WHAT I SMELL: Orangers en Fleurs opens with the most beautiful warm orange blossom and rose. It’s rich and thick and deep in its construct. Much too quickly for my taste however, the tuberose comes into play. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t dominate, but it makes its present known and as many of you know, I’m not a big fan of tuberose. Thankfully, my fears subside as after about five minutes, Orangers en Fleurs begins to brighten. There is a tinge of wood and spice that seemed to be layered below the floral aspects giving the fragrance some dimension. I like the fact that it seems that every time I bring my wrist to my nose I smell a different floral; one time jasmine, the other rose… tuberose, etc. all mixed with orange blossom. Continuing on, I find that there is almost a brown sugar (maybe the nutmeg) note that emerges that gives it a slightly gourmand trait that makes this seem slightly crystalized. In the end, the surprisingly projectable drydown wraps the floral in a warm and cozy musk. Absolutely beautiful.
Orangers en Fleurs notes from the Houbigant website:
Head notes: Orange Blossom Absolute, Rose Absolute, Egyptian Jasmine Absolute
Heart Notes: Tuberose, Eau de Brouts, Ylang Comores, Nutmeg
Base Notes: Cedar wood, Musk
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The Floradora Girls
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ORANGERS EN FLEURS: comforting, pretty, classic
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ORANGERS EN FLEURS: Pink Sith, The Women’s Room, EauMG
BOTTOM LINE: Orangers en Fleurs was a big surprise which thankfully wasn’t taken over by the tuberose which I cite in my description above, nor did it get sweet or soapy. This may go on my wish list for a FB. I just wish Houbigant would have offered this in a smaller than 100ml bottle. Overall, good job Houbigant!
- Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Floral
- Classification: Feminine
- Expense: $180 for 100ml EdP
The Scented Hound 
July 21, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Orangers en Fleurs is a great perfume in my opinion. I wish it was more of orange blossom on my skin, after several minutes my skin promotes the dusty petitgrain and a smell of twigs…
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July 22, 2013 at 1:46 am
Lucas, according to the Houbigant website, this fragrance is designed to celebrate the entire orange tree, right down to the use of petigrain to represent the limbs. I never got that really from the fragrance myself except for a light dustiness.
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July 22, 2013 at 1:50 am
I know this perfume is about the wogóle orange tree. I just hope I had more neroli from it
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July 21, 2013 at 1:31 pm
It sounds gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous! I’m going to have to get a sample of this because I’m quite in lust over this description. That drydown with the warm brown sugar is making me drool.
As a side note, I’ve been thinking of you all morning because I’ve been testing out an orange blossom fragrance — and I was thinking of how very much you’d hate it! lol Ze Dreaded Tuberose…. 😉 So, I laughed when I saw your comment here about the Houbigant not having it in an overpowering way.
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July 22, 2013 at 1:47 am
K – the tuberose only got me for a couple of minutes.. but overall this was so wonderfully composed. But I don’t want to mislead, the “brown sugar” aspect is very faint and not dominant. You must give this a try!
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July 22, 2013 at 6:50 am
I will! Where did you get your sample, if I may ask? Surrender to Chance? You’ve created quite a lemming for me, Mr. Hound!
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July 22, 2013 at 6:55 am
I asked for a sample when I ordered my bottle of Rubj from Luckyscent. How’s that for dichotomous fragrances 🙂
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July 22, 2013 at 6:58 am
You intentionally bring up Rubj these days just to watch me squirm, shiver and shudder, don’t you?? *grin* 😉 You’re lucky I adore you, Mr. Hound, or you’d be sent to the dog-house! LOL. 😀
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July 22, 2013 at 5:55 pm
I am being kind of mean aren’t I 🙂
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July 21, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Amazing description, truly mouthwatering. I’d love to sample this but the last thing I need is another tuberose to fall in love with!
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July 22, 2013 at 1:49 am
Reneetemara – this is a nice and well developed and rounded fragrance… don’t get me wrong though, even with tuberose (which I don’t like), it doesn’t dominate…I would say it’s much more orange blossom and jasmine. Thanks for stopping by!
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July 21, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Does this mean the house of Houbigant has been resurrected? The new re-release of Fougere Royal and now this, maybe they are back in the game. What do you think?
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July 22, 2013 at 1:50 am
From what I have been reading they are trying to make a comeback. I like the Fougere Royal, but would never buy it because I know I would tire of it easy…but this on the other hand, I think I could go on liking!
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July 22, 2013 at 5:20 am
This sounds worth sniffing. If it doesn’t getting sweet and soapy, even better. A lot of orange blossoms scents end up that way.
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July 22, 2013 at 6:03 am
Poodle you must try. I kind of look at this as being done just right…there were so many opportunities to make this too sweet, too girly, too soapy, too whatever…it just worked out to be a great “not too” fragrance 🙂
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July 23, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Dear Houndy…I usually play a game when I read your reviews – how many bones will this perfume get? You surprised me with the 4 out of 5! I added this to my STC wish list!
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July 24, 2013 at 7:46 pm
You’ll have no regrets my dear. Simply lovely!! And perfect for all year round!
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July 26, 2013 at 4:41 am
I got a sample of this at Nordstrom, and I agree that it is really beautiful–not too sweet, not soapy at all, just spectacularly pretty. That said, I’m with Lucas in wishing it was heavier on the orange blossom, and it was somehow too ladylike for me. I feel as though I’m not well-behaved enough to pull it off, or should at least have better-behaved hair.
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July 27, 2013 at 6:46 am
Greetings Laurels… you’re right, there is something rather proper about OeF. But you know what, it’s not what you’re wearing or if your hair is a mess, if you feel great in a fragrance you can carry it off. But I know what you mean as in an earlier post I speak of running my Saturday errands in vintage Arpege which is very proper and I usually am looking like a slob. Hmmmm, actually, I have some sitting on my desk, I think I’ll have a little dab 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
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