STEPHANE HUMBERT LUCAS
Ruby Naga – Harrods

2022

Green Mandarin
Lychee
Almond
Raspberry
Peach

Jasmine Sambac
orange blossom
orris
Bulgarian Rose
Violet

Amber
Vanilla
Tonka bean
Clear Musk
Blond Woods

Made exclusively for Harrods.

‘Ruby Naga is inspired by the divine serpent creatures known for their incredible strength and outstanding beauty. They reside in magnificent jeweled palaces and serve as protectors and guardians of treasure – both material riches and spiritual wealth.’- Stephane Humbert Lucas

I already really liked the Harrods H Mamba collaboration, but Ruby Naga could be my new favorite Stephane Humbert Lucas, definitely among their fruitier, brighter releases. I mostly enjoyed Soleil de Jeddah – Mango Kiss, but ended up selling it out of my collection, as it was sweeter than I loved. The popular God Of Fire is not for me at all (too Erba Pura-esque). I think Ruby Naga feels perhaps more like a citrussy, fruity equivalent to their powdery signatures, such as Panthea Iris.

Ruby Naga still goes sweet almost instantly, but in a way, combined with how powdery it is, that feels more traditional, more retro. Tart, sweet, powdery and quite vanillic, but all done with restraint and with a subtle, but I think important role for the florals, keeping it solidly more grounded and less modern. While very powdery overall, there is a great fizzy texture to the opening hour, which is my favorite part of the wear.

I wouldn’t have been shocked to have found the Ruby Naga composition in a brand like Grossmith (like Diamond Jubilee Bouquet) or some of the most vintage/retro leaning Roja Parfums. Lesquendieu Feu Bengale is often compared to this on Fragrantica; I don’t remember that well enough to comment on it. But on my own, I was reminded of Lesquendieu Bonne Fortune, which has that powdery citrus vibe.

As the citrus fruitiness fades away, Ruby Naga loses quite a lot of its magic, but still remains a nice and pleasant, vanillic, powdery skin scent. Perhaps a tad generic or at least, familiar smelling, but it still retains a hint of that old-world quality on my skin; like a very subtle mossy, spicy tinge. This is not in the notes, but I perceive an ever so slightly aromatic spiciness, which pulls it a tad more in the unisex/masculine direction than the notes let on.

I think how much you are aligned with these more retro powders with floral tinges, will make up most of how you feel about Ruby Naga. It’s easy to assume a more contemporary smelling perfume by looking at the notes, or a more Middle Eastern styled one like a Khol de Bahrein if you’re familiar with the brand. But I think Ruby Naga is a bit of an outlier within the Stephane Humbert Lucas range in regards to how it comes across. Which makes it, probably, my favorite from the brand, but I could definitely see it as a reason for fans of for example, God Of Fire or Pink Boa, to come in with misguided expectations. Big thumbs up for me.