Description
First introduced in 1882, Fougère Royale completely revolutionized the world of perfumes and established modern perfumery as it exists today. Fougère Royale was the first “fougère” (or fern-like) perfume ever created, establishing a completely new fragrance family which still remains today the most popular family in men’s fragrances: Brut by Fabergé, Paco Rabanne, Azzarro, Boss by Hugo Boss and Prada by Prada for Men belong to this family. But even more important Houbigant was also the first perfume house to discover how to isolate particular molecules from natural raw materials and more specifically the coumarin, which is isolated from the tonka beans.
Today and in character with our past, the House of Houbigant has revived this outstanding classic in an elegant and contemporary style. The formula has been re-worked masterfully in collaboration with the perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, head perfumer at Givaudan.
A word from Rodrigo: “I am absolutely thrilled, and feel extremely privileged, to have been summoned by the House of Houbigant to participate in this part of the Fougère Royale being reborn. As a perfumer, I can say this is a one-in-a-life-time gift.”
Fougère Royale opens with an uplifting cocktail of sparkling citrus oils that blends into an aromatic bouquet of Mediterranean herbs, where lavender and Moroccan chamomile oil dictate the tempo. A redolent heart follows, where the floral-spicy “Rondeletia” accord is revealed through rich geranium nuances and warm spices.
A floral intermezzo showcases rare rose essences and absolutes, spiked by pepper, cinnamon and carnation. Finally, a grand finale of earthy, ambery and woody harmonies, where moss notes join a sensual patchouli theme enriched by warm coumarinic undertones of tonka beans and clary sage absolute.
All the details present on the original design have been incorporated but the over all look has been revisited to make it more masculine and modern. Each little square is cut in the glass in a diamond shape, which gives more luminosity to the bottle. The details on the shoulders of the bottle maintain the art deco spirit of the beginning of the1900s The front and back of the bottle have a cushion/ curved effect that gives the bottle a more opulent effect.
To celebrate the rebirth of this inimitable fragrance, we have decided to sublime the formula into a Perfume version. To make Fougère Royale Perfume we have used exclusively the finest quality of raw materials that exists. The Fougère Royale perfume edition is showcased into a hard-wood lacquered box on which the logo Fougère Royale has been carved.
The Line:
Fougère Royale Eau de Parfum 100ml and
Fougère Royale Pur parfum 100ml. Fougere Royale (2010) was launched in 2010. The nose behind this fragrance is Rodrigo Flores-Roux.
 Houbigant){kind=link}
cdtc – :
The history of this fragrance and this house is well known, so I won’t belabor the heritage.
The fragrance opens with a big blast of soft citrus and sharp lavender and then goes into a green middle that also features sage, cinnamon and florals. The base notes of oakmoss and amber round this out beautifully.
I have never been a huge fan of Fougeres, but I like this a lot. The only other similar scent I have liked has been Floris Santal. And similar to Floris, what stands out here is the quality of the components and the fact that is seems all natural/botanicals derived.
I think this is probably too old school to be worn by a younger crowd and really does well with a suit and tie. But it also seems at home for a night out on the town. It is much more manly than it may seem on first sniff as my kids and wife all commented on how awesome it smelled like a man that came in from the woods. Something I didn’t pick up on at all.
Longevity is merely average, so I don’t expect this to last more than 6 hours or so and sillage is also moderate. At $60, I consider this to be a fantastic price for a modern -classic masterpiece.
albatros1974 – :
Finally pulled the trigger and bought FR…. it is as advertised “true Barbershop scent.” On my skin it isn’t beast mode. I get just a whimper every now an then and that’s with 5 sprays. Bottom line it is a fairly long-lasting, Delicate scent.
Update: 2nd try… I sprayed juice on clothen and got better projection..
Dimitrio83 – :
As a huge fan of aromatic fougeres aka barbershop scents, after some research I discovered that this is considered the original or “OG” if you will.
I own and love YSL Rive Gauche, MDCI Invasion Barbar, Fougere 1942 Nobile, 1725 Cassanova, etc.
So I was beyond excited to try what is considered the forefather to all of them. Especially since it was so highly rated and praised by the fragcom.
Having said that, alas Im sorry to report that to me, it was kind of a disappointment.
Im not saying it’s horrible or anything. But I was expecting a masterpiece and I honestly prefer all of the other ones mentioned above. Why? This one just doesnt feel as complex or pleasant, nor as modern (obviously). It also contained a note I cant define but dont love (almost like dill like in a dill pickle lol, but Im sure Im wrong).
Maybe I will grow to like it more but as of right now, I dont think its worth my money.
Also found the performance/longetivity to be just ok on my skin.
Overall, its pleasant and high end, but not my favorite barbershop scent by a long shot – in fact its probably my least favorite although it has some stiff competition in my collection bc I think I have some of the best.
I find barbershop scents in general arent huge compliment getters (especially to women), bc they dont come off as modern. That doesnt stop me from loving and wearing them, however I think this would probably get even fewer compliments than all the other ones in my collection. I dont see myself wearing this very much when I have so many other ones I prefer.
Steves.McCurry – :
Is this a compliment getter?
I was at the mall and on the down escalator was this chubby maybe 10-year old boy behind me who suddenly said, “Sir, I like your cologne!” I told him what it was and I’m sure he wouldn’t remember it(but who knows…?).
I thought it was all gone from the couple of sprays I did in the morning but apparently my body heat (from my walk from the parking lot to the mall) produced considerable sillage for him to notice.
Anyway, that comment left a small smile on my face. The boy has taste, he may just grow up to be a fraghead!
Катюшка 91))) – :
This is quite the introduction to a Fougere for me.
Very fresh and green opening.
1 hour in, there’s an incredibly smooth balance between the citrus, sage, and sweet from the tonka and amber, which give everything a fat dewy note.
4 hours in it’s mainly moss and patchouli.
vitas323 – :
I agree with the user “Narcotic Perfume”, initially, it does have similarities to Amouage Jubilation. Actually, this was my first impression, but I thought I was going crazy, since the note pyramid seems to be very different. But the patchouli is noticable in both of them, and they both share the cinnamon-rose combo. Considering that this is a remake of the archetypal fougere, I’m surprised that it doesn’t appear to be a very fresh fragrance at all. Quite a lot of sweetness. No “old world” barbershop impression either. Appears quite modern, and to my mind, not worth the price that comes with the name.
moncler piumino – :
After the bright opening, this settles down very similar to John Varvatos Dark Rebel!
dmw834speagoessenda – :
I’m so glad I finally made this mine. I tried it in about 2013 I think? (I’m sure I penned a review… obviously not) managing to score a few samples and I was very impressed, with a classic and brilliantly executed fougere. However, other fragrances took priority and it’s taken me until now to make it mine. Seemingly simple at first but has loads of layers and depth to it. The opening is fresh bergamot but only for a split second before waves of green, lushness and aromatic lavender and camomile embrace the senses. This truly evokes the natural, fern smell of the fougere name perfectly. The settled fragrance fritz between this lightwieght, upbeat, perfumery and a darker more earthy and masculine heart. This juxtaposition of contradictory, Schrodinger’s cat-esque, super states is what true art can do for you. It has two main constituents which I love and that’s geranium and carnation and they come on strong in the drydown. There’s also an element of something a bit hand cream like and waxy even, slightly unpleasant (clary sage I reckon) peeking through only at times making the intrigue build even more. As we go right into the drydown the patchouli in the base kicks more and more giving it more substance and dirt. For a fougere with such green credentials so strange that it has shades of oriental warmth about it too. It starts to get a bit like Opium pour Homme, or even Bois 1920 Sushi Imperiale all that hazy carnation and spice.
Almost faultless perfumery, I’m charmed by Fougere Royale it’s superb. Guys you need to get this stuff. It’s not the strongest fragrance in the world but the quality is there and if you over spray it like I did, it performs very satisfactorily indeed.
WhiteBear – :
The fougere genre is a very prominent one in mens’ fragrances and actually represents the first time a synthetic aromachemical was used – coumarin, to replicate the scent of tonka beans. ‘Fougere’ means fern in French and it was thought that if ferns had any scent, they would smell like a mixture of aromatic lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin. Houbigant’s Fougere Royale was in fact the first fougere fragrance in history and from which the genre is named. The original formulation of Fougere Royale is nowhere to be found (as it came out over 200 years ago) but fortunately for us, Houbigant released a modern re-issue of the fragrance in 2010. As for the scent, it is an interesting blend of oriental and green fougere notes. To my nose, I detect a very herbal and old-fashioned lavender being the dominant note along with geranium, on a background of green notes, as well as very strong notes of chamomile, tonka beans, cinnamon, and amber that together give the impression of caramel. It smells as if you mixed a traditional fougere with an oriental amber fragrance. I am sure the original Fougere Royale did not smell like this, but I quite enjoy the modern re-issue all the same simply due to its uniqueness in this regard. The overall vibe of the scent I get is a brownish-green (the brown from the amber, and green from the fougere notes). Sillage is moderate while longevity is also quite good at about 8 hours on my skin. It is a well made and quality fragrance.
4.5/5
innothisa – :
Very smooth and refined, fresh green scent. It’s a modern enough take on a fougere to be worn by all ages in my opinion. A fragrance suitable for many occasions, especially good for when you want to just smell clean and professional. A colleague at work commented that it smelled nice and that he kept getting wafts of it every now and again which was nice – I felt that it performed well as it is noticeable throughout the day.
kam0 – :
Em… It has nothing to do with Opium on my skin, I think you might be missing something, maybe Jazz, no? It’s pretty much of a classic fougere which smells incredibly aromatic for the first ~ 20 minutes, and then settles down to a mossy base. Nice but too expensive, unfortunately. That’s it.
medvedev – :
Got my full bottle and the juice is as good as the sample I had a while back. It does evoke the dewy greenness of a fern filled forest. Or maybe my imagination is on overdrive. Which is not a bad thing.
zinch – :
Smells like a mix of…90% YSL Opium / 8% Cerruti(Nino)1881 / 2% Davidoff Goodlife
Thankfully it’s mostly Opium!! 8-10 hrs longevity..
9/10
all_Night – :
First thing that came to mind: Aramis Tuscany. Another aromatic Fougere
It took many hours to get past the very old vibe.
I had only one spray on the back of my hand. Spraid it in the garden. Once I got in the house my wife kind of run upstairs. She doesn’t like me wearing perfumes in the house (that is her problem)
I guess it was that powerful.
With a big bottle I like to spray, but I will be careful with this one. It will overpower.
Will update after a few wearings.
aturdus – :
Does what it says on the box:
These days the best/most coveted scents are most often discontinued and/or hard to find, yet surprisingly not so overpriced as to be completely unobtainable.
Reading the bio for Fougère Royale, it reads as a map to the fragrant Mecca for the devout, so of course I found it and bought it. Mainly to further educate myself, as I’m just starting as a student of the aromatic sciences.
The first few wearings of this were pure Oakmoss (to the point of being followed/peed on by wild animals and having burly homeless men looking at me askew then asking which bridge I was living under), but as the bottle breathed a little it has settled into a confident and vibrant herbaceous pungency with a chromed spice finish that seems to have followed an olde worlde formula, but can’t escape the modern requirements/restrictions of perfumery on a commercial scale.
It does stand out noticeably from off the shelf, mainstream stuff, but unless you’re a die-hard Fougère boffin, or a collector of re-formulations; you could probably live the rest of your days without it and be no worse off.
Like it (and the bottle), but could never take it to bed.
boifrend – :
Foodies—those culinary counterparts to Frag Heads—know all too well that we eat with our eyes as much as with our mouths. The presentation of a meal affects our enjoyment as much as the taste itself.
It’s the same with fragrance. The bottle design, packaging, reputation, status, price, history, and so on, all influence our impression of a fragrance, to some degree.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of Houbigant Fougère Royale. The name itself is legend. The history and provenance is the stuff of fiction. The bottle is art. All these create a powerful impression before we even take our first sniff.
Individuals who choose to debate the “authenticity” of the present issue are already set up for disappointment. Others, swept away in the romantic narrative are primed to love it. How you approach Fougère Royale is a personal matter.
In the final analysis, you’ll either like it or you won’t. But it may—and should—take you some time to arrive at a true impression. This requires you to get a grip on your emotions, to reconcile historical inconsistencies, detach yourself from expectations and simply allow yourself to become familiar with the fragrance on its own merit.
Resist your knee-jerk reaction—the desire for an immediate black or white, love it or hate it conclusion.
Live with it a while…get comfortable with it. Enjoy the stages of development. Then, you begin to fully appreciate Fougère Royale as an original, artfully conceived, masterfully blended, high-quality, masculine fragrance in the classic mode. It’s a beautifully made fragrance. I like it more and more. And yes, that bottle alone is an objet d’art.
gapRereprep – :
WOW a very nice juice from start to finish. Very similar to Bracken Man by Amouage. I find this to be a nice office, casual or weekend scent. Starts off nice with citrus and spices. Florals come through within the first 30 minutes. As you get to the dry down you will be left with a sweet wood base. Excellent juice for the price. Enjoy!
kolanino – :
The lovechild of a 7-up and a can of showing foam, in the best possible way. 8/10
aryo – :
Have it…used it…not impressed…not worth the amount they ask for it….ressemblance : Dunhill edition or Oscar de la Renta pour lui …both are much cheaper..not bad… but perhaps first sample this one and the alternatives….
Lokfleese – :
A herbal jini in a bottle. It’s so well blended that the only note I can pick out is the chamomile. It is not a medicinal or a culinary type of herbal fragrance. It feels very thick and full without being dark. I don’t think it’s a barbershop scent beacuse ain’t no barber sprying something this fancy.
You can tell no short cuts were taken when making this. Nothing about it feels dated or synthetic smelling. Surprisingly, it is very unique and noble in it’s own way.
For the prince, I think this is a fantastic buy! Just don’t blind buy it; unless you want the thrill of getting a little peace of history.
Odomiamiisoth – :
i can’t really describe, how a certain fougere scent smells. they are just way too complex. but i’m writing this, because this fragrance reminds me of one of my first fragrances: “Joop! What About Adam”. i’m not saying that these two are similar (Adam was all about tomato leaves), but there’s something (an accord?) in Fougere Royal, that triggers those amazing memories wearing “Adam” (such a great scent…). and that’s a good thing, because “Adam” is, sadly, discontinued.
siniy69 – :
I was really impressed with this one. I never smelled the Houbigant original of course, but the quality of the components in this really impressed me.
I am generally very cautious with any purchase over 50 USD, but I think it’s a safe bet. Despite what I expected as a re-imagination of the first fougere (i.e., that it would be so similar to all of the fougeres in my collection) this one actually strikes me as unique. I think the battle between the sweet and sour is similar to Pasha and Caron’s Third Man, but there are notes in this one that make it very distinct from them – true to it’s name and house heritage, this is by far the less woody and more “fern-like” of the three. It’s a sagey, earthy green, and with as strong an oakmoss as we used to get in the 80’s and 90’s from so many men’s fregrances – yet it is much lighter than the previous description would indicate – an skillfully balanced concoction and I actually prefer it to Bracken (which I still enjoy, but would be a redundant purchase and at double the price).
I am definitely planning on getting a bottle of this, maybe as soon as next month.
ebulfez – :
So classy and refined. The quality of the ingredients is incredible. Green herbs, spring floral notes, with a warm spice undertone to balance it all out. Absolutely beautiful fragrance that garners many compliments.
A true modern masterpiece.
aguz2009 – :
شیک و با کیفیت اما به سختی حس می شود
———–
Scent & Qualiy: 8/10
Longevity: 6/10
Sillage: 5/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 9/10
Affordability: 5/10
———–
Overall: 6.6/10
Танюха – :
Fougere Royale (2010) is a resurrection of the original formulation, which was created in 1882 by perfumer Paul Parquet. The newer version is the work of Rodrigo Flores-Roux, who has created most of the John Varvatos fragrances, many of the higher-end Dolce and Gabbana fragrances, as well as most of the fragrances for the brand Arquiste. This is a very pared-down notes list, but I think that it gives a good general impression of what this – the very first men’s fougere in the history of perfumery (or at least a solid attempt at the recreation thereof) – smells like. It has top notes of lavender, clary sage, chamomile, green notes and bergamot; middle notes of geranium, heliotrope, rose, orchid, cinnamon, lilac and carnation, and base notes of oakmoss, tonka, musk, patchouli, amber and vanilla. It is classed as an aromatic fougere.
I’m sure that almost anyone reading (or watching on YouTube) this review will be familiar with this perfume’s storied past. However, if you’re not, here’s a short rundown: it was the first fougere (French for “fern-like”) fragrance ever created for men. Fougeres, as a class of fragrance, usually heavily utilize the notes of coumarin (a synthetic tonka bean derivative reminiscent of freshly mown grass and hay), lavender, and oakmoss, and especially during the 1970s and 1980s had a reputation for being big, bold, and somewhat overbearing. Thankfully, Flores-Roux’s modern interpretation is anything but full of bluster.
On first spray, you definitely get the generalized olfactory impression of “fougere,” except (as it is with Azzaro pour Homme and Drakkar Noir, et al) it’s not mixed with heavy doses of warm-spiciness. All the spice here is fresh. I definitely pick up a lavender-heavy top mixed with a beautiful floral-anisic, fresh grassiness, which echoes the smell of ingredients like parsley, chamomile, and cilantro. It’s just a verdant blast of green floralcy that’s not at all un-masculine. It gently reminds you that this is the way that all fougeres should open up to the nose.
As the greenness wears down, the fresh-spiciness starts to come through, with carnation, geranium, and cinnamon. Like many of the classic fougeres (the ones with a reputation for filling the room), this has a lot of notes, only a handful of which are readily able to be picked up by a nose as unpracticed as mine. However this scent is remarkably well done: it manages to have something of the past in it, while at the same time feeling completely clean, modern, and sharp. In short, it’s excellently done.
I usually hesitate to tell anyone how or when to wear something, but I can only speak for myself when I say that this blooms beautifully off of skin in the high heat. It leaves you with a herbaceous, spicy-herbal grassiness that has the rare combination of being both cooling and sophisticated. Despite the EDP concentration, I usually only get 4-6 hours on my skin before it dies. But with a scent so beautiful, I hardly care. I just re-apply.
This also comes in a pure parfum edition, replete with its own lacquered box, which can be all yours for a mere $600. Thankfully, this version (the EDP) can be had for around $170 (these are Lucky Scent Prices as of the date of the writing of this review). However, I’ve found it on the grey market for even a fraction of this price. It certainly will fill a niche in almost any perfume lover’s collection. It revitalizes the idea of a fougere, from something that necessarily drowns out everything else around it, into something that can be worn by a sophisticated man that doesn’t have to be noticed by everyone in the room.
MirsoftaMaks – :
I have to admit …after reading soo many positive reviews about Houbigants Fougere Royale, this juice did not disappoint me! I went on everyone’s reviews, I bought a bottle and couldn’t wait to get my hands on some. I finally acquired a bottle and I was WOWED.
At first spray there’s a true aromatic green/spicy vib from oakmoss and lavender giving it an appealing CLASSIC aroma. This juice has soo many layers, you know that this isn’t your run of the mill fragrance.
The pepper/cinnamon spicy vib with carnations and Geranium give it a brilliant warm vibrant vib. To complete this symphony of notes, there’s a hint of Camille and Tonka bean as well Amber adds to the warm vib. The green notes gives this AMAZING fragrance a calming yet an exhilarating experience.
Longevity and Silage both surpasses my expectation…lasting well past 10hrs.
Houbigant Fougere Royale (2010)..simply put is a real attractive fougere which will NEVER be forgotten.
I often recommend you try before buying, not this juice!! If you like a warm/spicy blend with green/floral vib….this will not disappoint you. 10/10 A real 5 star fragrance all considering it’s been modified for a more modern day. Imagine how much more the original version would give you….nonetheless I’m more than happy with this fragrance.
lehan251 – :
Wow, this one is a reminder of late Soviet Union-era when men were well-trained, suspicious and untrustworthy. The fragrance is a powerful mixture of noisy herbal aromas plus medical coolness which would obtrusively occupy every possible interior with it’s exuberant personality. It forms the illusion of a total nonsense and craziness like being locked up in a glamorous sauna full of Russian spies spanking each other by twigs of oak… or having a vodka party with a female hobgoblin as a hostess of Glacial Palace hidden in the middle of the Siberian wilderness. Quite possibly, there wouldn’t be any of these weird postmodern feelings if I put it on somewhere else instead of nowadays Moscow. Still, I can barely imagine myself wearing that bombastic weapon while in town and suburbs. The only suitable option to wear it is a long and lonely weekend walk through unfamiliar woods where this mixture would work as a deterrent to wildlife.
Music: Depeche Mode – Everything Counts
Book: Vladimir Sorokin. Ice.
Film: Joseph Wiseberg’s The Americans.
Painting: Ilya E. Repin. Leo Tolstoy on his Rest in a Wood
ak47 – :
Olfactory Kingmaker! This fragrance is just pure class! Houbigant Fougere Royale is green, herbaceous, floral opulence. HFR opens up beautifully. There is this lovely burst of sage, lavender, oak moss, green notes and a hint of cinnamon that seduces your senses. I know that this fragrance is a tribute to the original fougere, and I have no way of knowing what that smelled like but this is truly very fernlike right from the opening. The citrus, chamomile and geranium arrive in the mid setting the scent up for an amazing wave of florals. The rose is velvety and the lilac and carnation prop this lovely rose accord up. The beautiful thing about FR is how well it is crafted. This scent is alive! The notes are all present and swirl in and out during the progression of this scent. When the scent reaches the base and the amber, cinnamon and tonka arrive, the transition is flawless, seamless, just PERFECTION! The theme or the integrity of this scent is never compromised. HFR is rounded off beautifully with oak moss and patchouli, which once again are rendered with restraint. As for when to wear, or how to wear? Well, think Spring and Summer for this fragrance. FR is meant to make a statement or create an aura about your personality. FR will fill the people you draw in or those you are drawn to with calm. Think sartorially french with this one; banded collar shirt and some chinos. But, take it from me, HFR will inspire you to dress up with how amazing it smells! This is fougere royalty for sure, and a necessity in a fougere lovers collection!
Elevator – :
I only recently purchased Fougere Royale and this is truly Magical juice! The smell is enchanting and I absolutely love this! Projection is excellent without being offensive and the longevity is 10-12 hours and you can still smell it. Fougere Royale exemplifies class and sophistication. The price is less than designer fragrances and this is my new signature scent.
vetal26 – :
Nothing really new or exciting here (I mean this one is not extremely original). The exciting thing here is, however, that it’s one of the highest classy & quality fougeres out there. Powerful classy and versatile fragrance with highest quality.
Its originality lies in the fact that it was the first fougere fragrance and in which the raw materials used for its elaboration are of the highest quality and that shows, and in the end this makes it “original” enough, because it’s different to others and its quality simply shines among the rest.
By the way, only for the stunning bottle, it’s already worth the purchase.
EDIT: The more I smell it, the more I love it! It’s so powerful fresh clean fragrance! High high quality! I looooove it! And the bottle itself is so collectible! (heavy solid glass, beautifully designed and crafted, slightly curved on the front and on the back, polished and satin finished, with heavy metal engraved cap…) Stunning all of it indeed!
EDIT2: I LOVE IT!!!
EDIT3: I LOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!
karamysheva – :
I see now why this receives so much love and attention. One of if not the best fougere I’ve ever owned or put my nose to.
Polo green could only aspire to be this good…
9.5/10
Jordesax – :
If you are looking for a stupendous, near-death olfactory experience, take heed of Le Mouchoir de Monsieur’s comment:
“…It is so far removed from the original in every aspect that it defies logic that they would dare to slap this legendary name on a very expensive bottle, beautifully packaged, that contains a perfume so common…”
I agree with his assessment, although honestly I like it because this is one of those “simple but elegant” perfumes that are so f**k**g difficult to make. We must also keep in mind that the original was the template upon which all modern fougeres are based on…thus, inevitably rendering it “common”. But I’ve never sniffed a bottle of the original, so I’ll have to defer to Flores-Roux’s infinitely more educated guess that this is what it must have smelled like.
Whenever I’m all set out to do an oriental or an aromatic fougere, it’s almost always a piece of cake, but when doing the “simple but elegant” genre (examples: Caron’s Pour Un Homme, Dior’s Eau Sauvage or Guerlain’s Vetiver), it’s confoundingly hard to get the balance just right. (Darn it, ok…Pour Un Homme is freakingly simple. There, I said it.)
With his version of Fougere Royale, Flores-Roux aces the simplicity part of the equation but just barely passed on elegance. Maybe it would have helped if he added some character into his creation (like what SirCharles says below), but I guess he was constrained to be as faithful as possible to the ingredients list that was handed to him by Houbigant. So, add to that bonus points for technical difficulty and what you end up with is something definitely worth having (partly because the price has dropped down to around USD50).
tlefdndej – :
I was so excited to try this fragrance, but I find it godawful. I’m a fougere lover, but I just couldn’t get on board.
heernardy – :
I can’t complain about the quality, performance, or overall agreeableness of this classic fougere. What it lacks is, in my opinion, the most critical aspect of any fragrance: character. Fougere Royale is a perfect safe, clean, office scent for a mature gentleman, but, to me, does not evoke romance, adventure, inspiration, or joie de vivre of any kind. I wish this fragrance made me FEEL something, but sadly it does not.
ana5891 – :
Houbigants Fougere Royale was my fragrance find of the year 2016. I know it’s been around since 2010 but I only managed to get my hands on this and Cologne Intense last year thanks to my friend Mohit at Project Perfumery India. What a beautiful composition this is, kudos to Rodrigo Flores-Roux.I have not smelled the original Fougere Royal but if this has managed to capture even half of that, It must have been fabulous. This version of Fougere Royale has been my most complimented fragrance of the year and as long as you are well dressed, this hits the spot every single time.
Fougere Royale is one of those compositions that has a lot of notes blended together so well, it’s hard to pick them apart too much individually. Top notes I get lavender mixed with a green citrus and some bitterness from the Chamomile. Mid notes are dominated by florals- mainly Geranium and carnation with underlying hints of spice from the cinnamon. The base is mostly oakmoss, what you would expect in a Fougere, although here the Tonka bean adds a wee bit of sweetness that actually works in conjunction with herbal notes from the clary sage.
Projection is good but conservative arms length. Longevity likewise is good,in the 6-8 hour range. This is a year round fragrance and if you spend a lot of time in formal clothes, definitely signature scent worthy. I would be remiss here if I did not thank Lanier Smith as it was his recommendations of this fragrance, both here on Fragrantica and on Youtube that made me curious about it. This is everything he says it is and more.
In conclusion, I would say that if you have any sort of interest in classic fragrances like Azzaro PH, Eau Sauvage or even stuff like Chanel Pour Monsieur, or you are just looking out for a good, masculine, year round frag, do yourself a favour and check out Houbigant Fougere Royale. The bottle is understated class as well. Just fabulous stuff all round. Highly recommended.
lptlqkij – :
Lavender and geranium..
I love it.
smells really good.It is a masculine.
It starts sour and citrus perhaps(Bergamot).
it’s transformed to a deep fresh aromatic scent,
This juice is aromatic,floral and fresh spicy.
It has got a perfect longevity.It is proper for using on days and nights,It really smells awesome!!!
سمپل ارجینال موجود
col67 – :
Just a class scent. Fit for a king or prince! Great for that special occasion. Not to loud, just a beautiful and wonderful smell. Glad I had gotten this. Again a great smell for casual events! Thank them that created this!
umurzakoff_rust – :
6/10
judith55 – :
I’m on the fence right now between this and invasion barbare..they are both amazing fougeres! This is way less expensive though and of course smells a little different. But I don’t want a bunch of the same type of fragrances that smell alike, just one really good one!!
Naf_91 – :
The rolling hills are saturated in a calming green, the sky an equally vast and ominous grey. The wind carries a meditative lavender and barbershop geranium causing your mind to wander with the currents. A warm, dusty cinnamon and carnation meet in the flurry of wind, a tinge of budding ferns hiding amongst the commotion. The sun peels intricate patterns through the pale sky, exuding a soft warmth that reaches out to you. You can smell the earth warming up around you – the contrast of the dense cold and the pervasive warmth fills your mind with wild wonders. You let yourself dream for a while – the world shifts and sighs as the hours pass you by. The night brings a subtle chill so you wrap your thick coat around you and marvel in its mossy sweetness. The ferns and foliage speak to you in warm tones and soft riddles as you meander toward your destination. Dawn is coming and you want to make sure you get the best view…
Day 75 – In situ
Listening to: Claude Debussy – Clair De Lune
Notes: I have no reference to the original, but this is a modern classic in its own right. This fume dances between a modern fresh and green fougere and something of a barbershop classic. Like others have noted, it really does smell like an update and homage to a bygone era – it still captures the rominticism of aeons gone by. It opens with a crisp and bright bergamot, lavender, and mysterious greenery (maybe ferns) before meeting a very lively and powdery geranium. I have noticed in my fragrant explorations that cinnamon is commonly paired with carnation and it appears here to add force to the geranium and the powdery presence. The scent oscillates between the herbal and floral notes while gaining an ambery oakmoss and tonka accord. This sort of mood lasts through to the end – a little musky, warm and mossy, and a hint of chalky barbershop! I can’t help but love its classy and romantic feel!
chilly2 – :
Elegant and masculine describe Fougere Royale (2010) by Houbigant. It is herbal and somewhat floral with lavender, geraniu