It must have been my first business trip to Paris with my friend and colleague, Mary Ellen, when I first bought a bottle of Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue. If I remember correctly, I may have even purchased it at the Guerlain store on the Champs Elysee. I remember talking to a saleswoman about L’Heure Bleue or “The Blue Hour”. She told me that the Blue Hour was the time between daytime and evening when the sky turned a deep blue. She said that L’Heure Bleue was a fragrance for a woman in her 30s (I think she was older than that) because it was the time when her wrinkles wouldn’t show! At the time, I was in my early 30s when I didn’t have any wrinkles, so I hoped I laughed when she said that. Now, I certainly have to chuckle at a woman in her 30s being concerned about wrinkles. Ha.
Introduced in 1912 by the perfumer/nose Jacques Guerlain, L’Heure Bleue concept was described by Guerlain as:
The hour when one finally finds oneself in renewed harmony with the world and the light,” Jacques Guerlain liked to say. He was referring to his favourite moment, when “the night has not yet found its star”. It was this fleeting sensation that he tried to express in 1912 with L’Heure Bleue.
I wish I could remember what drew me to Guerlain L’Heure Bleue. I think it may have been the recommendation by the saleswoman at the store in Paris. But the bottle also looked special to me. I had never seen a bottle shaped like that, with big “shoulders” and a slim middle and bottom. Also, the “juice” was an orangey-brown shade. It looked different from anything I had chosen in the past.
And it smelled different from any of my previous choices. It was an unusual, complex amber-y floriental , very feminine scent. And though its notes are ones I still gravitate towards today, it was and still is a unique fragrance. Described as “velvety smooth and romantic”, its scent is:
The top notes are opening with spicy-sweet aniseed and fresh bergamot that gently lead to the heart of rose, carnation, tuberose, violet, and neroli. The soft and powdery floral notes are resting on a base of vanilla, Tonka bean, iris and benzoin. The perfume is mysterious, elegant and timeless.
Though it is “velvety smooth”, I would say that description refers specifically to vintage versions of L’Heure Bleue. Probably about 7 years ago, I bought a bottle of contemporary L’Heure Bleue that is a yellow-brownish liquid (not the brown I bought decades ago) with a slightly different formula. The “new” version had a sharpness to it that I couldn’t quite get used to. The dry down wasn’t warm and powdery. In sum, it lacked the charm and romance of the vintage fragrance. I didn’t wear it very often. In fact, the just about full bottle sits on my vanity table unused.
Last year, I bought a small vial (1 ml) of vintage L’Heure Bleue, and it reminded me of what I adored about the legendary, L’Heure Bleue. It was velvety, smooth, romantic, powdery but not insipid, and very feminine. It was timeless.
After I used up the tiny vial, I kept thinking about it. I finally ordered a bottle that was exactly the one I bought in Paris at Guerlain decades ago. I bought it on eBay from a highly rated seller. It was very well packaged, and it arrived quickly in perfect condition.
I opened the vintage bottle, and it is still so lovely. It was a splurge, but I think it is worth it. BTW, when I moved out of my New York apartment 20 years ago, I threw away the empty L’Heure Bleue bottle and box. Silly me, I didn’t know that even an empty bottle is worth money. I’ll save this one!
Have you tried Guerlain L’Heure Bleue? Vintage or contemporary? What did you think of it?
Blue Hour! Nice! I like the meaning behind it. I’ll ask my MIL if she knows this one.
If your MIL wore Guerlain fragrances, she may very well know this one. It’s one of their “Legendaries”.
I love the memories you will always have this scent!
Thank you, Kim! And yes, that’s how I feel about L’Heure Bleue as well. It takes me back to Paris on my business trip with my friend, and all the romantic occasions when I’ve worn it since
I love l’Heure Bleue, even in its modern form. Which is weird, because powdery is not usually my thing. But its opening like stepping into that blue hour in a magical landscape. No idea why it affects me this way; it’s not something my mother ever wore.
That’s great, Laurie, that you love L’Heure Bleue, even the new one! You will laugh, but I use my new one as room spray. It must be just me that smells the sharpness in the bergamot opening of the new one. I love that your description of the “opening like stepping into that blue hour in a magical landscape”. That’s exactly what the fragrance is supposed to do xoxo If you have a chance someday, buy a small vial of the vintage from The Perfumed Court or other online retailers. It smells divine!!
I love this vintage bottle, and your description is superb: “with big ‘shoulders’ and a slim middle and bottom.” What a lovely purchase all of those years ago, Allison!
Lola Seicento recently posted…Empties Galore in May 2023
The vintage bottle is unlike anything I have seen. Unfortunately, Guerlain has bottled the modern scent in their classic, but standard, bottle
I’m glad you found this since it never left your mind. I gave away all my fragrances and bottles not knowing that someone would love them.
If you gave away your old fragrances, I’m sure they went to someone who will love them!!
I’m a Guerlain girl myself. For me, it’s Mitsouko. I’ve been wearing it since I was 14.
I remember that you love Mitsouko. Now, is it the contemporary version of Mitsouko, and do you know if they changed the formula?
I started with the long ago version, but despite the fact that yes, it has changed, I still wear it, though I miss the old version.
Aha! <3
I loved this post! I think perfumes smelled better back in the day. Now I know I sound like an old lady saying this. I received a gift of a Guerlain fragrance back in the 70s from Paris, it wasn’t available in the US. I wish I could remember the name. So glad you treated yourself.
I agree with you 100%, Denise! I prefer mostly the old fragrances though I do have a few contemporaries that I love. I just can’t figure out why the fragrance houses reformulate the vintage scents. It may be because they can’t get certain ingredients or some such manufacturing reason, but it really upsets me. I am glad that I splurged on the old L’Heure Bleue!!