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.

Okay. This review took me a while. l'Heure Bleue EDT (vintage 8/2016) is complicated. And from another world. A world past -- despite the reformulation. As Robert Graves wrote, "Goodbye to All That" after WWI. 1912 is a gone world. Perfection though. The perfect blue twilight. I'm in love. EDIT: The boyfriend, much younger than I, was entranced by this scent. Maybe he's an old soul.

Powdery heliotrope with iris and carnation and slight warm spice. No neroli, rose, or tuberose on me. It wafts around me like a pale blue chiffon veil, moody and seductive all at once. It smells almost velvety in a way. Dries down to that classic vanilla floral Guerlinade, but maintains the moody blue feeling. Wonderful, classy, brilliantly done.

I was just reading the other reviews and comments. I like to read them after I submit my own because I do not want to be influenced by them. I noted the review that mentions White Leather Baby Shoes. How observant. That is an amazing comparison. Yes, I do recall the sweet smell of those tiny shoes that my babies used to wear.

One of my favourites for over 30 years. Always have a bottle on the go. Wore this on my wedding day. Love the heliotrope note - I grow heliotrope flowers in my garden - such a wonderful rich and powdery scent. Nostalgic and rich scent, but a light spritz can feel fresh and clean without being overpowering.

Wow, what an incredible fragrance! You know Guerlain did something right for this to still be in production after 100+ years. It is beautiful and not the least bit dated. Soft, spicy, and powdery "blue" flowers with a little citrus, benzoin, and the incomparable Guerlain vanilla. Love!

I completely agree with member below me, kI99. I dislike the edp, and adore the edt! Finally a separate page on Fragrantica for the edt, cause they are so different! But I am afraid that they will reformulate it anyway, eventually... :/ My bottle is from 2012.

Hippie beauty! Oriental shop essence, where you can touch and feel texture of real natural materials of wooden statues, semiprecious stones, hear relaxing sound of water in fountain haha:)). Timeless, kind, relaxing, free.. . Makes me close my eyes and smile.

Very cool for subtropical summer, the edt is staying much longer then edp of this house. I always keep it for the summer. this scent is refreshing in summer and lasting for a long time.

Smells like vintage lipstick, rice powder, navy blue pen ink, cream, and licorice devoid of sweetness. Somehow unspeakably, irrevocably beautiful.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️MASTERPIECE I LOVE IT

This reminds me of a night garden; I get just a hint of a "natural" wet fertilizer after the garden has been watered in the evening, maybe I should just say indolic. I think this is coming from the neroli, but I've worn this fragrance off and on for close to 30 years and it's always done this. First as a girl with my grandmas L'Heure Bleue, then in my 20's and 30's with my MIL's. Always the same. An impeccable soft iris, violet, licorice spiced with just a hint of carnation. After about 20 minutes I couldn't pull those notes apart if my life depended on it. It's delicate and you won't smell yourself on everyone else if that's what your going for. I'm not, if I like it, I don't care if every other person in the universe is wearing it, I want to smell it on me. But the reminds of section is spot on when it compares it to the old Oscar de la Renta, a little like that. So if you don't like that one, I'd say don't blind buy this one unless you just want one for posterity's sake. I heard that it's being taken out of the Guerlain line up for a while? A strong like, not a safe blind buy, unique and delicate. It does take self confidence to pull this one off despite said delicacy.

I'm reviewing a current (purchased in 2019) bottle of EDT. It's very soft, sweet, and powdery. Feminine but in no way sexy. Comforting and nostalgic. Reminds me of the smell of the inside of vintage purses. I smell violet, iris, vanilla, tonka, and anise. In that order of prominence. It has arm's length sillage at first, a bit more with several sprays. Longevity is good. 6 hours after applying it, I have an amber-vanila skin scent, but where the fragrance spray landed on my shirt still smells faintly of the full composition. I was surprised at how inexpensive this fragrance is. And how good it is, given it's a modern day formulation of a century old fragrance. I find myself really liking the modern EDT versions of some of the old Guerlain classics (L'Heure Bleue, Jicky, and Vol de Nuit). I know a lot of people don't like them for how they've changed, but I like them for what they currently are.

L'Heure Bleue is a classic vintage creamy iris, with hints of citrus, violet and vanilla. upon dry down, the iris remains with a touch of sweetness and tonka and becomes a skin scent after 15 mins on me.. it is somewhat an old fashioned scent but still completely wearable. i like it but not enough to purchase a full bottle.

Very low scent considering how powdery this is, it kinda takes over every other aspect.. other than that it smells a bit like iris, or honey.. a bit sweet I suppose.

I am still a novice in this perfume game. But I am falling in love with Guerlain. My budget is not allowing me to indulge in all of the perfumes I want to try from this house, since unfortunately a lot of blind buying has to happen. Not many places to try a lot of the older Guerlain’s. So when I decided to blind buy L’Heure Bleue, it was with great analysis that I proceeded. The day she arrived, I was so excited. It was late in the day and I was already perfumed in something else that day- I believe Shalimar (which I adore). So I tested this on tissue paper. Oh my. I literally swooned over the scent. It was so smooth immediately, so well blended and immediately I felt emotional. I’m not sure why or what was causing it, but I was sure I was in love. Well, the next day with great anticipation and fanfare, I applied L’Heure Bleue. And at first blast, again, I was in love. I smelled mostly the tuberose and violet at first and I love both. I usually like more of a candied violet smell and this is not candied violets, but still I loved it. But oh... the dry down. I could cry. It becomes soooooo powder dry. I don’t mind powdery scents at all, in fact I enjoy them. But this went above and beyond the feeling of powdering yourself lightly. It’s like you spilled a container of old fashioned talc on yourself, everywhere. And then I begin really smelling that carnation note. Which I never really quite knew what carnations smelled like I think, nor did I know whether I like the scent or not. But I can place the carnation scent now, and I know I really don’t like it. This is a melancholic scent to me, as some people have described it. I wish I had not read that before because I think I can’t get that out of my head. I want to like this but it does make me feel, well, “blue”, when I wear it, and not in a great way. I hesitate to even write this next part, but it almost feels creepy when I wear it. Is there a funeral home vibe I get from it? Not quite, but almost (probably the carnation). The feeling that this perfume is so old, it’s almost like a ghost following you. Oddly, it’s a friendly ghost, but it’s wistful. I certainly don’t feel fearful when I wear this. Only one other scent has provoked actual fear and revulsion in me before and that is Estée Lauder White Linen. That review will come soon but ****shudder*** I think what I enjoy about LHB and the emotional feeling I first felt from it is it conjures memories of beautiful moments from the past, but with hope to come for more. And I guess that’s what “the blue hour” is all about. So in this sense, the fragrance is beautifully executed. Unfortunately for me, I have to really be in the right frame of mind for it. But I’m not giving up on it just yet. I’ve found I wear it more comfortably on my clothing as opposed to on my skin. The carnation doesn’t pop on my clothes as much as my skin and the anise comes out a little more, which I enjoy. Oh- and the far, far dry down, almost 8 hours later, I finally get the Guerlain vanilla. And only the vanilla. Very curious scent. But no doubt a complex masterpiece.

L'heure Bleue is definitely a vintage-smelling perfume and unmistakeably Guerlain. It is nice enough but heavy and slightly cloying, with huge sillage and longevity. I prefer it as it dries down but unfortunately, the iris note is predominant and is one I am not too keen on. If you love Iris perfumes, though, I am sure you will enjoy this. I have another Guerlain, Iris dominant perfume, Apres L'Ondee (this was created before L'heure Bleue) which is poignant and on the reflective side of melancholy. The two perfumes are very much related and if you have one you do not, in my view, need the other as you will have a preference. Personally, I do prefer the slightly colder but beautiful and less dated Apres L'Ondee.

Melancholic subtle scent. I hate to say, but old-fashioned smelling. Suitable for that poetry reading group you attend on the occasional winter Saturday. This is probably somewhat of an acquired taste. Not particularly for work and not exactly for romance. I never acquired the habit. Do not blind buy

One of the legends. A blue hue powder mist, feels dated and timeless at the same time. This is history, and everyone interested in fragrances should do their homework and try this. Ultra feminine, ultra elegant.

The powder mixed with bitter flowers and vanilla makes this very particular. Not a bad one but a bit imposing perhaps because it reminds me of an obnoxious aunt.

It can be intimidating to write a less-than-blissful review of a perfume about which so many have waxed rhapsodic... I imagine this shall render my review balloon-less, and that's okay with me. I appreciate the people who wear and love this. And I wish I could smell it on them. It does not smell good on me. Perhaps my skin hates Guerlainade. Anyway I own this, but it's not my perfume. Musty, fusty, powdery, dusty. Vinyl-plasticky, mossy. It smells like old things. I'm on a mission to appreciate the classic Guerlains. But they just feel wrong on me. Call me a barbarian I guess... a fragrance philistine. I find this scent evocative but I don't want to smell like this personally. Here's what it conjures for me: I'm opening a trunk in a distant relative's attic. I pull out old love letters - not mine - in a puff of powdery dust. Underneath, old dried bouquet. Sepia photographs. And yes, as someone below mentioned - baby shoes. Unknown baby. Someone else's memories.

I purchased a decant of this to test. I was drawn to the idea of benzoin, tonka bean and vanilla in the base notes. Upon first spray I was shocked by the super dry powder and very strong carnation and iris notes. It smelled truly ancient, like something I had smelled very long ago on old clothes stored in an attic. Still, I thought I would let it develop so I could explore the dry down. Unfortunately, my husband expressed a strong dislike for this perfume and came down with a headache from it within minutes! I had to quickly wash it off. My decant went into the donate bin while my husband laid down to soothe his head. Not a good experience.

This is one of those powder scents that doesn't agree with me. It's cold and dry. On my skin this smells somewhat oddly papery or like play-doh. The benzoin is not enough to give this any warmth or richness on my skin, which I desperately wish it had. This same combo of powdery iris and anise always plays the same on my skin, just too dusty. It's so very evocative of it's era and I can appreciate it in theory, but it's so prim that I find it unwearable.

Powdery and powdery. I cannot get pass that. I love Guerlain and always will. But I will pass on L'Heur Bleu. In the aftermath I get some Vanilla and Tuberose and some spice I cannot tell. Oh boy, I feel old.

A thing of beauty... is a joy forever. L'Heure Bleue is really a perfume unlike any other. You sometimes have to ask yourself if a perfume is still being made over a century after it was first launched then it really must be quite something, in order to still be able to captivate hearts & minds. The story is that the master perfumer Jacques Guerlain was one day walking along the banks of the river Seine in Paris during the "blue hour", the very last hour of daylight before evening sets in. In film & photography, this is known as "magic hour", when dusk is approaching twilight, and it is arguably the most beautiful time of day. He was overcome by emotion at that point and felt something so strong that he could only express it in a perfume, and so created L'Heure Bleue , or the blue hour . This perfume is significant for many reasons... and it's symbolism runs deep. It was created in 1912, the year in which the Titanic sank (at that time the world's biggest ship). It was also released two years before the First World War, which would claim the lives of millions across Europe and elsewhere, and which would leave an entire generation devastated. To some, this perfume represents the last breath of an old world, a world which would later disappear and vanish forever. The perfume itself follows a very elegant, masterful blend of gentle, sweet, evocative, refined powdery notes (most of which are so well blended that it's hard to pick out). It's very much like an impressionist painting, the painting itself is made up of a host of tiny dots with the paintbrush but which comes together to blend into a masterpiece of art and expression. To me it is a waxy, subdued, sweet, rich, slightly-gourmandish oriental floral perfume. The notes which stand out are iris, heliotrope and carnation, mixed with a deep, almost gourmand oriental vanilla (a typical hallmark of Guerlain ). The iris provides the soft, powdery "waxy" note, whilst the strong heliotrope mixed with the vanilla gives a feeling of soft yet ever present sweetness in an almond desert kind of way. The carnation is a dusty floral feel in the background which contributes to this old and otherworldly feel. For me L'Heure Bleue is a very special kind of perfume. In fact it's less of a perfume and more like an "experience". I have the Eau de Toilette , and I find it very easy to wear. There is nothing shocking about it, it just smells very different to anything you will find today. I really cannot explain the smell more than that, but the last thing I would say is that even if you never own this, at some point you should try it. If you have any serious interest in the appreciation of what perfume is, as a creation, then you should try this. If only to "experience" what it is all about. It doesn't smell modern, for sure, although it's still totally wearable in my opinion. Like some other complex perfumes, you may also need to have a lot of experience with smelling different types of fragrances, in order to really understand this. Try it, and you'll see what I mean. Incredible!

Well ... to first address the elephant in the room: "an old lady smell", "a very mature scent"... I think that if you have known someone born in the 1920's, for example, you might have experienced something similar to this scent. My grandmother belonged to this age group and she wore Tosca (by Maurer & Wirtz, created in 1921) and yes, there is a connection, although the two scents are far from identical. So obviously, if you have known an elderly person that wore a similar scent/this particular scent, you associate the scent with this person/age group. But then again, as we all know, scents can be categorized into orientals, florals, woody/aldehydic/musky etc.... groups, and at the moment we are living in an age when fruity florals, fruitchoulis and gourmands have dominated for a long time. So a scent like L'Heure Bleue is "different", in the sense that this particular group of scents has not been "in fashion" for a long time. In fact it is so different that it might even scare some noses used to very sweet scents. Personally I find this scent very comforting. First I tnought it is because of the association with the perfum my grandmother used to wear (I had a good relationship with her, so good memories), but then I read some comments for L'Heure Bleue (both EDT and EDP) and I'm not the only one who experiences this scent as comforting. The inital spray is actually quite invigorating (aldehydic, although not mentioned as a note for the EDT), then comes a strong burst of anise (wich I find the dominant note in this scent) and then I smell cloves, although they too, are not mentioned for the EDT version. There is Iris to give powderiness and there is benzoin to add the oriental touch. For some reason I don't get much violets on my skin. I use this scent in the evenings before going to bed. I find it calms my mind. I'm quite surprised by the accuracy of the original explanation of the name of the scent (L'Heure Bleue) "when one finally finds oneself in renewed harmony with the world and the light."

Of all the fragrances I own or have ever owned, I have never experienced one that captured melancholy in a bottle..until now. This was a blind buy for me. My first impression upon smelling it on my wrist oddly enough took my mind to something from the past, literally, like deja vu. I don't know where or what memory it was trying to invoke but once that was over the scent reminded me of sterile gauze bandages. As you breathe warm air onto the frag, it brings out the very sweet notes. Feminine and Old Fashioned but very well made a la Guerlain. I don't know why aniseed was crucial to this..that's Jacques secret. I would have left it out. The familiar notes of vanilla and, though not mentioned, I detect jasmine or something similiar, are intertwined which brings Samsara to mind minus the sandalwood and beautiful mystique. This is NOT Samsara. This is a fragrance that I'll rarely wear as I prefer juice that does not inspire grey skies and a blue state of mind. The bottle's most lovely. I imagine this was more appropriate to the time it was created. Fortunately, the blind buy risk for a 1.7 oz was not overtly priced. It'll be a classic added to my collection and a testiment to Monsieur Guerlain's "Blue Hour" mood. Try before you buy.

Gorgeous timeless perfume, upon initial spray I get the spiciness, probably coming from Anise, but after few minutes it all becomes so well blended and rounded, I cannot pick up a single note, all you get is a delicate spicy floral woody aroma. I'm amazed with its longevity considering that it is edt, I sprayed it before going to sleep and it was there the next morning, so 8+ hours with soft projection. I do get an old vibe from it, but you don't have to be 80 to pull this off, I am a guy in my late 30s and suits me well. Some have said that it is not an easy perfume which requires a special occasion. I am not very big on socializing, I don't go to events or to restaurant very often, I'm a perfume enthusiast that wears his perfumes at home, when going to sleep, when I go out for a walk etc. so I don't need a special occasion to wear a perfume. Given that this perfume was created 100 years ago and assuming that there were not many perfumes on the market at that time, this was probably to go perfume back then, I can hardly believe that they needed a special occasion to pull it off. EDIT: the late drydown is very sweet and divine. Vintage Guerlains are otherworldly.

The eau de toilette version of l'Heure Bleue is ten times better than the edp. I'm not the only one to say so and I confirm. I had the edt and now I have the edp. Although the temptation to have a more concentrated version seems to increase more charm, charisma and durability of a perfume: it is not always so. It is not always the right choice. (by chance also Shalimar and Mitsouko are better in edt than edp) The eau de toilette has no problem in sillage and longevity, just more refined than the eau de parfum, which by comparison is unnecessarily heavy and overloaded. On the edge of vulgarity. Pompous amber and oriental side on top . The edt instead maintains, while remaining consistent oriental and ambery, the floral/talc side in prominence, it's like a candid talcum childrens powder but with sensual shades and pungent anise, sugary, vanilline, spices, an intriguing allure. Although it is born in 1912 this fragrance is a breath of 800 but with "yellow book" textures of the '20, very Agatha Christie scent. Killers in talc.

L'Heure Bleue. I bought the EdT of this beautiful fragrance and am wearing it today. Creamy, soft, blue flowers that caress your nose in a soft breeze. The stars are out and the sun is setting on the horizon. This scent is like a loving mother putting her sleepy child to bed. It does smell similar to L'Origan, another one of my favorite perfumes. I have several bottles of L'Origan in EdT, EdP, and Parfum. The dry down is almost identical in a way. The time these two perfumes came out was very different than today and the ingredients were new to the times they were created in. If you enjoy spicy, creamy, floriental masterpieces then L'Heure Bleue and L'Origan are great choices. This scent has survived two World Wars and remains available to generations today. So thankful it survived. Truly a masterpiece!

L'Heure Bleue is one of the few classic Guerlain perfumes that I have not lived with for many years. My one experience of it was eight years ago before The Great Reformulation. It was therefore a great pleasure to discover that the version on sale in 2022 is still recognisably the same product and just as transporting. The opening bitter almond note is arresting. The modulations which follow are almost too complex to describe but settle to a refined, powdery Guerlinade of great beauty. Reader, I bought it, because I am more than willing to walk around smelling of 1912 when it smells as good as this. And there was an added surprise. The day after the most recent trial, I was delighted to discover that the sleeve of my cardigan smelled unmistakably of its cousin, Après L'Ondée. What could be better?