Rosé has one of the most recognisable voices in pop, a long run as a fashion-house favourite and a solo career that sent “APT.” around the world. Fans have catalogued almost everything about her style, from her Saint Laurent looks to her Tiffany & Co. jewellery. Her perfume, though, is a quieter detail, and that is exactly why the question what perfume does Rosé from BLACKPINK wear keeps popping up.
The short answer is a perfume that is almost as hard to pin down as she is: Le Labo Citron 28, a fragrance Le Labo created for one city only, Seoul. In this guide we treat Rosé’s scent like a trip. We start with the quick answer, travel into the city that inspired the bottle, unpack every note, check the rumours at the “layover” stops, and finish with a practical plan for getting the scent into your own hands.
Departure Gate: The Quick Answer
Rosé’s best-known personal scent is Le Labo Citron 28, the brand’s Seoul city exclusive. Korean and Taiwanese beauty media, including Marie Claire Taiwan, have listed it as her private pick in their roundups of the Le Labo bottles Korean stars actually use.
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Perfume | Le Labo Citron 28 |
| Type | Eau de parfum, unisex |
| Key notes | Lemon, ginger, jasmine, cedar, musk |
| Scent family | Citrus with a woody-musky base |
| Where to buy | Le Labo Seoul all year; worldwide in August and September |
| Confidence level | Widely reported by beauty media, not a direct quote from Rosé |
That last row matters. Rosé has not, to our knowledge, sat down in a video and said “this is my perfume” word for word. The link comes from consistent reporting by Korean and Asian fashion outlets, which is strong evidence but not the same as a personal statement. We think that honesty makes this guide more useful than pages that simply announce a “signature scent.”
Destination Seoul: Why a City Exclusive Fits Rosé
Le Labo, the New York perfume house known for hand-blending each bottle in-store, runs a special City Exclusive collection. Each fragrance is tied to one city and is normally sold only in that city’s Le Labo shops. According to Le Labo’s own Citron 28 page, the scent is dedicated to Seoul, a city that balances deep tradition with very fast modern change.
Now think about Rosé’s story. She was born in New Zealand, grew up in Melbourne, moved to Seoul as a teenager to train, and built a global career from there. A perfume that “belongs” to Seoul but travels the world for a short window every year is a neat mirror of an artist who belongs to more than one place. Whether or not she chose it for that reason, it is a lovely fit.
How the City Exclusive System Works
- All year: Citron 28 is sold in Le Labo’s Seoul boutiques.
- August and September: Le Labo releases its City Exclusives worldwide, in stores and online, for a limited period.
- Refills: If you already own a bottle, Le Labo offers refills for larger sizes year-round online and in selected labs.
This scarcity is part of the appeal. Owning a Citron 28 feels like carrying a small souvenir from Seoul, even if you have never been. If you are planning a trip, our guide to taking perfume on a plane will help you bring one home safely.
Inside the Suitcase: Citron 28 Note by Note
“Lemon perfume” can sound basic. Citron 28 is not. Le Labo set out to make a lemon scent that goes beyond a simple squeeze of citrus, giving it structure so it lasts and evolves. Here is how it unfolds on skin.
First Hour: Lemon and Ginger
The opening is bright and slightly sharp, closer to lemon zest than lemon juice. Ginger adds a warm, peppery tingle that stops the citrus from smelling like a cleaning product. It feels awake and energetic.
The Middle: Jasmine
As the zest settles, a soft jasmine appears. It is not a heavy, heady white floral; it reads more like a glow behind the citrus. This is the part that gives Citron 28 its romantic side.
The Dry-Down: Cedar and Musk
After a few hours, the scent sits close to the skin as clean cedarwood and musk. It is subtle, polished and very easy to wear to work or class. If you like this stage, our explainer on white musk and its uses shows how musks give citrus scents their staying power.
| Stage | Notes | How it feels | Roughly when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Lemon, ginger | Zesty, spicy, bright | First 30 to 60 minutes |
| Heart | Jasmine | Soft, luminous, gently floral | Hours 1 to 3 |
| Base | Cedar, musk | Clean, woody, skin-like | Hour 3 onward |
Timings vary with skin type, climate and how much you spray. New to reading notes? Our guide to the fragrance pyramid explains top, heart and base notes in plain language.
Why Citron 28 Suits Rosé’s Image
Rosé is often described as having two moods: the cool, slightly untouchable figure on stage and the warm, funny, guitar-playing person in her vlogs. Citron 28 has the same split personality. The opening is crisp and modern, the base is soft and close. It is neither sugary nor dramatic, which suits a star whose fashion sense leans minimal and sharp rather than frilly.
There is also a practical angle. Citrus-musk scents are some of the most crowd-friendly perfumes you can wear in a small space, like a recording booth, a car or a rehearsal room. They rarely bother other people, and they read as “clean” rather than “perfumed.”
Layover Stops: Other Scents Linked to Rosé
Search Rosé’s name and you will see other perfumes attached to her. We checked each one. Here is where they stand.
| Fragrance | Where the claim comes from | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Le Labo Citron 28 | Korean and Taiwanese beauty media roundups | Most reliable link |
| Le Labo Another 13 | Fan-made idol perfume lists | Unconfirmed |
| Lanvin Éclat d’Arpège | Fan-made idol perfume lists | Unconfirmed |
| YSL Libre and other Saint Laurent scents | Her Saint Laurent ambassadorship | Brand association, not a stated favourite |
Another 13 is a famously musky, skin-like scent; if you are curious about it, it also appears in our article on what perfume Billie Eilish wears. Éclat d’Arpège is a soft, lilac-and-tea floral that many people wear as a first “grown-up” perfume. Both are lovely, but we could not trace either one to Rosé herself.
Fashion vs. Fragrance: Saint Laurent and Tiffany
Rosé became a global ambassador for Saint Laurent in 2020, and she later joined Tiffany & Co. as an ambassador, fronting campaigns including Tiffany HardWear. Fans often assume that means she wears YSL or Tiffany perfume. That is an easy leap, but her ambassadorships are centred on fashion and jewellery, not fragrance.
That does not make Saint Laurent fragrances a bad choice for a Rosé-themed gift. If you want a bottle that matches her red-carpet image rather than her private routine, a YSL scent is a stylish nod. Just know the difference when you buy, so the gift note is accurate. Our list of perfumes for a birthday gift includes several designer options in the same spirit.
Booking Your Bottle: How to Actually Get Citron 28
Because it is a city exclusive, buying Citron 28 takes a little planning. Here is a simple calendar.
- Visiting Seoul? Buy it in a Le Labo store any time of year. Your bottle can be personalised with a label, as with all Le Labo purchases.
- Not travelling? Watch Le Labo’s website and stores in August and September, when City Exclusives become available worldwide. Samples tend to appear first, followed by full sizes.
- Want to test first? Buy a sample during the window, or a decant from a reputable seller. Our guide on how to decant perfume explains what to look for.
- Already own one? Use the refill programme instead of buying a new bottle; it is cheaper and less wasteful.
Be careful with marketplace listings outside the window. City exclusives attract counterfeits because buyers expect them to be rare. Read our checklist on how to spot fake perfume before paying for a bottle that seems too easy to find.
The Budget Route: Getting the Rosé Mood for Less
Citron 28 sits at the luxury end of the market. If that is outside your budget, you can recreate its mood with a few smart choices.
- Pick a lemon-forward cologne with some backbone. Look for lemon plus a woody or musky base, not lemon plus sugar. Our list of the best lemon perfumes is a good starting point.
- Add a clean musk underneath. Spray a simple white musk first, then a citrus on top. The musk makes the citrus last and softens the edges.
- Find a hint of ginger. Many affordable fresh scents include ginger or pink pepper. That spicy spark is what makes Citron 28 feel grown-up.
- Use body products. A citrus shower gel and an unscented lotion will help any lemon perfume hold longer on skin.
Citrus Perfume 101: Why Lemon Fades and How to Fix It
Lemon is one of the most loved notes in perfumery and one of the shortest-lived. Citrus oils are made of very small, light molecules that evaporate quickly. That is why the first spray of a lemon scent feels so bright, and also why it can vanish within an hour on dry skin.
Perfumers fight this by anchoring citrus to heavier materials, which is exactly what Le Labo does with cedar and musk in Citron 28. You can help too:
- Moisturise first. Fragrance clings better to hydrated skin.
- Spray on pulse points and on clothing; fabric holds citrus longer than skin. Our guide on where to spray perfume covers the best spots.
- Re-spray at midday instead of over-spraying in the morning.
- Store the bottle away from heat and light, which damage citrus fastest.
For more tricks, see our full guide on how to make perfume stay longer.
A Weather Guide: From Melbourne Summers to Seoul Winters
Rosé has lived through Australian heat and Korean cold, and Citron 28 behaves differently in each.
| Climate | How Citron 28 behaves | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Hot and humid | Projects more but burns off faster | Two light sprays, refresh in the afternoon |
| Hot and dry | Fades quickest | Moisturise first, spray clothes as well as skin |
| Mild spring or autumn | Ideal balance of brightness and depth | Wear as normal, three sprays |
| Cold winter | Quieter, the musk shows more | Spray on a scarf for a cosy citrus trail |
Readers in India often ask whether citrus perfumes work in our summers. They are among the best choices, provided you accept a midday top-up. Our edit of summer perfumes has more heat-friendly ideas.
How to Wear It Rosé-Style, Occasion by Occasion
- Studio or office: Two sprays on the chest under clothing. It keeps the scent personal and fresh all day.
- Concert night: Spray your jacket collar. Crowded venues make heavy perfumes cloying, but a citrus-musk stays pleasant.
- Brunch or a day out: Wrists and neck, then let it evolve. The jasmine heart suits daylight.
- Date night: Layer a drop of a soft musk or a vanilla underneath for extra warmth. Our list of date night perfumes has pairing ideas.
Le Labo 101: Understanding the House Behind the Bottle
To appreciate Citron 28, it helps to know a little about Le Labo. The house was founded in New York in 2006 and built its identity around freshness. Instead of filling bottles in a factory months before sale, Le Labo blends the final perfume in the store, by hand, when you order it. Your bottle then receives a printed label with the fragrance name, the date it was made, the city it was blended in and, if you like, your name.
The names follow a simple rule. Each perfume is named after its main ingredient, followed by a number that refers to the number of ingredients in the formula. So Citron 28 is a lemon-led composition built from 28 materials. Le Labo uses this system to signal that the headline note is only the starting point; the real character comes from everything around it.
Le Labo’s minimal, apothecary-style look has made it a favourite among Korean celebrities, which is partly why Korean media enjoy tracking which star wears which number. If you are curious about why niche houses like this cost more than high-street perfumes, our explainer on why perfume is so expensive breaks down the costs.
Citron 28 Compared With Other Lemon Scents
Not all lemon perfumes are the same. Here is how Citron 28’s style compares with common citrus types, so you know what to expect before you buy.
| Citrus style | Typical character | How Citron 28 differs |
|---|---|---|
| Classic eau de cologne | Very fresh, very short-lived, often with herbs | Citron 28 lasts longer thanks to cedar and musk |
| Sweet lemon (lemon cake, sherbet) | Sugary, gourmand, playful | Citron 28 is dry, not sweet |
| Sporty citrus | Loud, aquatic, energetic | Citron 28 is quieter and more refined |
| Citrus floral | Lemon with orange blossom or neroli | Citron 28 uses jasmine and ginger for warmth |
If the sweeter or sportier styles sound more like you, see our guide to the best fruity-smelling perfumes or browse our citrus perfumes for her.
Matching the Scent to Rosé’s Style Eras
Rosé’s image has evolved from BLACKPINK’s debut in 2016 to her solo work, including her 2021 single “On The Ground” and her 2024 album rosie, which featured the global hit “APT.” with Bruno Mars. Each phase suggests a slightly different way to wear a citrus-musk like Citron 28.
- The girl-group era: bold stage looks, high energy. Wear it brighter, with a fresh top-up before going out.
- The Saint Laurent muse era: sleek black tailoring and minimal makeup. Wear it alone, two sprays, no layering.
- The rosie era: relaxed, personal, singer-songwriter mood. Layer it over a soft musk lotion for a warmer, closer scent.
There is no single right way to wear a perfume. Thinking about the mood you want to project is often more useful than following a rule.
A Simple Three-Day Sample Test
Before buying a full bottle of any city exclusive, give your sample a fair trial.
- Day one, normal routine: spray once on each wrist in the morning. Smell it every couple of hours and note when it changes.
- Day two, warm conditions: wear it during a walk or a busy day to see how heat affects it.
- Day three, ask for feedback: wear it around friends or family and notice whether anyone comments.
If you still reach for it on day three, it is probably worth the investment. Our guide on how to buy perfume online has more tips for testing before you commit, and our article on finding the right perfume for your body chemistry explains why scents smell different on different people.
Common Mistakes When Buying “Rosé’s Perfume”
- Buying the wrong Le Labo. Le Labo has many numbered scents. Citron 28 is the city exclusive; do not confuse it with other citrus scents in the main line.
- Paying a scarcity mark-up. Outside the August to September window, resellers raise prices. Waiting a few months can save a lot.
- Expecting a loud perfume. Citron 28 is refined, not a beast-mode scent. If you want something that fills a room, it will feel too quiet.
- Assuming ambassador equals favourite. Saint Laurent and Tiffany are her fashion partners. That is not the same as her daily perfume.
Packing a Citron 28 Travel Kit
If you are lucky enough to own Citron 28, here is how to take it on the road the way a touring artist might.
- Decant into a small atomiser: it protects your main bottle and fits airline liquid rules. Our guide on how much perfume to bring on a plane has the details.
- Pack a citrus-friendly lotion: unscented or lightly lemony, to help the fragrance last in dry hotel air.
- Keep it out of the sun: beach bags and car dashboards are the fastest way to spoil a citrus perfume.
- Use it to mark memories: wearing one scent throughout a trip ties that scent to the memory of the place.
Gifting Citron 28 to a BLINK
A bottle of Citron 28 is a thoughtful present for a BLACKPINK fan, especially one who loves Seoul or dreams of visiting. Because Le Labo bottles can carry a custom label, you can add the recipient’s name or a short message. If a full bottle is too much, a sample during the city exclusive window, wrapped with a handwritten note about why it is linked to Rosé, still feels special.
Shopping for a fan of the whole group? Pair it with our guides to what perfume Jennie wears, what perfume Jisoo wears and what perfume Lisa wears to build a BLACKPINK scent set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rosé’s signature perfume?
The scent most consistently linked to her is Le Labo Citron 28, Le Labo’s Seoul city exclusive. It is widely reported by beauty media but not something she has described in detail herself.
Is Citron 28 a women’s perfume?
No. Like all Le Labo fragrances, it is unisex. Its lemon, ginger and cedar profile works well on anyone. See our best unisex fragrances for similar picks.
Why can’t I find Citron 28 online?
It is a city exclusive. Outside Seoul, Le Labo usually sells it only during its yearly worldwide window in August and September.
Does Rosé wear YSL perfume?
She is a Saint Laurent fashion ambassador, but we have not found her naming a YSL fragrance as her personal favourite.
How long does Citron 28 last?
On most skin, expect a bright first hour and a soft musky trail for several more. Moisturising first and spraying clothing will extend it.
What is a cheaper alternative to Citron 28?
Look for a lemon and ginger scent with a cedar or musk base, or layer an affordable lemon cologne over a white musk.
Final Boarding Call
Rosé’s perfume tells a small story about her: a bright, modern opening, a warm and gentle heart, and roots in the city where she built her career. Le Labo Citron 28 is not loud and it is not easy to buy, but that is part of its charm. If you can get a sample during the yearly window, try it on a normal day and see how it changes from zest to musk. If not, a well-chosen lemon over clean musk will carry the same mood.
Want more celebrity scent stories? Browse our roundup of what perfumes celebrities wear, or visit the Giftexo shop for authentic designer fragrances.
Disclaimer: Celebrity fragrance preferences change, and this article relies on published media reports. Giftexo is not affiliated with Rosé, BLACKPINK, YG Entertainment, THEBLACKLABEL or Le Labo.
