L'Heure Bleue Eau de Toilette

I've put off writing this review for years, actually, both because L'Heure Bleue is such a personal favorite and also such a monument of perfumery that it's kind of like when you see a favorite celebrity -- or when you're a little kid and see Santa Claus -- in person, and you don't know what to say because that person is both so CLOSE to you -- even if just in your fantasy life -- and yet so far off, distant, and above you because of the scope of their influence. It's also hard to wrestle with the fact that other people may be feeling an equal intimacy with that same person or character or (in my case) perfume, as you, because it or they are so magical. So yes, L'Heure Bleue is a little like Santa Claus for me ... That being said, my road to L'Heure Bleue began about 12 years ago when I read Turin and Sanchez's perfume guide and discovered there were a lot of gaps in my perfume education, especially in Guerlain fragrances. So, I got myself some vintage samples of Jicky, Shalimar, Mitsouko, and Apres L'Ondee. As a chypre lover, I especially loved Mitsouko, and liked Apres L'Ondee, and I already loved Shalimar and found Jicky, well, interesting as its precursor. Somehow, I decided to just blind buy L'Heure Bleue based on the reviews. But it was pretty much love at first sniff... <3 Since I love things with a patina of age -- antique clothes, old houses, art, literature and music from the past -- I was already primed to love L'Heure Bleue. Perfume -- just like music that similarly surrounds us -- is like a time machine, and L'Heure Bleue transports me back to what Guerlinade pointed out was the very end of the Belle Epoque, when hope in progress, power, and expansion was at its peak in the western European world, before the destruction of World War I, splintering of perspective, and triumph of Modernism. At the same time, it also feels perfect to me NOW! L'Heure Bleue merges opposites, at once joyous and solemn, wistful and hopeful, earthly and ethereal; it was perfect for my wedding, but is perfect for just every day, too. I love its musty-fusty smell, its bitter, cool, violet sweetness. That gorgeous combination of bitterness and sweetness, wet earth and dry powderiness. As Scented Pianist said, it's a scent that's "dense, powdery, but not heavy" or, as Blueflowers puts it, balanced between "floral crisp and pastry sweet." It's true for me, too, that it inspires an introspective, reflective mood. And, on top of all this beauty, it dries down to the most beautiful deep incense note reminiscent of our local Tibetan import store. As LightofJoy put it, L'Heure Bleue is "soothing but not boring... an ethereal fragrance ... almost a spiritual experience." Dense and delicate, grounded and ethereal, the perfect combination of opposites. In case you haven't caught this already, it's definitely one of my Top 5 for Life, as the YouTubers put it! Even if you decide it's not for you, you need to put your nose on this one; it's epic.

...The unknowable details of a landscape blurred by twilight; the secrets of a heart that make it an enigma to the heart nearest it; or the softening gaze of a wild beast approaching a newborn baby;... This scent commands a certain gentle reverence out of me, which is why I've had this a long while before reviewing. I didn't grow up with this one, and so she's enigmatic & mystical to me; a little foreign smelling though not exotic; delicate but with a point of view that evinces a melancholic wisdom. She's not to be approached with the same bold unctuousness as Shalimar, nor the haute worldliness of Mitsouko, nor the exotic sensuality of Samsara. What then... is this what Dickens called the mystery that lies within every beating heart? The unknowability...? In the opening, there's an impression of vintage French perfumery, and it's softly-spicy anise with powdery iris swelling through. There's also an impression of aldehydes, alongside bergamot blending in to help strike the Guerlainade accord. Iris is the star of the show here, and takes you through many cascading violet undulations with florals and basenotes. I also get trace amounts of oakmoss & civet, although my bottle is pretty old (refill spray bottle, gold & black box). Performance is excellent. While it's not a safe blind buy, it's a must try for any perfume lover. It's a love for me. Enjoy! Batch Code: 4F01 (likely 2004 or prior)

Well, where do I start here? My love story with the house of Guerlain was born with l'Heure Bleue, it was my signature scent when I was in the 19-23 age range. This perfume is the only one that gives me synesthesia. Upon spraying it, I am put in a pensive, introspective, introvert mood. Not sad, but wistful. It makes me think of the past, not so much of what it has been, but of what has never been. The thing is, when I used to wear it as a signature scent I didn't feel it as I do now. It electrified me, and undoubtedly it has a electric allure, his abstract flowers are brought to life from the first throes of electricity spreading throughout the lives of people and changing them forever. It's the last Belle Epoque baby, bringing us the zeitgeist of a bygone era with amazing modernity. It carries an essential virginity - of an eye that had not witnessed the horrors of WWI, and a quite literal chasteness in its accords. It's by no means frigid, but it's cold, of a coldness that demands to be warmed up by hot skin. It's so avant-garde that could easily fit in as a new launch from a niche house, at the same time so ancient that you need to treat it with respect. A gem!

L’heure Bleue is a desert island fragrance for me. Even though I adore the EdP, I think if I had to chose one out of three of my fragrances to leave a doomed earth with, I’d leave the EdP and take this one. I love all versions, don’t get me wrong...but... This version is more ethereal, more floral, and so delicately exquisite. The EdP is slightly stronger, and while I adore iris, I think the stronger concentration of iris and tonka present in that version make it a bit more dichotomous, where the EdT is right in between floral crisp and pastry sweet...more representive of the inbetween blue hour that is said to have so inspired Jacques Guerlain. I think the gorgeous floral accord is more vibrant here, while the tonka-vanilla balance is still present. The anise works better for me in a less intense dose as well. Classic, powdery, familiar in a dreamy way—but still singular. It isn’t nuclear like all the classic Guerlain EdPs are, but performance is still very respectable, an intimate sillage with 10 hours longevity at least. Just stunning. Eternal and irreplaceable.

I have a vintage mini EdT and a vintage refill EdP. The mini is much much older, in a small, rounded oval bottle in which other Guerlains can also be found. Maybe it's gone past it's best days, as the Shalimar-like leathery juiciness stays for only some minutes, compared to the newer EdP, in which it lingers for hours. After those notes are gone, it smells, just like someone said somewhere, a headshop or a new age boutique with all the incenses, crystals and tarot decks. And I do love that. It is definitely not a youthful perfume, but I don't think it's old lady perfume either. It feels more like ancient, genderless, mystic (not mysterious), and brings back my hippie days of incenses, yoga and meditation. Back then I would have been insanely in love with this. I love it now also, but not in an everyday fashion. I layer the EdT with a tiny dap of Shalimar to keep it poignant.

L'heure Bleue EDT is my go-to for a good anise fix. I normally cannot take Guerlain's powdery sweet vanilla accord, but in here it works surprisingly well with the anise and carnation. The end result is a unique blend of powder and spices unmistakably feminine yet feministic, achieving a perfect balance that can only be done by the legendary master perfumer. The EDT can be worn year-round, however I especially love wearing it on a good warm sunny day. In warm weather the scent has more citrus sparkles that add on nicely to the happy powder cloud. Like older vintage scents the perfume's projection and longevity is unrivalled by today's standards. My 50ml bottle will last me a good few years. There is nothing else on the market that smells like this. If you have not tried the EDT I strongly recommend you take a sniff even just for the experience. It's truly exceptional.

I love this so much. Carnation is not only one of my favorite notes, but it's profoundly nostalgic for me, and the entirety of this perfume flows with the nostalgic mood. My mom and I used to get ourselves carnations for our January birthdays and I would put them on the table and smell them that whole week. Then one day the flowers from the store had no more scent. It was like dropping into a mirror world of form without substance. A world where fire makes no heat and carnations have no fragrance. I never smelled real carnations again. They were lost, nothing but a memory. And yet, somehow someone from the old world captured the smell of a flower garden in the evening full of carnations, and put it in a bottle, and brought it forwards to this new insubstantial world, for me to revel in once again.

I love this. It is a timeless masterpiece and I keep on coming back to it from while to while. I have the EDT version (two bottles) because in the store I felt that even although the EDT is supposed to be weaker, it works better for me, I find it more balanced, softer and feminine than the EDP. Actually it seems like one of them is a flanker of the other. The powdery opening, the freshness... At the same time it has depths and uniqueness. I am surprised that in my community it is more popular, not too many people know about it. They know the newer fragrances from Guerlain instead. I can wear it to work but I find it more suitable to wear it in the evening. It is a soft, feminine scent. Vintage and modern at the same time. How could the House of Guerlain create something so nice and timeless!

I cannot express enough love for the House of Guerlain! So many of Monsieur Guerlain's creations are utterly timeless. L'heure bleu edt is one such scent. It's soft, evening iris-heliotrope-vanilla powder is at once both vintage and modern. It's magic in a bottle! It is softer and more vanillic to me than the current eau de parfum formulation. I swapped my edt and immediately regretted it so I bought a bottle of the edp thinking it would be the same. It isn't. The instant magic I felt for the edt is lost on the edp. While I do like the edp I find it deeper, much spicier, due to the carnation note, with more of the classic Guerlinade base. The edt is a soft caress on a cold winter day. It was love at first sniff and will remain a part of my fragrance collection forever.

One of my true loves and most worn, I always have a bottle with me, I would even call it my winter signature. The first time I smelled this "By Starlight" by the Smashing Pumpkins started playing in my head. Had to buy it inmediately. It is plush, velvety, rounded. It totally smells like the twilit sky. Anise and purple flowers reminiscent of Aprés l'ondée are most noticeable at first and it dries down to that beautiful Guerlain doughy vanilla. No tuberose I can tell. Otherwise I don't think I would be able to wear it. A real masterpiece on its own ground. The EDP is a whole different story on me: very floral, bold and it smells almost the same as classic Gloria Vanderbilt. L 'esprit de Oscar de la Renta is a very nice alternative.

❀ L' Heure Bleue ❤ Such a dainty, sophisticated scent. It starts off with a blast of powder which is soft leathery & vanillic in character. It reminds me of vintage powder puffs & lavish leather gloves. I am so addicted to this initial feeling. When it settles the leathery note is gone, it becomes a tad sweeter and spicy & remains powdery all the way. It is a really comforting aroma. Ideal for someone who -like me- is nostalgic of classic eras but grew up surrounded by contemporary scents, movies, music. L'Heure Bleue edt is my link between those two worlds. (Additional Info: After using a decant of Aprés l' Ondée, I detected another aspect of HB EdT that I hadn't noticed before and that's its sweet soapy twist)

L'Heure Bleue is perhaps the only perfume I don't wear outside. Not because I'm concerned of people's opinions regarding it, but because it would not feel right. It demands solitude. This smells of meditation. Smells like silence, like a deep breath. Like a random thought. It invites you to reflect, and to spend time with yourself. It's incredibly dense and powdery but never too heavy. L'Heure Bleue fills the room with a purple-grey aura of silver iris and golden almonds reflexes. Very opaque and thick, almost oily and oppressive. But yet feels so good. A word to describe it? Saudade (in portuguese, the feeling of missing something, or someone, or some moment).

Just received this in the mail after purchasing it as a blind buy. Loving it!!!!! So is hubby! He is always my sounding board, but honestly, even if he despises it and I love it, I wear it. Just not around him. I'll wear it around my other 15 boyfriends. Ha, gotcha! Kidding, I only have 12. Wink, wink! I am on a mission to acquire every fragrance that was a favorite of every one of my favorite classic film stars, female and male. L'Huere Bleue is one of Catherine Denueve and Bridget Bardot's faves. I also love Guerlain's Mitsouko, Jean Harlow's fave. I guess us blondes (albeit, bottle blondes) loves us some Guerlain!

This one's difficult for me: the new version smelled extremely good on my mother, but not so much on my skin. I also associate it with her, which is painful because she just passed away. However, I bought an old, sealed, 93ml bottle for an old, metal Guerlain bottle holder on ebay and it's definitely different. I'm not sure if it has to do with the formulation or the fact that the bottle's probably at least 20 years old, but luckily I don't associate this one to much with my mother. It has quite a sharp opening, but soon becomes a cosy, soft, powdery Guerlain-signature scent that lasts for hours.

The thought occurs that I have never reviewed L'Heure Bleue edt. I will freely admit to being a Guerlain junkie, both classical and modern creations. I am wearing LHB edt on a gloriously hot summer day, with high humidity, and it is perfect! It is powdery crisp and cool, slightly sweet but not overbearingly so, filled with purple -or perhaps blueish?- flowers. Not one note is out of place. There is nothing too rich nor too spare. It's gorgeous. And don't worry about the longevity or projection being an EDT. Most classical Guerlain edits put modern EDPs to shame. Love it.

I wanted to get a sample because of user alphairone's description of this in his YouTube channel. Otherwise I would never have even thought about trying it. And I am surprised! This is a sweet smell. I don't like sweet scents in general but this one is yet another exception to me how sweet can be good. This is so beautiful, suits well with some things related to old times. I don't understand the description by the author of the scent though. For me it just so nice and enjoyable, a true piece of art, a beautiful bouquet of flowers and something more.

They should teach you L’Heure Bleue in high school, at a certain point near the end of the winter semester, possibly while approaching Midsummer Night’s Dream’s analysis of the fairies in the wood and the class should be called “Wonder and Awe: how to stay Alive”. I can see why some speak of a perfume to enjoy in solitude or near one’s truly loved ones: there’s a pureness in it that can make you feel uncomfortable out there, as walking wearing your heart on your sleeve, visible, fragile, human and naked.

I have hard time pulling off powdery vintage fragrances but this is an exception! This is soooo beautiful. I’ve worn it several days in a row now and becoming addicted. It has some powdery sophistication, but the subtly bohemian incense and patchouli makes this very cool- complex, youthful. It dries down to a creamy vanilla that is very comforting. This has a magical quality. Haunting, quietly beautiful, melancholic. So romantic.

I was looking for something unique, feminine and soft. This fit the bill perfectly. It is gentle, yet makes a statement that is romantic and sweet. My husband got it for me as a Chiristmas gift and he also likes it very much. The Iris is soft and powdery, the Vanilla is subtle, and the Violet does come through very gently. I love that it is a vintage scent and has been popular for so many years. Just like me I suppose. Ha,!

Guerlain L’heure Bleau (1912) - magic hour - #jacquesguerlain created a perfume inspired from this moment during the day/night where you see both daylight & darkness. I can definitely sense that. Iris, Powdery violets, Carnations with a spicy anise backbone. Yet, at its base, I would smell Almond-like Tonka beans, Sandalwood, Vanilla, and Amber resins. Refined, well-integrated, and a marvel of perfumery.