Fougère Royale Houbigant

Lavender and bergamot crash through with herbal insistence, the Moroccan chamomile adding a slightly anise-tinged warmth that feels more apothecary than floral. The Mediterranean herbs create an almost bracing freshness—you're immediately alert, slightly invigorated, as though having pressed your face into a dried herb sachet.

The rose absolute blooms with surprising richness around the ninety-minute mark, and here the cinnamon arrives to flirt dangerously with it. Geranium's peppery character emerges, creating a spiced-floral core that oscillates between powdery softness and subtle heat. The composition develops an almost creamy texture as carnation joins the conversation, adding a clove-like sophistication that elevates this beyond simple florals.

What remains is predominantly oakmoss and clary sage, with coumarin providing a soft amber foundation. The patchouli emerges as a whispered bassline, earthy and slightly astringent. The fragrance becomes progressively more woody and resinous, collapsing into itself—a scent that demands proximity to appreciate rather than project.