Habanita L'Esprit

I really don't get the dislikes based only on the impression that L'Esprit has no connection to black Habanita. I have a FB of black Habanita, and a FB of white L'Esprit. Are they alike, or similar? Probably as much as the colours of their bottles, so: NO. But, do they share the concept and Habanita's familly DNA? YES. I think it is fair to say that the concept behind the two different scents is the same as much the shape and ornaments on black and white bottle. If black is the devil, the white one is an angel, but - with no mistake - their faces share bone-structure and, rightfully, the name. As the black original, L'Esprit opens loudly and intensely, but instead of a blast of mastique supported with petitgrain (in black one), this white one hits with labdanum and nutmeg, supported with rather sharp citrusses. I can really smell all three notes, but on me labdanum dominates, as mastique dominates in the opening of the black one. So, if you have the problem with labdanum, it would be quite difficult to pass its concentration in the opening. But, I love it and I enjoy opening very much, because this is where this white Habanita introduces herself by her familly name and says: "Hello, I am Habanita, but the other one - L'Esprit." After about half an hour L'Esprit starts to calm down and soften. The same happens with the black one, too. Though nutmeg and labdanum are present, flowers take over, turning the middle of the fragrance into creamy, calm, tender flowery-balsamic composition. This part is beautiful, so lovely, so tender - barely a hint of familly DNA, but don't be fooled. Habanita is there, and deeper we go into the drydown, the more seductive it gets. Further in the drydown the creaminess remains, but flowery component that dominated the middle is toned down. Tender powdery-almondy heliotrope, characteristic for Habanita - family stays, but now is enpowered with again more proiminent labdanum. Traces of nutmeg and citrus are still here,now joined with mostly musk, warm, tender and sensual and vanilla-like benzoin. The final musky hug is divine. I'm not a fond of musk in general, but this is the musk done superbly: warm, light, cuddling, fleshy but clean. L'Esprit is silky, smooth, tender, light but complex. There's nothing to cloy, nothing to offend, but everything to reveal sensuality. This is Habanita you don't have to be prepared for, as for the black one, but it is as capturing, as sensual and as womanly all the way as her black sister. It is L'Esprit in approach and stile, but not in the effect or performance. Her heliotrope-powder is not "grasp-for-air", but the airy one. Her balsam is less thick, and more silky. Her musky-labdanum skin is not tobacco-leather type, but nourished-creamy one. But she is Habanita, and she is tenderly capturing and descretely seductive. She would only do it differently - smoothly, like a spirit - L'Esprit. This fragrance is beautiful. And so cuddly. This white Habanita has all the qualities of the greatly done perfume - development in which the notes interplay not only horizontaly, but vertically too, and they drydown instead of "fall off". L'Esprit, like the black original, has progression, soft but persistent projection and very good longevity when applied on skin. So: Habanita -yes. L'Esprit - yes. White - yes. But, even when compared to the black Habanita - not simplified, and certainly not pale. Just differently beautiful. Really, really beautiful. Highly recommended as a summer option for powdery oriental lovers and musk lovers - she doesn't mind the heat. Highly recommended in any season, in any other case. Period. *like *longevity: long lasting (8+ hours) *sillage: moderate (arms lenght at least) * weather/season/time: All year round. Endures the heat (+30 C) without changing or becoming heavy. But I plan to wear this white beauty trough early, warm, golden autumn. Casual to formal. Day.

I received a sample of Habanita L’Esprit yesterday but because I was happily surprised by my recent blind buy for this summer (Bvlgari- Acqua Divina) I decided to try it later on. I have and adore the initial Habanita and don’t know why I didn’t try this one earlier. On my skin this scent is extremely similar to Mugler’s Alien edp, however a bit sweeter and much paler. I’ve once been told by a very nice guy in Milano at a Guerlain perfume shop, who sold me L’Heure Bleue (that has become my signature scent) that I should smell a perfume only after about 5 to 10 minutes upon spraying and decide how I feel about it. Coming back to L’Esprit - after 10 minutes I sense powdery benzoin, musk, a bit of nutmegs and Patchouli and florals - Jasmine and others, maybe Heliotropes because it’s just something of a flower I don’t remember to have smelled before. (I said florals because I am a simple lover of perfumes but don’t know how Heliotrope or Mimosa smell. Except for roses, Jasmine, Violets and few others I wouldn’t recognize a specific flower in a perfume. ). My nose does not detect in this perfume vetiver or lemon at all. All in all, given that I love Mugler’s Alien and that I smell a lot of resemblance between the two, I also can say I like Habanita L’Esprit very, very much. Only L’Esprit is lighter, softer, more tempered and with a bit more florals and powdery sensation than Alien. I definitely consider buying it for warmer evenings, since Alien is for me at least an autumn-winter only perfume. I don’t know what to say about silage (at first seems a bit poor- considering the initial effect of the perfume) and longevity but hopefully I’ll come back and update my post. One more thing, despite I seem to be pretty in love at first sight with this one because of its overall sensuality, I wouldn’t recommend as a blind buy as it seems to be (to me at least) a perfume with a strong personality and quite little in common as an overall with the initial Habanita. Update: app. 3 hours later this perfume settles down like a second skin (now it reminds me of Le Peche or Diabolique from Eisenberg) and I must say I keep sniffing my wrists as it’s somehow addictive- I will surely buy it because it’s simply wonderfully blended. I simply love it! Also, I consider silage to be moderate and longevity also moderate.

The air is so thin up here - you dip in and out of the earth's atmosphere silently wondering what the inhabitants are like....it's been centuries since you paid a visit. The sun gleams off of your porcelain skin as the air whistles throught your massive wings - you leave a sparkling citric rain that ignites as it falls to the earth. If any were to look up it would appear as if the sky was torn open and raining a heavenly fire. You dive down for a closer look. The powdery clouds streak across your rosy cheeks, thier iris cold dew clings to your feathered wings. Something goes awry as your wings are set ablaze - you barrel down to the earth at a frightening velocity. The smoke pouring from your wings bears the tinge of sacred incense and heavenly heliotrope - your trail can be followed to a cropping of acacia trees through which you crash landed. Your angelic presence has somehow diminished in your fall. Your skin is thick with a humid patchouli like sweat and dirt - no longer a magical porcelain, your skin has adopted an ambered hue and a thick musk. Not quite human, not quite angel, you feel compelled toward the horizon....you wonder what things await? Day 93 - Descent Listening to: Agnes Obel - Chord Left Notes: I forgot how absolutely gorgeous this is...its muskiness rivals all the greatest musk fumes I have tried and the journey to that musky drydown is dazzling! The opening is a dramatic aldehyde mixed with pure powder, sparkling lemons, and a dewy rose. The heart blooms many floral notes - a cool iris, a sweet and vanilla-like heliotrope, a warm mimosa, and a delectable trail of smoky citric incense. The scent slowly spirals into the depths of a warm amber and nutmeg with interlacing traces of a sharp yet calming patchouli. From here, a decadent white musk grows in power, playfully mingling with the smoke and sweet resins before reigning supreme on its own. This fume is truly magnificent and I don't ever want to be without - it is undoubtedly unisex and anyone who loves floral musky should give this a try. For longevity lovers, this lasts a solid 12 hours in my skin....and it is a breathtaking ride!

Sweet dreams are made of this... And So are memories. I won't talk much about noyes because my nose is not ready for properly fine tuned vintagey perfumes I have just started learning about. To me perfumes have very emotional meaning, they take me to people and places, some ld and some new. I bought Habanita l'esprit because although as tempted as I am to try Habanita EDP I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet. So I blind bought this wonder, blind buying becoming my secret adventure. It came in post today and so I eagerly opened it and sprayed on my arm. My mind immediately took off and there I was in my friend mum's house, fifteen years ago. Now, there are two reasons for that. My best friend's mum was a doctor, and the first wiff of Habanita l'esprit smells a bit medicinal to me. But that goes away in a moment or two. And then I'm getting comfortable in their house. My friend's mum, although being a doctor, was very keen on spiritual things, art and oriental philosophy. Every time I visited my friend we would sit in the semi dark living room, listening to some blues, drinking coffee or wine, breathing in heavy incense. Their house always had an incense stick burning, so everything there was penetrated with that delicious secretly scent. And that's where Habanita l'esprit takes me. The incense, the comfort and memories, warm rainy autumn day, secrets and shadows. Oh Habanita, you temptress! I want to close my eyes and go back there. Two hours have passed and I can finally smell some bitter lemon. The smell has slightly changed but it still remains divine. I think I found my new love. I'm looking forward to my favourite season, autumn, so I can wrap a scarf around me, spray some Habanita l'esprit and go wander, watching life reflected on wet maroon and golden leaves... I'm in love.

It's kind of a perplexing fragrance. Sometimes if comes across really modern, clean and uncomplicated. At other times it can't hide its origins. It does bear a similarity to Her EdP by Narciso Rodriguez, but I wouldn't also overestimate it, the Devil's in the details after all. Habanita L'esprit is certainly more of a chameleon. It only has a bit of the original Habanita DNA, but this gives it a particular character that evokes vintage orientals, even though the musk in it is very clean-smelling. Imagine a hybrid of Her EdP and Shalimar EdP. Habanita L'esprit lacks the incense and leather, but it does have something in common with the drydown of Shalimar. A powdery and resinous feel. As for the others mentioned in the "reminds me of"... Citizen Queen is sweeter, soapier and has a metallic (aldehydes) aspect to it in comparison. There's some similarity, but it's more of an outline. "Safe blind buy" is an arbitrary concept. A blind buy is only safe when someone knows exactly what to expect, the fragrance ends up working with their body chemistry and is almost universally liked. Not to mention having money to spend on fragrances not having to worry about making a choice that doesn't work out for them. Despite me personally liking it, if you consider the mixed reviews and votes I definitely suggest you try it before you commit to it. Personally I think Habanita L'Esprit is superior to anything crafted by Narciso Rodriguez. It's got depth and layers only time can build, because it is fundamentally still Habanita.

Why all the dislikes? I don't get it...it smells really nice. I wasn't expecting it to smell like Habanita but they do smell somewhat related a little in the opening. L'Esprit is like Habanita's more dainty and ladylike great (step) granddaughter. While really different, you can smell an ever so slight bit of a connection. Actually I think this is a fairly interesting little flanker. L'Esprit is fresh and light and warm and creamy all at the same time. I love the musky base. A bit of the "hairspray" musk but that is something I enjoy if done right. Smoothed out with the almond like scent of heliotrope. I love labdanum so I appreciate the nice dose of it in this. Everything is nicely balanced and blended. Boy, this is a nice surprise. I was afraid of something dreadful with all the dislikes but it isn't dreadful at all, in fact I quite like it. Love the bottle, too. And the price! Smells like something that would be great for layering also. Really nice little bargain right here. Low risk blind buy also despite the dislikes. Just don't expect Habanita and you might be pleased.

This is exquisite! I never tried the original because it may have too many notes that do not work on me, but I'm glad I blind bought this one due to notes and your reviews. It is certainly a cold weather scent (under 20 degrees Celsius). I tried it first in summer when it was cloyingly sweet without development. But now in temperate climate autumn it develops wonderfully. I too share the thought that this is more of an oriental because I get spices more than anything else with a hint of heliotrope on a labdanum cardamom-musky background. I think mimosa gives it the light powdery aspect. Patchouli isn't strong here and it's the dry-earthy (not musty) kind. It is not linear and in the evolution to the drydown I get more of the floral nuances - a bit of rose, some white petals. It is interesting and special in the same way Dune Dior is and shares some similarities with Shalimar Edt like someone already mentioned. I find it perfectly executed. Not in your face but noticeable and thrilling, head-turning, captivating.... you name it.... Fine Esprit to be haunted by. I love it!

OMG this smells like heaven... I've finally found what I've been searching for... Habanita L'Esprit is vintage-y, powdery, seductive, complex and unique. Most perfumes that have these characteristics are better suited for night time use on colder months. This is the perfume for people who normally like these "heavier" or "darker" characteristics in perfume... but one that can actually be worn during the day on warmer months. And because of it's great price-quality it can actually become a daily signature scent. I normally don't love citrus notes, but this gorgeous yellow lemon is floating in a powdery cloud of creamy white MUSK. And then the deliciousness of the original Habanita. I find it so hypnotising. It's very long lasting and after several hours it becomes the most wonderful "skin scent". It would also work layered with other perfumes, in my opinion. And what a wonderful bottle!!! What more can I ask for... P.S. If you want the beautiful Lalique bas-relief effect, make sure you get the 75ml bottle. The 30ml one doesn't have it.

Habanita L'Espirit is good for warmer weather. It's light, with ever-present lemon wrapped in a cloud of soft white musk. The lemon is muted, soft, but tenatious. Nutmeg appears at first spray, but calms down considerably within the first hour. Patchouli is gentle, just a hint, and vetiver keeps the whole mixture slightly crisp and "awake". Labdanum adds a strong, smooth, rich, creamy texture that lasts, combined with equal amounts of benzoin. The powdery florals are enveloped in the cloud of white musk, giving a lightly fluffy texture to the scent. It's both creamy and delicately powdery...... a "chic" light powdery touch, not overpowering. Longevity is very good on my skin, lasting 12 hours or more. Silage is moderate for the first 2 hours, calming down to a close-to-skin scent after that. Great to wear to the office, since Habanita L'Espirit is non-offensive. It floats around close to you like your own personal cloud of creamy softness. It's a very good choice for Spring and Summer, day or night.

It's fascinating to read others perceptions of Habanita L'esprit. For me, this is a fall/winter staple. I just sprayed on my first couple spritzes for the season. The notes that first distinguish themselves on my skin is labdanum, jasmine and lemon. I've never caught the mimosa on my skin with this perfume, and will stop huffing my wrists for the next 20 minutes, hoping the jasmine will settle down. On my skin, I appear to be waiting in vain for the mimosa (35 minutes post spritzes). I love mimosa, one of my absolute favorites is Farnesiana, any hint of mimosa makes me smile from head to toe. So far, the big notes are dominating. The lemon has faded into the patch and musk. The newer sweetness is clearly the benjoin. The composition endures into an elegant amber that feels both modern and classic. If you have not sampled this, do not expect anything close to the original Habanita. I do agree that Citizen Queen is a close cousin to Habanita L'esprit.

I bought this fragrance as my introduction to house of Molinard. I'm currently looking for a clean-powder and this might be to become my favourite. Opening: very sharp and strong, unisex to masculine type of scent. Strong nutmeg I believe. After 20mins: It starts to become more unisex-feminine. Smells more fresh and soapy. You can definitely detect flower note but it is so well blended it's hard to say what is the flower composition Dry-down: This is very VERY CLEAN and POWDERY. I have this vintage vibe of "clean" to be honest. Smells like some vintage body lotions and soap but in the same time very unique and elegant. After some time it starts to be sweeter and bit warmer. In summary, I love the dry-down. It's very feminine but in Femme-Fatale-After-Shower vibe. For mature women, I need to grow up a bit more to wear it with confidence. Definitely a skin scent. Both lasting and sillage is moderate. It is outstanding. YouTube: This is Karo

I totally agree with scentine's review below me - this scent is an interesting journey of back and forths. When I first smell this, I can't help but feel it's quite a basic (but still beautiful) clean, musky, and powdery smell. However if you give it an opportunity, it shows you a different, more mysterious side. It's definitely a clean and powdery smell, there's no avoiding that side to it. But there's a sensual side there too, almost like a bouquet of roses. There's a depth to the smell that I usually find powdery fragrances lack. It's got that characteristic cooling feeling of a powdery smell, but there's a coziness to it. When this dries down on my skin, there's almost a skin scent to it - something about this perfume makes me want to get closer to it, explore it a bit more intimately. I definitely want to buy a bottle of this. Something tells me this will be a signature of mine when the temperatures warm up.

Gorgeous bottle... but L’Esprit didn’t work for me. It’s the lemon. Lemon-musk all the way through, with powdery heliotrope. I did find a slight Shalimar resemblance, without the leather or violet. Mimosa lends a sharpness, and this scent never veers into cozy territory. I’d hoped for the same magic as White Soul. No, they’ve little in common. Trying to be open minded, I kept testing. Spraying, sniffing, searching to find the “femme fatal fresh out of the shower” feeling as described by another reviewer. Unfortunately, the only ladies with those vibes around here are the goddesses on the bottle. EDIT: Yet again, the more I explore, the more there is to learn. There is a sensuality to L’Esprit that wasn’t apparent to me at first. I caught a whiff on my sheets from the night before, and was drawn in by the scent. I’m now captivated. Bravo!!

I love this fragrance. It's so different from anything else I'm typically attracted to, but the moment I tried it at Molinard's perfume factory in Grasse I swooned. Oceans of past memories of warm, summer days from my youth flooded back. This smells of sunlight warming skin and the lightness of being young with all the world and life ahead of you. It's sweetness is attractive and not cloying at all, and it has a gentle amber depth to it that could be the scent of sunlight as it fades in the long summer afternoons. I didn't really detect much citrus, but I feel that all the notes are so perfectly blended by Molinard that you just experience them as a whole working together. So utterly beautiful. I picture Scarlett Johansson's character Cristina wearing this in the film Vicky Cristina Barcelona ~ a deep, sensual, and earthy scent.

This smells quite similar to one of my other perfumes.. Guerlain shalimar parfum initial l'eau si sensuelle. That beautiful frosted bottle with the pink feather... That citrusy powdery comforting smell.. She gives you a hug and sits closely on your skin enveloping you in a warm comforting powdery scent bubble just for you... and those that lean in close.. Lean in close and breathe this powdery citrusy cake in shes soooo good..❤️ Lasts longer i think on clothes.. But i re-spray with pleasure....

A blast of an animalic musk, followed by a bit of benzoine, nutmeg and a few milky flowers. A vague relative of shalimar edt, perhaps, but with its own Habanita DNA. Very white and cloudy, not bubbly, not smoky. I like the dry down, on me it’s creamy musky marzipan ! Warm clean skin, very ... hum... very (discreetly) effective in arousing a man’s ideas if I may say? I’m happy to own this one. I have the Golden and the black bottles too, so let’s say the family is complete.

L’esprit makes me feel clean and feminine whenever I wear it. I only really save this juice on days when I truly feel put together, but it is such a pretty fragrance! Very powdery, with the right amount of musk. It stays close to my skin but that’s okay, I feel like if it projected more strongly I would probably get a headache. I’m not going to lie, I bought this mainly for the gorgeous bottle BUT the fragrance is as beautiful so all in all a solid buy :)

I'm a fan of original Habanita. Most people in my life are not. This is the safer daytime version( is it possible for such a boozy tobacco club lady to be tamed?). It's more powdery and more floral less rum and dancing all night. I think both are great if you love one(or even if you dont) there's a good chance you'll love the other. There's no grandma present here unless your grandma is a classy former badass.

This fragrance is a lot of things all thrown together. It is sweet and powdery in the opening. Also developes the "doll's head" vanilla-musk sometime into wearing. It is a bit smokey and definitely ambery in the dry down. A successful blind buy for me. It could definitely be related to the Narciso Rodriguez fragrance family but L'Esprit is more overtly sexy with that amber accord.

Habanita L'esprit doesn't want to give me her flower notes,she refuses to allow me even to sense them.That's why i've purchased her last winter and use her only in winter.All i get is bit citrus with powder,benzoin,patchouli.Can't even think of taking her out in hot/warm weather,and i'm so sorry cause we are great friends and i do love her so much.

Just a quick note to say I find the comparisons to Narciso Rodriguez surprising as I dislike his line and can't wear it yet I love Habanita l'esprit. Just shows you how different our perceptions and noses are :)

Several years ago, after falling in love with OG Habanita, I quickly purchased L'esprit blindly. I'm not even sure if I read the note profile! I just figured Habanita/Black/Night/Autumn/Winter would translate into L'esprit/White/Day/Spring/Summer!! Ooopsie! Got that wrong!! I received it, tried, thought "Hmmm... not bad", and put it with my other bottles in a collection that was expanding exponentially at the time. I never wore it again, until today. I was reading reviews on the Sylvaine Delacourte line and this was mentioned. Suddenly, I felt the need to find my bottle and dig it out from wherever may be. For the record, I have bottles and bottles stashed away throughout my bedroom - in my closet, in storage trunks, on my vanity, wherever. I found it and here I am now, really examining L'esprit for the very first time. The first spritz was disheartening. It smelt stale! "This can't be!" I thought. It wasn't an old bottle, it was capped, kept out of sunlight and generally well cared for, but what WAS that smell??? At this point, I'm attributing it to some wonky vetiver/patch thing going on along with a musk that was a bit more animalic than I expected. I settled in, waiting for it all to come together, and I would say it was worthwhile. I get very strong NR for Her vibes - the musks are similar, with NR having the edge on animalic stank in the best sense possible. Neither lemon nor nutmeg register with me at all, which in the case of the lemon may very well be a blessing. About a half hour in, the florals begin to assert themselves, with heliotrope and mimosa neck and neck in terms of powdery dominance. The benzoin provides a certain sweetness that tempers much of the harshness I initially encountered, and from there on out, what remains is a pretty, powdery aura of fluff with a slightly naughty tang that stays noticeable as I move around. Habanita L'esprit is no longer one of my "Hmmm, I think I have that" fragrances - and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I have a few others that are of that type. While I never see it being more than a "like", and nowhere near the wonder that is THE Habanita, I will definitely be wearing this on occasion!

My third and final (for now) review of the Habanita line. The links to the pillar are much more tenuous in L'Esprit than in La Cologne. Aside from the very faint heliotrope and even more muted nutmeg, there is almost no resemblance to the original. This is, as many other reviewers have noted, mostly a clean floral-powder-musk perfume on a delicately resinous base. I must admit, I don't care for this one as much as the others. It's so much less complex, though there is a pretty nice development from labdanum-musk-rose bomb to benzoin-heliotrope skinscent. Nevertheless, L'Esprit just doesn't feel like it's trying very hard, especially compared to the eau de parfum, which is exquisitely symphonic. This is just too perfumy and too commonplace. It does indeed smell like Citizen Queen, but lacks its verve and sass, instead remaining listlessly, cosmetically clean. I don't mean to sound too disappointed. I was more than eager to complete my Habanita collection with this blind buy, but to my nose, this is out of place there. I'll still be wearing it from time to time, when I want to smell inviting, chaste, and serene. By far the most feminine of the line, but similar in terms of performance (that is to say, very very good, compared to most mainstream perfumes). Versatile in terms of occasion, age, and season, but I'd avoid wearing this in hot weather; the musks will overwhelm then melt away, exuding a rather cloying sillage.

This is a primarily a modern white musk scent along the lines of the Narciso Rodriguez range with just enough Habanita to be recognized by those familiar with the original. It is dense and chalky without being in any way heavy, underscored by the chypre-ish bite of vetiver, labdanum, and lemon. It gives the effect of vintage European sunscreen underneath thick powder, recalling an overcast, hazy day at the beach. I wear this casually during the day in the summer and it feels fresh and clean without falling into any of the usual clichés that come with that territory. The lasting power is fairly poor, but it's also never overpowering in the heat. The things I love about the original Habanita are not whatsoever the same things I love about L'Esprit, but I think that is the hallmark of a successful flanker -- it references the original while casting a completely different net.

I don't grade a flanker on how similar it is to the original, but I feel like Habanita L'Esprit makes sense. The three basic elements of the original Habanita EDT are present leather (in this case, labdanum, which smells leathery), powder (heliotrope, mimose) and citrus (bergamot in the OG, lemon here). I am reminded somewhat of Shalimar, but with a lot less vanilla, a much softer, less sharp / industrial citrus and a less rubbery leather. Creamy-musky, balsamic, earthy. I think Molinard did a great job with this more modern re-interpretation of Habanita, which is QUEEN OF POWDER and although I love it, I must admit it does smell dated. L'Esprit may still be a bit of a challenge due to it's powdery character and earthy base, but if you saw something great in Habanita and just couldn't get past all the baby powder, you will find a lot to love in L'Esprit.

this really is very beautiful! IMO perfectly balanced - none of the notes shout, they mingle and compliment and develop with my skin, like a perfume should! it is feminine, musky, silky, gentle...oh wow. on me it has turned into a musky dusty soft floral, gentle but with great depth and character. best blind buy yet. Molinard certainly know what they are doing. No surprise there. .....it is like they mingled the 2 perfumes i want to love into one perfume that i actually do love! my nose and skin make it smell like the best of arpege (without the stink bomb aldehydes and sickening vanilla)...agent (without the ash and occasionally slightly stale rose). yippee. might have to stock up! EDIT: i have since bought Habanita in black bottle and i definitely can see our soft feminine l'esprit has been influenced by her dark, leathery sassy stepmother....

A musky citrusy vanilla. , quite easy to wear compared to the EDP. It keeps the same character as genny17 mentioned , it's like EDP 's daughter , younger, innocent and citric , creamy. The white bottle is suitable as the smokey character of the EDP has been lost and replaced by citrus and white musk. L'esprit is very musky and the Labdanum and nutmeg are very prominent along with its main character vanilla and the young citrusy beginning ,this is a fresher version of the black . Definitely benzoin and Labdanum rich. All the reviews here are very much how I would describe it as well. I like it, especially in its dry down ! Update. I find myself reminded of PENATEN baby cream as well as NIVEA. Its high in Labdanum and vanilla and Musc and so are those creams. Pleasant to me. Reminds me of the smell when my kids were babies.

for me this opens with musk, heliotrope and mimosa with a bit of labdanum underneath. it's powdery, floral and a bit resinous. after a minute or two, i get some jasmine followed by rose. if i inhale deeply it's mostly musk with rose. it definitely has a bit of a vintage feel because of the powderiness. i love vintage perfumes so this is not a problem for me. i have to say i am surprised rose and mimosa aren't voted higher because they are strong in this, for me. a really pretty powdery scent...kind of sensuous as others have mentioned. i really like this so far but need to spend some more time with it. absolutely beautiful bottle.

if la cologne is the light version of the parfum, then this is the light version of la cologne. maybe it varies by skin chemistry but i find this scent very intimate and soft. powder with a hint of citrus and flowers. then underneath, there's a musk note - which i will say is similar to NR for her, but i don't think they smell the same. edit: i wore l'esprit and NR back to back. they don't smell alike at all. NR hits you with the floral top notes, and l'esprit is distinctively powdery. what are these people smoking

For all benzoin & labdanum lovers, a real gem...this is really wonderful balanced and it's quite longlasting, incredibly alluring and somewhat unisex. Ir's even dusty and smoky. I like benzoin, but can't cope if it's too diminant. Well, here it's done perfectly; vetiver adds some freshness to it, while labdanum seduces with slightly creamy feeling on the skin. Perhaps it is not a recommendation for some, but for me this is the real thing.

At first it is quite heavy, balsamic scent. However, after an hour it starts to be better. Teasing but pleasant musk. What is more, base notes are really good, warm, full of harmony. Esprit deep inside, I would say! All in all, it's interesting, even if not in my style.

Someone who likes the first, pink NR for her, will absolutely love this one, it's very similar, but more interesting and has better performances. Lasts very long on skin. Good stuff

Habanita travels for summer holiday.. In the midway Guerlain Shalimar makes love with Hermès Eau des Merveilles.. ..and there we go..it's a girl! Habanita L'Esprit!

I smelt this one today in the Molinard boutique in Grasse and it was too similar to me to Narciso Rodriguez EDP and EDT to even considering buying it...

A Molinard for Narciso lovers.

The contents of a makeup bag shot out of a lemon cannon, a cacophony of bright powdery and waxy smells. The opening quickly settles into a soft floral bouquet dominated by the mimosa, which sits atop a musky amber base. Moderate initial projection fades over 2-3hr, longevity 6-8hr before it becomes difficult to notice (though it sticks around for 12hr+ if I really strain myself). Less powdery and more floral than Habanita EDP. I can see how they're related, but they're more distant cousins than immediate family.

Opening 5 minutes features a sharp, almost synthetic musk. It's overbearing on me but it fades within minutes to a charming but complicated powdery benzoin, labdanum and floral scent. It stays there for about 30-45 minutes and then it's a skin scent. No sillage and no projection and weak longevity means I regret my 30 ml purchase. It is interesting during the hour that it's alive on my skin. I think I'm very sensitive to overtly chemical driven scents, and unfortunately I smelled something un agreeable during the first few minutes of the opening. L'Esprit does calm down quickly, but then fades quickly too. Don't make the mistake I made and blind buy it.

I was very intrigued by the reviews both for this and the original and I managed to obtain a sample for L’Esprit. For the first hour I was choking on a huge mouthful of baby powder, much to my disappointment. The second hour was powder toned down and fluffier, more abstract. I’m now in the third hour and I can finally detect some very elegant nutmeg, musk and benzoin. It is really lovely now, but sadly I can’t see myself waiting for two hours before I can enjoy the fragrance I’m wearing and dare to go out of the house. Apologies to the lovers of L’Esprit, I wish I could join you.

Nice try - musky creamy labdanum, benzoin, nutmeg and heliotrope. But it is just too artificial and castrated. There is no Habanita and I don ́t find any esprit in it either. It ́s like a pool of sweet chemical generic scents with one drop of something interesting, the labdanum - barely noticable. Beautigul flacon (when brand new)

This did not strike me as a chypre fragrance at all; I got a confused and strong floral opening with eventual powdery notes, but not much else. I only applied a drop, and it was overpowering. I had high hopes, between the notes and the reviews, but it just did not work for me at all.

Hi! I’ve got a 75ml sprayed once with box for sale or swap in the UK. (For swapping please see my “I WANT” list).

Absolutely agreed with @evarosa Safe blind buy . If you love Rodrigues DNA you will adore the Habanita l’esprit ! Very sensual and beautiful. Definitely a very Musky , The Musk here is not clean neither dirty , but alternating. You feel it as a clean in the opening but during the fragrance evolves it becomes a little dirty and getting a vintage vibe Musc vibe , And once you feel the dirty ambers part of the scent , some clean white Musc is returning back to the nose . It’s a Developing fragrance for sure and someone can feel most of its notes . There is no dominant here and you have a feeling like there is a same quantity of each one note inside , Nothing is coming out , nothing is hidden . They are all there , like a beautiful painting where all the shades are in balanced in a harmony . Comparing with the OG Habanita I would say it’s a very little similarity here , A sharpness and ambery vintage vibe , and only . I own and adore 3 versions of Habanita and appreciate each one in it’s different way . For sure the Lesprit is much easer to wear and smell for even not trained noses , this makes it a very safe blind buy . The colour of the bottle for me is not representing the scent in 100% , maybe compared with the OG it is much lighter but not as white as it is , I would paint a bottle in powder pink or in skin beige as a NRodrigues did as it will be the best representation for the scent , But still the white is not bad choose for the fragrance, Matt surface is absolutely correct and represents its velvety and powdery character. Absolutely unisex fragrance, On my cold skin it’s getting more cold and sharp , with an untouched skin illusion , but on a male hot skin it would open in all its warm Beaty and sexy way . The same would happen in cold winter months and a hot summer season . It’s an easy fragrance- don’t be afraid to blind buy .

Habanita EDP/EDT is my #1, so I had to get this. I wonder why it took me so long? This is getting rare on ebay, but I got a cap-less tester (2.5 oz) for $29 or so. This is powdery panties. Seriously. Which I don't really mind... lol.... It smells older/vintage, so I love that they are keeping the tradition of Habanita's history. The skin sillage was disappointing, but good-great sillage/longevity on clothing. To me, this is a quiet demure small town girl, in her floral print conservative dress... but she goes into the big city, hits a club, has the time of her life, and meets a super sexy city stranger and has hot sex all night. This is her the next morning. She's got her sweet innocent powder on from the day before, but she's all skin/sweat/musk now. It really is a cool scent! I know all that ^^ sounds funky and bad, but for me-- it's a unique scent that I can wear for me. I find it hard to pick out the notes like others do. I def get 75% POWDER with 25% pure skank/musk. There is something a tiny bit resin-y and balsamic, and I'm sure the powder comes from the florals. This is creamy/silky powdery, a bit dry, and somewhat sheer feeling, without being weak. While I have a stash/stockpile of Habanita, my one bottle of L'Esprit is fine. I wore this on a Spring/Summer Michigan day where it was about 60 degrees with a bit of wind. It did dance around me beautifully when I took the dog for a walk. It does smell like you stripped about 65% of Habanita Original and this was the leftovers.

I read some of the reviews and I thought I must do something about it :) Well, I don't mind if others hate it, leave it all to me, please! :) But again, they might discontinue it if people don't buy it enough, so here is my review. I don't know if I like it, there are so many perfumes out there that I like, but this one, I am obsessed with it. I don't know if this is my signature scent, but it is my skin's scent when I feel beautiful, unique, mysterious, and oh so sensual. It is like sex, soft, tender, magical sex. I can't smell anything but Me. It is me. My own skin. And people, men and women, especially men :) prefer me wearing this scent. Women say: I don't like it on me, but on you it smells wonderful! And it does. It's probably chemistry, but who cares? I love it. And I am so happy I found it. I would wear it all the time, in all seasons, even in summer, it becomes even more sensual in summer, but sometimes I change it just because I treasure it so much. Anyway, to sum up: just give it a try. It is not for everyone, I agree. But maybe, just maybe, you will be also the Chosen One who blends this masterpiece into their own skin. It is pure magic.

Received today. Warning: If you order the 1 oz bottle,like I did, you are not getting the "raised effect" of the ladies across the bottle, this 1 oz bottle has just the design of the ladies on the bottle...UGH !! Oh well....on to the scent. This sprays on like Habanita original edp....for only a few seconds....then morphs to a dusty/musky/light powdery like vibe. It is very wearable,compared to the original. The magic is in the drydown...so be patient. I have original Habanita...and do not wear it often...have to be in the mood...but L'Esprit...is a good day or night scent. It turns out to be a warm and cozy scent IMO.Yje longevity is medium on my skin...projection, medium as well. I am happy with the outcome !!....EXCEPT...I like the bottle on the larger size waaaaaaaaaaay better....sigh... opening...rose/musk labdanum...underneath comes more floral...powdery....I can't say this is "spicy". I do get the nutmeg vibe too. 8/10 for being "different"

All overall lovely presentation in white bottle. The scent is very creamy opens with a blast of french labdanum and a hint of nutmeg, the lemon note are not exsisting her or i cant smell them in the opening. Labdanum stays on the skin for long time then a hint of rose and a dose of heliotrope join the labdanum for more smooth,sweet version. I cant smell any jasmin or mimose her.After some time benzoin notes join the blend giving definition and sharpness for the other ingredients,there is a slightly note of patchouli and vetiver but they are very airy and does not stay for a long.In the end the musky notes are join the other notes to balance the sweetness,round it and to give it the silky touch. Lovely fragrance not that rich and complex as the oryginal one but definitely worth try.

I didn't think there was any connection, but yes there is, like happiness, it isn't a summit, it only comes in moments, Habanita moments perhaps that jolted me back in time. Creamy, nutty, musky, all those aforementioned things are present, labdanum is strong in this. So, for those who don't dig the notes thing, where would you wear this? After a day at the beach, your skin still carrying a slick of Ambre Solaire, this would be scrumptious. After a spot of tennis, I see white caftans, toe sandals and Habanita L'Esprit. I think it's sporty rather than cocktail driven, I guess that's because it has quite a musk to it and I have an impression that the skin is still hot. It isn't run of the mill so you can be surprising, go surprise yourself, go and have fun

It's taken me two days to be able to describe the scent better. Its very different to what i had expected it to be. Think of the original Hababita edp with all the smoke removed and the sweetness reduced by at least 50%. I dont pick up on vanilla in this at all compared to what is in the original. Initially i just got the similar scent of L'Ombre rose with more depth, less rose, honeyed sweetness and an animalic vibe. Now i still smell the same but can smell the notes from the original habanita. It indeed smells like a very sophisticated baby powder with an honey animallic combination. Not one to blind buy as i can see this being variable on different skin. It is quite sweet on my skin considering my skin doesnt amplify sweetness. Thank you Sofia <3

Poor, misunderstood Habanita L'Esprit. Is this Habanita Black? No. Is there some common DNA? Absolutely, but you need to get past the labdanum-laden top note. Both scents share the nutmeg, heliotrope, patchouli, vetiver, and musk. Black rounds out the composition with heavy hitters - vanilla, amber, mastic, geranium, petitgrain, etc. L'Esprit is a bit more delicate with labdanum, benzoin, and mimosa. What's more of a puzzle then calling this Habanita is calling it a Chypre Floral. Sure, the labdanum is there, but I wouldn't call it a Chypre overall. It's closer to an Oriental or even a Woody Musk. It might be misunderstood, but I enjoy L'Esprit on its own quirky, musky merits.

I've only just discovered this, and I love it! It IS very powdery, but in a different way from cousin Habanita, which is way darker, much more gothic. I don't think it is similar to NR For Her, like others mentioned. It reminds me more of Godet Par Amour. Less expensive though. I would say: get this instead, but .......... it seems to have been discontinued. So if you've been eyeballing it, get while you can! Molinard itself doesn't have it anymore, but other sites do. Powder lovers can't really go wrong. Edit: it has resurfaced on the Molinard website. I'm sorry if I caused distress!