L'Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum

This perfume is a masterpiece. The fragrantica notes alone dont say much about the end result of this perfume. You’d assume its more floral and fresh when you read the notes. This perfume isnt floral however. I consider violets and carnations to be beyond just floral, since their scent is extremely unique and characteristic. Those two notes are extremely prominent, and if you dont like either then its a bad idea to blind buy this. The violets in here arent sweet and solifloral (not a real word but i cant describe it any other way), theyre present to add a texture and a feel. They add this purple and powdery vibe without truly showing up seperately from the other notes. This is a blend of notes instead of notes clashing together. Animalique by byredo is an example of realistic violets being present while also working together with other notes. Here its not the case. The carnations work together with anise to add spice. A soft spiciness, one that reminds you of drinking milk with anise in winter and not a spice cabinet. Together with the violet, this creates a unique combination that feels warm and spicy but light and ethereal. I cant detect any true iris in this, its probably just synthetic ionones that fragrantica classifies as iris and violet. It doesnt smell buttery or waxy like iris does, it smells purple and fizzy. In LHB, it adds a velvet like texture where its powdery but very very grainy. It doesnt smell like a smooth and thick fatty powder u lather on something, its dusty grainy and dry. Im finding it hard to draw an irl comparison, maybe those powders people use to hold onto lifting weights. But in a good way, of course. Then the vanilla tonka and benzoin add this cozy warmth without ever adding heaviness. They dont smell sweet or gourmand, they just smell like what they actually smell like in real life. Together with the carnation, violet and iris, this results in a dry, warm, soft, purple, ethereal, cozy, vintage and dignified perfume full of character and mystery. The bergamot isnt really noticeable, and the is very very muted. So its never sharp or zingy. Unlisted notes i pick up on strongly are aldehydes and incense. The aldehydes are adding this soapy and vintage quality to lhb without reallt smelling like a bar of soap. It uplifts the dry and stale powderiness of the iris and violets like it usually does, and creates a sparkly effervescence on top of a warm fragrance. The incense is extremely prevalent, to the point where it smells like nag champa incense sticks at certain points. Its an unlit incense that smells mystical and calming. It doesnt add smokiness or heft, but improves the warmth and depth of all the other notes. One of my all time favorites, perfect for winter, cozy yet strong and present, full of intent and very unique. Im truly in love with it. I could almost consider it a floral oriental. Possible downsides are 1. doesnt fit everyone. I cant see this working well on a jovial and reckless person. This is mature and stoic/somber. Which also makes it less suitable for every day wear. But i dont mind that at all. 2. As previously mentioned, it smells mature. To some, this may smell of grandmas. I see that, but i dont mind that at all. I love grandma fragrances and using that term in such a derogatory way is weird and ageist. If you dont like a perfume style from a certain era then just say that instead of negatively associating a scent with age. 3. Not suitable for hot climates. Its a bit heavy and enveloping and i can see it giving headaches if the weather is 40 degrees 4. Can get noseblind to the violet/iris because theres a strong dose of alpha isomethyl ionone but i cant blame that on the perfume 5. It burns my skin when i come out of the shower so im assuming theres certain allergens in here

"L'Heure Bleue" is my greatest love among all Gurlain's creations. And just like every love - there are no rational explanations or reasons as to why. It just is, existentialism in itself, beguiling and overwhelming. With first spray of the perfume a zesty and slightly bitter bergamot and lemon take to the air like butterflies in dance. Their colours are bright and sparkling, with spicy powder-like streaks of coriander and neroli glistening behind their wings. Anise is not visible to me, unlike in the "Extrait" where it is very much pronounced. The heart blooms on the skin with carmine red carnation, assured and elegant in her classic representation of gently spiced sweetness. She is a perfect bridge between two stages of the composition, making transition seamlessly effortless. As carnation blooms, the red hue deepens, shifting to magenta and then deep purple of iris, its petals unfolding with majestic grace and speckled by the powdery violet, adding tenderness to this regal flower. Iris turns an imperial purple when it reaches its zenith in the composition, contrasting beautifully with the citrusy notes and adding further depth to the spiced floral note started by carnation. Whilst the flowers bloom, I will say that the projection of the "L'Heure Bleue" is a strong one whether in Fall-Winter or in Spring-Summer, and the sillage flows around the wearer as the cirrus clouds, changing colours and moving in most fascinating patterns, think “Study of Cirrus Clouds” by John Constable circa 1822. This painting also gives justice to the evocation of the "L'Heure Bleue" in the name of the perfume. And even though the traditional meaning of the "L'Heure Bleue" refers to the twilight of the day, being melancholic and romantic at the same time, I tend to see it as the hour of the blue skies with transitioning hues and flowing clouds. The perfume's rich and expressive notes are never in a hurry to settle in and become the skin scent, and they are most persistent in their indulgent exuberance. When the drydown finally arrives (and I am never able to pinpoint the exact moment of scent switching to it) vanilla and tonka envelop one in their soft caress, tempering down the spices and bringing the swirling airy phantasms closer, making them intimate and more etherial, like gentle Zephyrus of Ancient Greece. "L'Heure Bleue" could be easily described as a perfect image of the gentlest of wind gods - Zephyrus and his beautiful wife Chloris - goddess of flowers, gliding through the skies and sprinkling luscious flowers over the earth while the goddess of dawn Eos creates a perfect backdrop of the morning twilight rich in blue, violet, and red-splashed deep blues, painted over the eternal sky.

This is the first day of owning this, so it might just be my dopamine receptors being biased.. but i feel like this is the scent i’ve been looking for my entire life. I’ve been a huge fan of fleur de peau by diptyque, because it smells very old timey and like my grandma. This is reminiscent of that, but in a much more grand way. Its way more loud, elegant, heavy and powerful than fdp. By making this comparison, im not trying to say fdp smells like l’heure bleue. I just consider them similar because of them being powdery and old fashioned. L’heure bleue is more than just powdery however. Its animalic, fizzy, sheer, present and dignified. Im genuinely in love and i believe everyone else would be too. I just dont know if this would be fitting for summer heat EDIT: still in love with this, probably even more than i was at first. The closest comparison i can make is unlit nag champa incense (in the blue box). It is SO beautiful and so powerful.. ive gotten so many compliments for it (and i cant help but tell them about the history of this perfume lol) Dont buy this based off of notes alone, this is a type of perfume that is its own thing. The notes dont really represent the experience you get. They all combine and create their own scent. The far drydown is indeed vanillic, but thats after like 24 hours. Before that, its a violet-anise nag champa powderbomb with a side of woody clean laundry and a tiiiiiiiny bit of aldehydes at the start. This is like if loulou and chanel no5 had a baby (for comparison). This is a scent for wise, independent , authentic & confident, but couth, loving and empathetic people. Idc if its giving grandma! I think its quite unisex. I’m a 21 year old male and i wear mainly feminine perfume, but this is rather heavy, dry and powerful which makes it less feminine imo. I wouldnt see this being good on every kind of man however...

Thick, sweet, anise-infused, vanilla-scented vintage face powder and violet-scented lipsticks sprawled over a plum-colored velvet bedspread. I have previously written reviews for the EDT and all I’ve said in them apply here. They’re very similar, but the EDP is slightly sweeter and deeper, and the EDT is a bit more aromatic and the makeup powder notes smell kind of like flour to my nose. My favorite book as a tween was The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board the Titanic by Bianca Turetsky, in which the main character finds an antique dress in a vintage clothing shop and tries it on, only to be transported back in time to the Titanic. L’Heure Bleue has a similar effect on me whenever I wear it. How fitting, since it was created in 1912. That surely influences my imagination. (A not so) fun fact; my great-great-grandfather’s cousin actually died on the Titanic. He was a young man on a work slash leisure trip travelling to the United States, where he had plans of paying a surprise visit to a relative, an uncle if I remember correctly, but he never made it there. I’ve always been a huge history nerd and I adore it when perfumes transport you to different places and bygone times, and LHB does exactly that. When I close my eyes I can almost hear the ship engine roaring faintly, smell the fresh paint and cigar smoke, and feel the ice cold ocean breeze on my skin. It’s the calm before the storm and I’m in my cabin powdering myself, getting ready to go to dinner in the First Class dining room.

L'Heure Bleue really reminds me of the house of Oriza Legrand- especially Le Regent and Jardins d'Armide- maybe the two combined? It opens a little sharp and powdery, a little spicy, but quickly settles into its soft floral and vanillin base. It is soapy, but mostly in the first 30 minutes, on skin it softens and warms up with time. The drydown is very airy and purple floral, simply beautiful. It reminds me of an an impressionist painting - colours blue, purple and green come to mind - but the story isn't about the painting itself, it's more about la bohème and the Parisian artist's lifestyle. The anise (nod to impressionists' favourite drink- absinthe) and iris notes are especially evocative of that. I wish we got more modern fragrances with the iris note, as it's starting to become my favourite note. L'Heure Bleue is very French, romantic and old fashioned in the best way. I would like to try wearing it in a cool summer evening, and in Paris whenever I get the chance. I think it will be appreciated by people drawn to vintage aesthetics or anybody who's into classic perfumes. While it's unique and a bit old fashioned, I also can't imagine anyone disliking it, it's a very thoughtful and well blended creation. You can tell that it was created in an era when perfumers took years to create and perfect a perfume, and the process of creation was more about their artistic vision than market research and following trends. This is my first Guerlain, a blind buy, and so far my favourite.