Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita by Guerlain

Pera Granita is a release which is a part of the Aqua Allegoria series by Guerlain. It’s one that I’ve already tried and enjoyed before, but I decided to buy another sample, in order to write up a full review. It came out in 2016. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?


What does Pera Granita Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, grapefruit, apricot, lemon, bergamot, musk, orange blossom, osmanthus, hedione, cedar, moss

Click here to try: Pera Granita


My Full Review

Here’s how Guerlain describes it: Savour a granita in the shade of the pear trees in the garden of the Hesperides, then gather their fruity treasures.

Pera Granita starts off with an explosion of its citrus and other fruity notes. Early on, you’re going to get plenty of lemon, sour bergamot, and the grapefruit coming through. Yes, the pear will be there throughout, it’s just overshadowed in the beginning.

Add to all of that, some osmanthus, which gives off it’s own sweet fruity sort of aroma as a floral note. Lots of sweet, sour, and sharpness happening in these early stages.

The next phase is fresher rather than sweet and sour. Some of the citrus notes burn off, which gives more play to the pear note. However, it is also going to share the stage with an array of floral notes and musk.

Actually, the grapefruit stands out on my skin, as it seems most of the burn off is from the lemon and bergamot notes.

The jasmine (hedione) and musk create a clean and somewhat shampoo-like vibe in the middle act. Add the freshness of cedar, sparkling water effect of pear, and the citrusy aroma…and Pera Granita really starts to give off the cleanliness.

The back half of this one is a fruit/musk/floral mix. The jasmine, orange blossom, osmanthus aren’t really sticking out as individual notes. More of a generic floral aroma.

It’s fresh with musk and wood at the base, a bit green, some light spice, and the fruits still jockeying for position.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Pera Granita opens up with a moderate strength. It’s fruity notes, definitely have reach in the early stages, and will be noticed from more than 7 feet away from where you sprayed.

As it moves along, this Aqua Allegoria fragrance will be much more of a lighter moderate scent, until it begins to disappear.

On my skin, it’ll last for 6-7 hours, with those last few hours not being particularly powerful. However, Pera Granita is for sure still present.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime wear, all the way. A great one to wear outside, relaxing around, or other daily wear functions during this stretch of time.

It’s an upbeat and clean one to wear in the daytime. Not going to be a sexy nightlife wear or one that is super formal. Though, you’ll still get plenty of use out of Pera Granita, even without the nighttime functions.


Overall Impressions of Pera Granita

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do.

The freshness, the mix of sweet, sour, pear, and floral notes. The energy of it and how it has some depth for a summertime wear. It’s an Aqua Allegoria perfume that I enjoy quite a bit.

The performance itself is pretty mid. It’s not awful on me, but I wouldn’t expect a marathon wear or super beastly performance out of Pera Granita. 7 hours, on the high end, with  the last few being skin scent territory. Fair enough.

Still, this is one of my favorite pear perfumes that I have tried. It’s not completely dominated by that note, but I like how it stands out within the mix.

Pera Granita is a very good warm weather option for those who enjoy this style of fragrance. Definitely worth trying out. But, with how pricey it can be, maybe not a perfume that you’d want to blind buy.

Also, if it doesn’t sound like something that’d fit your style, I don’t think it’d do anything to change that fact.

Idylle by Guerlain

I’m back with another review of a ladies’ fragrance. This time it’s Idylle, a release from Guerlain Paris which came out in 2009. It comes in a water droplet shaped bottle and features many floral notes. I’m going to explore how it smelled, performed, when it could be worn, and if it is worth a purchase.


What does Idylle Smell Like?

Notes: freesia, rose, raspberry, lily of the valley, musk, peony, lilac, patchouli, litchi

Click here to try: Idylle by Guerlain, 3.4 Ounce


My Full Wear Review

I’m not a huge fan of the smell of roses, so when I saw that it was a not in Idylle, I thought that it might overpower the rest of the composition and make me not enjoy it. That actually wasn’t the case.

The opening is like a bouquet of floral notes with some raspberry and litchi to give it a slightly fruity aroma. The main floral that stands out is the Lily of the Valley note which is accompanied by a tempered rose.

What I like about Idylle, is that, as a floral it doesn’t become to ‘green’ and plant like. Nor does it fall too much into the trap of overdoing it with white flowers.

It’s a great mix of several different floral notes that creates a bright and upbeat fragrance. It is a sophisticated and very feminine scent, that never strays into grandma or little girl territory.

As it dries down, Idylle picks up more of the musk note which I feel rounds it out and doesn’t overwhelm. Idylle seems to be very well blended and while the lily is the main player, it is more of a team effort between all of the notes.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection on this perfume falls somewhere between moderate and strong. It isn’t a beast but I was always aware of its presence.

I think that first hour or so is going to produce a nice scent trail for the wearer. After that, it’ll be above what the average fragrance provides, but not hitting elite levels.

The longevity is also solid but not insane, probably 6-7 hours of good wear. Testing Idylle out a few times, this is all that it seemed capable of. Better sillage and projection versus how long it actually lasts on skin.

Idylle is a bright womanly scent that could be worn in mostly casual or just daily wear situations. I honestly like it enough that I would want to smell it on a woman that I was dating. I don’t think I’d call it sexy, more like very pretty and attractive.

But, it is one that should offer plenty of opportunities to spray it on before you leave the house. Not a super unique standout, though it can certainly serve a function in one’s perfume rotation.

This is a warmer weather scent, so spring/summer. The florals, fruits, greenish qualities all make this Guerlain ideal for these two seasons.


Overall Impressions of Idylle

Overall, is Idylle worth a buy? If you like florals, yes. This Guerlain perfume does a great job at not becoming dominated by one note or just making you feel like you’re stuck in a garden. A good balance and very wearable.

Idylle is feminine and enjoyable while also being a pretty nice performer. If spiciness or sweetness is your thing, look elsewhere, but everyone else should like this fragrance and not be too offended by it.

Lily of the valley and some periods of rose, are really the two standouts from the balance of this fragrance. Even then, it’s a slight advantage over the other notes. A nice musky period to add to the cleanliness of Idylle’s floral arrangement.

To me, this is a pretty good scent across the board. I’m not overly enthusiastic about Idylle, while I do like it to some extent. It’s sort of a dumb reach floral scent. Easy to wear and will fit in many occasions.

10 Best Smelling Guerlain Perfumes for Women

Guerlain is a French design house which has been around for seemingly ever. They have a ton of fragrances for both men and women, many of which are simply fantastic. Seeing as they have had decades upon decades to put out work, it is no wonder that any attempted list to capture the best would be incomplete no matter what. However, for this one I have selected ten of what I feel are the best smelling perfumes, that are available today, representing different styles and levels of popularity.

What are the Top Ladies Fragrances from Guerlain?

Most Popular

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum–  Mon Guerlain has become a best seller since its release over the past few years. The EDP opens up as a very sweet and warm fragrance, in a similar vein to both, Black Opium and BonBon. As it moves along, it moves away from those two, but the opening are quite a bit alike.

What Mon Guerlain ultimately becomes, is a blend of vanilla, lavender, and jasmine notes. The perfume is very smooth and a sweet floral. It isn’t too heavy of a fragrance or overly complicated.

Mon Guerlain is a scent that is great for daily wear and obviously enjoys a mass appeal. Even with its moderate sillage, this is one that can indeed last a full work day and go beyond. Great balance and an easy choice. Mon Guerlain Review


Sunny, Salty Ylang-Ylang

Embruns d’Ylang by Guerlain– This one is a high-end ylang-ylang fragrance from Guerlain. The company itself, seems to be the only one selling full bottles right now. With the price, you’d do well to track down a sample on eBay or somewhere else.

That being said, Embruns d’Ylang is a bright and coastal yellow floral fragrance. It has a beachy sea salt ‘spray’ note that gives the perfume a nice contrast with how it plays off of the ylang-ylang note.

I have only smelled this once, but I didn’t find it to be all that salty. Beautiful, just not heavy on that aspect.

It’s a bit sweet, but that saltiness seems to pair with the wood, upon first applying. Then, some jasmine. The ylang-ylang feels pretty thick in this and it has a rather strong sillage, at least early. Still, I’d try before buying to see if it vibes with you.


Springtime Floral 

Champs Elysees By Guerlain Eau-de-toilette Spray, 1.7-Ounce A moderate floral fragrance featuring notes of mimosa, black currant, lilac, and almond wood. A green powdery type of scent reminiscent of a spring day.

It opens up with soft and sweet fruits, with that light almond note poking through the aroma. Then, the floral notes being to emerge, mainly lilac at first. Mimosa follows with lily-of-the-valley, before the whole thing blends together in a beautiful oneness.

Leans more floral than fruity, but it does have enough balance, to actually enjoy the fruit notes. Champs Elysees has undergone a few incarnations, over the years, and this latest iteration has been a well-loved edition for over 20 years now.


The Orange Blend

Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca– One of my newer entries to the list, from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria collection. The orange blossom note here actually shares the spotlight with neroli and bitter orange notes.

Very orangey and each seems to get its own time to shine in the top weighted spot.

Petitgrain joins the mix, but the overall scent is pretty darn linear with how it presents. Bitter orange early, orange blossom middle, and neroli is probably the most prominent during the ending stages of Nerolia Bianca.

This has a great freshness of orange and has a definite greenish aroma in the beginning. The soapiness isn’t to the same degree as some of the others on the list. Nice performance for this style of scent, also.


A Classic Guerlain Perfume

Samsara By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces One of the most popular choices on this list. Violet, vanilla, sandalwood, rose, and iris. Floral, woodsy, and slightly spicy. Oriental in its aroma. Feminine floral with sandalwood.

Intoxicating jasmine and iris create that familiar powdery aroma with a creamy finish. It’s been around for decades, so, there are different formulations at this point…which yield slightly different results. Samsara still opens with it’s fruity notes of peach and citrus, leading the way, and its light floral ingredients just beginning to come through.

That phase is short-lived and the flowers really take on a stronger role, with ylang-ylang, iris, rose, and jasmine being the major players.

Finally, the rest of the wear becomes sweeter and warmer, with tonka bean, vanilla, and our sandalwood note. Powdery, fresh, warm, creamy, and sweet. Beyond that, a fantastic performer, that will last for many hours.


Creamy Sweet White Floral

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.7 Ounces Another floral that is sweetened by a honey note. Definitely a feminine scent for daily wear. L’Instant de Guerlain opens up with its fruity notes soaked in a honey sweetness.

Light citrus and apple, which soon fades in favor of the floral ingredients, iris and magnolia. It is super smooth and warm, at times powdery from the iris, but more about the honey and magnolia. Plus, a creamy vanilla note, which only adds to the appeal.


Coconut Awesome

Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz by Guerlain– A unique smelling coconut dominant perfume, that seems to be getting tougher to track down in stores, nowadays. Yet, it is a great option from Guerlain.

Rather than the usual vanilla creaminess getting paired with coconut. This one has a fresher and watery element to it. Bergamot, coconut fruit, coconut water, and what I think are melon notes? Something smelling sort of like watermelon, at least.

Light and airy, freesia delivers the floral aspect and some of the watery elements to this one. It doesn’t go too aquatic for that long and you do get some of the usual creaminess between the coconut and later tonka bean in the base.

I imagine this one will be pretty expensive soon. I wouldn’t pay a very high price for a bottle as it becomes scarce, but if you can find one at a lower cost, it can be worthwhile to pick up.


Bold Smoky Classic

Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce An absolute classic of a scent. Shalimar is an exotic blend of vanilla, citrus, rose, jasmine, leather, and musk. It’s got a nice bit of citrus, that floats around in the smokiness of incense, and plays well off of the leather note.

The citrus is pretty strong up front, but then the smoky, vanilla, and leather trio will move in and push the fruits aside.

At times, you will get more of a powdery feel from Shalimar, then, the smoky and warmth with sweet vanilla. It’s been around forever, still appreciated, and still a great performer. There have been many flankers of Shalimar, that have been released over the years, but I have to give the original its due.


Powdery Berry Scent

Insolence By Guerlain For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 1.6-Ounce Bottle A sweet blend of juicy berries and floral notes like violet, iris, and orange blossom. Insolence is long lasting and has a pronounced powdery finish, as is to be expected, when violet and iris get together.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a stuffy or overly-heavy fragrance, the raspberry and other berry notes keep things dynamic. Towards the end, there is a light musk, and a great sandalwood note at the base. This is a great floral fruity wear, rather simple, but delightful.


Best Woodsy Perfume

Mitsouko by Guerlain 75ml 2.5oz EDP Spray An earthy/woodsy type of scent which dates back to 1919. This is another classic, which has been somewhat modernized, over time.  Has a bit of spice up top and some sweetness provided by peach. More of a mature scent.

The oakmoss and vetiver, are the real stars of the show, providing a fresh woodsy dryness to the wear. As it dries down further the spices, including cinnamon, really support the woodsy notes well. Hints of floral ingredients, such as rose, have their time in focus before they recede back into the mix.

Nevertheless, even with updating, Mitsouko is still going to be a niche wear for many who aren’t used to the older styles. It is a big time performer, with a loud sillage, that can take a while to settle in.


Mon Guerlain EDP by Guerlain

I bought a bottle of Ultra Male from Macy’s last week, as that cologne is about to be discontinued, and Macy’s sent along a bunch of sample fragrances in the box. Naturally, they were all perfumes for women…luckily, I own this website and do reviews, so it worked out. Anyways, one such sample was the 2017 release from Guerlain, Mon Guerlain, in an EDP spray. In this post, I am going to share my thoughts on how this perfume smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.


What does Mon Guerlain EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, vanilla, lavender, sandalwood, tonka bean

Click here to try: Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.3oz


My Full Review

The opening 15-20 minutes of Mon Guerlain reminds me of two other perfumes on the market, BonBon and Black Opium, both of which I enjoyed. Not to say that these three scents are the same, just seem to be in the same family of sweet, candy-like perfumes (at least at the start).

Mon Guerlain has an aroma that is sort of similar to the caramel note in BonBon and it of course shares the vanilla note that is featured so prominently in Black Opium.

It’s probably a mix of the tonka, vanilla, licorice, and that light bergamot citrus note up top. A nice blend of sweet, creamy, powdery (iris), and bright. It’s not super heavy, but it does have a substantial body to it. Very wearable.

However, as this perfume progresses it loses some of its similarity with those two fragrances and becomes more of a vanilla/lavender combo. It is a fresh blend of floral notes with a smooth and inviting sweetness.

As a man, I find this perfume to be really attractive, and kept wanting to smell it on my arm throughout the wear. Mon Guerlain is very feminine without being overpowering or bothersome and I enjoy the mix of jasmine and lavender.

There is some lingering fuzziness/resin from a touch of benzoin, sweetness with that little licorice note, and the woods in the base.

The floral is still that jasmine and lavender in the end, but a can pick up some iris and perhaps rose in there as well.

Mon Guerlain has gourmand qualities, but isn’t completely a ‘baked goods’ smelling perfume. The lavender’s heavy influence helps to make sure of that.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it isn’t a heavy perfume at all. Mon Guerlain is very well blended and even tempered. This isn’t a bad thing, as it still lasts for a long time, pretty much past a full work day.

It’s by no means a weak performer, so one will get their money’s worth when using this scent. This is a designer perfume that will leave behind a nice scent trail for a good period of time. Jumps off the skin with a wide projection radius for a long while.

After that, it’ll settle closer to the skin, but much of the wear it’ll be noticeable to you and those in close proximity to you.

It seems to hit anywhere from 8-11 hours, depending on the circumstances. Expect somewhere around the midpoint of that.

Update: After testing it out multiple times over the years, that’s about  what I get each time. It seems to be able to cross that 10 hour mark without too much issue.

Honestly, since it doesn’t stay that same warm gourmand fragrance throughout, as it is in the start, Mon Guerlain could be worn about any time except the high heat of summer. It might turn into a mess with that much heat bearing down on it, but it’s good to go any other time.

Ideally, this will be worn in autumn and winter. The cooler temperatures help this one to develop and not become cloying and unbearable.

I’ve tested this one outdoors in October or November and Mon Guerlain was fantastic when it’s chilly out.

Another plus, it just how versatile of a scent this is. It is soft enough and attractive enough to be worn in an office or school type of environment. So long as you don’t go crazy with the sprays.

You might also want to give it some time to settle before going into a close quarters environment with other people. That opening can be bold, but it’s tolerable thereafter.

Meanwhile, that attractiveness is also quite sexy, and could be worn on a date. Now, is it a loud club type of scent? No, but I have to say, I would love smelling this on a woman.


Overall Impressions of Mon Guerlain

Overall, would I recommend Mon Guerlain? Yes. I think it is a very well done fragrance from Guerlain. It smells great and performs quite well. If you’re not into vanilla or lavender, you’d do well to look elsewhere.

Now, you do get more than just that, but those are the dominant notes here. I like that bold and sweeter opening act, however, as you get so many different facets from this perfume.

This has grown a lot in popularity since I first wrote this review. It has also spawned a few flanker fragrances under this same Mon Guerlain banner. It’s not a super unique fragrance, but you get a great smell and performance out of it.

This perfume can usually be found at a fair price point and can serve as a daily wear go to scent. There’s not much to complain about here.

This is a safe fragrance, in the sense that, it isn’t going to draw a lot of negative attention and enjoys a rather universal appeal. Mon Guerlain is a winner in my book.

Insolence Eau Glacee by Guerlain

Winding down on my current crop of scent to test out, I have today’s entry from Guerlain’s women’s collection, Insolence Eau Glacee. Now, I’m pretty sure that this one has been discontinued by this point in time, but you can still find bottles available online. I will of course cover how it smells, performs, what notes are included, and if it is worth a purchase.


What does Insolence Eau Glacee?

Notes include: red berries, apple, iris, violet, and citrus

Click here to try: Guerlain Insolence Eau Glacee Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce


My Full Wear Review

Insolence Eau Glacee was marketed as an ‘icy’ aroma and while I have come across multiple men’s colognes which also go this route, this one doesn’t seem to strike the same ‘cold’ tone. I mean, it’s there but not nearly to the same degree.

Initially, I get a lot of violet and apple in particular which is supported by the iris note. This gives the fragrance a crisp yet powdery sensation, that is quite pleasant.

Apple is the main fruit note, but the berries and a very light citrus blend is there as well. The citrus isn’t a major factor in this Guerlain. All together, the fruity notes are more tart at the beginning, then it’s a tad sweeter during the dry down.

This is a pretty linear scent and after a few minutes, what you smell is what you get. More of the iris note development and some juiciness supplied by the red berries. Violet, apple, and iris, with the additional highlights of the berries.

It’s a watery sweetness, as if the fruit notes have been soaked in a vase of the floral notes that are present here. The iciness is a nice touch, that gives it the feeling of more depth versus what it actually has.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Eau Glacee is soft and understated. This isn’t a bold or in your face sort of fragrance, it is quiet but you’ll know that it is there. It’ll project maybe 3-5 feet from the skin and that’s about it.

While it isn’t a strong perfume, it is one that lasts all day. During testing, I managed about 8 hours with a few sprays. The performance is good, as a low key scent, that isn’t going to take over a room.

It is interesting when you get a softer fragrance that actually sticks around despite not being a complete bomb.

Eau Glacee strikes me as a casual scent or one for a business type environment. It elegant and has a seriousness to it, that doesn’t come across to me as a ‘sexy’ perfume. Nonetheless, it is pleasant and has its own charm.

I’d also say, it’s probably best in the springtime or other days in which the climate is mild. Maybe venturing into the early days of summer.


Overall Impressions of Insolence Eau Glacee

Overall, do I think Insolence Eau Glacee, is worth a purchase? If you’re a fan of violet and iris and you happen to need something low key. I think it smells fine, it’s not harsh or ugly in anyway, but I don’t think it’s incredible.

It is a solid performer that is well blended and takes you on an easy and steady ride. I like the iris, berries, and that chilly quality that comes through. Nice, clean, tart/sweet, and plenty of powder.

Eau Glacee has some very familiar aspects found in many other perfumes. It’s not super unique, though, it’s nice enough for what it is.