betting that if she wanted a rose scent, Jo Malone would deliver. If she’s the archetype for Red Roses, then consider Joan Jett the poster girl for Rose Exposed. With notes of leather, musk, sandalwood and pepper, this is an edgy, sharp, spicy take on a flower often associated with grandmothers.

When first sprayed, Rose Exposed is peppery with a hint of that rose sweetness. I applied it to my hair, the back of my neck and my wrists (four spritzes total), and was immediately struck by its strength. This is not demure by any means, but fully in-your-face, rock ‘n roll. Motorcycle boots, wolf cuts, sharp eyeliner, leather jackets, a power suit, sheer blouses, black lace bras, siren red lipstick—that’s the world that Rose Exposed is creating.

As the perfume settled on my skin, I noticed that time revealed a strong leather accord, with a light, musky rose. It was seductive and coy, but somehow commanding.

If you want a punchy perfume that works the room, Rose Exposed is a great candidate. Even though I personally didn’t like it (I tend to gravitate towards fruity, fresh florals), I do think that for what it is, Rose Exposed is well done and an innovative take on a very traditional, over-explored and over-used flower. Those who like a strong musk and the smell of leather—all with that spicy kick—will be totally obsessed. Now, who’s ready to sing a rendition of “I Love Rock ‘N Roll”?