L'Instant de Guerlain Eau de Parfum

I’m glad I got this when I did—despite the ylang ylang and white florals, something about this speaks to transitional weather more than summer or winter, though I can see its understated resplendence working well in milder summers. To describe this “moment”: liquid sunshine, butter-smooth, honey-sweet, pollen-dusted. The orange nuances last longer through the honeyed sweetness. Ylang ylang dominates the heart elegantly—neither it nor the jasmine feel heavily indolic in this composition. Magnolia peeks through more in the drydown for me—I feel like it and the jasmine play support in boosting the experience of the sunny ylang ylang. Amber and sandalwood sink into the skin, and they can be sensed lightly even after a shower and a full night’s rest. This feels like the sunny antipode to L’Heure Bleue in that there’s something wistful and reflective here, but it’s based on mid-afternoon sunshine streaming through a window looking out into a garden in late summer. It’s not nearly as complex, but there’s a joy in the elegance of the simplicity here. I can’t imagine this perfume offending anyone. Easy daily driver for warm, mild weather. I can even see it working well as a pick-me-up for those with seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Another reviewer mentioned the “orange dreamsicle” vibe this gives (I sense it most in the opening) and that reminded me of Olympéa Solar, a huge summer favorite of mine. I’d argue Olympéa Solar is denser and gives that real orange dreamsicle feel in a beautifully almost edible floral way. It also works in intense heat and has a more tropical summer bent, while L’Instant is beautiful in a temperate summer sort of way but can be worn year-round (I feel like it just doesn’t make sense to wear Olympéa Solar in the dead of winter, as much as I love it!). I only just got this, so I’m excited to see how it changes and plays out into the autumn. I’ll definitely be reaching for this in the coming months!

Orange creamsicle ylang-ylang intoxication. Update: I'm picking up on the magnolia, too--a scent I know well because numerous species of the tree grow in my neighborhood park--and it's making me worry that the magnolia buds might get zapped by the freaky four-seasons-in-one-day weather that St. Louis has been experiencing. I think the people who complain about the faint pissy note might be registering the magnolia note, which is realistic in my estimation, even though it's beautifully blended with the ylang-ylang and honeyed orange. Sometimes it reminds me ever so slightly of the taste of the orange-flavored baby aspirins that I used to enjoy taking as a child, before I graduated to adult-size doses. But it's not that it smells like those so much as it reminds me of being a little kid who found them unexpectedly delicious. This was in the 1970s, before the drug companies started making everything pediatric taste like a Jolly Rancher. The fake-orange flavoring was about as good as it got. Update: Wearing again, a couple of days later, and I love it more all the time. It puts me in a good mood--it's not what I would call super strong, even with several sprays on well-prepped skin, but it creates a gorgeous little scent bubble and throws out intriguing little wisps of mandarin orange and vanilla when you're not expecting it. I love a honeyed fragrance that's not a strict gourmand. The sandalwood base is beautiful, too; I think it must contain some of the same superior synthetic sandalwood accord that's in my beloved Samsara.

This is like one of those very soothing honey and orange drinks that you get mixed in with water and a natural floral scent when you are sick, but in a really good way. It is very comforting and the magnolia, jasmine and ylang ylang are just stunning in this, the ylang ylang and the magnolia being most prominent to my nose. None of the floral notes are indolic, being stripped of most of the indoles found in these flowers and it is more sort of pretty and feminine without the funk of nature. I wouldn't say that it smells synthetic at all, though. I can imagine this being worn year round really and I think that it is a very versatile fragrance that isn't too loud and can be worn both at lunch and in the office just as easily. You can just spritz it on and you are ready to go! I can smell some of the sandalwood and amber in the drydown too, but it isn't strong and overbearing and I wouldn't call this a woody or an ambery fragrance. It is very classy and I could see it working for women of all ages, being a true classic. This wore for about 6 hours on me and it has arm's length projection, so it doesn't have monstrous performance, but it isn't weak either. It is about a happy medium, which will probably suit most people. You honestly can't go wrong with this fragrance. It has a warmth and a tenderness to it, not being at all stuffy, pretentious or standoffish as a fragrance to wear. It gets a solid 8/10 from me!

I had to upgrade my longevity score from "moderate" to "long-lasting," and I might switch to "eternal." It's a good thing I like this fragrance, because it projects like mad for the first couple of hours and lasts and lasts and lasts, for about 13 hours and still counting. It's unusual for a citrus scent to linger like this, but I guess the orange is so smoothly and cohesively blended with the honey, vanilla, sandalwood, and yellow florals that it serves as a main ingredient and not just a top note. It's pretty amazing, really. I still get the orange baby-aspirin and Dreamsicle feeling from it, and that makes this fragrance feel less mature to me than most Guerlains do, but I think this association is highly specific to me. My husband thought this was way too strong when I put it on--he said he could smell it all over the house, in fact, and our house has three floors--but after it settled down, he said he liked it. He said he didn't really smell the baby aspirin in the orange, but he mostly gets vanilla from any perfume that contains vanilla. At least it had enough not-vanilla in it that he didn't invoke the Pillsbury Doughboy again!

I don’t have previous experience with L’Instant as it never really caught my attention. Just like Idylle. But after trying today the edp I think it’s a very nice perfume. Heady, sensual, honeyed. I’d buy it if it didn’t remind me of 3 perfumes I already own; Elie Saab Le Parfum with its honeyed orange blossom (noticeable in the heart mostly) and vintage Dior Dune and Addict. It’s most similar to a more floral Addict with the ambery sweetness of Dune. I find facets of all three in L’Instant, and even though I find it very enjoyable, it’s redundant in my collection. Although, you never know...the rich vanilla, paired with the heady honeyness of the floral accord is really beautiful and rich... If you enjoy the above 3, or are looking for something similar, I’d definitely go for L’Instant. Elie Saab is still nice but the current iterations of the Diors are best left on the perfume counter.

I love love love this scent so much since the original released, I wish I've could find a bottle of the first version but I'm happy I could get this version as well! To me it projects a warm, clean, comfy aura thanks to the magnolia and honey, they blend together so good, I guess it lacks the powdery side of Iris from the original version, but it's still a magnificent perfume and perfect to be someone's signature, I won't use it daily because I wish it could last forever lol, Guerlain has to be my favorite designer perfume house, love most of their fragrances and their vanilla is the best I've ever smelled in perfumery.

I associate honeyed citrus fragrances with the holidays, so this seemed like a great choice for the season. I always feel like a fancy orange creamsicle when I wear L'Instant, and the dreamy drydown lingers as a skin scent for many, many hours. The longevity has improved since I bought my bottle several months ago. L'Instant doesn't rank in my very top tier of Guerlain fragrances, but that is only because they have so many other superlative fragrances. From nearly any other house, it would be a standout, and deservedly so. I never regret spraying this one on.

Bit meh for me. The ylang ylang far too dominant for my taste in perfume. Defo detect animatic note that’s strongly urinal in aroma, not a fan of dominant ylang ylang! I have a lot of Guerlain edp’s. Ok, I’m obsessed. In contrast, Insolence, also from the Legondaire collection, is wonderful, for me. Much better balance, accord, sillage and longevity. This edp has very poor longevity on my skin, maybe an hour. The sillage is briefly ok to around a metre, but disappears quickly to intimate before petering out completely.

I love this perfume. It's a bit intense at first, but settles on my skin like a perfectly balanced cloud of jasmine and honey and orange blossoms. It lasts on me for about 6 hours, which is good. I get complimented on this scent when I wear it out. I will often spritz some on before bed too. Its so fresh and comforting at the same time. Its complex and interesting, while being so super pleasing at the same time. This has become a favorite and has made me want to explore other Guerlain fragrances.

First, the bottle changed but the juice remained the same. Then, it still smells just as good; a lovely fragrance built around intense orange blossom (bergamot and mandarin according to the ingredients), honey and amber. Still very feminine, sensual and chic at the same time. I really don't understand the negative comments; the bottle is less and less beautiful, yes it's true, but "the bottle doesn't matter, as long as we get drunk"...

This is exactly how I thought a Disney Princess would smell like when I was growing up. The honey note is intoxicating, and that perfect balance between floral and citrus is delicate and feminine. What a beautiful creation to have in my collection. I have found that Hempz Jasmine and Rose body lotion pairs perfectly with L’Instant. I know there are no rose notes in the perfume, but this combo just works. Thank me later.

Having previously reviewed this edp as “meh”, am now loving it. Just shows that it does take time to “learn” a perfume! So. Gorgeous Guerlain do it again. Beautifully sparkling top notes, with sunshiny middle notes that are summer incarnate, and a deep warmth from the base notes to balance it. The honey provides a sweetish creaminess that envelops the lot. So, from meh to marvellous from me.

So happy to own a bottle, this is so elegant and beautiful. Not sure why there are so many complaints about reformulation. I have a sample of OG and they’re basically identical. The only difference is that the top notes are more pronounced in the new version, whereas the OG goes straight into the base notes as the top notes didn’t preserve well... which is common with citrus notes!

„Instant” means „moment”, and that’s how long it took me to madly fall in love with this perfume. It’s gorgeous - warm, comforting and sensual. Beautifully blended realistic floral and gently sweet accords. It’s like a perfect symphony - all notes work so well together. Imagine Greek goddess taking a sip of delicious, magical ambrosia - that’s the smell of it. Divine! :)

Perfect year round, day or evening fragrance. The floral, honey, citrus notes dominate and play perfectly together like triplets in matching outfits of different colors. This isn't powder dominant like alot of other Guerlain fragrances but the honey keeps the fragrance cozy and enveloping in that classic Guerlain fashion. This could easily be a signature scent.

Beautiful scent and moderately long lasting with a clean, bright feel. The Manderin and Jasmin combine well and to my nose, the scent has a similar smell to oranse blossom. I am not sure if I am picking up the Ylang Ylang or not, but getting a bit of powdery sweetness and a hint of honey. Overall well blended, and great as a weekend scent.

You're in a country gastro pub in England in the early Autumn. There are low beams and a crackling amber fire. You're enjoying a creamy orangey desert drizzled in honey with edible petals on top. You're warm, everyone in the pub is friendly and you know half of them. Warmth, food, fire, family, friends. Heavenly.

I have it. I love the smell. It just smells a bit too diluted, doesn't last at all. I know now that longevity doesn't necessarily make a perfume good. However when it lasts like an eau de cologne but it's listed as an eau de parfum I'm a bit concerned and disappointed.

Such a stunning honey-floral perfume. Light, effortless, feminine, sophisticated and great for every day wear. It feels very timeless and age-less to me. It's simply a lovely honey-ed floral. Beautiful!

This is so delicious. So elegant. It’s like a soft powdery honey floral. It’s timeless! Not dated, not mature, not juvenile. Just a beautiful feminine clean sweet scent.

So, I received this scent today. It's nice, feminine, pretty and I love the honey note in it! I don't see honey used very often in fragrances and if it is it's normally in a gourmand. It makes perfect sense-oranges, honey, and white flowers! That being said, while it is nicely balanced, it's almost too balanced for me making it a bit boring. I would prefer it to have some of the notes amped up. I would love more orange and heavier base notes. Maybe some orange blossom to add to the floral bouquet present. It reminds me of my first big girl perfume bought for me in 7th grade, Chanel's Allure. I loved that fragrance and I still do. That scent has a heavier amber base to it, however, I can appreciate the lightness and simplicity of this scent as well. I added my Nest Seville Orange oil to it and that definitely gave it a bit more life. I should be receiving Kayali's Invite only Amber soon and when I do, I'm going to see if these two would layer well. At nighttime, I added a few spritz of Chanel's Chance to the scent and they layered beautifully together as well. I know these re-releases are modifications of the original scents and many of the notes in the OG frags have been taken out and I'm not sure why. I'm going to look for a 5mL of L'Instant of the original scent and see how these two compare. All in all I'm happy to have this in my Guerlain collection and I see myself using this in the summer, as I live in the desert and with 110 temps, light fragrances are a must. ADD: Okay, yes! The took out the apple, iris, benzoin, vanilla and musk in this release. That makes perfect sense as this scent seemed kinda like an incomplete fragrance, as I stated earlier, I felt like it needed a heavier base, more citrus or top notes, and another floral note to the bouquet. I'm definitely going to get a version of the original release because I bet that scent is beautiful. I would have liked to have seen tangerine, neroli, and orange blossom, along with all the other notes listed above (vanilla, benzoin, musk) in lieu of the iris and apple but I'm very curious to try it none the less. But what would a classic Guerlain fragrance be if it didn't have Iris in it!

I was using this perfume from 2003. This is (was) my signature perfume for 20 years. New verision of L'Instant is not even close in projection or lasting time as "old" version. Even if you compare new version edp with old edt..not even close. This is more summer, spring perfume now..so like an old fan, I'm dissapointed and pretty sad because of this. As for bottle, noup..this looks pretty cheap compared to first bottle desgin which looked luxorious, was very heavy and elegant. Liked "bee bottle" more than actual "inverted heart" one.

Soft floral with honey touch. This is a comfort scent, very discreet and to be enjoyed by the wearer. Wish yet again like so many others if could smell the og formulation by Maurice Roucel or even the bee bottle which seems more complex and potent . For now its a 6.5/10 since it lacks the intensity. Vaguely reminds me of Allure edt

What a beautiful and complex fragrance. Every single note is well blended, therefore no note is stranger than the others. To my nose, it's exactly like smelling a beautiful bright summery bouquet of flowers, with the pollen and the warm breeze whilst getting a whiff of your own sunscreen at the same time. A masterpiece!

I smelled this recently and it smelled so familliar thou a bit muted and then i rembered it smells exactly like kenzo flower excpt knezo flower has "louder scent" very powerful in compairson to this one.

You get caught by the opening, however, as time goes by, it becomes so dull and boring However, possibly a great choice for a teen or a woman at work with some average taste

I adore Guerlain’s L'Art & La Matière collection but these others beneath it seem like they’ve lost their Guerlain magic over the years. L’Instant seems thin, like watered-down honey-water. It’s similar to Aqua Allegoria Forte Bosca Vanilla and Eau Duele but all 3 have a sour, citric acid sharpness to them, only L’Instant is slightly better due to the thin drizzle of added honey. I’d recommend Angelique Noire if you like this but want premium quality.

So I bought a sample online from a third party and I believe they may have sent me L’Instant Magic EDP, because I feel the notes I’m smelling would make more sense, but ultimately, I have to evaluate this as intended because they did label the sample bottle correctly. This doesn’t really smell the way I intended. I get baby wipes. Clean, kind of alcohol-based baby wipes, as well as powder. I don’t get sun or honey or flowers from this. Very underwhelming. Id like to try this directly from an actual bottle on the off chance this was a mixup. But disappointed with the results sadly.

L'Instant de Guerlain edp for women - I'm a bit disappointed with this, to be honest. I'm smelling something akin to sickliness and hospital beds are coming to mind. It smells grainy and honey-laden at the same time, but with none of the sprightly acidity that awakens regular honey to be spread on English muffins! After a few more minutes have passed, I still smell no floral notes but am beginning to pick up an aspect of sandalwood which I find unpleasant, almost urinous. I'm afraid I just can't warm up to this one.

For some reason the perfume reminds me of something my Aunt used to keep at my grandmother's house. I have this memory of a wicker piece of furniture in her bathroom where she kept alot of her Avon fragrances. She had a small bottle that was shaped like a Ballerina sitting down. It feels like a nostalgic fragrance, but I can't help but get old lady vibes from it now. It's pretty, powdery, but just not for me. I can't get past that Avon vibe.

This smells like instant noodles water and trust me i’ve been trying to convince myself into liking this one for a while now...

Sweet jasmine not my favorite nothing special

I tried this in Guerlain boutique. I liked all notes listed except jasmine. I gave it a shot, but jasmine with honey went far from my tastes. Personally jasmine + honey made the vomit feeling... ( I have the same issue with Olympea, Rabanne ) Unfortunately I couldn’t like this one.

This afternoon at the Guerlain counter at one of the upscale Swiss department stores I sprayed L'Instant on my right hand and jacket sleeve. Moi : « Oh, mais c’est un éclat de miel, doux et lumineux ! » La vendeuse : « Mais non, Monsieur. Il y a de la fleur d'oranger, mais pas de miel. » Moi : « Ah bon ? C'est que mon nez me trompe, alors. En tout cas, c'est vif et joyeux. » La vendeuse : « Oh non, Monsieur, L'Instant est au fond un parfum sombre. Et vous pouvez probablement déjà en ressentir l'ombre. » Moi : « Ah ? Et qu'est-ce que c'est, l'ombre ? C'est une note ? » La vendeuse : « Oui, bien sûr, c'est un mélange de musc et de benjoin. » I suppose she was half on track. She was charming, really. But does Guerlain wonder why they can't sell bottles of this cute fragrance for 195 CHF? I declined to mention that L'Instant is currently 63 CHF via the Swiss online grey market. She then turned my attention to the "new" Shalimars. I explained that I like the classic Shalimar, in the Eau de Cologne most of the time, and that if I want another vibe with it... She completed my sentence: « vous passez à côté pour revenir à la source originale. » Yes, exactly. If I want lavender with my Shalimar, I'll top it with Caron Pour un Homme. Now I have L'Instant on my right wrist for several hours and it certainly performs and is not a shrinking violet. On my left wrist is Champs-Élysée EDP. It bloomed when I was quiet at home, returned from the city. These are two "Légendaires" I don't own but would certainly like to own. But we can't have it all, can we?

I am new to this perfume and testing a decant from the eau de parfum legendaire bottle, so I have no preconceptions or experience of previous versions. I am not a big lover of multi floral scents in general, my comfort zone is more fresh and citrus or darker and ambery but I want to branch out and try new (or old) things. At first sniff of the bottle there was a vintage vibe to it, that reminded me of a note in Mitsouko. I don't know which note it can be from the pyramid given but there is a definite whiff of, how shall I put this, sweaty ladies undercarriage. Luckily this phase does not last long, it gives way to a strong, dense floral with sweet undertones that I have to say was verging on headachey for me. The drydown though, now that is absolutely beautiful. Soft, sweetly floral and delicate you can't keep your nose from your wrist. This was about four hours in. I decided to refresh it but only on my wrists. On respraying I didn't get the dirty note, but that is still detectable when you sniff the atomiser directly. Tomorrow I think I will try a lighter spray on wrists and one on the back of my neck instead of my chest and see if that has an effect on the opening for me.

I wore L'Instant regularly back in the days of the original bottle (pre-bee-bottle) and I'd been thinking about it a lot lately and decided to revisit, despite reading about reformulations. I'm so glad I did! For me, this smells as I remember the original. I think it's a beautiful fragrance, unlike any other. On my skin, the magnolia is most pronounced, with very slight honey and powdery/amber notes. I don't get a lot of citrus, and it's not an "in your face" floral since the magnolia is quite creamy on my skin. Interestingly, my mother tried my new bottle - completely different on her, less creamy and the jasmine and citrus come out more prominently on her skin. I find this has great longevity for me - at least 8 hours. I would say the projection might be a little less than the original, but it's there, a very soft floral trail. I am enjoying this so much, brings back wonderful memories of when I wore this regularly. I think it remains and unusual and timeless scent, I'm even a little surprised how much I still enjoy it.

I got completely captured by yet another yellow floral, and at this point, I should know that if a fragrance grabs me instantly, it’s almost always a yellow floral. But I was surprised by the honey note and honey rambles of everyone. For some reason, I always think of Scandal when honey comes up - that's HONEY with a capital H. Here, it's supportive rather than domineering. The heart is where it shines: ylang-ylang is radiant, blending beautifully with the florals around it. I wouldn't call this citrusy at all, if that’s what you’re hoping for. It feels more like late summer in mood, one of my favorite seasons, and incidentally, the one I was born in. It’s immediately impressive, potent, but never in-your-face. I don’t get a sense that it’s aimed at any specific age. Elegant, warm, and balanced - it earns a genuine love from me.

I really did not like this at first. Then, because I’m really having trouble finding a summer scent that works for me everyday, I revisited the bottle. Now I think it might work. At first it seemed to have a generic overdone perfume smell. After dry down I believe it became what it is supposed to be, a feminine perfume with a light powder fresh zing coming through the honey fruity floral. My favorite in winter is Angelique Noire, but I can’t really get on board with it for spring and summer. As a woman of a certain age I avoid old lady scents. This perfume is not that, but it does have a youthful maturity. I believe this would work for working in the garden, having drinks on a deck, going out to lunch, taking my grandson to school, and cleaning my house, even kayaking and going to the beach. Probably a yes!

The juice is the same, but man those new bottles are disappointing.. Recently saw the whole new lineup of the classics (Samsara, Insolence, Idylle, and the rest) in a store and the aesthetics are just sad. I get that they were going for a vintage look with the Mitsouko-styled bottles and round stickers, but in real life it does not look classy or vintage at all, but more like some cheapo half-arsed attempt to copy something that would have been stylishly vintage. Also I dunno if this is the case in other countries, but in Russia these new versions are considerably more expensive than their bee-bottle counterparts were when they were the ones in stock.

The original L’Instant by Maurice Roussel (sold in the oblong bottle) was one of the strongest and most overpowering perfumes ever - a shock of sweet and floral notes, with an unapologetic honeyed magnolia dominating for hours. Fortunately, this updated version of L’Instant from the Legendaires collection is much milder and more tolerable. Yes, that sweet, sticky magnolia is still there, followed by bergamot, ylang ylang (which also contributes to the sweetness and adds a very discreet exotic vibe), some powdery and creamy notes, and sweet amber in the base. This version is quite mature, elegant, mysterious, and best saved for special occasions.

L'Instant has the tickly, fuzzy pollen feel that I get from both Penhaligon's Ostara and Angelique Noire. I admit I was hoping for a more thick, honeyed, creamy floral more akin to the scent of beeswax, but am now thinking that the designation of "orange blossom honey" (as opposed to beeswax or haylike clover honey) makes this lean much more floral than animalic, and unfortunately the floral aspect is somewhat generically muddled for me. L'Instant is sweet and pleasant, but it doesn't unfold in a way that's compelling to me.

L'Instant pour Homme EDT is truly beautiful and captivating, deftly offering a "rich" gourmand blend that stays sparkling and almost transparent. It's masculine but a woman might enjoy it. Please have a test of the pour Homme before pulling the trigger on the current L'Instant de Guerlain Eau de Parfum, pictured above. It's pretty, but lightweight and nothing special. It has the light version of the Guerlinade but it doesn't last and it doesn't have much more than that. Try the Homme EDT.

Oh, the good old days when I missed buying the big 250 ml limited edition bottle with strand of golden bees on the flacon. It's been one of the biggest regrets on my mind for years, how beautifully that vessel has fitted the scent inside. Now I own couple versions of EDP and other derivatives, as it is one of my favourite fragrances because of that bold magnolia and honey duo. Epitome of finely crafted Guerlains.

Dear Fragrantica Editors, This is not a new perfume, this is the 3rd kind of packaging. The seperate pages you create for different bottles cause confusion. You have done the same thing for most of the contempoary perfumes of Guerlain when their original design bottles are changed into bee bottles. "Collections Patrimoine de Guerlain" are just new bottles, not new perfumes. Best regards...

To those that are familiar with L’Instant de Guerlain, and the predecessors in the bottles that came before the one on this page... when should I stop assuming notes are the same with previous bottles and this bottle? Are there notes of apple and vanilla present in the recently launched bottle? I would like to keep track. Thank you!

This is a soft and delicate fragrance. Sillage is for intimate distance and longevity is about 2-3 hours. The sweetness of the honey is not cloying and is well balanced with the bergamot and mandarin. The floral heart is light and spritely. Suitable for office wear. This is very understated and feminine. A safe blind buy.

This is a distant cousin to angelic noir. I like it but not a love.. I was thinking of settling for this but Angelic noir has a better vibe to me. The vanilla here is missing in my nose. I am having a little challenge with honey fragrances in general but it’s sth I can manage here. Regardless this is a masterpiece

The most gorgeous orange jam cake scent, in the best way possible. Drizzling sweet honey over juicy oranges combined with a slightly buttery note. If you're from Greece it's like an orange pie with a tonne of syrup, but not as heavy, more fresh and sweet. 🍊🥧🍯 the most addictive scent.

A modern scent with notes that mixed well together so that I could barely describe what dominant note in this perfume. so exceptional! it's been one of my favourite women fragrance till now and on my next purchase list.

After finishing my little sample I couldn't get this perfume out of my mind and I had to get a bigger bottle. It's so special and I feel it fits every season and almost every situation. It's timeless and ageless.