Essence Rare
“Essence Rare by Houbigant is a Floral fragrance for women”
The Quick Read
Well loved by wearers — a musky, sponsored composition with a aldehydic undertone. Voted best for fall and winter wear, leaning feminine.
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Essence Rare by Houbigant was launched in 2018 and developed under the skilled hand of perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. This floral fragrance for women opens with a fresh and powdery note, creating an immediate sense of lightness and elegance. The heart is dominated by rose and iris, which add depth and complexity to the composition. A woody base rounds out the scent, grounding it in earthy warmth while maintaining its delicate character.
Composition & Character
Notes Pyramid
How It Wears
Application Tips
Apply one to two sprays to your pulse points. Essence Rare's powdery top notes are bright but brief, giving way to its more enduring floral heart and woody base. It's best suited for daytime wear when you want a scent that feels fresh yet sophisticated.
Jean-Claude Ellena
Founding perfumer · 104 fragrances · French
As a disciple and close friend of the legendary Edmond Roudnitska (creator of “Le Parfum de Thérèse”), Jean-Claude Ellena began his career with a minimalistic approach to perfumery. Since then, he has developed this approach into his own distinctive style, which is continually informed by his elegant and quiet way of being, and has been compared by his contemporaries to watercolor sketches and chamber music. Jean-Claude says that a perfume must be like “a soft caress; nothing must shock, nothing must shout”.Jean-Claude Ellena was born in Grasse into a family of perfumers. His training began at age 17, in the most prestigious laboratories – in Grasse, Paris, New York and Geneva – where he always saw himself as self-taught. Roudnitska’s minimalism never left him, however, and his compositions remain focused around a single ingredient, avoiding repetition.
Also created
Designer Houbigant
More from Houbigant
Edited by Scentsation Editorial
The story behind the bottle.
The crisp clarity of a morning walk in an urban park, where fresh air and the soft scent of blooming flowers intertwine with subtle earthy undertones.
Fig. 01 — Essence Rare, Houbigant
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