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I’ve had this post in the queue on L’Instant for seemingly ever, though, never got around to writing it up for some reason. Well, it dawned on me that I haven’t written a review of one of my frequently worn colognes, and I must now correct that mistake. How does L’Instant de Guerlain perform? What does it smell like? When should it be worn? Continue below for my full take.
What does L’Instant de Guerlain EDT Smell Like?
Notes include: star anise, cacao, hibiscus, citrus, patchouli, musk, lavender, sandalwood, pepper, jasmine
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My Full Wear Review
The opening sprays of L’Instant EDT are a blend of citrus and spice. The main notes are lemon and star anise. The secondary ingredients are a bit of lime and pepper. The lemon note is deep and pairs wonderfully with the warm though not too intense spice of the star anise.
Sitting behind this is a light herbal tea note, that fades rather quickly to my nose. I love the start of this cologne, it has a dry and powdered warmth, with spice, and a sharp juicy lemon note. It’s unique and definitely takes a different path from most other men’s fragrances.
The jasmine and sandalwood, peak through the composition fairly early, and give this its dry powdery aspect. The opening act, as I said, is unique. It can be off putting at times, but this one needs to develop further on the skin, to really reach its zenith.
As it moves along, L’Instant de Guerlain, starts to be less spicy. The cocoa note strengthens and the anise fades, a good deal. It’s sweet and dry, like a cocoa mix, and the patchouli gives it an earthy companion.
What I get for the rest of the wear is: cocoa, lemon, patchouli, sandalwood, musk, with a touch of florals. It’s got an herbal quality, wrapped up in a dry wamth, with sweetness, and a lingering spice sitting underneath. It all comes together as very smooth, somewhat smoky, and subtle.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
The sillage on L’Instant, is pretty moderate. On my skin, it starts off as a strong cologne, but heads closer to the skin after 30 minutes or so. Again, this is a subtle fragrance, but don’t mistake it for being weak.
Even when you cannot necessarily smell it on yourself, others still can. I’ve worn this at times, and barely noticed it myself, when women have commented positively towards the scent. This does its job, it’s just not all up in your face about it.
The longevity is pretty good, but not outstanding. I think most of the time, it hits the 6-7 hour range on my skin, sometimes longer. Not amazing, but definitely solid.
Seasonally, it’s better in colder weather. In the humidity, L’Instant isn’t terrible, it just feels heavier. The spices seem particularly bothersome, when the climate is warmer.
However, during the autumn and winter months, this is a very versatile scent. It’s light enough to wear to work, while having enough style and sexiness, for a night out. This gets complemented pretty consistently. It’s a scent which women seem to find appealing, in all my experience with it.
Overall Impressions of L’Instant de Guerlain EDT
This is one of my favorite fragrances. I don’t wear it all of the time, but when the mood strikes me, I absolutely love it. Compared to so many other colognes on the market, it stands out, as its own thing. The notes are blended perfectly and somehow manage to just work, even when the don’t seem like they should.
Is it for everyone? Probably not. It’s been around for a long time now, but has never been a best seller. I don’t want to act as if, this is a niche fragrance, because it generally does get a good reaction from people out in public.
This is a good scent for guys, who want to get away from the usual popular offerrings, but not go off into some weird extreme fragrance. It’s not that expensive, has a nice performance, and just smells good.
For me, it’s a definite for the autumn months. I just grabbed a new bottle and am enjoying it thoroughly.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.