Raffinée (1982)
by Dana

(This is for the original Houbigant, not the Dana acquisition)

Raffinee smells like at least three different styles jostling in competition for attention. It's not like one of those fascinating frags that changes with the body or the season and releases differing nuances: it really is its own scent war. Green, white, and spicy florals complimented by/doing combat with spices, herbs, and who knows how many woods to create this strangely alluring yet unaccountably strange conglomeration of scents, memories, associations, comparisons. I feel the plum (of all things?!) dominates and colors the whole with a deep, wine-tinted red, and it is undeniably spicy but the juicy fruity aspect remains for nearly as long.

To date, I have never encountered a fragrance quite like this. I was probably embryonic in its heyday but (or because of that ) I really enjoy this. A very crimson affair. Sadly (for me), Raffinee is about as unisex as fishnet thigh-highs, and I'm no Tim Curry.

Fun note - There are so many similarities here to Lagerfeld's Sun Moon Stars (which I adore), and this might very well be her long-lost mother.

31st March, 2011.

This smells simular to Oscar De La Renta
with more spice in contrast to La Renta
have more frankincense and suble woods
i prefre Raffinee It stands out without
the overpowering Effects like Giorgio of Beverly Hills Red Has. i love the color of the liquid the bottle a little
above average but noting to whrite about but it's worth keeping when it's empty and put colored sand in it.

16th August, 2010.

This review is for the abominable reformulation of Raffinee by Parfums Aladdin of NY, the current distributor. It is the rectangular bottle with the square red plastic cap. To assure freshness for this review, I opened a new box of EdT from a recent shipment . I should note that I have not yet had the opportunity to try the original by Houbigant/Dana.

The top notes open with a very small amount of fresh citrus, and within 5 seconds marches in the most synthetic and awful Orange Blossom ever. At first, it reminds me of JPG's Fleur du le Male, which I sampled alongside it. Raffinee, however, has no aroma other than that of an old ashtray in a nasty diner. After an hour of this, and no development into a heart or base, I scrubbed it off. Not even sure if this can be considered a perfume.

30th November, 2009.

I own an original bottle of extrait, and it is an oriental, powdery, spicy, heaven. It opens with a wonderful burst of spicy sweetness, it then settles down into its oriental heart, powdery, soft, exotic and sandalwoody, this lasts quite a while. The base is still warm and a touch spicy, but the vanille starts to really come through. This is a wonderful example of a great 80's oriental scent.

28th February, 2009.

On me this smells like fresh applied baby powder. I get some fresh citrusy notes too. Nice fragrance for daytime, won't knock anyone down.

27th June, 2008.