* The bottle looks all elegant and refined, but on first spray, it’s an intense bang of lavender and bergamot.
* It starts off smelling like a regular men’s cologne, nothing special, but just wait because it gets better or worse depending on your mood.
* On good days, I get a spicy floral mix which dries down to an earthy amber.
* On bad days, it’s an evil caustic vetiver that borders on chemical waste. It then fades into a dirty, musky patchouli with a bit of skunk (in a bad way).
Summary: So, I’ve worn this nearly 20 times while testing it in the hope of trying to discern what triggers the different scent journeys. I simply can’t predict which way it will go when I wear it. When it’s good, it’s really amazing. When it’s bad, it puts me in such a bad mood that I feel like torturing unicorns. This is an update of a classic fougere that pretty much defined the category. I’ve never smelled the original, so I can’t compare. All I know is that you should test this several times before you consider buying it. Longevity is good at more than 10 hours either way it goes (either a blessing or a curse). Although a little strong at first, it is office-friendly.
Other opinions:
Now Smell This
The Non-Blonde
That Smell
Persolaise
What Men Should Smell Like
Houbigant fragrances are available through Lucky Scent and Neiman Marcus.
Disclaimer: Bottle given to me as a gift from a friend – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lucky Scent.
