Habanita

Molinard classifies Habanita among woody, powdery floral orientals, a multifaceted woody oriental. For the eau de parfum, the house names three notes per tier, around an accord of vetiver, vanilla and patchouli that it calls famous.

Top

Geranium, mastic and petitgrain open the eau de parfum. The house also evokes a lemon disguised as licorice, one of the images through which it describes a fragrance that keeps transforming as it is worn.

Heart

Vetiver, jasmine and rose make up the heart. Molinard speaks of a rose whose petals seem cut from sheepskin, and recalls that vetiver, until then reserved for men, caused a scandal in a feminine fragrance.

Base

Oakmoss, sandalwood and amber form the base, where the house also places its accord of vetiver, vanilla and patchouli. It evokes a vanilla straight out of a cigar cellar and an amber worthy of a Byzantine apothecary’s potion.

What stays out

Peach, bergamot, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, white musks and cedar, long attributed to the fragrance, do not appear among the notes of the eau de parfum. The raspberry mentioned in reviews of the eau de toilette is not there either.

What the label declares

The ingredient list names alcohol, fragrance and water, and an oakmoss extract, declared under its Latin name, Evernia prunastri. It also includes coumarin, with hints of freshly cut hay, and benzyl alcohol.

It further declares many allergens, including eugenol and isoeugenol, reminiscent of clove, linalool, geraniol, citral and farnesol. The list carries no UV filter or colorant.