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Guerlain – Habit Rouge: Overview, Smell, Notes & More!

Guerlain Habit Rouge is an amber woody menʼs fragrance that has been around for nearly six decades.

Though a classic, it is still able to give modern Guerlain fragrances a run for their money because of its versatility. 

Plus, the fact that its elegance belies its affordability only adds to its charm.

Introduced to the market in 1965, Habit Rouge ( meaning red jacket) excels at revealing an intense and sensual signature of leather and woodsy notes. 

Though advertised heavily as a manʼs fragrance, it is citrusy and floral enough to pass off as a unisex scent. 

Master Perfumer Jean-Paul Guerlain certainly exceeded expectations when he concocted the overall composition of this exquisite mixture. 

Overview

  • Brand: Guerlain
  • Fragrance: Habit Rouge 
  • Release: 1965
  • Gender: (Men/Unisex)
  • Perfumer: Jean-Paul Guerlain

Fragrance Notes

  • Top Notes: Tangerine, Basil, Bergamot, Lime, Orange, Lemon, Brazilian Redwood
  • Heart Notes: Sandalwood, Carnation, Rose, Cedar, Patchouli, Jasmine, Cinnamon
  • Base Notes: Amber, Oakmoss, Labdanum, Benzoin, Leather, Vanilla

What Does Habit Rouge Smell Like?

I donʼt understand why some claim that the fragrance is a “love it or hate it” scent as I find it extremely inoffensive and loved it from the get-go. 

In the first hour or so, you’ll detect lovely prominent notes of lemon and rose, fragrant enough to revive even the most tired souls. 

The rose aroma is as realistic as it gets, and the lemon smells more like lemon candy than lemon fruit, zest, or oil.

If you have a trained nose, youʼll also detect notes of vanilla.   

After a while, the woods take over and keep going until the end. 

As for the leather notes, they play a supporting role throughout the session.

Despite being in the background, they are important because they present a canvas on which the other notes can perform. 

How Long Does Habit Rouge Last For?

Habit Rouge by Guerlain lasts a decent while.

Thankfully, it doesnʼt stay constant during its performance. 

In the beginning, youʼll find the scent elegant and mature. 

Then, as the scent enters the dry-down period, it becomes slightly feminine with its creamy floral aroma.

However, its masculine edge is ever-present courtesy of the woodsy and citrus notes.

If youʼre lucky, you can get the classic fragrance to last for around eight hours.

In clothes, you can smell it the entire day.

As for its sillage performance, the Habit Rouge Eau De Parfum, like most Guerlain scents, is average at best, projecting only close to an armʼs length. 

When Should You Wear It?

As I mentioned earlier, the Habit Rouge Eau De Parfum is an extremely versatile cologne and as such, you can wear it to the office, to a casual brunch, for a meeting, or on a date night. 

This must-have perfume works exceptionally well for  black-tie events as well.

However, I wouldnʼt recommend wearing it on a hot summer day as this powdery fragrance is more suitable for the fall or spring. 

A word of advice—consider alternating with the Guerlain Vetiver cologne to smell fresh round the clock. 

Presentation and Value For Money

Costing only around $50, the Habit Rouge fragrance offers bang for your buck. 

Habit Rouge not only comes packed in a lovely bottle, but it also has a complex scent to back its fantastic presentation.

The Bottom Line

I think Iʼve made my feelings about the perfume very clear. 

Iʼm a big fan of this masterpiece as the blend of rose, carnation, lemon, and leather are simply in perfect sync with one another. 

Not one note overwhelms the other and, as such, thereʼs enough breathing room for every note to shine.  

In essence, the Rouge gives off an old-school vibe, without being “barbershop-like.”

On a side note, don’t make the rookie mistake of confusing the Eau De Parfum with the EDT bottle. The EDT version of this fragrance doesn’t compare to its EDP counterpart. 

Perfumes that Smell Like Habit Rouge

Like many, I, too, find Habit Rouge similar to the Shalimar perfume as both the powdery scents have a creamy note with a woodsy base; the fragrances definitely share similar DNAs.

The Habit Rouge EDP also reminds me of the YSL M7. 

Like the Habit Rouge, the M7 also offers a short blast of fresh citrus and floral notes in the beginning.

Plus, both the fragrances/scents have an oud-esque aroma in the dry-down period.  

Additionally, I found similarities between Rouge Eau De Toilette and Tom Ford Noir largely due to their vanilla blends. 

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