Infusion de Rhubarbe

The Verdict

Infusion de Rhubarbe (2024) is the newest addition to Prada's Les Infusions collection, and it stays faithful to the line's philosophy of elevating a single ingredient against a clean, musky canvas. Created by Daniela Andrier under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, it captures the tart, green bite of rhubarb with genuine skill -- the opening is almost mouthwatering in its juiciness. But this is also a fragrance that embodies both the best and worst qualities of the Infusion line: beautiful, refined, effortlessly wearable, and frustratingly fleeting. With 38% of Fragrantica voters calling it a favorite and a 3.95 average rating, the community appreciates the concept but keeps circling back to the same complaint -- it does not last long enough to justify the price.

What It Smells Like

The opening is the star of the show. Green Mandarin arrives first with a burst of citrus brightness, but it steps aside almost immediately for the real protagonist: Rhubarb. And this rhubarb accord is genuinely impressive. It is tart, crisp, and zingy -- one reviewer described it as "fresh, tart, crispy, zingy and photo-realistic," with a sparkling, almost carbonated texture. There is a mouthwatering, sour-candy quality that makes the first few minutes genuinely exciting. Some noses pick up more kiwi than rhubarb, which is a fair read -- both share that green-acidic brightness.

As the tartness mellows, a soft rose absolute emerges in the heart, adding a silky, slightly powdery floral quality that tempers the green sharpness without overwhelming it. This is not a bold, garish rose; it is delicate and almost transparent, letting the rhubarb continue to play the lead.

The drydown lands on the Infusion line's signature base: Aldehydes, clean Musk, and sheer Citruses -- what Prada calls the "esprit d'infusion." It is airy, skin-like, and softly soapy, like freshly laundered cotton with a lingering memory of fruit. One Fragrantica reviewer captured it well: "a girly fragrance fronted by garden green and juicy fruit that ends in rain-soaked cottons."

When to Wear It

This is a warm weather fragrance through and through. Spring and summer are its natural habitat -- it reads as fresh, clean, and effortlessly put-together in heat. The community voting is decisive: 29% daytime versus just 3% evening. Wear it to the office, to brunch, running errands, or anywhere you want to smell polished without making a statement. It is not a date-night fragrance, not an evening fragrance, and not a cold-weather fragrance. It whispers rather than shouts, and it works best in settings where that restraint is a virtue.

Longevity & Projection

Here is the elephant in the room. Performance is the most consistent criticism of Infusion de Rhubarbe, and honestly, the critics have a point. The rhubarb top notes are vivid for about an hour before beginning to soften. The floral-musky heart sustains for another 3-4 hours on most skin, then fades to a barely-there base. Some wearers report catching whiffs up to 8-9 hours later, but at whisper-level projection. Others -- and this is not a small minority -- report near-total disappearance within 30 minutes.

On fabric, the story is different. Multiple reviewers report excellent longevity on clothing, with one noting the scent was "still wafting strong on the cuffs of my jumper" two days after application. If longevity matters to you, spraying on clothes is worth considering.

Within the Infusion line, Rhubarbe sits at the lighter end of the performance spectrum -- comparable to or slightly weaker than Infusion d'Iris. However, it significantly outperforms the obvious competitor, Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate, where the rhubarb note famously vanishes within half an hour.

The Community Says

Fans tend to be genuinely enthusiastic. One Fragrantica reviewer called it "the most clean girl, it girl perfume of all time," finding it "so pretty, delicious and totally addictive." The opening moments, they said, are "extremely bright and tart, nearly mouthwatering." Another praised the rhubarb accord as "neither gourmand nor vegetal, just beautifully nuanced," with a subtle tartness that mellows and becomes airy.

The comparisons to Hermes are frequent and tend to favor Prada. One reviewer who tried both side by side noted that "the Hermes rhubarb disappears in about 30 minutes whereas Prada's rhubarb has much better longevity" -- a win for the Infusion.

But the skeptics are vocal too. One reviewer described the opening as "hairspray fruit and chemicals" followed by a standard musky rose, concluding it is "not as exciting as the other Infusions." The price-to-performance ratio draws the most fire: "really nice and crisp, but not sure it's worth the price" is a sentiment that appears across multiple platforms.

Who Should Buy This

If you love the Prada Infusion line's clean, skin-scent aesthetic and want a summer-friendly addition with genuine personality, Rhubarbe delivers. It is perfect for anyone who finds most fresh fragrances boring and wants that tart, green twist without venturing into niche territory. The rhubarb accord is well-executed and genuinely distinctive.

Avoid it if longevity is non-negotiable for you. At $180 for 100ml, a fragrance that reliably lasts 3-5 hours on skin is a tough sell for many buyers. Also skip if you need projection -- this is a skin scent after the first hour, and in a busy environment, no one beyond arm's-length distance will notice it. If you want a rhubarb fragrance that lasts and projects, this category still lacks a definitive winner, but Rhubarbe is not quite it either.

The Bottom Line

Infusion de Rhubarbe is a beautifully crafted fragrance with a genuinely exciting opening and a frustrating performance ceiling. The rhubarb accord is among the best in the category -- tart, photorealistic, and playful in a way that most citrus-fresh fragrances never achieve. But the rapid fadeout means you are paying luxury prices for what is essentially a two-hour experience on skin. Within the Infusion line, it fits perfectly. As a standalone purchase for the performance-minded buyer, it is harder to recommend without reservations.