Olga Steinfeld

Fougère Royale (2010) Eau de Parfum

Houbigant

100 /100

4 SPRAYS(8h)

This is a true perfumery classic: refined, elegant, and timeless.🤍 The house of Houbigant has a rich history. Since its founding in 1775, it has created fragrances for royalty and the aristocracy. Later, in 1882, perfumer Paul Parquet created the legendary Fougère Royale, which established an entirely new category in perfumery: fougère fragrances. I sincerely hope that one day I will have the chance to smell the original version of this perfume. I believe it is preserved at the Osmothèque in Versailles. For now, however, I am enjoying the modern version of Fougère Royale, which has become my favourite masculine fragrance.🥰 When I first tried it, it struck me as a fairly conventional fougère, the kind I had often smelled on businessmen and executives. But later, I tried it on my own skin, and it completely changed my perception. This fragrance truly comes into its own on the skin! At first, I smell fresh herbs swaying in the sea breeze. The lavender is clean, cool, and almost crisp. Then comes a floral-spicy heart: fresh May rose, as if growing in a garden; citrusy geranium in a pot on a windowsill; and the faintest hint of cinnamon, lending the fragrance a touch of sweetness. Finally, I smell my beloved sage, which always makes me think of focus and clarity, alongside oakmoss, with its earthy, soothing character. Together, these notes create a feeling of cleanliness, confidence, and composure.🤍 Although this is a masculine fragrance, I love wearing it. And it's not just because of its wonderful scent, but also because of the history behind it. It makes me feel connected to something truly significant. 🥰

Café Gourmand

Maison Tahité

50 /100

2 SPRAYS(8h)

Maison Tahité is an Italian perfume brand specializing in gourmand fragrances. As of October 2026, the brand has four collections: Vanilla, Cocoa, Coffee, and Tonka Bean. However, I wouldn’t recommend blind-buying these perfumes, as they offer an unconventional take on gourmand perfumery. In my opinion, they are very realistic fragrances that not everyone would feel comfortable wearing. Café Gourmand doesn’t simply smell like coffee - it smells like actual roasted coffee beans ground into a powder: dry, bitter, powdery, slightly charred, and earthy. Despite the listed milky notes and creamy hazelnut, I don’t smell any softness, milky nuances, or creaminess in this fragrance. The hazelnut note is dry and oily, like nut husks. The patchouli is warm and chocolatey, like a moist chocolate cake, while the vetiver is dry and smoky. Together, they emphasize and intensify the bitter coffee scent. Throughout its development, the composition remains almost linear, with dominant notes of coffee, patchouli, and vetiver. The fragrance is very rich and deep, with high longevity, moderate projection (at arm’s length), and a moderate scent trail. My verdict: Café Gourmand reminds me of a workaholic you often see with a cup of strong coffee in hand. It is a challenging fragrance to wear, and despite its warmth, there is something aggressive and oppressive about it to me. I think this perfume might appeal to a true coffee lover who is fanatically in love with the smell of coffee and happy to be surrounded by it all day long.