See Prices

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Lutèce Houbigant 1984 Eau de Toilette

8.2 / 10 20 Ratings

A popular perfume by Houbigant for women, released in 1984. The scent is floral-woody. The production was apparently discontinued.
Pronunciation Compare

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Floral

Woody

Powdery

Spicy

Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Geranium

Aldehydes

Mandarin orange

Brazilian rosewood

Heart Notes

Cedar

Lily of the valley

Orris root Vetiver

Vetiver

Peony

Rosemary

Base Notes

Heliotrope Musk

Musk

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Tonka bean

Ratings

Scent

8.220 Ratings

Longevity

7.819 Ratings

Sillage

6.718 Ratings

Bottle

6.229 Ratings

Submitted by Lissy · last update on 03/10/2024.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

In 1994 Dana earned the trademark rights.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Ombre Rose L'Original Eau de Parfum

Lutèce Parfum

Lutèce Eau de Parfum

Etoffes de Parfum - Soie Sage

Lutèce Light Cologne

Dark Amber & Ginger Lily

Reviews

2 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/27/2013

BronxBeauty
58 Reviews

BronxBeauty

Helpful Review 3

Peony-Iris-Powder

Houbigant Lutece, launched with a splash in 1984 (I remember the advertising featured a ritzy-looking blond), is what you might call a gothic floral: a deathly dark peony-iris concoction that becomes drier and more powdery the longer it hangs on. (Many have noted that it is reminiscent of Ombre Rose Original -- see the darkness motif?) Like a number of fumes from Houbigant's catalogue, Lutece got sold to Dana, which promptly ruined it. Ah well.

01/09/2014

10Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

Seerose
775 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Seerose

Top Review

beautiful classic - still contemporary

What do I see: Not commented yet? It's about time, Water Lily: Get to work!
Lutèce is one of the classics from the second half of the 20th century that I would still consider buying today. Many heavy, musk-laden orientals from that time have never won me over. For me, they have rightly been replaced by more modern, complex, and lighter fragrances. But I didn't know Lutèce back then. In general, the Houbigant fragrances are still unmatched for me. For example, when I think of "Quelques Fleurs".
I have a sample of the vintage version, both an EdP and an extrait/perfume in a mini bottle, for testing. The extrait is even more restrained and the expression of the individual notes is more intertwined.
Lutèce starts with a harsh woody note, underlaid with a zesty citrus scent - I would rather suspect kumquat than mandarin - and spices. The fine rosewood smells authentic and slightly bitter.
The further development reveals even more spicy fougère notes, while a bright citrus accord remains above it all. Thus, Lutèce still stays light and unobtrusive. I don't miss the musk that often seems too dominant and intrusive for me during this time, which only appears as a hint or rather seems to be included in the list. The flowers play second fiddle. I would neither classify Lutèce as a floral fragrance nor as a harsh chypre. Nevertheless, with its woodiness, the distinctly perceivable rosemary, and some spices, Lutèce seems to me to be a modern form of a chypre.
As soon as the heart note opens up, I can also smell the soapy aldehydes. Smoky vetiver, which I can't perceive individually here, and cedar create a unique potpourri with the floral scents.
Resinous amber notes, which are not listed, keep the fragrance overall balsamic, spicy, woody, and bitter-herb for a long time.
The heliotrope with tonka and vanilla, cinnamon in the base, allows the fragrance to fade gourmand after a long time without completely losing the balsamic-woody and yet always slightly zesty citrus accord.
Even though I dissect these individual notes so meticulously and strive to identify them with intense sniffing: It is a wonderfully composed perfume as a whole.
I wonder if Dana's version has remained just as unique? Hopefully, it would be nice.