FRAGRANCE | Habit Rouge EDT by Guerlain: A classic masterpiece that simply transcends time

halfwhiteboy - Guerlain Habit Rouge EDT 01

Guerlain's Habit Rouge EDT is one of those fragrances that wowed me from the very first spritz. I remember being overwhelmed by this complex blend of sheer beauty that I couldn't make out what it was. I tried picking out the notes but I was totally lost and couldn't identify any, so I simply surrendered to its intoxicating grace and enjoyed the moment. Only after a few more occasions was I able to sit down and somehow analyze this wonderful creation.

A vibrant and realistic lemon springs up at the onset, underscored by something bitter and herbal but fleeting. The lemon continues to shine, bereft of any annoying sharpness but never stripped of its essence. Meanwhile, a soft, powdery, rose-centric floral circles around, gradually closing in before finally taking over. I'm sure there's a lot more at play in this stylized treatment because the rose belies its usual character and refuses to be pigeonholed into simply either light and fresh or deep and dark. It's like Amouage Opus X but instead of a postmodernist take, Habit Rouge embraces old-school completely. 

halfwhiteboy - Guerlain Habit Rouge EDT 02

In hindsight, I suspect the powdery facet could be due to cinnamon, which has a similar effect on Boucheron Jaipur Homme. There's also a vanillic sweetness coursing through, adding yet another layer to the composition without being too much. Later, a very soft leather emerges, which is far from the leather I'm accustomed to. It carries with it the faintest of animalic notes that it's probably only noticeable when you stick your nose to where you sprayed. I also get hints of something woody and mossy far in the background. This is classic Guerlain in that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, where you know that there's a multitude of notes used but almost no one is a clear standout.

Performance is fairly good. I get at least 2 hours of moderate projection before it starts mellowing. The scent itself can last through most of the day but I always opt for resprays just because I want to. Since it's not a heavy scent, Habit Rouge scores points for versatility while its classic-style profile allows it to be worn in both formal and casual occasions. It's hard to go wrong with this; it just oozes with class. Even though it's marketed as a men's frag, I don't find the scent to be particularly restrictive, so I believe any woman can wear it with ease. Moreover, to my nose there are facets it shares with another Guerlain women's classic, Shalimar.

This is a 60s masterpiece that thankfully Guerlain has reinterpreted and reintroduced in the early 2000s. It skews a little older in style and taste but it doesn't feel dated at all. With a scent profile that I don't see a lot in today's releases, coupled with its complexity and masterful blending, Habit Rouge is a fragrance that simply transcends time and one that you simply must try, if not own.

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