Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle

Lipstick Rose is one of the Frederic Malle fragrances that I had yet to try throughout all of the years that I’ve been running this site.

It’s a perfume that was released back in 2000, so it’s no new by any means, but we might as well get into what makes this one so well-loved. Lipstick Rose was designed by Ralf Schwieger.

What does it smell like? How long does it last? Is it really worth a try?

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Lipstick Rose Review

Notes include: litchi, raspberry, galbanum, grapefruit, lemon, iris, rose, heliotrope, clove, amber, leather, musk, cedar, and more

Click here to try: Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle

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My Take

Right away, you can tell that this Schwieger creation is going to live up to its name. The lipstick like aroma of the perfume is apparent, as is the well-blended rose note.

What I wasn’t expecting here was the lightness of this scent, especially early. I didn’t check the notes until later, but the fruitiness while subdued, is doing a lot of the work of helping to bring out the greenish and slightly dewy smell at the start.

Litchi is the strongest of the lot to my nose. However, it’s not ever dominating. The fruit here are just part of the mix and aren’t making themselves known with a sugary sweetness or tart presentation. Even the citrus, is just a faint hint, but it makes the opening sparkle.

Underneath that, galbanum is very prominent on my skin for a while. Greenish, woodsy, earthy, and slightly bitter. It’s playing off that somewhat dirty red rose, the iris, and lily of the valley. The latter, will gradually be replaced by heliotrope in the middle of the wear.

Galbanum does bring out the musk note more here. But, we will begin to shift away from the sparkling greenish opening further into the lipstick scent that we were promised. I’m also getting violet in the mix.

The powder really increases, while this Frederic Malle scent retains that lightness and freshness. It sort of reminds me of L’Homme L’eau by Prada, in that respect, but this is a more complicated fragrance.

The dry down is a powdery lipstick with vanilla, some amber, and a vague woody and green finish to it. The rose and iris are more distinct, as the other floral notes aside from some remaining heliotrope have fallen away.

It’s sweeter to me, still not majorly, and slightly warm and waxy in the finish. It does so while keeping that clean brightness to some degree.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This fragrance is pretty moderate with how it projects and the scent trail that it leaves in your wake. Lipstick Rose isn’t a heavy scent, but it’s not airy with how it presents either.

I always notice that I had it on and never had to press my nose up against the skin in order to detect it. Closer to the upper range of moderate than anything and not a complete beast with it either.

The longevity is actually really solid. I get somewhere around 8.5 hours on my skin from this fragrance. Again not elite, but you’ll get a full workday’s use out of it.

Seasonally, this is one that can fit in almost year round. It’s light enough for the spring and more mild days of summer, while also being substantial enough for when it gets cooler.

I would probably avoid it at the extremes of winter and summer, but you’re good outside of that.

It’s a very versatile perfume to wear too. While not inherently ‘sexy’ or a night club beast, Lipstick Rose can fit in just about anywhere else. It’s dressed up, attractive, without coming off as overly serious.

Casual, daily wear, or potential signature scent for the right person.

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Overall Impressions of Lipstick Rose

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that it is a really great perfume of this type. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if it sounds like you’d enjoy it, Lipstick Rose is one you should definitely check out.

I think the opening act is great. The mix of fruits playing off of the floral notes gives this one balance. It doesn’t have to stray too far into green stem territory or have a singular tone with the lipstick and rose theme.

That is there, but this Malle perfume develops quite a bit from that initial spray. It doesn’t ever lose me and I enjoyed the ride, even if this is a very feminine fragrance. Sure, I won’t buy a bottle for myself, though I can enjoy this sample for what it is.

The performance is good, not extreme or elite, but Lipstick Rose does its job well.

I don’t think that this is too challenging to wear or anything like that, but some people really don’t vibe with lipstick perfumes, even if they like the idea of it. That and the price itself, will probably prevent this from being a blind buy for most people.

However, this is actually is a great offering from this line for those interested.