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It does remind me of old school lipstick, and most of the reviews here are spot on, but I also get a sort of fudgy, sweet, sticky undertone which is delicious and addictive (benzoin with orris?). It makes the florals jammy but In a different way to most jammy roses I've come across. The raspberry and grapefruit are fleeting and unidentifiable to me (i.e. If I hadn't read the notes..), and make the opening quite sharp and screechy, but only for a couple of minutes. It seems a shame to call this lipstick rose, as it's much more complex than that suggests. To me, it's also less powdery than many here are claiming, although there is powdery iris, it's just the warm, almost spicy, caramel underbelly smooths the powder out so it's not dominant.
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.
Lipstick Rose brings me back to 1948, which was a glorious age for all women, because the typical 'Lipsticks' were born and how could we forget this wonderful smell of loud red old-fashioned lipsticks?! This smell always reminds me of good times, lifts my mood and give me a secure feeling. All these marvelous components are treasured in this simple bottle, created by Ralf Schwieger, called 'Lipstick Rose'. This is a journey with every sniff. I just feel being in a wardrobe of Moulin Rouge, where big shiners ornaments the mirrors and many different cosmetics sit on the dressing table. Costumes hang on the wall, the air is full of joy, everybody is laughing and there is a big crystal vase in the middle of the dressing table with a dozen red, full and rich roses, which captures this one moment. This perfume brings exactly those pictures into my mind and fulls my heart with calmness and joy. The smell of this scent is simply fascinating; slightly floral, powdery with a hint of vanilla-sweetness. I would wear it to special occasions mostly and every season seems to be right, the lasting power is reasonable. A very romantic and cheerful fragrance, which makes people happy, even if it's just for one unforgettable moment.
