guerlain

Insolence Eau Glacee by Guerlain

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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.

L’homme Ideal Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

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The L’homme Ideal series from Guerlain is both extensive and extremely popular. I’m close to finishing my reviews on the last two that I grabbed newer samples of. Today’s entry is Ideal Eau de Parfum, which I’ve already experienced multiple times, but was excited to come back to it. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does L’Homme Ideal EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: cherry, almond, thyme, vanilla, spices, lavender, rose, bergamot, incense, leather, tonka bean, and sandalwood

Click here to try: L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)

My Full Review

The opening of Ideal EDP is quite interesting. In many ways, it has overlap with L’Intense, yet much less smokiness from the incense note.

Instead, things are lead by cherry, leather, almond, and a mix of spices. On my skin, it is a smooth leather freshness with a warm blend of spice and a cherry note sitting on top. As it moves along, more of the nuttiness from that rather distinct almond note will peak through.

Pretty complex blend of sweet, spicy, leather, and the peaking of some floral notes. Lavender and some rose.

Actually, once those top spices lighten up a bit, I do start to pick up more of the incense. Decently close to my bottle of L’Intense.

The next phase: almond, vanilla, and tonka bean start to create a wrapping effect around the leather and cherry notes. Ideal EDP still has a nice sweetness, just sans any type of sugary candy-like aroma.

For a time, the rose will come out and I really don’t get much lavender anymore. The fragrance feels drier and has a nice balance between warmth and cold freshness.

Finally, it’s leather, sandalwood, vanilla, almond and cherry (in that order). The dry down is pretty leathery/woody with just hints of the more gourmand elements found earlier on the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. You do get a fairly strong start, but it really never overwhelms or dominates a room. You’ll get decent projection from Ideal EDP, though, it doesn’t hit the higher end of the spectrum.

The longevity is good, better than the sillage. I will usually get a full 8 hours of wear from this version and up to 9.5 hours, on a good day. Spectacular? No, but really a solid performer and one that won’t just quit on you. No real complaints.

Seasonally, I like this for autumn and winter. The colder and crisp temperatures really bring out its full presentation. More nuance and it simply smells better versus when it is in the heat.

This is more about the nighttime than being a jack of all trades. At least, that’s when I prefer it. It can venture into semi-formal occasions, dates, and even in the office at times. Maybe not a main daily wear, but one that will have a heavy spot in the rotation.

Overall Impressions of Ideal Eau de Parfum

Overall, do I like L’homme Ideal EDP? Yes, I really do enjoy this Guerlain fragrance. I think that it is the best of the line, that is currently available.

The cherry note, blended with leather, almond, and vanilla really is a fine experience. This one has depth and nuance, delivers a good performance, and gives you plenty of opportunity to wear it. Guys of all ages could easily wear this one without much issue.

In the US, it is no longer sold. So, you’ll have to purchase from the UK, Europe, or eBay. That can be a problem for a lot of guys and really drive up the price of acquiring a bottle.

Is it worth it? If you like this line, yes, it probably will be. Personally, I already have a full bottle of L’Intense and don’t really want to own multiple flankers of Ideal. I certainly thought about it and almost pulled the trigger.

Ideal eau de parfum is a fantastic wear. Not my personal favorite, but something that I can certainly want to come back to when the mood strikes.

5 Best Smelling Guerlain L’Homme Ideal Fragrances

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L’homme Ideal has gained a ton of adherents to the fragrance line, for almost a full decade now. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to pick one out, if you don’t want to invest in the entire line. In this post, I want to break down my top five colognes that have been released thus far by Guerlain. Hopefully, to at least give you some idea about which of these scents will fit with your own style.

What’s the Best L’Homme Ideal Fragrance (Ranked)?

My Favorite

Ideal Cologne- I think my pick for number one has shifted a few times over the years. However, after giving it some more thought, I think Ideal Cologne was the best of the line. It is now discontinued, so, not great for those who want to try it out.

This one was a great summertime option. The focus here is going to be on the citrus notes, such as: grapefruit, bergamot, and orange. The Ideal almond note, plays a lesser role with Cologne, especially early on. But, it will come around with a nice vetiver.

Fresh and has an almost frozen profile to it, that’s perfect for the warmer weather. Lighter sillage, but it could last for around 8 hours. If you can find a bottle, for a reasonable price, L’Homme Ideal Cologne is worthwhile. Ideal Cologne Review

Best Available

L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)– Ideal eau de parfum has taken over the second spot on the list. Coming back to both it and Extreme, I now distinctly favor it versus the other.

Cherry and almond are the stars of EDP early on. The sweet warmth is very attractive, with some very light spiciness and other notes, like leather and vanilla. It’s not too sugary sweet or overwhelming with its sillage, just a nice balance, and a pretty similar aroma at times to L’Intense.

The main issue here, is getting a hold of a bottle in the US. They no longer sell it here, so, the best bet for getting Ideal EDP is to buy from the UK or grabbing a bottle from an eBay seller. To me, this is the best one that is still produced. Ideal EDP Review

Leathery Sweetness

Ideal Extreme-At times, Extreme has been my favorite. But, less so this time around testing out these fragrances. Though, it may again claim the top spot. This one gets me a ton of leather versus the others.

Extreme is actually pretty similar to the others, with the standard nutty almond note, but paired with fruity notes such as plum. Quite tart to me, rather than sweet, early on.  Add to that, Ideal Extreme has spicy notes and a tobacco finish. Still dry fruity sweet, but not overly sugary or unbearable.

Yes, the fragrance lasts all day and while the sillage isn’t insane, it’s a very solid wear all around. L’Homme Ideal Extreme is also very difficult to find, as of now it’s not even for sale on Guerlain’s website, so you’ll have to dig a bit. Another one, Americans will have to order from Europe. Ideal Extreme Review

The Original

Guerlain L’Homme Ideal EDT Spray for Men, 1.6 Ounce– Ideal EDT seems pretty underrated here in the number 4 spot, because it is a very enjoyable fragrance to wear.

Almond, citrus, and woody spice start this one off. To me, this has the most almond in it, especially in the early stages. You get leather in there as well, but mainly its a citrus blast with a nuttiness. Sweet, dry, and clean coming down the home stretch.

I like the versatility of EDT. It’s not purely a cold weather fragrance and can venture into the springtime or for summer evenings. Really easy to wear and all around a solid cologne. Also, it is a lot easier to find in the States versus Extreme and EDP.

Spicy and Smoky

L’homme Ideal L’intense By Guerlain FOR MEN 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray, black– As I mentioned before, L’Intense has some overlap with the EDP versus the other fragrances on this list. But, it is distinct and a separate fragrance in its own right.

L’Intense opens with chili pepper and cardamom spices blending with the strong leather note, in this blend. It’s not as sweet as EDP, more leather, more spice, and a smoky finish. However, there does seem to be plenty of the same DNA.

It has a dry sweetness to it, almost tobacco-like at times, but this is ultimately a spicy/smoky blend that dries down into a leather/vanilla cologne. The sillage actually isn’t all that heavy and the fragrance lasts around 7 hours.

Not my favorite of the lot, but L’Intense is readily available and brings a somewhat darker and more mature vibe to the Ideal name. L’Intense Review

L’Homme Ideal EDP vs L’Intense by Guerlain

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Continuing with some comparison posts here today, I thought that I’d do another one with two fragrances from the L’Homme Ideal line by Guerlain. One of which, L’Intense I tried for the first time over a month ago, when I blind bought a bottle that was on sale. EDP, is one that I’m coming back to testing, after some time off. Which of these colognes smells better? Which lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: L’Homme Ideal L’Intense vs. EDP

Ideal EDP

Notes include: cherry, almond, lavender, vanilla, incense, rose, rosemary, leather, tonka bean, and more

Click here to try: L’Homme Ideal EDP at Selfridges (ships from UK)

L’Homme Ideal L’Intense

Notes include: tonka bean, chili pepper, almond, cardamom, vanilla, leather, and more

Click here to try: L’homme Ideal L’intense By Guerlain FOR MEN 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray, black

Read my full review: L’Intense

Opening

Ideal EDP opens with its natural cherry and almond blend. The opening features a slight spiciness, but it is overall a very smooth and refined opening act. Leather, vanilla, and other warmer hints are coming through from the base.

L’Intense is actually very similar to how Ideal EDP opens, but with some variation. L’Intense has a warm and fresh profile, with leather letting itself be known from the start.

With that, you get spice from both cardamom and chili pepper, which is the main distinction from EDP. Though, there is also a sweetness here like its competitor, from the cardamom note and what I think is the unlisted cherry note (just toned way down).

Also, just a general smokiness, like incense from hints of sandalwood and almond.

Which is better? Obviously, it’s a pretty close call since there is so much overlap between them. But, I think that I prefer EDP’s smoothness more so than the spicy and smoky L’Intense.

Edge: EDP

Projection

Both of these fragrances are moderate with their sillage. I’d say each is above average early on, but then devolve into more of skin scents after a few hours.

I think that L’Intense actually might fall off a bit quicker, but hits a higher high in terms of how far its projects. There’s no real distinction in this category, in my experience.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Ideal L’Intense can go for up to 8 hours, on my skin. However, it’s usually around 7 and for the back half its at that weaker silllage level.

Ideal EDP is a long lasting scent, with an 8-9.5 hour range of performance. It too is a weaker skin scent for a good portion of the wear.

Nonetheless, it has the better longevity of the two.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

Both of these fragrances are built for the autumn and winter months. I think that they both have a good deal of versatility, as to what occasions that can be worn. Both are better for the nightlife, but are light enough to not be problems in the daytime, and are relatively office safe.

I do think that L’Intense has a bit more depth, refinement, and maturity than the sweeter EDP. L’Intense can be more appropriate for a man in his 30s, when he doesn’t want to go with a cherry/vanilla/almond focused EDP.

Not a huge distinction, but L’Intense takes this category.

Edge: L’Intense

 

Overall Scent

Overall, I really like both of these fragrances, but I don’t love either. I know the Ideal line has its fans that adore these scents, but for me they’re more of an occasional delight.

With L’Intense, I really wasn’t impressed with it the first few times I wore it. But, I’ve come to appreciate it more so. Early wears were particularly smoky, though, it now smells cleaner to my nose. 

My favorite part is actually the opening, with the chili and almond notes. That’s the high point and even then, I don’t enjoy it as much as EDP. I think L’Intense is a solid cologne to have around, has strong points, and is easier to acquire here in the US (than EDP). 

I’ve been wear this Guerlain, but it isn’t something I need to have a bottle of.

With EDP, it’s just a better scent. I think it might be my second favorite now behind the discontinued Cologne, in the Ideal lineup. I’ve begun to appreciate it more than Extreme, which I’m wavering on, with my opinion of it.

I love the cherry, the leather smoothness, and the warm sweetness that the fragrance has…without venturing into ‘candy aroma’ territory. To me, Ideal EDP isn’t way better than L’Intense, but it does feel like its a cut above.