ChrisG86

Anyone who knows me and my statements and reviews a little knows that I am a lover of Habit Rouge. I have had the pleasure of testing and enjoying it in almost all its facets. Some of the older versions I can even count among my collection.

I was able to experience the original Habit Rouge through both the Habit Rouge Eau de Cologne and a 1999 version of the EDT.

Today's version of the EDT differs particularly in the top note from the original versions. In the base, they are similar, but not entirely.

HR takes me back to the past. Anyone who knows my review of Habit Rouge Rouge Privé knows what I'm talking about.
The scent transports me to a Paris during the Baroque period. To the Roaring Twenties and into the wild 70s. I am completely captivated by this wonderful fragrance aura.

Naturally, I had to get a sample of the "Habit Rouge (Extrait) | Guerlain."

The Extrait starts much juicier, darker, more voluminous, and deeper than the EDT. Everything feels so much clearer. As if the EDT has a veil over it, the Extrait lifts this aside, allowing all the notes to be recognized much more distinctly. Less powdery in the progression than the EDT. Instead, it is juicier and purer due to the orange. As if the EDT, which is already nearly perfect, has undergone a special maturation process, which it probably did.
In the heart, I perceive a fresh vanilla and green patchouli. The leather note occasionally emerges briefly in the progression, only to disappear again for a while. A peaceful battle of notes. A fireworks display for the sense of smell. Time and again, I am enveloped by a cloud of bliss. Terms like depth, juicy, character, art, magnificent, etc. come to mind.

And unfortunately also terms like: What a shame, oh no, why can’t I get it anymore.

If the EDT were a film adaptation of a book, then the Extrait would be the book. Much more intense in content.

Yes, beauty has its price. This does not only refer to the monetary aspect but also to the time price one pays when born at the wrong time and missing out on such things that can no longer be obtained.

Of course, one can resort to alternatives like the EDP. But no, this too does not reach the perfection of the Extrait, although it is beautiful in its own way.

Many thanks to my Parfumo friend Mario for the sample and to all readers of this review, which does not even come close to reflecting the beauty of the scent and my feelings in full.

Peace!

Dear readers, first and foremost, I want to confess that I am a big Habit Rouge fan. I own both a current version of the EDT and a version from before the reformulation. Additionally, the EdP and even the EdC have found a place in my collection. Fortunately, I also received a sample of the Extrait, which I cherish like a treasure, as it is unfortunately no longer available. So, I do not go too far when I call myself an admirer. It is one of my absolute favorites.

Habit Rouge has been writing a success story since 1965. But not only the original, many of the flankers released since the original Habit Rouge have also been well received.
However, 2022 was a dark year for most Habit Rouge fans. The Jelk's L'INSTINKT tortured the people. I was full of expectations when I read about the release. Perhaps more intense? Maybe stronger? Perhaps longer lasting? Those were my expectations. Well, like most people here in the forum, I also saw how the rider in the red tailcoat fell off the horse for the first time under the guidance of the new trainer Jelk. A complete misinterpretation of the beautiful classic. However, one quickly forgives such an experienced athlete for his faux pas. After all, once is not enough. In 2023, he immediately got back on the horse and appeared in a new dark red outfit. Wow, I thought. What’s coming? It can only be better than last year..., right?

Well, one of my basic principles is not to dwell on bad or negative things, or at least not for long, because that takes away time for the beautiful things.
Therefore, I generally do not take the time to write reviews about perfumes that I do not like. Short statements are enough for me, which I consider more as a reminder for myself, in case I should hold that scent in my hands again.
However, with HR Prive, I must let my air out, as I am on the brink of despair. I will therefore make an exception and deviate from my principles. But before I let tear-filled eyes rain down on the new HR Prive, I must first explain to the esteemed reader how I understand the original HR.

Whenever I wear the original HR, I embark on a little time travel into the past. It all begins sometime in the eighteenth century. I see powdered men and women in Baroque clothing before me, leading me through imposing castles and beautiful castle gardens. I then find myself in the rosy glow and exuberance of a Paris or New York in the Roaring Twenties. Women in Charleston dresses and gentlemen in fine suits and black ties celebrate exuberantly with me in the Cotton Club or at the Moulin Rouge. Another time jump: This time to the wild Seventies. The charming Sean Connery shakes my hand. We chat a bit about his role in the recently released James Bond film, Dr. No. He forgives my modest English skills. Bye Sean.
Finally, my journey ends back in the present. Before me is my computer on which I am currently working, a coffee to my left, and a feeling of bliss that I have brought back as a souvenir from my little time travel.

Rarely has a perfume captivated and swept me away, taken me by the hand, and given me a good feeling. Made me nostalgic and even romantic. HR is like a photo of a place I have never been or a past time in which I have never lived but would like to get to know. It slows me down. It is a refuge from the hectic present. Perhaps a feeling of longing for the foreign? (No, I haven't smoked Black Afgano Extrait de Parfum)

In Woody Allen's film "Midnight in Paris," a phenomenon similar to the one described above is shown: The protagonist, a writer, lives in the 21st century but loves the romantic twenties and the writers from that time and mysteriously travels to a Paris of the twenties regularly at midnight. He is under the crazy conviction that another time, in which he has never lived - in this case, the twenties - is better than his own. In the film, this phenomenon is called Golden-Age-Thinking (Golden Age Syndrome). It is a kind of escape or rejection of one's own present and the erroneous or even naive assumption that those times were better, even though one has never experienced them. Of course, I am aware that these centuries, epochs, and decades also had their downsides. And yet, I would have liked to experience them.

I could write more about HR, the original, but I am digressing too much. This is not about the original HR.

The new HR goes straight for the jugular. It bypasses my beloved top note of the original. I miss the powdery note that reminds me of the 18th century. The slightly sweet rose that catapults me into the twenties is completely absent. The zesty, sparkling, carefree flair of the seventies is far too overloaded in the Prive by the intense bergamot. Instead, bergamot and leather play the leading roles in the Prive and remain consistently present without much development. The bergamot strongly reminds me of creations from the house of Acqua di Parma, which I do not get along with well. However, the connection to equestrian sports is somewhat clearer in the Prive due to the strong leather compared to the original. But that does not make it better. Above all, there is a slightly chemical nuance that I find repulsive. In the base, however, the familial resemblance to the original is again recognizable, but in the Prive, it still seems too strict.
Overall, I find that it lacks the class and style of the original at all points and ends. It does not possess the purity of the Extrait, nor the depth and density of the EdP, and also not the lightness of the EdC.
I perceive the Prive merely as a creation with a certain resemblance to the original in the drydown. It is not a guide or a time machine, as the original is for me. Perhaps I am too strict and my expectations too high. But what the original triggers in me is my personal benchmark, so it has to stand up to the comparison. Therefore, my rating for the Prive cannot be good.
Is there now uncertainty at the house of Guerlain or regarding the abilities of Ms. Jelk? Has a limited version of the Prive been created as a result of the supposed failure of L'INSTINKT to create an additional purchasing incentive while also limiting the damage of another failure?

I am happy for everyone who finds pleasure in the new HR Prive and apologize if I have covered positive impressions or expectations of the scent with the veil of disillusionment. I remain loyal to my original. Someday, I wish for a reissue of the Extrait, which is no longer available, as it would still be the crowning glory for my collection.

To finally answer my headline: Yes, he has fallen off the horse for the second time for me... and that is due to the trainer.

In conclusion, I thank all readers for this exhausting review. I take no responsibility for any lasting damage.

Through a friendly perfume enthusiast, I stumbled upon a sample of HR EdT. I must shamefully admit that I never had the Guerlain brand in focus and therefore did not know what to expect. Completely unbiased, I tested HR. What I felt in the first moments after the spray could be described as romantic-nostalgic bliss. I instantly found myself in a Paris of the 20s and 30s. Even though the fragrance is from the 60s, I associate it with a time when life was enjoyed in every second, far removed from the stressful pace of today.

So much has already been said and written about the scent that I do not feel capable of writing a completely new perspective or interpretation of it. Therefore, I would like to keep it brief and refer to the title of this review as I proceed.

HR starts citrusy-rosy-powdery. The top note is beautiful and unique. However, the opening does not linger on my skin for long, quickly revealing the vanilla aspect. This rapid development frustrates me, as I particularly appreciate the opening of this fragrance. In contrast, I find the following part, the heart and base of the perfume, to be unremarkable.

Transience:

On one hand, it is the opening, and on the other hand, the scent overall that disappears too quickly. The longevity is not insignificantly low. I would have loved to assert or report something different and join the numerous impressions in this forum, but unfortunately, the scent is only short-lived.

On my clothing, both the top note and the fragrance last significantly longer. However, I generally resist spraying my clothes with perfumes, as I prefer to wear neutrally scented clothing. Furthermore, I dare to claim that the quality of the scent only comes into its own on the skin.

I am now increasingly turning my attention to the EdP version, hoping that the longevity is at least better here.

Nevertheless, I would like to express my great respect for this creation. A wonderful masterpiece that, despite its minor flaws, will always have a place in my collection and in my heart.

Thank you for reading.

Peace!

Suitable actor: Bill Murray

Since my teenage years, I haven't drunk as much as I did last night. I believe it was an entire bottle of rum or whiskey that I emptied. Maybe both. The occasion was probably the breakup with my girlfriend. Yesterday, she ended things with me.

My name is Ben T. Ley. And this is my story of the week.

My girlfriend's name was Pepper. We met two weeks ago at the mall. I was just about to quickly grab a frozen pizza when I ran into her around 9:00 PM in the clothing department. She was looking at some handbags while I pretended to pick up a leather handbag. The smell of leather hung in the air, which I actually can't stand. But somehow, I had to look busy so I could take a closer look at her.

When she finally looked over at me, our eyes met. She smiled slightly and walked over to me. When she stood in front of me, she said that it was a nice handbag, but that a women's handbag didn't suit me. Embarrassed, I put the bag back and we started talking.

The name Pepper was fitting, as she truly had a lot of spice in her. She was constantly on the go. Whether at parties, traveling, or at various events. Always restless. She trained a lot and participated in various fitness classes. I'm more of the complete opposite. I'm the quiet type. On weekends, I'd rather watch a movie, with a bag of chips and dressed in my favorite hoodie. That was my thing.

I think that was ultimately the reason for the end of the relationship. Nice as she was, she explained to me that she was sorry because I was such a nice guy. She had fallen in love with her new fitness trainer, who has been leading the pelvic floor training class since the beginning of the week (I've never heard of such a muscle, but I'm not an expert in that area). The guy's name is Pat. Actually, as she explained, his full name was Patrick Chou Li. But everyone in the studio just called him Pat.

Well, in the end, it was a short pleasure with Pepper. And with her, all thoughts of leather handbags, rum, and Pat Chou Li have vanished.

The end
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Unfortunately, this scent disappointed me completely. I confess that I was influenced by good reviews and ratings from certain YouTubers. High quality and affordable. Sounds good. The fragrance notes also appealed to me: I only smell pepper briefly at the beginning. Then something alcoholic follows that I can't define. The finish is a light note of patchouli. I can't say much more about the notes. Overall, an unharmonious scent that I had high hopes for, but which doesn't fit my collection or me at all.

The longevity and sillage are indeed good. The price, of course, unbeatable.

Still, not a scent I want to wear.

Thanks for reading. I hope my impression of Bentley for Men Intense came across a bit.

Peace!

During my time as a perfume enthusiast, I have naturally come across leather fragrances time and again. I admit I am not a fan of leather scents, and so far, no leather fragrance - and I mean perfumes where leather plays the main role - has convinced me to make a purchase. I found most of them too animalistic, sour, intrusive, or fruity.

Driven by the feeling that even a modest perfume collection would not be complete without a leather scent, I continued to search for a candidate.
In this pursuit, I could not overlook AdP CL:

AdP Colonia Leather is an absolute masterpiece. You can feel with the first spray how much passion went into creating this perfume. It has such outstanding quality and creates an extremely authentic image of leather for me. And that is the problem.

By now, my taste in perfumes has largely solidified. I like fougere, spicy, and especially woody scents. When I wear a perfume, I try to choose it according to the occasion. It should also match the wardrobe I am wearing. Leather, in most cases, does not fit either the occasion or my preferred clothing. While I own two leather jackets and a leather messenger bag, the jackets are rarely used these days, and the bag just sits in the corner of my office. So how does a leather scent fit into my life? AdP CL feels to me like carrying a leather garment with you. It smells so authentically of leather that you inevitably find yourself searching for a corresponding piece of clothing. If I were perhaps working in a store specializing in leather clothing, this scent would be an ideal complementary good. What I mean is: I cannot imagine an occasion to wear this beautiful scent unless I also want to start regularly wearing leather pants.

It is such a shame because the quality and authenticity of this fragrance are outstanding. A true artisan masterpiece. For me, it is also the best and only leather scent that I appreciate and would ever buy. In terms of development, longevity, and sillage, CL is more than an excellent representative of the leather category. What other leather perfumes get wrong, CL gets right. And yet, I cannot buy it.

How do I rate a fragrance that I find artisanally and qualitatively excellent but does not align well with my lifestyle? Since there is no category for wearability, I must incorporate this very important factor into my evaluation of the scent and make deductions.

The brown collection from AdP is no longer available. However, leftover stock can still be purchased in some places. I fear that one day I will regret not having bought this scent.

Thanks for reading.

Peace!