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93 community ratings
Houbigant

Essence Rare (2018)

Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena

2018WomenClassic
7.6/ 10
Community score
93 ratings
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Houbigant Essence Rare (2018) is a fresh, powdery feminine scent that sets the brightness of mandarin orange against a floral heart of rose, jasmine and lily of the valley.

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Skunky's take: A card-carrying member of the fresh club.

How does it perform?

From 80 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity
7.9 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage
7.4 /10

People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.

Bottle
8.2 /10

Sits nicely on a shelf.

Value for money
6.4 /10

The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.

Blind buy risk

Low risk

81% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Heart notesfirst few hours

Base noteswhat stays into the evening

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

  1. Fresh
  2. Floral
  3. Green
  4. Sweet
  5. Spicy
  6. Woody
  7. Powdery
  8. Creamy

What does Essence Rare (2018) smell like?

Its longevity and sillage are rated good. Most voters pick spring and fall, with summer and winter further behind. Leisure, evening, daily and business wear are chosen about equally, so it isn't tied to one setting. It reads feminine and classic more than modern.

The mandarin opening gives way to rose, jasmine and lily of the valley, which give the scent a green, floral body. In the base, vanilla and amber sweetness is balanced by sandalwood and oakmoss; the dry-down is creamy, woody and lightly spicy. Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue (Eau de Parfum) and Cacharel Noa (Eau de Toilette) have a close profile.

How it changes through the day

  1. First minutes

    • Mandarin orange
  2. First hours

    • Rose
    • Lily of the valley
    • Jasmine
  3. Towards evening

    • Vanilla
    • Amber
    • Sandalwood

When to wear it?

Seasons and occasions, by user votes.

  • 35%
    Spring
  • 28%
    Autumn
  • 19%
    Summer
  • 18%
    Winter
  • Casual
    21%
  • Evening
    21%
  • Daytime
    20%
  • Nighttime
    19%
  • Office
    19%

Smells like this

The closest scents by notes and accords.

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Last updated: October 26, 2026