Le Rouge Parfum is like a talisman to carry close from day to night to early dawn. The lipstick is covered entirely in the brand’s emblematic Achilles shield motif engraved into black lacquer. The packaging of Le Rouge Parfum is a weighted, sensual accessory in your hand.

The inspiration behind the fragrance, “The quest of every woman to find their perfect Rouge is exactly the same as the quest to find the perfect scent. Once they find it, it becomes their signature.” – Kilian Hennessy

The lipstick is available in both matte and satin finish – each of them provides intense colour in one stroke. The matte lipstick creates ultra-matte lips with a powdery velvet finish while the satin finish is more like balmy nourishing lipstick with beautiful pigment and intensity. Both are easy to apply and comfortable during their wear time. Both the formula work well for even the dry lips, does not dry them out – I would prefer satin finish more during the winters when my lips are more dry than normal. When I want bold pigment and finish with good wear time – I prefer the matte version. The formulas are lightweight and glide on effortlessly on the lips. The matte version can go even without a lip liner – the precise shape of the bullet is perfect to apply and define at the same time. The same is the case with the satin finish lipstick, only that it has a balmy feeling to it, might feel a little bleeding due to the formula – in this case, a lip liner makes it work perfectly.

The shades I have swatched in the picture below are described as:

130 Dangerous Rouge: sophisticated red, with neutral, cool undertones, that complements most skin tones.

“There is no greater danger than playing it safe.” An elegant red, composed of rich, blue undertones. Designed for women who are not afraid to take risks; deeply flirtatious and irresistibly captivating.

140 Intoxicating Rouge: an elegant red, composed of rich, blue undertones.

“Intoxicate: to make someone unable to think or behave normally.” A sophisticated red, with neutral, cool undertones, that compliments most skin tones. Versatile, alluring and infinitely mesmerizing.

220 Prohibited Rouge: the most luxurious red with vibrant blue undertones, an invitation for the most daring games.

“Prohibition has made nothing but trouble.” The most luxurious red with vibrant blue undertones, an invitation for the most daring games.

250 Devil Rouge: the deepest red, build with rich, plum undertones.

“There are devilish thoughts even in the most angelic minds.” The deepest red, build with rich, plum undertones. Designed for the enigmatic woman who is on a mission to seduce.

The lipstick is fragranced – it is obvious though – as it is something coming from a niche luxury brand. If you are a fan of KILIAN’s ‘Don’t Be Shy' fragrance, you will love the scent of Le Rouge Parfum. The experience of sensuality is enhanced by embellishing Le Rouge Parfum in an enticing blend of gourmand and floral notes, a specially-created harmony of marshmallow and orange blossom. The scent of the lipstick once applied, keeps reminding you of its presence but is not overpowering.

Overall, I am really loving everything about this lipstick, be it the packaging, the formula, the shades, the performance, the scent – it is a total luxurious indulgence that smells as well as looks splendid and exceptional. Kilian Le Rouge Parfum Lipstick is available at Holt Renfrew, Sephora Canada, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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The fragrance is housed in a magnificent coffret, beautifully embellished in homage to Klimt's masterful signature style. The black bottle is adorned with Kilian's signature finishes including the engraved plaque, galvanized cap, both rendered in gold tone – comes inside its own sculptured enameled box. Once opened, the mirror metal lid inside reflects the luminosity, mysterious glamour, and jewel-like quality of each bottle.

The faceted flacon is inspired by the timeless cognac carafe and is created by a traditional glass-making technique requiring 12 craftspeople. The bottle is finely engraved in a light reflecting pattern that replicates the brand's iconic ‘K' and also bears the golden plaque, finished with a heavyweight stopper, fashioned from metal and glass.

‘Woman in Gold' is inspired by 1907 portrait of leading Viennese art patron and taste-maker Adele Bloch-Bauer who was the only woman Klimt painted twice. The perfumer for ‘Woman in Gold' is Calice Becker. The paintings fascinating contrasts and complexities, bewitching glamour, and intrigue inspired Calice to create this ‘texturized and brilliant, rich and voluptuous scent'. The top notes are Bergamot, middle notes are Rose and Vanilla Absolute, and base notes are Patchouli and Akigalawood.

To me, the notes that stood up on my skin are the rose, vanilla, and patchouli, in a delicate, expensive, and feminine manner. The Akigalawood, which is an exclusive patchouli molecule, give the sophisticated and expensiveness feel to the scent. It is delicately powdery at the same time as well as clean and light-weight, not very overpowering but warm. The dry down of vanilla is absolutely delicious. The scent does not change much on my skin and the staying power is good, lingers around for the whole day. I would not wear it every day but it is a special occasion scent, when you feel the best, when luxury is your agenda.

It is indeed ‘A Perfume as complex and dazzling as the woman who wears it'. Kilian is available at Holt Renfrew, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter, Harrods.

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