Lipstick Rose

One of the most abstract and fun perfumes from Edition de Parfums, a line often referred to as "cold" or "dull." Lipstick Rose is not a dull or cold perfume. It fills me with joy every time I smell it. For many reasons. For one, it does stay true to its name, accurately capturing that waxy-cosmetic texture that could relate to the make-up product. I remember being utterly fascinated the first time I tried it, never imagining that it could so vividly capture the "lipstick" accord. Then, it recalls scents that I can trace back to my grandmother, most likely her cosmetic products, therefore, it has a beautifully nostalgic impact and retro flair. Finally, it feels like a comical interpretation of a Rose perfume, like a bizarre caricature of the flower. Thoroughly fun and highly original. I believe it was the first of its genre back in 2000 when it was released. I feel Ralf Schwieger is such an underrated perfumer. I wish he signed more creations for Frederic Malle. His perfumes seem very clever, a bit peculiar, with a ubiquitous amount of laughter in them. Lipstick Rose is first and foremost a rose perfume, with many twists and turns. If you don't like Rose perfumes, give this one a try. If you just want to try something fun, get a sample. Even though nowadays this DNA has been done to death, I still believe no one does it as well. The opening is bright and sparkling with fruity accords like pomelo and raspberry. There is a fizziness about it that makes me think of champagne. I love this introduction, and it is one of the reasons why I enjoy Lipstick Rose in the heat. It's such an invigorating kick that lasts for a good while. The mid is dominated by floral accords, where the Rose takes center stage. A pink and green, bright and fresh rose. The violet plays gently around it to imbue a slightly powdery feel and to complement the fruity accords, then later in the evolution, the iris comes to add this waxy and lipstick-like texture, which creates the overall impression of a cosmetic product. It reminds me of Dior Homme and the way the iris is used there to suggest a similar effect. The base is ambery-musky with vanilla that never cloys but wears as a Frederic Malle perfume should, elegant and poised. Therefore, I have no problem wearing it in the heat. For many years, I enjoyed smelling this perfume but felt unsure about wearing it till I realized it is such an abstract piece of art that one cannot put a gender on it. How could you put a gender on a Picasso or a Kandinsky? I think men should look past the name and give this a try. If you have your looks down and know how to dress it up, it can make for a brilliant match. IG:@memory.of.scents

I discovered Lipstick Rose while looking for a replacement for my beloved and sadly discontinued Bvlgari pour Femme. While certainly not a "dupe", Lipstick Rose has very similar notes and instantly became a favorite within my collection, helping to fill the void left by the loss of one of my long-time signature scents... yet with a glamorous twist. Lipstick Rose envelops me with a beautiful and flirtatiously feminine bubble of violet/iris/rose and a confectionary touch of powder. There is nothing whatsoever "baby powder" or "baby wipe" about this fragrance to my nose. While Lipstick Rose and Bvlgari pour Femme could be sisters, they are not twins. Lipstick Rose is what I envision Marilyn Monroe should have worn in "Some Like it Hot" while cooing "I wanna be loved by you" in her barely-there sequined dress. Jayne Mansfield would have reached for Lipstick Rose while coordinating outfits with her poodle in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter." It's flirtatious, va-va-voom, the ultimate Old Hollywood Bombshell scent. On the other hand, Bvlgari pour Femme is a cool Hitchcock Blonde. As much as I love Lipstick Rose, another scent I recently discovered and love equally is Perlerette by Volnay, which is a cooler, more refined "Hitchcock Blonde" violet/iris/rose. It too won my heart instantly and is currently tied with Lipstick Rose in my quest to replace Bvlgari pour Femme. Another similar scent that is vying for my attention is Rose Chérie by Guerlain. It is very similar to Lipstick Rose, but it has a distinct cherry/almond note that is preventing me from loving it as much as Lipstick Rose. I received a generous sample of Rose Chérie along with my last Guerlain purchase (L'Instant Magic... now THAT is a baby powder scent!) For a week, I've been wearing LR on one wrist and RC on the other in order to compare them. LR is a bit "sharper", stronger, and it is definitely longer lasting. RC is sweet, lovely, and girlish... I rather wish the cherry/almond was not so strong. I haven't yet decided whether or not to purchase a full bottle of Rose Chérie because I find the two scents so similar (and expensive!), and I prefer Lipstick Rose. In summary, Lipstick Rose is a masterpiece I am delighted to have as a favorite within my collection! It makes me feel oh so glamorous and feminine. It's long lasting and projects beautifully, enveloping me with an Old Hollywood Bombshell aura of bygone days.

Several years ago, I fell in love with L'Artisan's Drôle de Rose. I had a a used, 3.4 oz bottle that unfortunately turned less than a year later. Since then, I've tried to hunt down the version in the clear glass with the pink label and had no success. Even finding it in the dark bottle is challenging. I have many rose/violet, lipstick type scents, but none could replace DdR in my mind. Enter Lipstick Rose. While not a dupe, there is something very delicate about the formula, which I attribute to the musk. The quality of ingredients is there, of course, as they should be in any fragrance the commands Frederic Malle prices. DdR was my "I feel pretty" fragrance. Not challenging, not difficult or harsh in any way, and Lipstick Rose now plays that role for me. I love the touch of raspberry, which lends a bit of fruity sweetness without turning the scent into a "fruity floral", but it is the quality of gorgeous rose, violet, and clean musk that turns this into more than just another lipstick scent. Actually, I think it has more in common with a face powder such as Meteorites than it does with lipstick due to a fluffiness from the musk that replaces the waxiness associated with lipstick. The only issues I have so far is that I get a distinctly plastic note when I first apply this, but it dissipates in under a minute. I also wish it had greater longevity. I don't mind that it's basically a skin scent, because a perfume like this should whisper, not scream, but I'm either going to need to purchase a 3.5 or even 10 ml spray to carry with me, or make my own decant. I have a 3.5 ml I carry with me when I wear the gorgeous Iris Poudre, and will need to do something similar with Lys Mediterranean as well. My skin seems to devour the FM scents I own. Even though I still hope to find a vintage bottle of Drôle de Rose in good shape, I am quite happy owning Lipstick Rose, which satisfies my desire for a soft rose/violet fragrance that shines in its own right, for days when I want to "feel pretty". For me, this is a love!

Oh, Beautiful Lipstick Rose, The Queen of Pin-Up Scents. I absolutely adore you. I've lost count of the amount of reviews I've read that start with "I wouldn't usually wear something like this, but I love it". Well, these types of scents would definitely be my usual choice; this is what I'm always looking for! This is what I love. I love perfumes that project classically feminine auras that smell vintage, yet modern. This is Lipstick Rose exactly. Wearing this makes me think of pale skin, hourglass figures in well-fitting dresses, tiny waists, and smiling, rosy-cheeked vintage pin-up girls. Malle's version of the "lipstick" scent is my favourite of the genre so far. It is full and rich and creamy and sweet, and is much better blended than Chanel's Misia or YSL's Paris, in my opinion. The second two choices are more elegant, ladylike and softer than this one, so they may be better for you if that's your preference. Lipstick Rose is a very sweet perfume, but not in an aspartame or chemical sort of way; this is like wearing candied violet jam. The violets also add a sort of modern-day sweetness, which prevents this rose perfume from smelling too dated. This note is also the most prominent on my skin, along with waxy undertones, that echo the scent of vintage lipsticks. It smells full and round and smooth, like the curves of bee-stung lips and the red rouge that stains them. During the dry-down the scent looses some of it's potency, and develops into a cleaner, muskier, more delicately powdered and silken rose. I also think that I can safely wear this one because of the blend; roses sometimes smell like potpourri to me unless they are extremely well-blended with other notes, and because they are in Lipstick Rose, happily, this perfume works very well for me. The sillage is perfect; soft to moderate in strength, and longevity on me was about 9-10 hours.

This is a really old Malle and usually something I wouldn't be interested in particularly but if you contrast this with the other 'Roses' in Malle collection then this is much more up my street even than the seminal Portrait of a lady or Une Rose, both of which are great for what they are. Lipstick rose is quite outrageous really and even though I remember a time when cosmetic products and lipsticks did have this kind of hyper powdery smell, it can't help reminding you of femininity and probably your mum. However, I think the 'lipstick' of the title is merely an evocation, a mental picture to enjoy your olfactory art with. What's great about Lipstick rose is that it's not really a rose fragrance, although it does have a jammy, fruity, raspberry rose note upon application. It's also not an Iris, but has the thickness and dominance in that powdery, opulent direction, but it's not a iris or orris either. It's probably more accurate to talk about violet, because this has a pervasive, powdery violet quality which I love and no ghostliness which violets can sometimes hav, this is a perfect balance. There's vanilla at the base and it becomes almost edible, but sort of mildly bubblegum...but not the kind you chew and spit out, it's not disposable or cheap. It's the kind of stuff you might buy in Fortnum and Mason or Selfridges tea room. It's a little fragrant cake of a thing. It's kinda popcorn, popart, popculture, but also classy. It's playful but sexy in that deep 'red' way the bottom of a Laboutin shoe or a really red lip and a bit of cleavage gets this helpless, hetro, male in heat! However strange it is (having said that then) that I completely love wearing this fragrance! It's an absolute revelation to me. Puts a smile on my face, I had to add it to my FM collection, which is becoming quite comprehensive.