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.

Even though I’m on the hunt for a warm Autumnal fragrance at the moment, with the weather turning cold I find myself consistently returning to this powdery masterpiece. I first sampled L’Heure Bleue two years ago and it almost instantly became my all-time favourite perfume. It’s so utterly transportive. One spray and I’m in the powdery haze of a 1920s boudoir with a vase of lilacs and violets on the dressing table. It’s a fragrance that is so completely out of time, yet the complex blend of notes makes it forever timeless. It is absolutely evocative of ‘the blue hour’ it was inspired by, and while Guerlain’s Après L’Ondée may conjure up the image of a brisk evening walk in the cold rain, L’Heure Bleue brings to mind the blooming, comforting scent of the flowers after that gloomy rainfall. Like another reviewer, I’ve also bought a back-up bottle after hearing about the EU heliotropin ban. I can’t bear to imagine a world with this discontinued or reformulated beyond recognition. L’Heure Bleue is wistful, ever so slightly melancholic, and beautifully enveloping. With the nights drawing in, it’s the perfect scent to bask in as the world takes on a blue, mysterious quality. This is a perfume I believe everyone should experience. There’s a reason it has endured the test of time.

l’huere bleue feels wandering like a haze of melancholy in the best possible way. i want to be poetic about it but all the reviews before me have said it better than i possibly can. so i will start by saying that there’s many things this perfume makes me think of, and they don’t all make sense. it makes me think of another time, not necessarily the time it came out, but there’s multiple levels of nostalgia here. it feels timeless, but vintage nonetheless. it also feels gothic to me. think a cold dusk/dawn outside a 12th century cathedral, the sky is a deep blueish purple, dark but just light enough to see. it also makes me think of kate bush’s hounds of love album. you get what i’m putting down. poetics and whatever aside, smelled very parma violety on the paper tester i tried, but when i bought it and tried it on my skin it was completely different. it was stunning before but on my skin it was much nicer, fuller. warm, but also cold. can’t stress enough how pretty this is. longetivy is crazy, lasts a full work day on my skin, lets say 8+ hours only called short by my shower, and even longer on clothes, i sprayed it on one of my shirts and even after it had been washed i could still smell it. projection is great too. i could smell it on me for ages over the day.

With the forthcoming Heliotropin restrictions, I bought a backup bottle of L’Heure Bleue. Just like Mitsouko (both Les Legendaires collection) it’s absolutely beautiful! Spicy, powdery, floral...dreamy. My older bottle seems deeper, probably maceration has played a part. The new one feels fresher but in the sense of freshly made, not lighter. So nice to see what care has been taken in this collection. I’m not the biggest fan of Delphine Jelk and I have no idea if it’s her or Wasser’s work (a heavy input from Thierry is guaranteed; I admire his style and commitment to class) but kudos! THIS is how you maintain your legacy! More brands (starting with Dior and Chanel, and following with everyone else) should take notice. A faithful and well preserved classics collection will keep people interested, and then you can bombard the market with as many flankers as you want to make shareholders happy. If you have a strong foundation, everything else just flows; it’s a give and take, not just take. PS: newest bottles have the name in a bigger font and in some cases, the sticker on the bottle displays the date of the original creation/launch.

This is simply a masterpiece, definitely not for everyone but in terms of art of perfumery this is a masterpiece. And I think this is the golden standard for all perfume, it’s dynamic, well blended and projection and longevity are also good. It opens with this a floral freshness, it reminds me of habit rouge because of the carnation. Then after a short while the floral fades and the classic Guerlain vanilla kicks in, kind of reminiscent of Shamilar but I think it’s just they use the same ingredients for the vanilla note, the vanilla Guerlain uses is just high quality pure elegance. After everything settles the powdery notes come out and you are left with this very elegant powdery vanilla scent, you can definitely smell the anise here in the dry down. It’s such a well blended perfume, in no time we’re you will smell it and feel like one note complete overpowers the others. Overall I’m not sure when to wear this, it’s unisex purely because of the anise. But if you are someone that actually appreciates the art of perfumery and not buying perfumes to seek validation this is definitely worth to check out

I was in the market for a powdery, oppressively floral sort of perfume. What I wanted specifically was a sort of ancient, dated, sort of grandma’s house fragrance, and knowing that this was apparently (well, in the past) the favored perfume of Queen Elizabeth II, I got it, not because I have any sort of big devotion to her as a Filipino man who is dealing with his own government, but hey, I wanted grandma’s house, and few grandmas and their houses are more famous than she and Buckingham were. My sister once described it as a dusty sort of vampire scent, and that solidified it for me. I get beautiful bouquets of dried, dead flowers, and not in an edgy way either. It then dies down into a clean and musky vintage feel. It is feminine, but not girly, more womanly if anything. It is mature, and not very playful or serene, but mildly austere and very graceful. I am a man, but on occasions that require a little more elegance, I will most definitely wear this.

Current LHB was renamed 1912 to distinguish it from the upcoming new release L’HEURE BLEUE, which is an ozonic, ambroxan and orange blossom vanilla perfume. The ‘big’ launch for this autumn. A while ago i was told all the Les Legendaires would eventually have the date of their original creation under the name, although I haven’t seen any, except L’Heure Bleue. Either way, as of today, I still believe that most of them, if not all, have been reformulated with great care and are in very good condition. Some are better than earlier reformulations; they appear more rich and with more nuance. Still worthy of your time. And this is coming from a vintage fan who owns, knows and enjoys many many original formulations and will always always seek the oldest specimen. Guerlain so far has done a good job!

I am not sure if there has been a new reformulation of this Les Légendaires version, but the bottle I got from a second hand website has 1912 written after L'Heure Bleu, perhaps to discern it from the even newer version coming this autumn? It was quite a while ago that I smelled the vintage LHB, so I can't make a trustworthy comparison. In my memory the vintage was thicker, stickier, and darker (both in colour and mood). This new version is however still fantastic! Perhaps even a bit easier to wear on a hot summer day, as today. If Après L'Ondée EDT is the promise of early morning spring rain, L'Heure Bleu EDP is a sultry summer evening, bursting with almost over bloomed flowers, heavy and sweet, and dry grass, like hay, telling of the fall to come. Summer sadness in a bottle.

Wow. I might be biased, because I read that it was Queen Elizabeth II favorite fragrance, but for me it is truly royal. A perfume that you approach with a respect and wear with proud. It’s very elegant, original and classy. BUT you must like powdery scents with a vintage vibe. Sad to admit, but I’m worried that nowadays it might not be appreciated. Subjectively speaking though, I love vintage vibes so for me it’s really good. Iris, Violet and Carnation are the most dominant trio here, anise adds character and gorgeous vanilla makes it sensual, but never vulgar. This perfume is feminine, warm and will most likely make you feel special. :) Longevity and performance are incredible! If you love powdery and/or oldschool perfumes, I definitely recommend you giving it a try!

I avoided L’Heure Bleue for years because I kept associating it with Vol de Nuit (probably thanks to that legendary aviator connection) and Vol de Nuit smells way too masculine on my skin. Iris there feels like men’s cologne on me, even though reviews often call it purely feminine. Back to L’Heure Bleue - it opens with aldehydes that instantly recall the soapy vibe of No. 5, and that phase lasts quite a while. A whisper of tonka pops in and out, then after about an hour and a half the scent softens into a floral-powdery cloud - that’s the part I enjoy most. To me it’s not such overwhelming powerhouse I expected from the reviews, more of a gentle soapy-powder classic. And although I'm not a huge fan of the soapy start, I can't get enough of the powdery dry-down.

In my original review i had stated that this is perfect for winter, but i actually find it MUCHHH more appealing in warmer weather! In the winter it gets plush and heliotrope like; not my most favorite form of powderiness in a fragrance. I also dont get a lot of anise or incense in cold weather, it kind of just goes straight to the base notes of tonka and vanilla with that heliotrope. In sunny weather i dont get heliotrope at all, instead i get a prevalent long lasting anise with violets and animalics and incense. Much more complex and lovely. Even though it would have made much more sense in winter, i still wear this much more often in spring and summer

If creamy_ambrette is right in her observation it's really happy news that all's not lost because comparing the notes in the pyramid for a moment my heart sank that if the current version is this beautiful what would the vintage be like. L'heure Bleue opened so intense yet gorgeous that she blew my mind. Soon she settled into that heavy perfumed powder/talc note reminiscent of Yardley talcs manufactured from Bond street. I only hoped that she could retain that opening longer as that opening made my heart leap with joy. What more can I say.. she befits a Queen👸 but can be worn by anyone, in all honesty, very easily. But better suited for mature genre.

Had tested L’heure bleue eau de parfum at one wrist, Mitsouko at the other wrist. L’heure bleue kept me smelling and smiling with love. Mitsouko gets another try for sure, but L’heure it is. My first thought was I smelled like Marseille soap. It I could sense the Guerlain lavender through the initial soap blast and it kept me on guard. L’heure bleue went from fresh soap within an hour to unlocking childhood memories I never knew I missed. It went from an interesting opening to lingering sniffs and an emotional rollercoaster but all in all pleasant way. Like a warm and loving embrace from a long lost friend. So L’heure bleue, you stole my heart!

Now THIS is soap and powder, and I LOVE it! I feel like so many scents that contain powdery notes, iris, etc, get called soapy, but this is actually soapy, and I adore it. Squeaky clean, classy, sophisticated and light. I bought a 5ML decant of this and was already so pleasantly surprised when I opened the envelope. It does open a bit sharp on me, almost medical, slightly like mouth water, but this fades quickly and soon dries into a beautiful, soapy powder. To me this literally smells like how my grandma's dusting powder box used to smell when I was a child and I always adored that scent, so to me that's a positive.

This isn't a review, just a tip: don't bother hunting down vintage bottles of L'Heure Bleue, because even the current version of the Eau de Parfum ages BEAUTIFULLY. The notes of vanilla, benzoin, and heliotrope deepen so deliciously that this perfume almost becomes gourmand. In fact, for me, L'Heure Bleue is like a "proto-gourmand" perfume, as it reminds me of the scent of freshly baked cherry pie with almonds and vanilla, along with, of course, makeup powder, lipstick and violet and anise candies. Sweet, decadent, utterly romantic, dreamy, nostalgic. A true masterpiece in every sense!

I love this scent. As the name suggests, L'Heure Bleue has a rich, blue feel to it. It's a romantic fragrance, for sure, yet unlike the warm, exuberant passion of Mitsouko, L'heure Bleue appears to thrive on romantic melancholy: a dissatisfaction with one's current situation, and a yearning to feel 'whole'. In terms of songs, this fragrance makes me think of 'Under Your Spell' by Desire. Projection and longevity both seem moderate. I definitely think that L'Heure Bleue is more of a night time scent.

I've already written a review for the original release but I'd like to add here that LHB is indeed heavenly, nostalgic and magical. A scent so inspiring that it made me take up painting again, listen to classical music and read Dostoevsky. There must be magic going on when a perfume can touch you so deeply that you want to create changes in your life. I recommend wearing this while looking at paintings by Matisse, Chagall or Munch and orchestral music playing in the background.

Got this from 68 Champs Elysee, as they don't sell the EDP in the States. I love the EDT but it wasn't giving me what I wanted, which was LOUD. This is loud at first and settles into what has become one of my favorite fragrances of all time. A true classic in every sense of the word and a wonder of perfumery. Throughout the composition there is a "butteriness" that I adore.

A classically beautiful powdery composition—boudoir-like and romantic, it envelops the skin in a refined veil, settling as an intimate skin scent that caresses the senses up close. The opening is graced with a delicate hint of anise, intriguing without overwhelming with spiciness. As it develops, the base grows ever more powdery and smooth. A beautiful experience indeed!

Something about this anis-carnation-violet combo reminds me a lot about the blue-purpleish sky before sunset or melancholic moments in rainy day. something about this perfume is ethereal and different from this era. "you're so earthy yet so heavenly, you don't belong to this century" quote can be very appealing for this perfume "The Blue Hour"

"Where night is yet to find its star." L'heure Bleue is a masterpiece, epitomizing all the best qualities within a powder-forward, yet distinctive fragrance. This is also a curious compliment getter as well; I have received compliments from men and women who all wanted to try it on their skin as well.

Love it! A beautiful powdery violet. It reminds me of cool evenings under the stars with violet candles slowly scenting the air. It's very elegant and romantic, not overpowering at all, but very long lasting at least on my skin.

Maybe this is how angels smell!!Nothing will ever beat this!!In my heart this will always be my number one!!Even the reformulated version is better than anything!!!Timeless and heavenly french perfumery masterpiece!!

WARNING DELPHINE JELK is about to butcher L'heure bleue as we know it, the rerelease will have ambroxan...poor L'heure bleue. What is Guerlain doing? Ambroxan in L'huere bleue? Stock up before it is too late.

Planning to update my previous review, this is still my all time favorite scent, literally nothing could beat you. Even better in summer

Iris-violet-anise incense overdrive. Dusk in a sunken blue cathedral. L'Heure Bleue smells holy, haunted, exalted.

Nothing but beautiful descriptive poetry comes to mind when thinking about this timeless perfume. Masterpiece! 💜

A scent that feels like that scene in Marie Antoinette 2006 where they sit by the water during the blue hour

It starts out woody and spicy but dries down to a powdery violet cloud.

many other perfumes become vulgar after smelling this

LOVE THIS! My new favorite perfume! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Powdery bomb, but absolutely not like baby powder because it’s a lot more complex. It has a very classic, somewhat vintage feel to it. I think to truly appreciate this, proper attire is necessary. 😉 This would not go with skimpy shorts and flip flops. I think a sophisticated silk blouse (either white or any shades of blue—solid colors without patterns) with A-line skirt along with nicely coiffed hair. Definitely heels—real leather. No loud jewelry. Real, not fake, gems. If it’s for sleep, an elegant night gown.

I love the scent, its like an old fashioned violet candy factory. I remember reading how this scent was to designed to last long on ‘blondes’. I wonder if this is true because as much I want to emulate this scent it lasts like 5 minutes when I try to wear it. Compared to Shalimar where it lasted forever on me and worked well with my chemistry, I don’t get any compliments on this one simply because it doesn’t last on me for whatever reason.

L’Heure Bleue Eau de Parfum captures the essence of this legendary fragrance beautifully. Powdery iris and violet create the familiar nostalgic atmosphere, while a soft yet noticeable spicy warmth gives the perfume its character. Compared to the extrait, this version feels a little lighter and more transparent, but the soul of the fragrance remains the same. Elegant, melancholic

It's a lovely powdery floral but I think maybe the violet is too strong for me—in the first 20 minutes or so there is something to the perfume that I can only describe as gummy or something I associate with play-doh. As the hours pass it becomes more gentle. One of my closest friends loves this and the scent reminds me of them.

L'Heure Bleue is a dry and very powdery scent a bit too much for my personal taste but it feels very elegant and well blended and it grew on me more as it dried down I mostly wanted to try it bc I heard that this is what isabelle huppert wears. it feels like a very serious and austere scent.

Distinctive, bold, and incredibly lovely, simply a classic. It is quite strong initially and wears down rather quickly for my tastes, but it is one of those scents that you'll fall in love with if you know when to wear it.

You're home alone and opening cabinets in your grandma's house. You find a box with old makeup, jewelry and some tiny bar of soap - this is how it smells like. Nostalgia in a bottle. Lives up to the name 🦢

Blue. Powder. A mysterious boudoir. Rounded scent with body. There is a warm liquorice facet in the opening(due to the anise), but it’s not bad and even I, as someone who despises liquorice, can still enjoy and appreciate it. There are also some petrichor-type qualities to this. I was telling my fiancé that I feel like the worst sin or crime a perfume can commit is to have no personality. I can respect a perfume with a bold personality that doesn’t meld with my own. I can appreciate it for what it is. I have zero respect for a fragrance that doesn’t have personality. With that said, this is a perfume that is ABUNDANT in personality. I don’t agree that this is a sad perfume. To me, it is thoughtful, complex, sophisticated. It is pondering, but not brooding. This is the perfume you wear when you are in a car or train, moving away from your home and the old life you knew and you’re thinking over all your relationships and formative experiences. It’s nostalgic, bittersweet, elegant. Some other notes, of what this has oddly reminded me of: * For a millisecond, reminded me of a hospital and the kind of liminal space that can be found there * My fiancé commented on it having this kind of “icy hot” medical rub scent * Dentist gloves and the cold tools that are used - this is beginning to be a scent association that I can’t shake now * If I had to associate with art, I'd go with Monet's water lilies. If I had to choose a movie, I'd go with Before Sunrise, maybe Lost in Translation or La La Land. If I had to choose a book I'd go with Anna Karenina or Never Let Me Go. * This is the aesthetic of oil painting With that said, this is still one of my favorites from the Guerlain legendary lineup. I have yet to try Samsara and Aprés l’Ondée before I declare a winner, but this is a strong contender.

Difficult to comprehend why so many rave reviews about this - and that it's unisex - which it certainly is not. I remember being aware of it in the 70s, when it seemed weird and not 'mainstream' enough to wear at my young age. It's definitely changed; no longer weird, just flowery, powdery - and really very old fashioned. The anise note has been dumbed down in favour of vintage violet, which is truly not for contemporary modern users. Now I know why some reviews have mentioned it was worn by QE2 - for sure it's that age bracket. Sadly not recommended, but I'll use it up with some layering - and no plans to replace anytime soon.

Dear makinmagic1 - thanks for your comment. In fact it's likely I was using the 'internets' as you call it, way before you were born. Maybe best stick to toys, rather than perfume.

do we really need to have a perfume review that starts with offensive language? Fragrantica please remove. There's no point in scoring it through - we can still see it. Appalling.

As a huge Guerlain fan but still a cautious buyer, I got a vintage mini to test before committing to a full bottle. Good thing I did it as this one does not work for me at all. While I appreciate the usual smooth, vintage, powdery profiles of Guerlain and their uplifting florals, this one falls into an awkward middle ground. The anise and carnation somehow make it super buttery and topped with the purple flowers and some sweetness it gets super heavy. I love vanilla when it is smoky but this one here just sweetness the butter. In comparison Vol de Nuit is also a purple perfume but it is more aromatic, cold and uplifting, much easier on the nose. Of course, I will test LHB after a few months but unfortunately I see this one being just an OK and never a love for me.

My least favorite Guerlain, but a must-have for lovers of vintage powder scents. Powdery powder, with more powder on top. For me personally, the only save is that it brings back nostalgic 1980s memories of my grandmothers bathroom filled to the brim with endless of products smelling of powdery powder with more powder on top.

Didnt like it smells like old sharp perfume soaps

A purple floral. Yes, a very classic violet–iris–powder composition, if you are into that sort of thing. I do like purple florals, although usually framed in a more modern way. Still, it is not a bad thing that this feels a bit dated. That is actually one of Guerlain’s superpowers: preserving the richness and atmosphere of vintage perfumery without poisoning us with arsenic and whatever else people were bathing in a century ago. I noticed the red carnation in the heart notes, and it was quite symbolic. I sampled this on a warm spring day in Madrid, and for some reason every woman seemed to be wearing a plastic red carnation pin in her hair. Maybe some local trend, maybe coincidence, but suddenly the fragrance made sense. It is rich, mysterious, and a bit theatrical. It makes me think of burlesque dancers in Paris and how they would smell backstage - powder, flowers, velvet curtains, warm skin. There is also an almond facet that softens the composition. This is very old-school sensuality. Boudoir glamour. Not a formal older lady in pearls, but a seductive dancer peeking at you from behind feathers and cigarette smoke. Very beautiful.