Frederic Malle Perfume Comprehensive Guide

frederic malle perfume comprhensive reviewFrederic Malle perfume has been around since slightly before 2000.  Founded on a philosophy of giving the perfumer a very broad idea of what they wanted, then letting the perfume create it.  Then, the almost always unseen, unknown perfumer got his/her name slapped on the bottle. Everything about this idea was perfect.  We also have gotten a body of perfume work from Malle that is impressive.  

Malle was sold a couple of years ago to Estee Lauder, and there have been reformulations to bring them into compliance with IFRA. I am not in a position to compare pre-reformulation with current.  Are there differences?  Of course. You can’t make the exact same perfume when you have to sub in some other things.  All of us would prefer to have the original, but that isn’t possible. Whew, evaded that topic.

While smelling these, I would search for old reviews, and I don’t have a lot – never reviewed En Passant, which is so weird given how much I love it. Not that I haven’t fallen in love with most/many of the Frederic Malle perfumes.  Trying to think of the difference between Malle and Lutens and why I have written more about Lutens than Malle.  I think I have a more emotional reaction to Lutens.  Not sure why, they seem more vulnerable, have more question marks around them. Malle perfumes always seem so sure of themselves, with a few exceptions.  The problem is in me finding it easier to write about question marks than sure things. Ah, something else to work on in 2017.

But I don’t think it is just me.  Finding reviews around the internets yields a much smaller bounty on Frederic Malle perfumes than Serge Lutens.  

  1. Le Parfum de Therese (1999) – The first, the one with the story.  Edmond Roudnitska created it for his wife and only long after her death was it released to the public.  I can stand back and do nothing but admire this – it is clearly very personal and expresses much about the woman who wore it and the husband who made it for the woman he loved and knew. Notes of tangerine, melon, rose, plum, cedar, vetiver and leather.
  2. Angeliques Sous La Pluie (2000) – Long one of my too-little-worn favorites from this brand, it’s the one I always put on and go “why am I not wearing this allll the time?” Coriander, pink pepper, cedar, angelica, juniper and musk.  The woody pepper over the angelica is just enough pep to  widen your eyes and brighten your day, and the drydown is smooth and delightful.
  3. En Passant (2000) – Bread, rain and lilacs.  I mean, really?  It sounds weird, but it [pullquote]”When one thing dies all things die together, and must live again in a different way, when one thing is missing everything is missing, and must be found again in a new whole and everything wants to be complete, everything wants to go home and the geese travelling south are like the shadow of my breath flying into the darkness on great heart-beats to an unknown land where I belong” – David Whyte “What I Must Tell Myself”[/pullquote]is in my bag to take with me on the rocket ship when I get word SMOD is imminent.  Melancholy, beautiful, poignant. Late spring, early summer days, lilac in bloom, rain still sputtering, with the smell of mom’s baking bread wafting through the open windows of the farmhouse.  Yeah, Malle has his bread, rain and lilac memory and I have mine.  Everyone should have a bread, rain and lilac memory in their past.  And present.  Notes of white lilac, rain accord, cucumber, wheat, orange tree leaves.
  4. Iris Poudre (2000) – Aldehydic, slightly powdery iris.  It is soft without being overly feminine.  It is one of the Frederic Malle perfumes that veers more feminine instead of unisex or slightly masculine.  Pierre Bourdon.  Bergamot, orange, palisander rosewood, ylang-ylang, carnation, magnolia, jasmine, lily, violet, rose, aldehydes, iris, musk, amber, vanilla, sandalwood, ebony tree and vetiver.
  5. Lipstick Rose (2000) – Rump-shaking siren perfume from Raif Schwieger.  Like the smell in Chanel lipsticks – sultry and flirty, almost crayon waxy. Rose, violet, musk, vanilla, vetiver, amber and grapefruit
  6. Lys Mediterranee (2000) – Made our Perfume 101 selections when we did it over a decade ago, and it still deserves that spot. Edouard Flechier created this of sea water, ginger, angelica, orange blossom, lotus, lily, vanilla and musk. Salted lily relaxing into a pool of floral vanilla. Forgot how much I like this.  Not very vanilla or musky, but it’s enough to smooth out the lily and make you forget there is some :::shudder::: aquatics in here. 
  7. Musc Ravageur (2000) – Every time I put this on, I remember I’m not in touch with my inner vamp enough to wear it – at least for the first 30 minutes or so, before the spices bloom a bit.  Then!  I got the body butter version.  After the first maybe 30 minutes, I realize it is for me from start to finish.  There are a few Malles that work better in the lotion or the shower gel.  Maurice Roucel with notes of lavender, bergamot, cinnamon, cloves, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, guaiac wood and cedar
  8. Noir Epices (2000) – The dread I experienced before I put this on was just silly.  Spritz, and.. oh, hey there, maybe that is – oh, no, no, no, no, please get it off of me!!!! I don’t know why I hate this so much, the notes are lovely, I should love it, but I don’t for the same reason I despise Serge Lutens Arabie.  Just too much there there.  I get why people adore it, but it’s not ever happening for me.  Created by Michel Roudnitska, it has notes of orange, rose, geranium, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, cloves,sandalwood, patchouli, cedar and vanilla.
  9. Une Fleur de Cassie (2000) – Ropion did this.  Notes of mimosa, jasmine, black locust, rose, carnation, sandalwood, vanilla and Cassis.  This used to be difficult for me when I originally tried it a decade or so ago.  Difficult is an understatement, I haaaaated it.  The only reason I kept returning to it periodically is because… well, Ropion.  There is a feral undertone on the open that is off-putting.  I finally got the Body Butter of this scent. Inside all of that luxurious, thick lotion, I got it.  Fleshly, buttery mimosa, just gut through the open, if it bothers you, and enjoy the next day of your life wearing this.
  10. Cologne Bigarade (2001)/ Bigarade Concentree (2002) – I never have a lot to say about these two, and I always lump them together, but always a blast to wear.  Classic citrus.  Not sure if it still comes in the vat, but if it does and you have it, splash it on like you have to use it all up before sunset.  Bitter orange, rose, cedar, grass and hay.  Lookee there, grass and hay, my faves. This explains my generous splashing on tendencies with it.
  11. Vetiver Extraordinaire (2003) – One of my very favorite vetiver fragrances.  There is this lovely crispness to it that gives way to that lovely spiced vetiver.  Lord, I forgot how much I love this. Why would I wear something else?  Created by Dominique Ropion, notes of bergamot, bitter orange, pink pepper, cloves, vetiver, sandalwood, cedar, oakmoss, myrrh and musk
  12. L’eau d’Hiver (2003) – Jean-Claude Ellena created this softly shimmering perfume.  Heliotrope is so, so soft in this, not powdery.  This is one of the line’s most understated and underappreciated perfumes.  Heliotrope, Iris and honey.
  13. Une Rose (2003) – Foreshadows Portrait of a Lady.  Not the same, not the same perfumer.  Edouard Flechier created it with notes of pelargonium, rose, fruity notes, woodsy notes, tuber, musk, honey, geranium and red wine.  I keep thinking it veers more feminine, but not really. Lipstick Rose has that duty.  There is a beautiful depth to Une Rose, a honeyed singularity that is stunning.  And a guy could and should wear it.
  14. Carnal Flower – (2005) – Green, gorgeous tuberose.  It is chewy and buttery and covered with lovely greenhouse aromas puffed out with eucalyptus.  Candice Bergen was the muse for this fragrance created by Dominique Ropion.  Noes of bergamot, melon, eucalyptus, ylang, jasmine, tuberose, Salicylates (natural herbal toxic thingie that plants use as a warning to stay away), tuberose absolute, orange blossom, coconut and musk.  I never tire of this, even though I think I should  My favorite versions of it are the hair mist and the body butter.
  15. French Lover (2007) –  History says the name of this was not okay in the United States, so it became Bois d’Orage, right?  I think they are pretty close.  Masculine green woods. I can’t even think for a second I’d wear it, it’s got no femme in it – it is all boy.  Pierre Bourdon was the perfumer with notes of spices, galbanum, incense, cedar, angelica, oakmoss, vetiver and white musk.
  16. Outrageous (2007) – I always forget Malle made this. Why?  Outreach to a mass market? Thank God they abandoned that attempt.  I don’t hate it, it’s not terrible, I just never remember anything about it.  That name?  Well.  Sophia Grosjman created it with notes of lime, cinnamon, green apple, mint, grapefruit, orange blossom, neroli, aldehydes, amber, cedar and musk.
  17. Dans Tes Bras (2008) – Woody floral from Maurice Roucel. Soft, elegant woody thing.  It occurs to me that I may have never worn this or it was cursory.    This is a great everyday scent.  Heliotrope, jasmine, woodsy notes, patchouli, pine tree, cashmeran, sandalwood, musk, incense and violet.
  18. Geranium Pour Monsieur (2009) – Ropion did this for men.   Mint absolute, peppermint oil, Chinese geranium oil, rhodinol, anethol, floralozone, CO2, clove, white musk, ambroxan, sandalwood, resinoid incense and Siamese styrax benzoin.  That was a pretty clinical note list.  Mint is always a not for me.  Ropion doing a mint geranium, I was thinking maybe?  No, not me, but it’s a great focus on geranium.  It’s not that prominent after the initial start, but this is very botanical with a cool spiced backdrop
  19. Portrait of a Lady (2010) – A serious rose fragrance that leans masculine.  Hey, not exactly, but men should run to try it, especially if you think roses only belong in the expensive bouquets you send for Valentine’s Day and birthdays.  Every time I smell this, it takes my breath away with how audacious it is. Rose that slaps you hard, then curls around you and shows you how very essential it is to your continued existence.  Dominatrix Rose.  Dominique Ropion is responsible for this as well, with notes of Turkish rose, raspberry, black currant, cinnamon, clove, patchouli, sandalwood, incense, ambroxan, benzoin and white musk.
  20. Dries Van Noten (2013) – For some reason, I didn’t have any of this in my house.  Going purely from a review shortly after it was released “You’ll keep catching whiffs of something delicately balancing on the verge of gourmet, like a memory of gramma baking your favorite goodies in the kitchen – not real, better than real.”  Bruno Jovanovic.  sandalwood, guaiac wood, tonka bean, vanilla, saffron, jasmine, musk, bergamot, lemon, nutmeg, cloves, patchouli, woody notes and peru balsam.
  21. Eau de Magnolia (2014) – Carlos Benaim created this. It is hard to find a great magnolia scent that doesn’t wear on your last nerve after a couple of hours – not sure why that is.  This one fits  that no-irritation rule.  Blended beautifully with some crisp citrus, it highlights the magnolia, without making it too dominant or too meek where it disappears. Bergamot;, magnolia, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, moss and amber
  22. The Night (2014) – Dominique Ropion created this dark oud with notes of agarwood (oud), amber and turkish rose.  I saw fleetingly somewhere that there was a body butter of this, and then it quickly disappeared.  Oud is tough for me, but Frederic Malle the Night is not. Smooth, dark.  Ridiculously expensive, but you need – honestly, even a spray is too much. I keep trying to decide if I should just make a roller ball of this. it is pungent and lasts like your mother-in-law that won’t go home, but a mother-in-law you like for at least a day or two.  Lord, I just sprayed some to test and overdid it.  I may have to cancel today’s meetings or phone in on a conference call.  Still love it, but be CAREFUL with it.
  23. Monsieur (2015) – Patchouli. Then some more Patchouli.  Just a dab or two more.  If you love patchouli, this has to be on the top of your list to try.
  24. Cologne Indelebile (2015) – This is one of their most soaringly beautiful Malle scents – if not the most purely beautiful –  also from Ropion.  Orange blossom beauty and every time I wear it and people comment on how beautiful it smells. Yeah, there’s some projection there as well you should be aware of!
  25. Superstitious (coming soon!) – will début in the U.S. 2017.  

Of course we are doing a drawing, and it’s a great one!  It is for an entire sample set of all of the Malle scents.   Actually, two of them.  There will be a drawing here, and I’ll also do one over on the STC Facebook page, so you can have two chances to win.  I don’t have the post up on FB, but will tomorrow morning for sure.

  • Angela Boyer says:

    Wow- what a great article! Un fleur de Cassie was my FIRST decant purchase ever. II searched and researched for weeks trying to diiscover the glorious scent I was smelling under the sonoran sweet acacia tree!!! It fueled my desire for perfume as a hobby and I still have the pressed flowers of that tree in my sample box as inspiration. I know it is a powerhouse of a scent and I love it! The intixicating scent that those trees project is my fondest memory. A box scent would put me in orbit,no doubt! Great read, thank you!

  • devonellie says:

    The very first niche perfume that I bought was Une Rose from the first (and at that time, only) Malle boutique in Paris. I remember I could only afford one bottle, but I kept dithering between the rose and Lys Mediternee….Une Rose came on strong and I still wear her today!!

  • Lori says:

    When hubby and I visit Vegas, I always drop by Barneys. Their very kind sales associates allow me to sniff and swoon to my heart’s content. The Malles are my favorite line. I’d be thrilled to receive the sample set to enjoy here in Oklahoma. Thanks for providing this drawing!

  • Diana says:

    POAL, MR, Une Rose and Lipstick Rose are favorites. Didn’t like Parfume de Therese or Dans Tes Bras at all. Would love to try the others, especially Cologne Indelebile, Superstitious and Monsieur. Please enter me in a drawing for the sample set. Thanks!

  • leslie r says:

    so. much. lemming.

  • Dia says:

    Thank you for the generous drawing! I haven’t yet tried anything from this line. I’m looking for a perfume to wear on my wedding day, so I’m always open to more options!

  • Gail Scott says:

    Patty,I like how you did this review of the whole line! And agree with your comment that Malle should get more perfumista attention. I haven’t tried the most recent releases, and I forgot how much I used to wear Musc Ravageur. I think I still have a few drops left of the oil version- wish that would return. Suspect that I would love the body butter…

  • j. machine says:

    Have yet to encounter a FM I don’t come around to loving. Portrait of a Lady was tough for me at first, as was Lys Mediterranee (all that sinus-stinging freshness, yikes), but both have become defaults in my rotation. Like you, am shocked that Carnal Flower has never gotten old for me. Dying to try Cologne Indélébile, Musc Ravageur, and the Proustian En Passant. Hard to imagine an understated Malle, but L’Eau d’Hiver also beckons!

  • Winterlude says:

    I’ve only had the opportunity to smell a few of these, but I love love love the Vetiver Extraordinaire, I always buy a small decant for my husband, and I just tried Le Parfum de Therese the other day. It was magnificent! People may have thought I was crazy, as I had my nose down my shirt all day.

  • Devon B says:

    I’ve only ever tried Vetiver Extraordinaire and Musc Ravageur. Loved those and would like experience more from this House.

  • flowergirlbee! says:

    this is so exciting ..thanks so much for the giveaway.malle is my favourite perfume house.i will be in heaven if i win this… : )

  • katrin says:

    I own and use En Passant, and there are a few more that I’d love to have. Thus far there has been only one that didn’t agree with me. But there are some I have never tried, one of them Musc Ravageur. I am also curious about the new cologne!

  • Maureen says:

    I have tried a few Malle perfumes. I loved En Passant, it really is a Springtime scent. I would like to try the Cologne Indelebile, and Superstitious is a great name for a fragrance.

  • ALEX says:

    Looking forward to the orange blossom in Cologne Indélébile!

  • Cathy says:

    Thank you for including the David Whyte quote in the review. I reflects perfectly my current emotions, I will order his book.

  • zibbyz says:

    Oh, I love lilac, so en passant would be lovely, but so would indelebile, as I am looking for an orange blossom scent

  • Thank you so much for the complete skinny! Fab scents grand perfumers and awesome reviews…I love this blog. New subscriber as of today! Love to try the ones I haven’t (which is most of them) I have L’eau d’Hiver and samples of a few others but this is one house I am sorely remiss in checking out to the fullest. Thanks for the chance to win.

  • Rachel W says:

    I tried Angeliques Sous La Pluie and En Passant way back when FM would send you samples based on a description of yourself. I think I made myself sound edgier than I am, because they were both a little too out-there for me at the time. I’m most curious about Cologne Indelebile right now.

  • morejasmineplease says:

    I scored a Frederic Malle recently that’s a bit of a mystery: It came in the standard box, it’s a 100ml with a silver cap and white label that says 25 in red; the digits (the 2 and the 5) are actually a very tiny font that says “CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF AMERICAN ELLE”

    I know nothing else about it. I’m new to this whole world so I can’t even describe the notes (soft floral is all I can do); it sort of reminds me of Le Parfum de Therese in terms of character.

    I can find nothing out there on the internet so was just posting here in case anyone knows about this release? When did it come out, who is the perfumer?

    This Malle post is an excellent resource – thanks for compiling it, Patty! (first time commenter, long time lurker, now with more on the to-try list)

  • Nathalie says:

    How nice to have all this FM info in one place – I’ve tried exactly two of them so far, but there WILL be more to come. Please enter me for the giveaway, and thank you for the opportunity!

  • Alison says:

    Adore En Passant and want to try the others! Please enter me in the drawing.

  • greennote2 says:

    Oh! There are soooo many of these I haven’t tried. Thanks for your comprehensive review, it feels like years worth of sniffing distilled for us, in your always hilarious but still evocative style. And I adore En Passant, it just makes me feel relaxed and sunny.

  • katieslat says:

    A great overview and thank you for the draw. I have only tried POAL. I would love to try Une Fleur de Cassie and Monsieur.

  • Kylene says:

    Oh my, now I have an unnecessary need to at least give 89% of these a good sniff. 🙂

  • maggiecat says:

    I have a strange lemming to try Dans tes Bras…it sounds like just what I need right now. And Lys Mediteranee is absolutely beautiful…just gorgeous, almost too perfect. I would love to try more of this line!

  • Maria B. says:

    Mimosa is one of my favorite fragrance notes, but I rarely reach for my Une Fleur de Cassie sample. “Feral” is a good word for what bothers me about it. I know I should give it another try. Musc Ravageur is so much fun. It used to come in an oil too, and that was easy on the senses, but, still, I wear Shalimar with ease, so Musc Ravageur suits me fine.

  • Thanks for such a complete review. I can’t wait to try some of these

  • Fija Callaghan says:

    I would love to try these! especially dries van noten, it sounds lovely.

  • Kandice says:

    Love Eau de Magnolia and would love to try Indelible as it has my favorite notes in it. Also found a couple of others I’d like to try from your review. Thanks for doing the review. There’s so many by this perfume house it’s hard to know where to start!

  • Lorinda says:

    Beautiful guide! I’ve only tried a few, but they are some of my favorites.

  • Maggie says:

    Wonderful guide! I love how Malles always have a story to tell. I think Cologne Indelebile needs to be in my life!

  • Robyn B. says:

    The only Malle I’ve tried is Lipstick Rose, which I adored and will purchase when I can justify the cost. The whole line sounds beautiful, and I’d love to try more of it.

  • Tatiana says:

    So many Frederic Malle scents to love, so little money. I wear Portrait of A Lady most frequently.

  • tiffanie says:

    Thank you so very much for the exhaustive run down. It’s fascinating and fabulous to see the names of the fragrance creators highlighted rather than hidden.

    I’ve wondered too about the lack of reviews around the blogs for Malle perfumes. Are there fewer commentaries, or is it just me that’s missed them? I’ve wondered if these scents are perhaps more difficult to come by, or are they simply “trop cher” and thus don’t circulate as widely among perfumistas?

    Carnal Flower, Lipstick Rose, Iris Poudre, En Passant, those seem to get lots of love while others seem quite unknown. Dans Tes Bras has to be one of the most beautiful and evocative names ever given a scent, so why isn’t it given more attention? But in any case they all sound fabulous to me. I’m happy I was able to purchase a sample of L’eau d’Hiver not too long ago, a special treat in honor of wintry weather recently endured.

  • Nemo says:

    There are so many FM’s I haven’t even heard of!! It is funny that “French Lover” did not pass muster, but “Carnal Flower” was okay…

  • Bastet says:

    Wow would love to win this! I haven’t tried many of FM’s scents but they sound fabulous.

  • Rosemary says:

    Thanks for the fabulous review, and also for the drawing! I’m intrigued, haven’t yet tried any Malle, but now eyeing all the roses, l’eau d’hiver, dans tes bras, and monsiuer.

  • I always think that Frederic Malle is a great mentor perfume line. Their fragrances taught me a lot about different notes, different perfumer styles, different “depths” of perfume, etc. That being said, Iris Poudre is my favourite and the only one that I wear regularly.

  • Sapphire says:

    Great overview of this line! I own En Passant and love it in the spring. Would love to add some Dries eventually. Thanks for the drawing!

  • Jenbat says:

    Hmm, based on your descriptions, I need to try En Passant and Lipstick Rose. I love these guides, something about having one voice describe them all in one place is really helpful!

  • AnnieA says:

    I bought a 10 ml of l’eau d’hiver before the last crazy price run up and now I feel I should have bought the 50 ml. Alas…

  • lena says:

    Though it might earn me an immediate expulsion from perfumista society, I have to admit I’ve not experienced any of this line’s frags. So an extra-big thanks for providing us (especially clueless folks like me) with such a great guide! And, of course, thank you for the giveaway 🙂

  • Elizabethc says:

    Lipstick rose is one of my absolute favorites! Now I need to try l’eau d’hiver. Sounds like one I would love. Thank you for the drawing!

  • Suzy Q says:

    Clearly I’m missing out: I’ve only smelled a few of these. I love En Passant –bought a travel size from STC. Wanted to like Portait of a Lady but it was just too big. Sous le Pluei sounds like it was made for me m

  • Ann Dick says:

    Love ASLP

  • Mocha says:

    Loving these full line reviews! Carnal Flower is one of my faves but I haven’t tried many Malles yet.

  • Pam says:

    I have never sniffed even one of the FM scents. They always sound so good, and this post makes me want to find some. Thanks!

  • Claudia S says:

    I’ve tried POAL before and it knocked my socks off! I’d love to try more! Thanks

  • Karent says:

    En Passaic is that perfect May day. Lovely daytime perfume. Portrait of a Lady is the ultimate in classic French evening scent. Pure seduction.

  • urc4me says:

    Loved reading about all the FM scents, seeing as I haven’t even tried all of them yet.

    So please enter me in the drawing. I’ve been in such a deep hole of depression and haven’t cared about what I used to and that of course includes perfume. But this drawing interested me again so thanks for that small nudge back into fragrance. xo

  • Olivia says:

    Awesome. Please enter me, thank you. I’ve been dying to try Musc Ravageur and L’Eau d’Hiver, both coming highly recommended to me.

  • Amy Scott says:

    Portrait of a Lady and Lipstick Rose sound like a must try for me. I adore rose frangrances!

  • Zazie says:

    No draw for me, but I am chiming in to declare my appreciation for Iris Poudre, une fleur de Cassie and Carnal Flower, though the formers are a bit too melancholic and the latter is always a bit too much!!! I should try the CF hair spray as you suggest! Lutens, unlike Malle, has created an entire other-world with its range, each perfume being a fantasy, a vignette, a little exotic mystery to unravel. I totally understand that it prompts the desire to write and discuss… even though I love roughly the same number of perfumes in both ranges (but the size of SL’s lineup is much bigger!), my SL bell jars and austere rectangular bottles feel much more special than any other modern niche perfume. (They all loose against Guerlain, however – which, however, is not niche and not “modern”)

  • Stephanie R says:

    This is great! Malle is definitely one of my favorite lines. I was so thrilled when they started selling the travel sprays individually! That said, there are still so many on this list I haven’t sniffed!

  • Meems says:

    I love these comprehensive guides! The Lutens guide was great and this one is chock full of perfumes I’d love to try — have only sniffed Une Fleur de Cassie, Carnal Flower and Dans Tes Bras, all beautiful florals.

  • Jirish says:

    Love it when you do these comprehensive posts. Haven’t sniffed enough of the Malles, but love Vetiver Extraordinaire. Love Une Rose as well, but have held off on any purchase until after I’ve sniffed Portrait of a Lady as well. Bought my niece the Magnolia scent for her 16th birthday.

  • Barbara B says:

    Don’t know why I’ve only tried a few Malles, since I adore L’eau d’Hiver. It is my go-to comfort/sleep scent! Did gift myself the Malle coffee table book which I have yet to read. And when I say coffee table book I mean it, it covers half of my coffee table!

  • Musette says:

    DNEM but I just wanted to remind you of when we were in NY together and you spritzed the Carnal Hair Mist and March & I had you backed into the subway car and were huffing your hair like rutting dogs! lol! Good times! That stuff is KILLAH!

    xoxoxo

  • Luanne Teall says:

    Would love to try Bigarade, Indelible and Dries Van Noten. I own En Passant , Iris Poudre and L’eau d’hiver. Heaven.

  • audesko1 says:

    Love Portrait of a Lady, just ordered some! Great article, Thank you

  • Sylvia says:

    I have been waiting with bated breath! 🙂 thank you for this comprehensive review. ?It sounds like there are some fabulous scents in that line. Spectacular that he gave the perfumers credit! Thank you so much for the draw.!I’m especially interested in the Rose scents.

  • grizzlesnort says:

    Great review. Thank you! And another giveaway! You guys are the best. Please enter me in your draw.

  • Troy says:

    Thank you for fhis opportunity. Portrait of a Lady is the only one of tried. This post is a great reference and definitely a keeper.

  • Carol says:

    This list is great! Only Malle I have is Angeliques sous la Pluie, bought on a long ago vacation. Sadly, none of my local retailers carry this line & I’d love to try more.

  • Ingeborg says:

    When I look at the list I can see I actually tried only few, even if Ilike the idea behind this line and the bottle design. I own a travel spray of En Passant, but there is just a short period in spring and early summer when it feels right. Would love to sample more.

  • foxbins says:

    Thanks so much for the overview. I thought I had sampled most of Malle, at least all the feminine/unisex ones, but clearly I have not. Time to remedy that!

  • Lucie says:

    Thank you for the reviews and the draw! I added a bunch of these to my every growing “to try” list.

  • Kayceebee says:

    I have only had the opportunity to try 3 Malle’s; would love to sample more. Thank you for the excellent review and the opportunity for more samples.

  • rosarita313 says:

    Thanks for the reviews, and the draw…..honestly, I forgot how many perfumes there are in this line. Musc Ravageur was one of my first niche loves, I have just a teensy bit that I am hoarding.

  • Jolene says:

    I wore carnal flower on my wedding day. My husband gifted it to me right before the ceremony. Thanks for the drawing.

  • Koyel says:

    Oof, that was a lot. Congratulations on getting through them, and thanks! I’ve only tried a couple FMs, but I loved them. Too expensive for my blood right now, but I’d love to try them!

  • pats133 says:

    I’m another one who has not yet tried any Malle’s. I’ve been dying really bad to sample Lipstick rose and POAL and Iris Poudre but not yet had the chance. Hopefully this might just be the time! Another rabbit hole to explore i guess. Thank you for offering us all this great opportunity! Much appreciated. 🙂

  • March says:

    Don’t enter me, lol….. what a great way to start the day. Funny…. I love the Malle vibe and aesthetic, but not as many of the actual perfumes, if that makes sense. Carnal Flower is effing brilliant. LOVE EEEET. Also really love that Magnolia, which is the only one I’ve smelled that smells… well, like magnolia (must be my southern childhood.) Great work scent. En Passant is one of the earliest I smelled when I got into perfume, and I adore it, but it makes me verklempt. Hey, wasn’t it your MOM who bought Musc Rav?!? Love that lady.

  • Deb says:

    I have been obsessed enough with Malle that I purchased one of the first sample sets so that I could compare pre- and post- reformulation of Lipstick Rose. In the meantime, I fell in love with several of the other scents: En Passant, Perfume de Therese, Musk Ravageur…

    Unfortunately, the L’Eau d’Hiver did not stand up well under the test of time. It had really faded. :o(

    I would love to be entered into this drawing. There are a number of fragrances on the list I haven’t tried, and I really love this house. I’d also like to try the reformulated versions of the ones I’ve listed above.

  • Fernando says:

    I have tried many of these, but somehow have never had the will — or the cash– to pull the trigger.

  • Want to try them all! I have been curious about this house for a long time. The story behind POAL is beautiful.

  • sanzaanne says:

    Would love to try these.

  • Emma says:

    Oh goodness, this is exciting. I have a few of the 10 ml travel sprays (lipstick rose, POAL, carnal flower) but I’d love to spend time with the rest of the line. I’d never even heard of The Night until just now. And a new one coming out this year! Plus, you convinced me I need to revisit lys mediteranee. And le parfum de Therese. Ok, all of them!

  • solanace says:

    Thank you for the comprehensive guide (and for the draw). I love the way noses’ names appear on FM labels and the creative freedom they have.

  • Neva says:

    I appreciate your reviews of the whole line very much. Such a short overview is always very useful for me because I can decide where to start sniffing. Thanks for the drawing!

  • MaureenC says:

    Other people are usually very impressed and pleased when you recognise their perfume – that has happened most frequently when I catch a whiff of something wonderful from FM

  • Patchgirl says:

    Great guide! Love, love, love Une Fleur de Cassie.

  • pjmcbride says:

    Love this line, from concept to execution to packaging. Great guide to them as well!

  • Fleurycat says:

    Thank you for all the FM reviews! So many I’d love to try. What is it about them all that seems somewhat intimidating? Maybe that they are uncompromising, each one wholly it’s own. Iris Poudre has been my entry level, and I have a small decant of POA. I would love to compare with the other Roses. Also very drawn to Musc Ravageur…yet to try. It would be great to try them all, especially as they are so much more than their descriptions!

  • I can’t wait to try these and love that you reviewed them all.

  • Ellen M says:

    I haven’t tried very many from this house…maybe one. I’d really like to try some of the others. Thanks for the draw.

  • You hit all my favorites, En Passant (marry me Olivia! jk…) Lipstick Rose, Carnal Flower, Dans Tes Bras, Cologne Indel, Lys Med, and my most disliked… Outrageous (wtf??) and Noir Epices (anethema).

  • Janet says:

    So many I haven’t tried! Lipstick Rose was a surprising love for me.

  • edpgypsy says:

    Thank you for this! I enjoyed reading it and seeing what new scents to seek to test out. I especially like that you included information about some of the body butters and hair scents as I’ve been very curious about them as well!

  • Clarochka says:

    Thank you for the review. Love Dries van noten

  • Maya says:

    Well it’s good to know that I’m not alone. I haven’t tried any Frederic Malle perfumes. There are several that I have been curious about, especially En Passant. Now I hope to try them all. 🙂

  • Susan Smith says:

    Very nice overview! the cologne indelebile sounds beautiful

  • Paige W says:

    Thank you for doing a draw! My only experience with Malle was an all-too-brief encounter with a sample of Carnal Flower. I have a few other Ropion fragrances that I adore, so I shouldn’t have been surprised to have been so taken with it. Dans Tes Bras and En Passant sound almost unbearably lovely…

  • anatolysdream The PerfumeBaby says:

    I must have needed your write up to want to try more Malle Fragrances. Only Carnal Flower and Une Fleur de Cassis have reached my nose. Now I’m eager to smell Cologne Indelible. Bigarade, En Passant, and L’eau d’Hiver. Thanks for the great descriptions. I’d love to win the sample pack.

  • shylotus says:

    Thanks for this overview. There are quite a few Malles I’ve yet to try. My favorites are Carnal Flower, Noir Epices, and Portrait of a Lady. I recently tried the Carnal Flower skin balm. And the carnal flower hair mist is a beautiful thing!

  • Jeanne says:

    You have enticed me before with your descriptions. My perfume supply is growing faster than the space to hold it. I have truly enjoyed reading your definitions of scents. Visiting the perfume counter at Nordstroms has become a regular stop for me. Unfortunately, they don’t always have all the fragrances you write about. I’m so thankful for Surrender to Chance.

  • Gigi says:

    Wonderful post! Somehow, I’ve only ever sniffed like 2 of the whole line. Must try Carnal Flower and now Vetiver Extraordinaire for sure.

  • MikasMinion says:

    Argh! You’ve reminded me that I’ve tried exactly two Malles and I like them both. I was hoping to run across the whole line in person someday, but I think it might take a minor miracle. I would love to win this one because I hate not sampling a big enough selection from a house to have a good feel for it. On second thought, I’ve briefly sampled Musc Ravageur and it wasn’t stanky enough for me, but Geranium pour Monsieur and En Passant are great!

  • Tiara says:

    This feels like a labor of love and I love it! Having all of this on one page is wonderful–thank you for taking the time to pull it together.

  • Teresa/GrandmaGaga says:

    This is a beautiful, understandable comprehensive guide to a house I have sampled none of…boy, I didn’t know what I’ve been missing. I’d love to try all of these if only for the experience! Thank you for the draw!

  • stina says:

    I could live in Bigarade Concentrée year-round… nothing like a good classic citrus.

    Would love to try The Night (mother-in-law and all).

    Thanks for the draw!

  • HeidiC says:

    You did it! This was well worth waiting for, though I think it’s clear you had more fun writing the SL comprehensive guide. This is really helpful, and nice to get some sense of the ones I haven’t tried. I adore Une Fleur de Cassie — it’s kinda horse poopy on me, but in a wonderful way, as a base beneath the floral. Carnal Flower, of course — but who would’ve thought Candice Bergen?!? I really hope Estee Lauder doesn’t mess up the reformulation of it. I love Vetiver Extraordinaire and PoaL, though I prefer the latter on my hubby. I guess I might as well just state the obvious, which is that Ropion’s perfumes are beautiful. Thanks for the post, and for the draw!

  • Paddy says:

    Love love Portrait of a Lady