By Kilian Le Rouge Parfum Lipsticks

[productsample] Well, lipsticks don’t get much fancier than these! If you recall, By Kilian, the fragrance brand from Kilian Hennessey, was bought by Estee Lauder Companies a couple of years ago, so I guess it’s not really too much of a surprise to see some luxury lipsticks enter the line-up. I mean, the formulas are all there so it seems a natural step to merge the two genres with a scented lipstick and fits perfectly with Kilian Hennessey’s mission to make fragrance visible.

You’re going to have to love the kind of smell that is also a taste – the fragrance notes are distinctly gourmande: marshmallow and orange blossom. I know… you’re going to love it or hate it. There is really some potential here for exciting taste/smell collaborations – violet and chocolate was one I thought of where you can smell one and taste the other to the point you’re not sure which sense is doing what thing. If you have any ideas of other combinations, I’d love to hear them. Anyway, the fragrance is not totally to my personal taste even though I like both marshmallow and orange blossom; it becomes a bit of a vanilla smack but there are plenty who will like it all the more for that.

I have two shades and finishes here – there are six red tones in all that come either satin or matte. I have Aphrodisiac Rouge in matte (top swatch) and Intoxicating Rouge in satin which is more raspberry infused (in colour). The casings are exquisite and what really lift them up into luxury territory – By Kilian uses the Achilles Shield design in lacquer across all his products. All the reds are vampy and sleek but your bank balance might audible groan at the £42 required! Maybe they’re a special gift for a lipstick lover and definitely right for collectors. I think we have to wait and see whether any more appear or any other fragrance combinations emerge to know the success of them.

The one thing that didn’t pass me by is that they’re not refillable when the By Kilian brand makes a point of ‘eco-luxe’ with refillable fragrance bottles. They’re HERE if you fancy them but also, there’s a By Kilian store in the Burlington Arcade where you could pop in to smell first if you are London based.