Tocade
Rochas (1994)

Yes, this is a classically floriental fragrance dominated by ambery vanilla & rose, but there's a herbal edge here for much of the duration. Perhaps this is due to the geranium note, while the other listed floral notes are indistinguishable to me. The projection is much lower than I expected, but I did try it on a cold day, & I suspect it would bloom much more in the heat. After just two hours though, it's faded to a soft, powdery, slightly smoky amber, with a touch of musk & woods later on. Six hours in it's barely there.
I like this, but don't love it like I thought I would. Maybe I need to wait for warmer weather & douse myself with it.

Spirited and fun and not at all shy. Tocade is for women who are young or in touch with their younger selves, and who carry a certain joie de vive.

The roses are clear in the top notes, but the vanilla sweeps in quickly and stays til the end. There is a hint of almond here, in the powderiness especially. This smells like plastic roses while also reminding me of a strawberry milkshake, but with more class than either.

So 90's and so full of pleasure.

Stardate: 20161107:

2015 Formulation:

A candied rose vanilla. Simple and elegant.
Great projection and longevity.
Affordable and recommended

Glad I sought out the original formula - I love that 90s mass market Memphis style bottle! (Of course I dropped it within the week, ruining the atomizer and chipping the glass, but it still looks nice on my shelf...) It's an ambery, sweet, somewhat medicinal vanilla-rose, almost a precursor to the somewhat lighter and more floral Kenzo Flower. Very fun, very 90s.

Tocade - it means a fad.
And it's exciting! ... not often you can say that about a perfume. It's young, vibrant, cheeky, and a bit subversive too.

The excitement comes from the dynamic structure of this fabulous meringue like creation, at the heart of which lies a gentle bouquet of Maurice Roucel's trademark magnolia.

This is hidden by two layers of contrasts: a vapid sweetness set against a venomous bitter note, and an enveloping layer that contrasts chewy caramel with hairspray hiss.

What gives Tocade its vibrancy is the brilliantly poised dynamic between sweet & powdery and bitter & resinous notes; a niave yet wily combination of seductive warmth and cool obstinacy - which amounts to something more than a passing craze.