Phuong Dang is a Vietnamese artist based in Singapore that now has added creative director for a line of perfumes to her CV. She’s extended her visual medium into that of olfactory.

When a new brand launches with many perfumes at once, it’s overwhelming. I haven’t tried all of the Phuong Dang perfumes (there are 10 in all). However, I was drawn to the note list (and the red bottle) of Liquid Red. I was expecting an amber rose with some darkness, instead it’s a floral that surpassed my expectations.

Liquid Red opens like a French cosmetic blend of violet and roses. This functional-to-fine thing is sniffed in a few niche perfumes¹, but with Liquid Red, there’s something different. This time it’s paired with sparkling, dry champagne. I’m always looking for a perfect champagne² in perfumes and here it is. The heart is like a “chewy rose” in that it reminds me of rose jam and apricot fruit leather. But, the perfume still continues to have functional accords. There’s the sort of citrus musk that reminds me of retro brands of hairspray. In addition, it smells powdery and floral like vintage loose face powder. The dry down is a lot of powdery musk and a lot of waxy/lipstick-y rose (with iris!) that comes across like the traces of last night’s made up face smeared on your silk pillowcase.

This perfume smells like Serge Lutens‘ makeup artistry of the 1970’s/1980’s (scroll down Kafkaesque’s post to see what I’m talking about). It’s dramatic makeup, luxurious textures and champagne! As someone drawn to cosmetic-y perfumes and champagne aldehydes, I’m infatuated with this perfume. It’s an added bonus that its olfactory aesthetic reminds me of NYC discos of the late 70’s.

Notes include bergamot, whiskey, artichoke, champagne, aldehydes, Moroccan rose, Turkish rose, clary sage, peony, suede, iris, violet, ambergris, vanilla, musk and mahogany. Launched in 2016. PERFUMER – Bertrand Duchaufour

Give Liquid Red a try if you like those cosmetic-y floral perfumes or roses. Or perfumes like Malle Lipstick Rose, L’Artisan Drôle de Rose, Chanel Misia, Etat Libre d’Orange Vraie Blonde, YSL Yvresse and/or M.Micallef Note Poudrée.

Projection and longevity is above average or maybe that’s average for an extrait.

The 1.7 oz extrait retails for $300. The 3.4 oz extrait retails for $450 at Barneys.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dry champagne and French cosmetics. I love these sort of roses and of course, mileage will vary. Even though if I had a bottle, I think I’d wear it frequently, it’s still hard for me to justify the price as someone that already owns so many other “makeup perfumes”. But, those don’t have champagne…

¹ There’s a lot of perfumes that want to smell like makeup: Malle Lipstick Rose, L’Artisan Drôle de Rose, Chanel Misia, Maison Margiela Replica Lipstick On…just to name a few.

² Here’s my guide to Champagne Perfumes.

More info on the brand here. 

*Disclaimer – Sample provided by PR. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Painting is by Phuong Dang.