Apple, honey, magnolia, vanilla.. Something about the notes of Guerlain’s L’Instant de Guerlain gave me an impression of a springtime blossomy nectar fragrance or a nuanced honey scent. Enticed, I set off on a merry hunt for the perfume, which I will refer to as L’Instant from here.
L’Instant’s sweet, sugary apple juice opening is quickly balanced by a slightly dry, mellow, rounded tangy green citrus nuance like bergamot. Soft, fleecy, cotton candy-like and sweet, carrot and leather-like iris is enveloped in a lush, rich – but not heavy – and honeyed, clean and floral aroma. Later, there is a lightly powdery, resinous, vanillic benzoin with a sort of incense scent. The vanilla facet gradually intensifies, adding sweet, floral and slightly cherry-like vanilla paste notes. Soon, I notice the scent of waxy, sweet, lightly lemon-curdy magnolia lingering beneath the vanilla ocean before slowly breaching the surface and floating gently on it. This description may seem strange but it was the image that came to mind. The gently sensual combination of iris, vanillic notes, honey and magnolia are simultaneously in harmony and distinct from the other. Ylang ylang infuses a mellow, clear, cloying (almost candy-like), lightly green, banana floral nuance with a dirty earthy note in the background. The honey and vanilla becomes a little “sticky” (does that make sense?) for a moment before we get to the base. It is a little cloying, with very sweet apple and caramel atop a soft, luxurious, powdery white musk.
While I may have described flowers of L’Instant’s heart notes to seem that they are unmistakably those flowers, they in fact come across as vague. The effect is comparable to an unfocused photograph of flowers; it’s just about possible to identify the individual flowers, with the magnolia having a little more clarity than the others. It is a graceful and lightly sensual fragrance on the whole, which I find emits a violet-colored aura. Benzoin helps infuse a quiet strength, in terms of character rather than potency. Alas, I wasn’t too excited about the perfume. I think the apple had a part in it (and I’m beginning to feel that apple isn’t my favorite note in a perfume) as well as the overall sugary-ness. Regardless, do give it a try if you’re interested, and you can find out more about L’Instant on Guerlain’s website or on Fragrantica.
According to Fragrantica, L’Instant de Guerlain comprises notes of apple, mandarin orange, bergamot, iris, magnolia, jasmine, ylang ylang, vanilla, honey, amber, benzoin and musk.
Eau de Tati 