Rob Lowe on Launching His First Fragrance, 18 Amber Wood

Photo Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Profile

It’s no secret that Rob Lowe has somehow discovered the fountain of youth—or what he prefers to call “starting early.” Luckily, the ridiculously good-looking 52-year-old is sharing his secrets with others.

The Grinder star welcomed a few key members of the press to The Montage Beverly’s uber-VIP whiskey bar, Ten Pound, to launch his first fragrance, 18 Amber Wood; the scent is part of PROFILE, the performance grooming collection for men specifically designed to deliver youthful, healthy-looking skin (a.k.a. Rob Lowe skin) he previously released in the fall.

The fragrance is sensual, and while, it’s made for men, ladies will love the luxurious top notes of Sicilian bergamot, pink pepper and crisp fig leaves, followed by aromatic and spicy blue sage, lavender and cardamom seeds, a base of woody back notes of sandalwood, sequoia bark and red Colorado cedar, too.

The scent, which is sold at Nordstrom, will be available in an eau de parfum and hydrating hair and body wash soon, too.

In case you’re wondering, Lowe named his fragrance after he launched his movie career: he was—you got it—just 18 when The Outsiders premiered in 1983.

Here, the star of films like Oxford Blues, About Last Night, St. Elmo’s Fire and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me as well as TV hits like The West Wing, Californication, Parks and Recreation and Behind the Candleabra sat down with Haute Living to give us a dose of what went into making his first fragrance and what unprecedented, game-changing move he’s making in the sales department. 

Photo Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Profile

We had talked about this back in the day, you were just sort of like putting the idea together.

So you know, when I say ‘it’s been years’ people are like ‘really?’ I’m like ‘Uh, yeah.’

Tell us what’s been going on with the product in the last year-and-a-half since we chatted last. 

Well, after all of the various incarnations of putting together the pieces, the labs, the financial investors, the prototypes, the chemistry, 15 months ago we finally launched with Nordstrom as our strategic partner and the response has been overwhelming. I mean, our little Revive under eye serum is one of the leading sellers in all of Nordstrom’s mens skincare, its our hero product. And for a scrappy, entrepreneurial company to break in like we’ve been able to in 15 months is really a testament to the products.

There was a need for the product which is where you came in. You said ‘Men need to have something.’ They don’t really take care of themselves in the way that they could, so here I’m going to make it easy for you.

That’s exactly right, and I also felt like, because people who have asked me over the years and asked me every single day…what do you do? What are you doing to take care of yourself? What is your regimen? That I felt that it was a natural, organic fit for me to enter that space because clearly, people already trusted me or they wouldn’t be asking these questions.

Well you do look exceptionally young. You look like you’re 31. 

I’ll be 53 next week.

I know you said you’ve been doing stuff with moisturizer and you started early but, do you also owe your looks to good, clean living? 

First of all, it’s genetics, my father is a freak of nature. I don’t drink, and haven’t in 25 years—that’s part of it. I don’t really smoke, I enjoy a cigar here and there. I’m very active. So there’s a lot that goes into it. But everybody has a better version of themselves within themselves, and that’s the aspirational nature of what this line speaks to. Most people don’t have the time to do the things that they need to do, so this makes it easier to get that leg up.

Has your fragrance launched in stores yet? 

Yes, it did, it is out now. I mean it’s soft launched now—our big official launch is next week in Nordstrom’s headquarters in Seattle.

I heard through the grapevine that you’re going to actually get on the phone personally with your sales team to train them. That’s unheard of! 

It’s so surprising to me that nobody has, it feels like a no-brainer. I’m the one that suggested it because one of the things I’ve learned is that, this battle is won and lost on the floor. So you need those sales people to be invested. And I want them to know that this is not a celebrity line. I mean, I’m a celebrity, but it’s a line designed by a man for other men because of a vision that I have for other men. And they need to be able to articulate that to the potential customer as well.

What scent would you correlate to The Grinder?

It would have to be 18 Amber Wood because since the prototype came out,  I’ve been using this everyday on The Grinder. It’s the first role that I’ve had where it’s been in existence so that’s what it reminds me of.

What smell reminds you of the 80s? 

I’m gonna say it’s the smell of hair mousse mixed with Jell-O shooters. let’s go with jell-o shooters

Photo Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Profile