Frédéric Malle · 2007 · Pierre Bourdon

French Lover

Luxury$$$$, 4 of 5
Frédéric Malle asks $370 for 100 ml
50 ml$225
100 ml$370

The houseFor men

VersionEau de Parfum

Green capsicum pepper, angelica and juniper over earthy vetiver and patchouli, ending in dry cedar and frankincense resin.

Frédéric Malle says

You’ll smell pimiento, angelica, juniper, patchouli, vetiver and frankincense.

More from Frédéric Malle’s description

It also mentions Capsicum, Galbanum, Incense, Iris, Cedar, White musk, Mosses, Musks, Ambroxan, Karanal, Trimofix o (trimofix), Bergamot and Clove.

The house’s page

The drawn French Lover bottle

Top noteswhen you spray it

Heartas it settles

Dry-downwhat stays

French Lover’s scent picture, a draft: angelica, juniper, patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, galbanum drawn so far; dashed outlines where nothing is drawn yet

Top noteswhen you spray it

French Lover, top notes: Pimiento, Angelica, Juniper, Galbanum, Bergamot

Heartas it settles

French Lover, heart: Clove, Geraniol (rose)

Dry-downwhat stays

French Lover, dry-down: Patchouli, Vetiver, Frankincense, Iris, Cedar, White musk, Oakmoss, Musks, Ambroxan (ambergris), Treemoss

What’s inside it

What Frédéric Malle names

PimientoAngelicaJuniperPatchouliVetiverFrankincenseCapsicumGalbanumIrisCedarWhite muskMossesMusksAmbroxan (ambergris)KaranalTrimofix o (trimofix)BergamotClove

What the label names

7 scent ingredients on the label, familiar names first.

A label must name certain ingredients, most of them ones that can cause allergies; some houses print more. It is never the whole recipe.

2 citrus1 herbs & lavender1 florals1 spices1 green1 earth & moss

Citrus2

LimoneneCitral

Herbs & lavender1

Linalool

Florals1

Geraniol (rose) (rose)

Spices1

Eugenol

Green1

Methyl 2-octynoate

Earth & moss1

Treemoss absolute
6 more lines on the label, not there for the smell

Not for the smell6

AlcoholWaterBenzyl benzoateBHT (keeps it fresh)Benzoic acidPentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, not in Ingredients yet

The label, as printed on the house’s page

Our match of the notes

Shares its notes

Lyric WomanAmouage · shares angelica, patchouli, vetiver, frankincense and 4 more$395 for 100 ml · about the same as French Lover’s $370
Gold ManAmouage · shares patchouli, frankincense, orris, cedar (Atlas cedar) and 3 more$395 for 100 ml · about the same as French Lover’s $370
360° Red for MenPerry Ellis · shares patchouli, vetiver, cedar (Atlas cedar), oakmoss and 3 more
More from Frédéric Malle9 more perfumes

Matched by the notes each house names. A shared note is not a promise they smell alike.