Today I would like to share with you one of my perfumery visits, which have become very rare. Some peculiarity, some curiosity always occurs with these, that is certain. There is the obligatory frequent sprayer, which always reminds me to take the respirator mask of my great-great-great-grandfather with me on my next visit to such a shop. Furthermore, there are the experts who distribute heaps of test strips on the floor and on the shelves because they are denied garbage cans either because of ambroxane-based sensory opacity or simply because of a lack of education. But maybe both of these things just come together here.
In addition, we also find the large groups of friends who strategically position themselves in front of the big shelf of bestsellers in such a way that nobody but they themselves can reach it - according to the motto: First me, then me, then me again ... then you ... although, I, I, I, I.
I allowed myself this motto during my visit to the perfumery as an exception. Don't worry, I didn't bother a fellow human being by recklessly spraying around, penetrating shouting around to express "HOW HORIZY" this one fragrance smells, or by annoying blocking of shelves.
I'm after a very specific product carrier in that store. It was the one that presented fragrances from "Guerlain" and was located in a much less frequented shop area. Here I had my peace of mind and was also out of reach of ruthless combat sprayers who can ruin entire olfactory tests and who have already in the past - albeit unintentionally - spread weapon-licensed scent combinations on my coat. You don't want to know how the combination of "Joop Homme" and "Dior Homme Intense" smells - no - you don't want to. This is layering, which is likely to violate the Geneva Convention.
Well, enough of that.
So I was at Guerlain's goods carrier and knew immediately what I wanted to test. To my astonishment, both the eau de toilette and the eau de parfum of "L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme" were presented, which in my experience is extremely rare. Up to now, I have actually only ever found the eau de toilette in shops.
Great, so you can make it difficult even for me, who entered the shop so determined and safe. After a short pause I reached for the eau de toilette and sniffed at the atomizer. But the eau de parfum continued to stare at me out of the corner of my eye and so I couldn't help myself and also took an olfactory test on its atomizer. Even this superficial test revealed that we are dealing with a much denser, probably much heavier candidate. But I put it back on the shelf and dedicated myself to the lighter eau de toilette.
On the positive side, by the way, I was asked by a very nice employee if I could be helped, whereupon she immediately added that I look as if I know what I am looking for. Should I still have a question, they are always available to answer it. It was a very pleasant experience, which made me, as someone who also comes from the retail trade, feel a little bit of a kick in the pants. After all, you don't experience something like that every day and finally such a statement can inevitably be considered a compliment.
Well - maybe a little influenced by the nice manner of the shop assistant - I sprayed the eau de toilette three times on my neck. A small part might have landed in the air, but I was there all alone in "my" Guerlain corner. I omitted the paper strip test that actually belongs to it, true to the motto "all or nothing". Well, well, well... i'm honest. In order to get to a paper strip, I would have had to enter "enemy territory", i.e. that of the combat sprayer squadron, which so slowly discovered the Tom Ford corner and thus also "Black Orchid (Eau de Parfum)" for itself. How lucky I was far enough away.
After only a few seconds of spraying, I was surrounded by a balsamic-soft and, above all, extremely authentic star anise note, which seemed a little old-fashioned, but which did not cause any discomfort or a "this doesn't fit me" feeling in me. Now it was time to find a safe way out, so that the Sillage crackers already sprayed in the shop would not destroy my beautiful Guerlain. It is not loud - I can already anticipate that - and that is a good thing, because I am looking for something for everyday life that is spicy and not too sweet to decorate my skin.
Having found the safe way out, I already had a slight hint of dark chocolate in my eyes. This was the cocoa that appeared very airy and transparent due to star anise and was not sweet at all - dark chocolate, but not just any chocolate, but a very high quality one.
With the addition of the patchouli, in this case neither herbaceous nor earthy-scented, a note reminiscent of milk chocolate was added - creamy and light, but by no means over-sweetened. Probably, the combination of dark cocoa and light milk chocolate will produce exactly the right scent, which is neither too tart nor too sweet. This is the golden mean to me
As the fragrance progressed, I heard a good shot of additional creaminess, which may have been due to the sandalwood. "L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (Eau de Toilette)" reminds you, as some of you have already described it, of melted fine chocolate that has the optimum cocoa content. Fortunately, this chocolate does not communicate itself to its surroundings permanently and too aggressively. The eau de parfum should behave differently here, but this is only an assumption on my part, since I have not yet come to a comprehensive test. You are welcome to share your experiences, if you have any, in the comments. I am curious and many others probably are too.
Finally, a short appeal:
Please, dear perfumery owners, store managers and employees, make sure that your Guerlain warriors are as far away as possible from the door area where the Spontaneous and Combat Sprayers try to defend their habitat with chemical warfare, if this is in accordance with your instructions. The guerlains in the tall bottles have, without exception, delighted me so far with their sensuality - be it "Héritage (Eau de Parfum), "Guerlain Homme (Eau de Parfum)" or now also "L'Instant de Guerlain pour homme (Eau de Parfum)". This sensuality is too beautiful to let others destroy it. For your own protection, you are welcome to keep this range of fragrances at the bottom of the shelf, so that not everyone can see them. I as a perfumo will find them anyway, as we all here in this forum
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
Jbl775
Amine1989
JFP26
ChicoRoch1
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