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platnyk – :
I finally have a vintage bottle and this is excellent think shades of Valentino Vendetta, Clandestine and Diva – powdered plum and fruits over ambered honey
SeYaDom – :
The weather has taken a cool and wet turn here today, so I broke out the Bentley For Men and gave myself a nice spritz – ahhhh, RAFFINEE❣
Honestly – if you’re pining for the ORIGINAL Raffinee, or the ORIGINAL CK Obsession, do yourself a kindness and try the Bentley. The regular has a soft spice/leather note but the intense lacks it. And if you decide you don’t like it, you can always gift it away, Christmas will be here soon.
Seetedula – :
If you remember the ORIGINAL – from the 80’s – and LOVED it – you need to try Bentley For Men and For Men INTENSE.
The floral aspect isn’t there, but the richness of everything else IS. The INTENSE version is even more so – so maybe even just grab that one first, especially if it’s cold where you are.
The regular ‘For Men’ is nice, but it’s an EDT – it doesn’t last long AT ALL, and has a bit of a top note that isn’t ‘soft’ – I don’t know what it is – it isn’t bad, but like when you run your hand along a beautiful polished bannister and then suddenly hit a wee splinter. I’m keeping it though, it lasts better on clothing than on skin, and ‘might’ be ok for cooler summer days? Either way – it’s staying.
The INTENSE is exactly the same as the original, but they’re calling it an EDP. It doesn’t have the sharp top note, and is just a fraction more rich. You may need to slather on some unscented body lotion to give it something to adhere to, it doesn’t last as long as some women’s EDP’s, but a bit longer than the original.
**edit – it’s autumn again, and the sharp note has disappeared – I’ve had lids on and in a dark closet, so…, I think it was my body chemistry at the time.
I was able to purchase samples (and then my bottles) off eBay – I have no idea if it’s sold in any stores/shoppes.
The INTENSE is dead sexy – ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
prker33 – :
I have the Prism Parfums version. I have unfortunately never found the original but would love to try it as it sounds completely my cup of tea. The one I have is a weak smelling take on an oriental scent. It smells like the base of most cheaper perfumes, a little like an avon scent with a touch of hairspray aldehydes and a barely detectable spicy note and maybe what I would deem a vague resemblence to red door but not by any means a similar frag. Unfortunately this was a rather expensive blind buy thinking I was getting the Dana version so was bit miffed when the Prism parfums was what I received.
Ollegg – :
If someone wants one bottle of EDP 75 ml Houbigant (pre barecode, with factory Houbigant seal) I have 3 bottles for swap.
santei3000 – :
I have the Dana version. Very soft weak powdery skin scent. A nothing special watered down version. Like essence of Raffinee. Disappointed. One to be used for layering.Will look out for Houbigant parfum
fsergey67 – :
I have the Prism version and I’m disappointed. On me, its a lot like spicy bubble gum.
Deagle – :
Fragrance Review For Raffinee
Houbigant
Top Notes
Carnation Orange Blossom Plum Clary Sage Jasmine Lemon Bergamot Orange Rose
Middle Notes
Mimosa Tuberose Tonka Bean Orchid Osmanthus Orris Root Hyacinth Ylang Ylang
Base Notes
Spices Cypress Sandalwood Cinnamon Musk Vanilla Vetiver Incense
Similar to Cinnabar by Estee Lauder and coming from the 1981-1982 period, this is a powerful full bodied fragrant Oriental fragrance. Where would one wear this? Where have you worn Cinnabar? It smells like it ought to be worn to an evening party, dinner party, or black tie gala, wedding, or big awards ceremony. It’s glamorous, smoky, spicy, woodsy and as far away from the sugary garbage selling in perfumeries today. There was a time when fragrances with names you’ve never heard of smelled like REAL PERFUME throwing up amazing scents that made you swoon and want to smell it again and again as it ravished your nostrils and you were so glad to be born with a sense of smell.
This perfume is for those of us who enjoy our hot Orientals like Opium, Youth Dew, Coco, Teatro Alla Scala, Passion, or Red Giorgio Beverly Hills. Raffinee has a fresher opening of citrus than the aforementioned scents. This is a citrusy top of orange and lemon. However it’s not an astringent or aftershave. It’s fresh and sweet. The floral notes that emerge out of the citrus juice include: mimosa, orange blossom and rose. This is a very beautiful dark rose, a citrusy rose that smells like it’s been warmed up by incense. This is almost like the rose in such frags as Egoiste by Chanel or Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. That unisex type of masculine bold rose. Beautiful.
Other floral notes that I can detect: hyacinth, jasmine, tuberose ylang and osmanthus. Watch out. It’s floral with a capital F. But not a powdery floral. Smoky floral. Dark floral. These are night blooming flowers. They release their aroma only under pale moonlight. Another image I kept getting while smelling this scent:
Smells like when you have a hothouse and you are growing tropical exotic flowers out of season. I have a hothouse in my townhouse in Manhattan and I’m growing orchids and bromeliad. This is the smell of leaving those flowers to their own devices in a heated room with artificial light. But it smells good as a perfume! Exotic, Oriental, hot, sexy flowers.
The dry down is where it gets good. The incense develops and it’s an incense I’m used to and love. It’s the incense from Cinnabar. It’s the incense from Passion by Elizabeth Taylor. There’s a lot of other ingredients and chemical notes of the Oriental kind: aromatic, spicy, woodsy notes of cypress leaves, sandalwood and vetiver. The dry down is a man’s cologne and this is decidedly masculine in the dry down but it’s like the gender-bending scent of Opium and Passion. If you like those type of darker, non-fresh, mysterious and deep Orientals with incense, this is a ravishment of the senses.
I absolutely adore this fragrance. The bottle is also similar to Cinnabar and Avon’s Timeless and can be worn by women who love those type of colognes. Something about it is also very warm dark vanilla a la Shalimar and also a bit like an amber. Where is that amber scent coming from? There is an illusion of hot amber coming out of the spices and cinnamon/woods. This is astounding and beautiful. I wear this to evening affairs in black gowns. What a shame that this fragrance is not as accessible as it used to be.
Look for it on ebay!
skondratev – :
I probably have 25-30ml of the Houbigant version which I LOVE! For me it is so delicate and composed perfectly! I haven’t tried the other formulations but will probably give them a shot as I see them come around!
sergei.com – :
Thanks gatsby and zyby – Dana version it is then. I will have the pleasure of smelling it soon. Glad I did not get the latest reformulation by Prism. Autumn will be here soon in the UK, so Raffinee sounds perfet for cooler temperatures. Cheers perfumistas x
puldis – :
A reviewer below asked about the appearance of the original Houbigant bottle. I have the Dana version of RAFFINEE which I purchased about 10 years ago and the bottle looks somewhat different than the one pictured. The shape is similar, however, the name is printed in brown on the bottle rather than in gold on the cap. The box is long-gone, so I can’t compare it to the picture. I’m not familiar with the original Houbigant version or the more recent Prism one. Per the reviews here, it looks like they’re three different fragrances.
The Dana version is soft, spicy, powdery and pretty. There’s a bit of smokiness along with some quiet, underlying floral notes. Now and again, I can smell the lemon. This fragrance works year-round, but regardless of the season, I prefer to wear it in moderate weather. The only negative for me is that the longevity is poor, so I’m more likely to wear it at home in order to reapply as needed.
Victoria_fromAF – :
@vivavoice – No, it s a reformulation by Dana, one of them. Houbigant has the logo down on the box (always!) and the version with bottle similar with this one- of Houbigant is a rectangular bottle, the cap is squared, not rounded. I sent you some macro photos. Raffinee logo is written on the bottle, not on the cap and the amount is different. So, it s a Dana version of Raffinee. That explains the price.
keds1507 – :
Can someone please clarify if the picture on this page is the real Houbigant version? I saw ne on ebay for a steal at £8 inc postage! Its a slightly used 50 ml container. Fingers crossed. Its arriving in a few days. Wil do review when I get it.
Deetneurbum – :
I wasn’t looking for this one nor was I familiar with it but I found this little gem at an estate sale and was so pleased to find out it was by Houbigant. Raffinee is full of spices, cinnamon and incense but keep smelling and you also get carnation, tuberose, orange blossom, vanilla, sandalwood in the background. I’m loving this perfume and am glad to have added this masterpiece to my collection.
Gil001 – :
the original EDP version by Houbigant is a true masterpiece indeed. It is useless to try a Dana version, cheaper, weaker and totally different smell. pPrism actual version is an insulte – a totally different scent I have no idea how some online markets can sell Raffinee by Prism as long as it totally something else, a pungent cheap cologne and no connection with the original Houbigant. so if you want a true raffinee, buy a Houbigant, as vintage as posible (pre barcode are the best) and in EDP version. On ebay I found it for less than 50 $ wich is a real steal for sure. The sillage, projection and longevity are MONSTERS. Hope to save some money and buy a new bottle as long as it is still available.
9/10
andrew_95 – :
This is a review for the remake of Raffinee, made by Prism Parfums. I have never smelled the Houbigant version. The new Raffinee is a soft musk, slighty spicy, it is pleasant, sweet, I do like it. It is very inexpensive.
slavik253 – :
Raffinee by Houbigant wow, I had forgotten that this ever existed. It was released when I was working in a retail Pharmacy in the early 80’s. I think I may have had a bottle of my own but only one as I recall it was quite strong. I did actually prefer it to the likes of opium and tabu which were stronger and headache inducing for me
diman290184 – :
By some stroke of amazing good fortune ( thank you SadieBluesLady! ) the amazing vintage Houbigant came my way recently. OH MY. This is good….
In the opening we have the kind of sweet orange blossoms found in L’origan or Tabu. Richly sweet. And the spices and other fruits and florals perfectly blend in a kind of rich and riotous melange. Powder, Cinnamon, Plum, and Tonka are especially prominent. This kind of heady splendor is from another era altogether!
While the opening is exceptionally rich, it is not as loud as one would expect for such a note combination, and gradually softens to quiet beauty. Dry down is soft and long with Raffinee. She becomes a gentle Mimosa-Sandalwood of real elegance, justifying her name, meaning ‘refined’.
The only drawback with a discontinued fragrance of this intoxication is availability, sadly driving prices skyward. Otherwise I would buy more immediately and DIE HAPPY.
Five Stars!
boroda2010 – :
Prism Parfums in the UK have just brought out Raffinee Eau De Parfum –
VitSem – :
Oooh, man! Just seeing the bottle on ebay brings back memories! I was searching for Tabu on ebay, and came across Raffinee. I remember this! I wore it, I loved it, I wish I still had some! So deliciously spicy (if you read my other reviews you’ll see there’s a theme) And it would stay for ages. It was probably my signature scent in 1983-1984, when I first headed off to college. I felt expensive when I wore it, much like when I wore Red Door. I don’t recall noticing a similarity at the time, but I’m sure there was. I’m drawn to these scents, with cinnamon, carnation, anise or clove, sandalwood, amber and rose or jasmine…. It just smells “rich’ to me. I’d hate to buy a new bottle and discover that Dana has done me wrong. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for a vintage one, tho!
soldat7 – :
I have an old miniature bottle of this, and the fluid inside had also turned thick and dark. However, I don’t think it has turned – it doesn’t have those typical sour, vinegar-like, sharp top notes that turned perfumes usually have. Nevertheless I don’t like it at all – so perhaps it has gone off after all. I smell tons of cumin and ground coriander in a sweet concoction that I figure must be the carnation. It is warm and comforting indeed (the incense), but I cannot get over the cumin – I smell like I doused myself in some heady, super strong sweet perfume after I fell into a pot of curry.
вмф – :
My bottle is Houbigant’s , and it is AMMAZING
Biostinger – :
@Lillitth, sounds like your sample was old and off. I have a couple of older bottles and they’re not the least bit thick. Plus they smell lovely – if you like tuberose, carnation and spices. Raffinée reminds me of SpellBound’s sweet baby sister.
trubcobre – :
I received a tester of this fragrance and it LOOKS potent. Very dark amber and kind of thick. So I knew I needed to try just a dot on each wrist. Let me just say that I like strong perfumes, but this one started turning on me within about 15 minutes. I’m not sure what made it turn into such a horrible experience for me. I think it might be the carnation. It started with such a mish mash of notes that it just smelled odd. My husband didn’t think it was as bad as all that, but he said it was too strong for him to make a decision about it and asked me to wait for a couple of hours. I couldn’t do it. The dry down made me want to get away from myself. I wanted to give it a chance but I wound up having to go in and and actually wash it off.
sanek sanek – :
I loved the original Houbigant Raffinnee but I do not care for the Dana Raffinnee of later years. I would love to find another perfume that is very similar to the original.
4upa – :
Raffinee was one of my flea market finds that I keep as a reference for a type of scent. It just seems like a mish-mash of notes that was Houbigant’s attempt to cash in on the popularity of the Oriental-style of Opium that had just come out a few years before, but the materials weren’t of the same quality and they even put the pure parfum (which is the concentration I have) in a cheesy, mostly plastic bottle.
prigodin.gena – :
I wore this in the 80s / early 90s during the winter, and I am actually relieved that I did it while I was young. I don’t think I have the chemistry, hormones, skin dew to carry this off now. It was pure luxury, and I would bury my face in my turtleneck neck to inhale where the heat and scent radiated from my neck to the sweater. I especially found it to take me into a meditative state good for studying and long hours of reading and reflecting and writing.
This was a contrast of the time to Liz Claiborne Realities, which was citrusy bright and corporate, and the Lauren floral. Anais Anais was somewhere in the middle for everyday.
I had super short hair in a time when that was considered to be androgenous. Most women were rocking the long perms and making them big. My hair was tucked tight at the nape of my neck in a very short ‘do. This fragrance made me feel feminine without being girly. It was sensual without the annoyance of Opium. There were some flowers buried deep in there that you were rewarded with if you got close enough. If a boyfriend would kiss my neck and I would kiss him back this almost gourmand sweetness was still there and I could taste it on my lips.
I’m sorry you all hate this. I have stunning memories of it.
pioner26 – :
I was unduly influenced by this having been worn by someone I didn’t like in a situation I liked even less.
crushml – :
Sorting though the perfumes I have stored in a spare cupboard not currently in rotation, I curiously sampled my Raffinee. The delicious ambergris/orange spices accord is just what I am in the mood for wearing lately, and put it back in with my fragrances in heavy circulation…
Next, I re-read the review I wrote some time ago, and it sounded like it was written by a stranger. How could I have not loved this gently sweet, amber, orange and spice melody is the great mystery of the moment.
Raffinee is such a blessedly beautiful composition. The amber warm as melted butter and maple syrup.
I have to laugh to myself for how ridiculously easy it was for me to spend more than 4 times its price for 24 Faubourg, a fragrance which for all it’s incredible beauty I have found doesn’t budge on my skin after the initial spritz.
Raffinee, although not the same by any means has the silage I am looking for, and hits upon many of desirable elements of 24 Fauborg.There’s the orange with spices accord along with warm, heavenly ambergris drydown.The orris,ylang, hyacinth are all there. Layer on some of the high quality gardenia soliflore I possess if and when I want to duplicate the strong white flower accord.
The contrasts between white flowers and earthy amber are surely the central component of 24’s legendary status. Raffinee projects much more boldly and warmly, like the ambient heat of the sun rising off warmed skin at the beach. I get to enjoy Raffinee for myself, instead of having to steal a sniff my arm or hope to get a ribbon of scent drifting past..
Here I am again.It’s -2/24/16 and sadly I sold my Raffinee when I realized that another bottle could not be obtained for an amount I could afford to keep me in stock.
This really rips me…I am really annoyed that Houbignant has not stepped in to pick up the rights considering it’s phoenix like re-appearance on the perfume scene. To some this perfume is just another ambery Oriental. I thought it unique with it’s heavly Orange accent. Just love Orange flower Soliflores and Florientals..
arturik – :
Same family as Navy, Oscar de la Renta, Gloria Van der Built.
UnekUtiny – :
So sad. I tried the new version of Raffinee by Dana and it is just a whisper it used to be. My mother wore the original in the 80’s so it is a “memory scent”. It has pretty good staying power but NO sillage. I am going to give it to my mom because she likes lighter perfumes than I do. 🙁
арсенал – :
This is the best aged champagne in the house. Smooth, well-blended, beautiful. I wore this back in the 80’s and just recently purchased an old formula bottle. It’s that expertly crafted full-bodied powdery cinnamon spiced potion that I remember and loved so well.
It does remind one a bit of Lou Lou…a bit more grown up. I never get tired of this scent, it’s just beautiful. My all time favorite face powder scent! 😉
polochan – :
Lovely stuff, a cheaper Lou Lou and Red Door rolled into one 🙂
kasabl2222 – :
Well when i got this in the mail and took a look at it i said “Uh oh.. this is probably really stank” It just looks like its super heavy. I sprayed it on and to my shock its actually quite nice! It is heavy, it does smell like Navy but better (a little lighter) its def a Classy Evening scent. This is just one of those Fragrances: if you spray too much you will smell like a old woman and give people headaches, or if you seriously mist it and just walk into the mist, or spray the wrist then rub that all over, it smells very sexy classy, high end and vintage with a modern twist! This is not for anyone under 25 and it is not a day time scent. It smells like a Holiday specialty hot drink (think orange, spice, cinnamon, and fruit with a hint of edible flower) its very nice when used lightly!
britneysj681 – :
Sooo 80’s; such a powerful scent. On me, it’s smelled like a spicy, orange flower tea. Not bad, but I don’t want to smell like tea. It gave me a headache. The dry down is too powdery for my taste. I gave it to my mother in law, who seems to love this dated fragrances.
rukodel – :
Oh yes! This is lovely.
It smells like all the good parts of Cacharel LouLou and Vanderbilt. The jasmine is not very dirty, so I can stand it. I hate indolic flowers…
Incense, spices, sandalwood, vanilla, amber… warm, smooth, dark, mystical and sexy.
Very potent oriental. Not for the shy, cause you WILL get noticed wearing this.
Very vintage and fantastic.
UPDATE: I got myself a reformulated bottle of this made by “Alladin fragrances”, and it smelled really really bad. Like cat pee and stale cigarett ashes. It`s so damn sad! :,-(
aih182speagoessenda – :
Ugh, this smells just like the commercial strength insecticide used by the pest control service in an apartment building I had the misfortune of living in years ago in Queens, NY. The second Monday of evey month I smelled it and knew that roaches were dying. Me thinks if the exterminator just used this he’d have gotten the same results.
ura-19880527 – :
This used to be my super sexy potion. I haven’t seen it around or smelled it in God knows how long . I think I will have to grab a bottle for old times sake . Memories !
Tventin_Tarantino – :
For fans of the 80 s. Imagine Linda Evans/Christelle Carrington with a super brushing and parfumed with Raffinée…
Sinner – :
I have worn this fragrance off and on through out the years since the early 80s.
It is that woodsy, spicy, Oriental type floral that I love. I just gravitate to these Oriental florals that are strong in their base notes with lots of what I call “bottom” (more earthiness) to it.
It lingers well after 8 hours or so.
This is a flirty, seductive, sensual type fragrance not for the faint at heart!
skay – :
Was one of my favorites back in the 80’s.
Cinnamon, Carnations, and Class! This is a strong, sweet, confident scent that begs for fancy clothes! I love to wear it anytime. Is sweet, warm, slightly spicy, and lovely. It reminds me of LouLou, but is softer, sweeter, and more wearable. Powdery like Lou Lou & Gloria Vanderbilt. Sweet classy powder. Just lovely.
UD: And I used up at all up and need another! ADORE it! Be sure to get the vintage!
anton.antichn – :
Whoa! Shoulder-pads, hairspray, full face make-up….the 80’s come flooding back. This is a full-on, sweet floriental with a plastic punch.
I admit: I am NOT a big fan of the 80’s. The music, the outfits, the attitude, the food. I grew my way around it, but I never fully embrace it.
OK – I owned a pair of pixie boots & a reversable cartoon animal jumper…but I was very grateful for the 90s to arrive.
Raffinee is exactly how my mother’s hair & make-up drawer in her beautiful wooden dressing table smelled. EXACTLY. If I could gather up all the Max Factor Gay Whisper pressed powders, blue Cover Girl eye shadows, waxy Rimmel lipsticks, Elnett hairsprays, numerous powder puffs, Opium samples, polishes, lotions & potions I would have Raffinee.
I should hate it….but….but….
Raffinnee is strong, sweet & filled with cinnamon. At first, a plastic-plum & sage arrive followed by a peek-a-boo floral aspect – strong & sweet. The main body of this scent is cinnamon, carnation, osmanthus & a whole heap of powder on My Little Pony plastic.
Whilst Tabu made me feel uneasy (in the same way that Kingdom did), Raffinee is wearable. You could go out on the town with her without being embarrassed & she’d last her way through a few disco dancing moves.
Raffinee makes me feel happy. You can’t buy happiness but you can buy a whole heap of memories in just one squirt.
alexa614 – :
Just got a vintage brand new bottle of EDP…and wow, this is gorgeous! I didn’t get my hopes too high because you never know with these old school “stinkers” and I had to send back quite a few of them recently, but Ruffinee turned out to be absolutely beautiful. Warm carnation and jasmine, slightly sweet and spicy, it feels like pure luxury on the skin. I think this is what Gorgio Red is trying to be but completely misses the point and lacks the complexity and this luxurious feel.
Ruffenee is a wonderful choice for a dinner at a fancy restauraunt on a winter night. And don’t forget to wear your fur coat to match this beauty!!!
Don’t know about the version made by Dana, but Houbigant quality is always exceptional.
Cheap hats – :
A true women 80’s power scent. I see the padded shoulders and blue eye shadow and very very red lipstick with this one. I guess you could classify this one as a florential.
qnu969Negeltzex – :
My mom wore this in the 1980’s so there is that olfactory connection there for me that is full of sentiment. I love this! If you are a fan of the original version of Raffinee, you may also love a not to familiar gem called “Red Pearl”. They are very similar in composition but I feel Red Pearl is more complex and longer lasting on the skin. It is also very inexpensive which always shocks me! You just never know what you are going to get with perfume! I think that these can be worn in the winter for the “cozy” factor or even in the summer….hot nights out dancing would bring out this fragrance like a cat on a hot tin roof!
Быча1980 – :
The original version of this perfume was probably okay but the reformulation I got was disappointing. The top notes were pretty but they didn’t last long. I couldn’t get past the jarring, cheap middle notes. The composition of the bottom notes is a throwback to yesteryears when they didn’t have the advanced perfumery techniques we have today. This perfume will be returned promptly to the store. Why waste time on a mediocre fragrance when there are so many excellent perfumes to explore?
охрана – :
This smells simular to Oscar De La Renta
with more spice in contrast to La Renta
have more frankincense and suble woods
i prefre Raffinee It stands out without
the overpowering Effects like Giorgio of Beverly Hills Red Has. i love the color of the liquid the bottle a little
above average but noting to whrite about but it’s worth keeping when it’s empty and put colored sand in it.
vvolk10 – :
This is very nice but it has changed dramatically since the 1980’s! Its way weaker and less powdery than it used to be. Time has a bad habit of changing things most times for the worse. Although this is a very nice scent, I have something to compare it to and I know the difference that most others don’t know. Pretty scent still though.
BENDER-R – :
As a fan of spicy scents, I love this one. My favourite flowery scents – carnation, jasmine, mimosa – also put in an appearance. Strangely enough, colleagues mistake it for “L’Air Du Temps” (another favourite!) when I wear it at work. A warm and feminine scent, with good staying power.
Lesh147 – :
Woa, I bought this unsniffed this morning and had to take it back by lunch time! I never return fragrances but on this one I had to. I guess I can’t pull off most fragrances made in the 80’s. Those powdery notes they used back then had some power… POWER POWDER! Civet and aldehydes does not mix with me and my chemistry. I love the 2 reviews below but all I got was cinnamon that got swallowed by the powdery pee-pee fairy! I think even in the 80’s this perfume was low in cost, so maybe its just cheaply made.
bfk826speagoessenda – :
I would call it a “Spiced Oriental”.
I would not call it a “Spicy Oriental” because the spice is light and mainly for the top notes. The spice lasts gently in the middle notes, but, not strongly. However-the whole perfume is strong! Itś pungent, persistent,loud, and the fixation is great. I suppose I used this fragrance, um, 20 years ago, and Raffinee instilled my love and fascination of uniquely styled orientals. Itś very Oriental, itś a tad gourmand. The spicy opening with sweetening plum leads to the strong florals that enwrap you like a velvet cape-next you wander into the mysterious, dreamy realm of sandalwood, musk, and insense, tonka, and vanilla combination wich creates a fantastic scent and carries the perfume all day, while creating the illusion of Amber and powdery notes in the base.
This perfume is definetly perfume in the 1980s category, for sure. It is remeniscent of Ciara, Lutece, and then a later more sophistcated Spellbound.
I had this perfume as a teen and a generous member sent me a large decant recently so I could enjoy it again.
I am enjoying it again, however it feels unusual and a bit cheap or lower quality to me now beacause the powdery dry down is so strong. It is only a touch sweet, and very strong!
zamir020965 – :
Sherihan, at the very beginning the smell is really spicy and hot, but not sweet at all. (I just thought it reminds me the smell of Chinese spicy chicken soup a bit:)) But then it becomes sweeter like a black bitter chili chocolate.
lexa007_88 – :
I do love hot and spicy food – spicy meat, fish, chicken,soups, chocolates and other sweets:) That is the reason why I really loved Raffinee!
Raffinee has the edible spicy smell of black chocolate with chili peppers. I can also smell a nice note of cinnamon, no flowers, no fruits. Raffinee is a very intriguant, complex, unusual oriental fragrance. Love it!