L'Heure Bleue Eau de Toilette

Comparison of new batches of L’Heure Bleue Extrait, EdP, and EdT. This enthusiastic vintage hunter curiously doesn’t own a vintage L’Heure Bleue, an oversight I hope to correct in the near future with a bit of good luck (and quite a bit of cash). This legend is coveted for good reason. Fortunately, I haven’t found a critical need to chase after one since Guerlain has kept LHB in solid shape. Gratitude and commendations to them and Thierry Wasser for that. There are some differences to the vintages, of course, and there should be, but LHB’s DNA and identity are firmly intact in new formulations. The biggest differences between the new and the old is the precision of the floral heart, which is clearer and sharper in new formulations, and the vintages are more generous with animal musks lending them to a sweeter and more civety feel in the dry downs. Sticking strictly to the new formulations, here are the key differences between them. The first, no surprise, is the speed with which they progress. The EdT being the fastest, it reaches its dry down in a couple of hours - which is quite a bit faster by at least a couple of hours compared to vintage EdTs. It’s cheap, so don’t worry about it; lather yourself in it and you’ll get an on-par experience for today’s EdTs. The EdP is the second fastest, reaching its dry down in about four hours. This is on par with vintage EdPs and what you should expect from today’s EdPs. Finally, the extrait is the slowest, reaching its dry down in about 8 hours. This is definitely quicker than vintages, which took about ten, but it is on par with today’s extraits. Notably though, the top notes of the extrait dispense very quickly, within an hour; this is unusually quick for an extrait of any period. While we’re on the subject of top notes, there lies the most perceptible difference between the three new formats. The EdT is mostly bitter and sour bergamot, with a fleck of anise. The EdP gives the same bitter and sour bergamot but better rounded and cooled off by tarragon, sage, touches of coriander, and the citrusy floral of orange blossom. The extrait is the most bracing of the three. The sour and bitter bergamot is virtually the same but the anise note is turned way up. This makes the extrait stand out quite a bit from the other two as darker, spicier, and woodier. This experience aligns, I believe, with vintage versions I have tried and are recalling to memory, but that is likely irrelevant since the age of vintage versions will mean most of those top notes have died off to some degree. In the heart they are virtually the same, and smell like LHB has done for a very long time. The quietly beating heart of LHB is what makes this perfume so special. Red and fleshy roses; creamy and spicy carnations; powdery and dry orris and violets; benzoin of the base and the carnation harmonizing to a quiet note of cinnamon like a thread running through the perfume. The EdT’s heart is more monodimensional than the extrait’s or the EdP’s, opting for more of the creamy and spicy carnations and a white floral amalgam in comparison to the extrait’s and EdP’s less abstract and more dynamic presentations. Very good nonetheless. The extrait pushes a bit more jasmine to the front than the other two. Every time I smell LHB’s heart I get vivid images of a bouquet in a very old and dusty home that has seen more than its fair share woeful tales. The heart is eerily quiet and dark, but yet gentle and affectionately soft at the same time. Near the end of the day, the EdT is long gone from my skin, having moved to a skin scent of earthy tonka, sweet and woody benzoin, and powdery orris many hours ago. Simple and very pleasant. The EdP just tucked in about a couple hours ago, having gone in quite a different direction. Creamy sandalwood, peppery cedar, sweet benzoin, and a good dose of green vetiver. The extrait is finally at its skin scent, with its base comfortably between the two, most notably with an absence of green vetiver, opting for more warm woods and orris. Though the extrait and the EdP are a bit different in their dry downs, they have enough in common to be called the same, and for me this dry down is one of the best in perfume history. It’s gorgeous. So there you have it, new LHB in a nutshell, quick and dirty. Which one you prefer is entirely up to your tastes and need for practicality. All three are wearable any time and any place, even the extrait - though bigger, louder, and richer, it is never too much for any particular setting. However, practically, it’s likely cost prohibitive for the vast majority of us. Your choice, and there’s no better or worse choice. It’s L’Heure Bleue after all, one of the best of all time.

Guerlain is my favourite house of all, and L'Heure Bleue is one of my favourite Guerlains. Vintage is ideal, and I have a treasured tiny parfum in a harvest box. However, I was at the Guerlain counter a little while ago, and I was very impressed with how faithful this is to the original formula. I bought a bottle for everyday use, and it hits the spot and garners compliments. I adore iris, and love how it is used here. HB opens with the familiar anise-led spices alongside tart citrus. Green-tinged neroli adds body to the citrus accord while paving the way to the powdery florals at the heart of this scent. The violet-iris accord blooms on my skin after a little while, melding beautifully with the warm, sweet spices, true to the DNA of the original. Clove-like carnation becomes the dominant spicy note. I love the combination of iris and carnation, seen recently in Frédéric Malle Heaven Can Wait. Powdery rose brings it to lipstick territory. Dry and powdery, the amber base emerges, sweetened nicely with dry vanilla. Tonka bean adds body and enhances the spice. It is less rich and resinous than in the vintage, but remains faithful, the Guerlinade accord intact. It fades to a powdery skin scent with a hint of spice remaining until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is feminine-leaning traditionally, but perhaps unisex by modern standards. It is transeasonal, more cold weather appropriate. A beautiful reconstruction of a classic, HB is a delight, and I love that I can enjoy it whenever rather than having to conserve a vintage bottle. Hats off to Thierry Wasser. Aptly named, I love to apply this in the evening. Classical elegance by way of spiced iris. 4.5/5.

I’ve already written a review of this, but I feel the need to write another one. I don’t own a bottle (yet), but this is one of those perfumes I HAVE TO spray on my wrist every time I visit a department store. I can’t leave unless I’ve done that. In my last review, I said that I don’t find this soapy, but actually, I do, just not in an aldehydic and sparkly way like Chanel No. 5. More like smelling a dry block of bar soap. This is, in fact, first and foremost a soapy, vanillic, and powdery makeup-y scent that's a bit spicy. L’Heure Bleue smells like makeup to me. Vintage compact powders and old expired lipstick, with oil droplets on its surface. This reminds me a lot of JPG Classique, except that this is heavier, melancholic, velvety, dark blue/purple, and less sweet. The powder here is quite dusty, and the oily/waxy quality makes this really heavy. I hate saying this, but this smells a little bit like stale air in a glamorous grandmother's bedroom, where a window hasn’t been opened in a long time. I still love this scent, but I guess I wish this were just SLIGHTLY airier. That would make this a bit easier to wear. I’ve thought about getting Esprit d’Oscar for that reason; maybe it'd be a fresher version of this. This perfume always makes me think of Isabella Rossellini’s character in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet – the scene where she sings in the bar. That song, too, Blue Velvet, fits this so well – both the original Bobby Vinton’s version, and Lana Del Rey's cover.

I bought it blindly because I couldn't find a tester anywhere. And when I smelled it for the first time, it was as if I had known the scent forever, it didn't surprise me but instead moved me to tears. It's weird like that. It is a melancholic perfume. It was instant recognition (I've owned and loved Insolence for a very long time) and obsession. So much so that I immediately bought EDP (also Les Légendaires). It's hard to describe. Violets and powder. Beautiful, gentle, as already said, old but also so timeless. And it will remain so. So much respect and nostalgia for that long-gone era when they made things to last forever. Like the good old classics. Like a (royal) vampire (very good description also by Essence-tially Dacob on YT). It is suspended in time, so very comforting, and suitable for all days/nights of the year. The EDT is fresher and somewhat lighter than the EDP. The EDP is more powdery and clear, the liquid is more yellow. The EDT might actually be better suited for clothes while the EDP is for the skin. Although there is nothing wrong with EDT when applied to the skin. I understand that they may smell different due to body chemistry and may not be suitable for everyone. For me its worth having them both. Both last a long time. They stay on the skin easily throughout the day. They can stay on the clothes for a couple of days, of course the intensity weakens.

do yourself a huge favor and disregard all the 'old lady' reviews. this perfume is a classy, vintage vibe but it isn't dated or aged at all. no mothballs whatsoever. it's a clean, sweet, warm, powdery scent. it reminds me a lot of makeup. it's more glammed up rather than nursing home. it smells insanely feminine and girly to me. it's like a lana del rey song as a perfume. i think it's suitable for year-round use. this is my signature scent now. it's well blended, and the vanilla is stronger than i thought it would be. it's somewhat confectionary but i wouldn't call it gourmand at all. i think this is wearable for younger women as well. i'm in my very early 20s and i've never been told i smell like someone's grandma. despite the scent originating in the early 1900s i get a strong 1960s babydoll aesthetic vibe from this scent. i wear this one to sleep and out during the day. i wear it on nights out clubbing or to work, and it always makes me feel dolled up. for me, i think this suits the more recent old money style than any other perfume. it's classy, it's glamorous, it's not overpowering so long as you spray a reasonable amount. longevity is pretty good for an edt but ymmv. i'd say its pretty low sillage, i think you have to be close to smell it but that's a good thing for such a powder-heavy scent in my opinion, it keeps it from being cloying.