Known as No. 723, this limited-edition detergent is a highly concentrated cleaner that’s Damask rose-scented. At first glance, I had two thoughts: One, this was the first bottle I’d ever consider displaying in my laundry room, rather than tucking it away on the shelf, thanks to its understated, black-and-white design and elegant serif font. Two, the bottle was…small. Sure, it’s highly concentrated, but could 16 ounces really last 32 washes? It does—but that all depends on how you use it. If you’re handwashing clothes, you can get away with 32 “loads” of laundry. You’ll be table to tackle 16 full loads in a high-efficiency (HE) washing machine, or eight in a non-HE model. At $19 a bottle, that means you’re paying anywhere from $1.19 to $2.38 per load of laundry, making it much pricier than a lot of the brands you’d find at Target or Walmart.
So what are you getting at that higher cost, aside from a pretty package? I’ll be honest, my whites looked crisper and my clothes seemed softer after each wash. The standout, however, was how sophisticated the scent was—I anticipated unscrewing the lid and being punched with an overwhelming potpourri smell, as many rose-scented products tend to skew. Not here. It was a light floral, like what I’d expect every scene smelled like as Keira Knightley ran through the gardens in Pride and Prejudice. It turns out that’s because the Damask rose isn’t one-note; it also features geranium, jasmine, lily of the valley, and amber gives it a little spice. The end result is layered and subtle. You get a waft as you throw in the laundry, but it won’t, say, overpower your diffuser as you fold clothes afterward.
