When I bought my last bottle of my favorite fragrance, Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur, at Barney’s, the wonderful sales associate sent me home with a nice stash of samples from Frederic Malle and Serge Lutens to try. Today, I rediscovered Frederic Malle’s Lipstick Rose among the little vials. As you may know, I am an oriental and gender neutral scent lover, and this isn’t an oriental and it’s very feminine. But there’s just something about it that I am drawn to.
Another sales associates at Barney’s, this time in San Francisco, told me that the scent of Lipstick Rose, created by Ralf Schwieger in 2000 for Frederic Malle, is the scent of Chanel lipstick. At any rate, it was inspired by Schwieger’s memories of the scent of his mother’s lipstick when he kissed her as a child. How charming!
To me, the scent is both floral and powdery, but not powdery like a grandmother’s scent because it’s also woody and musky underneath the rose/violet and powder. Here’s how the Frederic Malle website describes it:
“A perfume that is both regressive and a modern take on Hollywood glamor, Lipstick Rose smiles at you, like a dash of lipstick with its rose and violet-flavored candy scent. It embodies an alluring woman, part Gilda, part socialite. Grapefruit and violet enhance the fragrance’s rose note. The backdrop is musk and vanilla with a hint of vetiver and amber. A vision of glamorized femininity in technicolor.”
I love that description. My personal associations with the fragrance are my antique English Deco vanity, slinky lurex gowns, Charlotte Tillbury packaging, and a sparkly evening bag. And old-fashioned roses that actually have a scent, of course.
Lipstick Rose comes in a variety of sample sizes and full sizes are 50 and 100ml. It’s available at Barney’s and on the Frederic Malle website. It’s pricey at $180 for the 50 ml bottle.
I have to see if this scent suits me. Years ago, I wore Ombre Rose, and this reminds me of it a bit. If I take the plunge, I’ll go for a sample size before going all in.
Have you tried Lipstick Rose? If you’re a Chanel lipstick lover, at least seek it out and take a sniff and let me know what you think!
This sounds lovely. I have several Chanel lipsticks that were gifted to me a few years ago so I know that smell. Funny you are posting about this. I have been on the hunt for a lipstick scent. My Balenciaga Paris should arrive either today or tomorrow. I ordered it because some have described it as a lipstick scent. I have never sampled any of Frederic Malle’s fragrances. I have been curious though. Maybe someday when I win the lottery. 😉
I have not sniffed Balenciaga Paris, but I’ll look for it, Laura. Curious about whether it smells like Lipstick Rose! I hope it comes soon so you can enjoy it! I wish the Frederic Malle’s scents were more readily available so more people could sample them. Lately, I’ve been buying samples of scents I’ve been curious about that are too pricey to buy without trying. I just bought 2 tiny samples of Tauer’s L’air Du Desert Maroccain and it’s very interesting but far from a lipstick scent!
The B.P. is a blind buy. I hope that I like it. I am usually happily surprised when I do so. I know this is not a good way to purchase fumes. Most of the time I try to purchase testers in order to save $. Brian always laughs at my logic… that by purchasing something I save him money. lol
FYI— 🙂 Happy Mail Day! Smells just like Guerlain’s Meteorites Powder. I think their lipsticks have that same scent. Anyway I love it! Definitely that lovely makeup bag scent on me.
Yay, so glad it arrived! Can you believe I don’t know the scent of Meteorites?! Guerlain isn’t carried in stores around here so I haven’t really smelled them or I have noticed the scent when I’ve seen the Meteorites at Saks but next time I’ll check out the scent. Enjoy your new perfume!!
I’ve done the “blind buy” (great term, BTW) only a few times, but twice recently they were a success. I hope you love yours!!
I am such a perfume nut. I noticed I tend to like citrus notes.
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I like citrus in skincare products but the citrus scent in perfume doesn’t last on me, boo hoo. I’m glad it does for you!
That fragrance description is just brilliant! I can’t wait to hear what you think about the scent after you have really given it a good testing on the skin!
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Lipstick Rose is a lovely scent, Helen. It doesn’t really have great sillage when I wear it but others say it does. I’m not sure that I’ll spring for the whole bottle on this one, but I wish there was something in between the tiny sample size and the 50 ml bottle. It is certainly worth a sniff if you go to Barney’s.
I love finding new perfumes, this one sounds very intriguing!
Lipstick Rose is very lovely and feminine. Different from my usual choice
I love oriental scents too, but this one tempts me too. Sounds absolutely lovely!
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It truly is a fabulous scent, Gio. I’m not sure if you’re in the UK or Italy now, but if you are in Rome at some point, visit the Frederic Malle shop on via del Bambuino near the Spanish Steps and sniff it and the entire rest of the Frederic Malle perfume line. Just amazing scents!
This sounds lovely!
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It really is, Leigh. I’m sorry it isn’t available in more stores so it would be easier to test or sample
Sounds absolutely divine! I’d probably bathe myself in it if I could except for the sneezing that would come afterwards! 😛
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Haha, I can picture that, Shipra!
The background behind the scent is so sweet! I’m a citrus/floral scented lover, nothing too woodsy or musky. The powdery/floral description almost sounds like Chloe – which is my favorite rose scented perfume!
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It’s actually not like Chloe which is a lovely scent too. The light rose scent is tempered with the scent of violet. It really smells like Chanel lipstick!
What an interesting perfume! I typically stick to foodie scents, but this sounds really nice.
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Ah gourmands, that’s great! This is a lovely scent though off the beaten path from the ones I usually choose, too.
I love the name of it – lipstick rose! Makes sense though, lol! I love perfume. My signature at the moment is Chloe.
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Chloe is lovely 🙂
I’d be the wrong person for this since I never could wear those Chanel lipsticks. It sounds nice if you like rose.
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Funny that you would say that, Marcia, because I felt that same way! I couldn’t stand the Chanel fragrance on my lips. But somehow I feel completely different about this scent. Odd.
How interesting! I like rose scents as long as they are subtle.
This scent is definitely subtle. And it is mixed with violet so it is more complex than a plain rose scent. I’m transfixed by it, and I’m usually an oriental scent lover
Interesting! My perfume experience is pretty limited – I don’t like anything that’s too perfumey. I like food and fruit scents.
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This isn’t perfumey. In fact, it’s very subtle. Definitely a unique scent and a must for Chanel Lipstick lovers. I like citrus scents for my skincare products, and I love vanilla.
I love citrus. But the scent of rose is lovely as well, I have a Paul Smith myself but yours also sound very nice.
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I didn’t realize that Paul Smith had fragrances too! And a rose one too!
I’ve never heard of this fragrance before, but I bet it smells amazing. I love rose scented fragrances.
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All the scents by Frederic Malle are a bit hard to come by because they are only sold at Barneys and at Frederic Malle shops in NY, Paris & Rome or on the website, so it’s not surprising that so few are familiar with them. It is an unusual rose fragrance because of the violet and other notes. 🙂
Ohh this sounds lovely!
I think Lipstick Rose does smell lovely, a quite subtle scent.
Rose fragrance is “either you love or hate it” kinda-thing. I love it but hub doesn’t. I still wear it nonetheless. This sounds like something I’d enjoy
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Yes, it’s true. This is not your traditional rose scent because of the violet and other notes.
I just picked up another citrusy perfume, myself! (Coach Citrine Blossom) I’m not sure I’d like this one, but who knows. I do like the Guerlain Meteorites!
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I don’t know where the Guerlain Meteorites came from, lol. It smells like Chanel Lipstick, a rose-violet scent. No citrus here. But I hope you enjoy your new Coach Citrine Blossom!
What a lovely backstory! I am usually not a fan of rose scents but this sounds like it has a bit more too it than just rose. Very intriguing!
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Yes, it isn’t a traditional rose scent at all. Very unique!
Floral scents are some of my favorites but rose can be hit or miss with me. I’m not sure why because I love the smell of actual roses. The story behind this fragrance is truly delightful. 🙂
Isn’t it a sweet story? I love the smell of real roses and I do like the Crabtree & Evelyn rose scented shower gel and soap, but I never wore a rose fragrance except Ombre Rose a loooooong time ago. There’s something about this scent, perhaps the rose mixed with violet, that really gets me. Worth a sniff, Natalie, along with the rest of the Frederic Malle fragrances if you ever find yourself in a Barney’s store or near one of the few Frederic Malle shops in NYC, Paris or Rome 🙂
These sound lovely!
Yes, Lipstick Rose is a very lovely, feminine and chic scent 🙂
I was initially wary that it was gonna be too “grandma” rose but I’m glad to see that it’s got depth and goes beyond the usual rose!
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Frederic Malle scents are very sophisticated. There are no grandma scents at all, lol. The violet mixed with the rose definitely makes a difference. Although I haven’t used a Chanel lipstick in a long time, it smells like what I remember Chanel lipstick smelling like 🙂
This scent is all new to me, but it sounds interesting. I love violet in scents.
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The violet really transforms the rose scent
I love the description and back story. I immediately seen the photo of the Violets and I started to cry… my Grandma would buy that often as a kid, it was our little “get us through the long ride” snack – she would give us each one. So without reading about the parfum, I was evoked with memories from a photo. The notes sound wonderful, though I have to be in the mood for a rose scent. I think the packaging is nice.
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That’s such a lovely memory of your grandmother, Honey! Not that many people know about Violets, and how special that your grandmother introduced you to them. The fragrance is an unusual one rather than your traditional rose scent. The violet note really alters the scent. It smells just like Chanel lipstick 🙂 The packaging is the traditional bottle and label that all scents from Frederic Malls comes in.
I actually really like the scent in Chanel lipsticks, so this fragrance would be right up my alley.
If you are near a Barney’s someday, go in and take a sniff. It really is a fabulous scent, especially for Chanel lipstick lovers!
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Love the story of this perfume…I love a good Rose perfume!!
Ursula aka Blueridge Beauty
It is a charming story. What’s so interesting about this scent is that it’s not a traditional rose fragrance. It’s rose mated with violet candies so it smells just like Chanel lipstick 🙂
Hmmmm. Maybe I will have someone pick this up for me for Christmas.
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It’s a gorgeous scent, Tee!