Description
The new Guerlain perfume (2003) for the first time contains magnolia. This delicate and complicated perfume is in harmony with the citrus honey note, which can be scented from the top all the way to the bottom notes. This is a innovative perfume composition built like a ‘double olfactory pyramid’. The perfume opens with fresh citrus notes – mandarin and bergamot as one fragrant composition, while the other one gives out the shine of white flowers – magnolia, ylang-ylang, and sambac jasmine. The sensuality comes later with vanilla, benzoin, and musk, which leave magical intimate trace. Eau de Toilette has a limited version of the fragrance with iris in the centre – L’Instant Eau de Noël Iris Millésime, while the regular one has an apple-sweets nuance.
The nose behind this fragrance is Maurice Roucel.
vyga – :
How very pretty! I get magnolia very prominently, supported by vanilla. This has the same tone as Cartier Baiser Volé (lily and vanilla). This will be lovely in warm weather- another blind buy win!
паштет – :
I have a 2013 batch as well as a 2016 batch and I notice a distinct different between the two. The older one, with a darker amber-like color, is ‘the’ scent I know and love. It’s what my previous review is based on. The newer one is lighter in color and has distinct differences in its performance for about the first hour (sharper at the outset, not as well blended before its dry down, it softens and blends with passing time). I have learned that the earlier batch works beautifully on my skin and I use it just for that. The later batch works beautifully on clothing and fabric – so I do the spritz in the air and walk through it. I like it both ways.
I am adding this here to share that there are differences and it is worth checking and knowing what you want, both are beautiful and I am not upset with the differences.
vladimir2011 – :
This perfume is one of my all time best. Genuine and perfect composition. Comforting vanilla-lemon cake, gently sweet, powdery (on a modern way, NOT mumsy-powdery!) The other notes making it deeper, richer, giving a flowery angle and delicately supporting it, not standing out harshly. Overall it gives you a warm, sunny feeling.
Long lasting on my skin, super long lasting on fabric.
I’m leading a complex project with lot of stress and this wonder helped me cooling down my nerves during tough times. One spritz to the mouse pad lasted over a week, scenting my wrist continually and giving me comfort ☺️
Fallpane – :
This is the first fragrance I have smelled where the description of its notes is exactly what I get. Flowery, powdery, vanilla, sweet and honey 🙂
Its opening, to me, smells like a chocolaty powdery iris. It’s absolutely gorgeous. It is soft and feminine and delicious. As it dries down the honey, mixing with the sweet vanilla, begins to peak through. I think it is the honey that somehow reminds me of chocolate at the beginning. This too is beautiful and I love it as a bedtime scent.
The only problem I have is that it doesn’t last on me at all. Within about an hour it has dissipated to almost nothing on my skin. It’s ok for bedtime, but if I want to wear this out, I’m not sure how much I would enjoy knowing it will be gone so quickly. I would probably have to layer it with other scents.
But it is another beauty, that’s for sure!
Steve Austin – :
My signature scent together with the EdT version. Has been for 15 years, from the date I discovered this.
Leaves me pretty speechless, since I don’t have words for anything this pretty and magical.
To me it’s like someone or something out of this world created this scent and there are no words for this in our “basic everyday world”.
But I’ll try: this scent is cool, it’s windy and icy, it’s honey and cashmere, silk and vanilla with beautiful flowers, which grow in the gardens of heaven (and I’m not religious by any means!).
I think I own around fifteen bottles of this, yet I’m still saving all of them and using other scents which I don’t like as much, scents which are replacable, since this is not. And where I live this is not very easily available, since it’s not sold in stores. You have to acquire this second hand or new at ebay or other web stores (and then there is always the risk of receiving fakes instead of genuine ones).
klaustrofobia – :
Anybody else get juniper from this? On a scent card, it’s fantastic, but there’s something happening on my skin that reminds me of good gin (not exactly a bad thing, I just don’t want to smell like it). Gin + powder is a weird combination.
tutxan – :
A modern classic… Another unforgettable hymn to femininity signed by Guerlain.
ZU_Lus – :
L’instant is a STRONG like. Another blind buy that worked out perfectly. It’s such as bright, light, clean, powdery scent. Very easy to like. I’m so happy I have this in my perfume collection. However, if I had to choose between this and L’instant Magic, I would get Magic hands down.
XHA88 – :
Pure sexy in a bottle. Not a heady, woodsy-patchouli type of sexy, more like a goddess drenched in musky flower nectar and fresh honey! I seriously thought it would be too sweet on me, not gonna lie. But it’s just perfect. The honey notes are very prominent on initial spray, but are soon followed by the magnolia, iris and ylang. Oddly I don’t get any jasmine, but I’m no expert! The mandarin pops out beautifully in the drydown and the smell turns into vanilla cake topped with citrus and drizzled in honey. This is almost gourmand to my nose. Could be the benzoin doing this. Every note is superbly blended, and honestly I don’t find it to be a powdery smell at all. It’s light and yummy. I purchased this to wear more in the fall, expecting it to be a bit heavier than it was, but after wearing it for a few days I can safely say that this is just as suited to springtime as it is fall. I’d hoped for better longevity based on the meters, but it’s possible I’ve got a newer reformulated bottle. It’s still a great buy for me!
Scent 8/10
Sillage 5/10
Longevity 6/10
wadaSeksstege – :
Was it Tania Sanchez who said this smells like a lemon meringue pie? I can’t remember, all I know is that she-or whoever said it-is 200% right! What a wonder. I loved it right away, especially when layered with Pamplelune and Herba Fresca. Try sandwiching the three together, you won’t regret it!!
Lasting power wise, it could go up to 16h on fabric, softly projecting away into powdery, agreeable soft sweet air. It’s never thick or heavy, I wore this on sunny days in summer and it felt very comfortable.
Гордон1991 – :
I’ve become quite the Guerlain fan girl: I bought this because others have compared it to one of my all time favorite perfumes, Angelique Noire. And to my nose they are very different, there’s an absence of Angelica and that’s the star power note in AN, and one of the reasons I love it so.
But… I’m also loving this beauty. If it shares anything with AN, it’s the creamy Guerlain vanilla note. With the addition of honey I initially feared L’Instant would be too sweet. Instead it feels just right. The florals are beautifully mixed and never over power the composition. I pick up a little powder but it’s light. It’s really gorgeous.
Combined with stellar performance, this is a new love.
max 292 – :
the sexiest perfume for women i have ever smelled
when my GF wearing this I want to eat her
n2dnhg – :
I purchased this as a blind buy based on the reviews and the description. It’s Guerlain so I knew I would be safe as I have yet to meet one I didn’t at least like. My package came, I sprayed it on, and nothing. Sprayed more, still nothing. It was a legit bottle, so I assumed I was anosmic. I must have had a problem with my sinuses or the weather really effected it, because I tried again today, a rainy summer day, and not only do I smell it and the magical Guerlinade, but I am in Love! Works better on my clothes than skin, but that’s fine. I am in honey vanilla paradise right now. Looking forward to the dry down. So glad I didn’t quit!
Medief – :
This is probably my most favorite perfume/fragrance ever. I typically only purchase and use Guerlain fragrances. This is a very warm and powdery scent that stays on the skin very well.
This has some of my favorite notes like jasmine and amber. It is a beautiful but light floral that warms up to a powdery vanilla and amber scent. I love that I can spray this lightly in the morning and wears well all day without being overwhelming at all.
tutinka – :
This is a first impression.. Soft, powdery, hint of vanilla and honey. Not a gourmand / overly sweet but comforting plus I found it for a very good deal. Lasts about 6+ hours on my skin. I like it!
Ugg Boots Sale – :
I received this in a swap a while ago. I had tried it when I got it and put it back on my shelf, somewhat unimpressed.
A couple months later, I decided to test it again, and OMG, I’m in love with this!! It has the warmest, yet fresh, sweet honey vanilla scent. It is a hint powdery but just the right amount to make it soft.
I also have Guerlain Terracotta, which I absolutely love. And call me crazy, but I feel like L’Instant has some of the same undertones but on steroid. Sweeter, stronger, smoother, and longer lasting, with of course the added honey.
Shumix – :
For me, this is a wonderful bedtime comforting scent. I usually hate powdery scents… but this one is “fresh”, flowery and femininely powdery with a touch of vanilla.
Lasts like 12 hours. The heavy powder goes away after 10 minutes and leaves behind a gentle musky citrus vanilla sprinkled with powdery magnolia/iris. Addicting- especially in colder weather sprayed on linen. My skin hates this, but the smell on linen is more than worth it!
A surprising love! Can’t get enough.
tomjara – :
Sometimes it’s confusing to read people’s reviews on this site, because it can seem polar opposite from what I am getting. It always makes me wonder if there could be such a difference in batches or truly a weather change. I just got a sample in the mail from a swap, and I live in humid, hot South Carolina, and this is divine. I always thought I hated powdery scents, but this has made me change my mind. This feels like I have a perfectly powdered sugar vanilla cake with a side of honeycomb, and I’m sitting with it outside so it’s all warm. Mmm, it makes me feel tasty. In saying that, I get absolutely no metallics or weird citrusy notes. I get sweet powder vanilla honey, and Lord it’s good.
Edit: When I smell just the vial, I do smell huge floral fragrance, however, the above is this on my skin.
did831Diobtetty – :
Tested on paper and skin. It hardly reacts with my skin at all, meaning that it smells pretty much exactly like the paper strip, which might be a good thing.
First spritz and I get a BLAST of Prada’s Infusion d’Iris. Honestly, almost exactly the same, just slightly less sharp.
This effect disappears quickly though and it dries down to a soft vanilla iris. The vanilla is definitely the strongest note here, rounded and sweetened by the honey. The same goes for the powdery, sharp-ish iris which is tempered by the soft, creamy magnolia. The more it dries down, the more I can detect the musk in this. The fruits are hardly detectable at all.
I do keep smelling a faint resemblance to Prada; there’s something vaguely incense-like in there. It’s like this is a very distant cousin.
Sillage is moderate, longevity good.
All in all, it’s a good perfume, clean, somewhat soapy, sweet but not overdoing it, friendly and uplifting and non offensive. Not extremely special though, but definitely more unique than a lot of the big sellers.
It’s a no from me however, as this is definitely a ‘Perfume’ and I’m more into natural scents.
But it is quite lovely.
UPDATE: tested two more times. The base really is very lovely. Very very creamy, soft with all the aspects of the heart still there and the citrus comes in very very gently. It smells a bit like a very luxurious face cream, but it’s much more than that. I keep smelling my wrist in this last phase, it has a very tender, enchanting quality to it. Very comforting and warm. Feels like a soft cashmere jumper translated into scent.
Uriys1991 – :
Organza’s little sister.
Half the tenacity, though. Less power and longevity. I can smell and honey and some blanc fleurs that turns close to skin, almost like wearing a honey body oil. Not sensual at all, the juice screaming innocence.
Kinda regret this blind purchase because a friend recommended this and she said this is the most amazing fragrance to her. To me it’s just so-so, but nothing i dislike either.
ARHANGEL777 – :
I really want to thank @Gabler for her review. The vivid images she made of the scent of the apiary really changed my mind about giving this fragrance a chance and I actually went out specifically to go and smell it and ended up bying a 100ml bottle!
I always wanted a “honey” perfume, and unfortunately, Marc Jacobs’ Honey and Kim Kardashian’s Pure Honey both destroyed my dreams of what a honey perfume should be and I’d given up on finding a nice, not-too-literal vanilla-honey fragrance. I thought a honey note couldn’t be done without feeling synthetic or cloying. How wrong I was!
Now this isn’t a literal photorealistic honey scent but a nice, sunny, daytime vanilla-honey-floral blend that is so different that it’s hard for me to put into words. I DO find it similar to L’Instant Magic though. It’s like they share a vanilla-iris-sweet powdery DNA, even though the almond note makes Magic different, more early evening-y.
Even though the red apple note is listed as the second-to-least prominent note, to me it comes right after honey, vanilla, iris, musk and magnolia, and the warming glow of amber comes right after that.
This perfume gives me the imagery of walking next to a lake in the early morning with the sun rising, flowers in bloom and birds chirping, such a beautiful scent.
All thanks to @Gabler’s review!
Lena Samokhina – :
I have the urge to try this perfume one more time, I remember all I got was apple cider vinegar and nothing more, maybe the bottle I used to have has something odd!!
Reviews here are so positive toward this perfume, so I guess I will give a second chance!
sledge-hammer-3 – :
When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time in our apiary. I loved this place & L´Instant reminds me of its scent a lot. On my skin, L´Instant reminds meadow honey, beeswax, sugar water /sugar water is one way of feeding bees in spring/, spicy propolis /it smells like a mixture of resins, amber & spices/, old & dry wood, honeycombs, flower pollen & white flowers in our garden. This fragrance is sensual & sophisticated. It´s like the sweetest dream you´ve ever had.
GamFumndiusia – :
A high-class honeyed floral, delicate and a bit temperamental, this fragrance should be tested in various types of weather, as previously mentioned. The apple note is strong in the beginning, but gives way to a light powdery vanilla laced with flowers, amber and a bit of musk. It’s too formal, too stuffy, and too restrained for me, but on the right person, it could be beautiful.
Prus – :
Honey and magnolia with a side story of fresh citrus and headier florals. Long wearing, confident, traditionally feminine. I’m wearing it boldly on the first warm day of Spring. I’d advise against blind buying as I can see that is is not for everyone. It is a good scent that is worthy of consideration but the kind that you would come to dread in the office if it became someone’s signature fragrance….do people still do that??? I have a small bottle and glad that I am able to experience it but I probably won’t replace it. There are many interesting flankers to L’Instant which are also worthy of a test.
Moirtieresoto – :
So, I fully expected to love this as I do near all other Guerlain’s, but it has a weird metallic note under the powder that I keep getting. It’s odd and discomfiting. I don’t know if it’s weather, hormones, or something else, but it does not smell the way the notes suggest it ought. I’m a little disappointed. I’ll update in a few weeks when the weather is diff and I’m on a different hormonal plane.
BTW:
Savageinstrangeland–I had the exact same thing happen to me. See above review. Did you have better luck trying it later?
711 – :
— this has been repackaged the same as Jardin bagatelle by the same brand.
As has Idylle, and insolence I think. Don’t know why.
Ok, this seems very calm and subtle when I tried it on a tester card, I don’t know if bottles in that squarish rectangle shape are ‘bigger’.
There is a note that Dior addict has but this isn’t the same scent, d&g the one has it also.
I had a crazy thought and wonder is this the fragrance Dior addict edt should have been!
I will have to try this on skin as the tester card was too muted to give proper evaluation
Sancho – :
I want to echo a point savageinstrange made – this perfume seems to be very weather-sensitive. I first sampled this at the Frankfurt airport on route to Lebanon – where the weather was not hot (it was January) but compared to the frigid north where I normally live almost balmy, around 60 degrees F. L’instant was wonderful on me then, a honeyed floral that is powdery and very elegant. I finally bought a bottle the following year and wore in 30 degrees F. It just wasn’t the same. It smelled like a different perfume altogether. I can’t wait to try it again when (if) the weather ever warms up here.
Update: I just tried this again today in 70 degree weather – it was BEAUTIFUL! And exactly how I remembered it! I can’t believe what a big difference body/ambient temperature makes to this perfume. If you had a bad experience in cool weather try it again this summer!
Fenix_83 – :
This opens with a burst of citrus and honey, then, it gets a bit weird and acrid (on my skin) as the magnolia surfaces–but thankfully it all melts together by the time the heavenly soft vanilla and musk appears.
Honeyed bouquet all the way. Roucel has a way with silky smooth blends.
This smells sweet and crisply floral, all held in place by that twenty first century Guerlain vanilla musk chord that I love.
I can’t wait to wear this in the spring, it seems made for blossoms and sunshine.
ETA: The past few times I’ve worn this, I did not detect the acrid tinge in the beginning that existed the first few wears. I’m chalking that change down the the fact that my bottle required some maceration; or that the air exchanged into the bottle during spritzes helped neutralize that note; or that I’m simply anosmic to that nuance right now. Whatever the reason, I enjoy this perfume entirely now.. Really, this a lovely all-occasion sweet floral fragrance with persistence.
whc027speagoessenda – :
So I reviewed this before and mentioned that I got some very light green notes and I was fine with that. In fact, this quickly became a favorite. Anyway, the last two times I’ve worn this, literally ALL I get is super bitter greens, a slight metallic tinge over magnolia. WHO ARE YOU, AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY L’INSTANT???
This is wild you guys, green notes aren’t even listed, I thought I was a little nuts just smelling a HINT of green before… Now I straight up smell like I’m sitting in a shrub or freshly cut grass nest and welding metal. Such a bummer. Maybe something hormonal happened to adversely affect how this works with my chemistry? Who knows… it’s a real whodunit. I’m going to keep trying it because like I said, this is a FAVORITE! But I wanted to come back and recant my original statement that this is blind buy safe. Apparently it’s actually not. lol
EDIT: Okay, so Corkscrewcurly saw my review and was kind enough to PM and suggest it might be a “Weather thing.” I went back and looked through my perfume timeline and I think she’s right! Last time it performed normally on my skin it was considerably warmer. Very early Fall.
masya-lab – :
Buying this perfume, bad mistake from me. I don’t like lily kinds of features in perfumes. Don’t know if it’s magnolia or iris or both.
The perfume is 2 different in one. An aqua part, and the other, finer, more feminine, classical high note with “lily-kind”. (Or the lily-kind of a flower-blend belongs into the aqua part, and the other half is the fine classical high note.)
Light and airy.
Outlook of the bottle repeats the dividing in 2: orange liquid in a violet bottle.
Not heavy, generally soft and weak (and light & airy), but sharp point of the flowers mentioned doesn’t fade easily.
I can imagine a woman in a light-blue-gray blazer spraying L’Instant de Guerlain quickly before leaving – Feeling whipped cream softness in the perfume, with flower breathe of refinement. Ladies’ room shine in white and platina. –>
An unreal scent from Matrix. I have to sell it. :
Reufassawineeve – :
valik.svs – :
It feels like a cool breeze on a green spring morning, like gentle sunlight. It’s nostalgic and pure, like memories of beauty experienced as a child, innocent but utterly sophisticated, a subtle veil of loveliness. The scent looks white with butter yellow cabana stripes, dabs of leafy green and hints of other bright colors viewed just out of the corner of one’s eye.
The main theme is sambac jasmine (sambaguita), but only the lightest part of it, no heavy undertone. Beautifully balanced against that are lemon, candy and softly minty scents that float in and out, offering new perspectives on the sambaguita.
It is fresh without trying to be fresh; there’s nothing bracing or sharp about it. Imagine a glass of ice water on a hot summer day. L’Instant is not the coldness of the water. It’s the as as one drinks it.
That’s an inadequate description of L’Instant. I’d call it a masterpiece–and it is one–but the word is too heavy-feeling and L’Instant doesn’t have the feeling of something that came into existence through the efforts of humans. Words fail me…
kirill.nikita – :
a true powder beauty !!! i just love this scent……if u love powder perfumes u have to try this – u will fall in love – well i at least think so lol 🙂 its one of those underrated perfume gems however it is on the strong side so maybe test before buying but if powder like scents is ur thing then i feel u will be safe in just buying 🙂
OLEGYN 1968 – :
Do not blind buy this one, try a sample first! Last time i tried it (last winter) I had literally headaches from honey & magnolia heavy smell even in very small dosses aka 1 spray. Today i used it again cause ya know i felt sorry for the money i spent on it without knowing how was smelling haha. Anyways on 0 degrees seems to smell quite bearable so i’m gonna keep using it this winter. What i still don’t like about it is this heavy metallic smell like, probably coming from the honey-iris-magonolia combo.
Sillage-heavy
Longevity-very long lasting 12h+
Droxerz – :
Hmmm. Vanilla magnolia.
After the spray I get a loads of vanilla and with the projection it reminds me a bit of Burberry Brit. But that changes quickly. The drydown is lovely, magnolia notes become quite prominent and combined with honey notes and already mentioned vanilla it makes it warm, cozy scent, with noticeable musk. Very feminime. I don’t get much of fruit notes, but that I don’t mind.
Wouldn’t suggest to wear it in summer as it could be a little too much for people around, but definitely good for the rest of a year.
To me 7/10.
Catwaman – :
Bought this one in Spring and loved it, until I tried it in Winter, is absolutely amazing in Winter. Silage is very good and is long lasting especially on clothing. It is a perfume that gets compliments. I love this one because I always feel it opening on my skin, I do not forget I am wearing it, and makes me feel really good.
san9i – :
Agree with kastehelmi, melbritt24 and mschnabel666.
This reminds me of Hanae Mori for sure. I have the EDP and Pure Parfum of HM. I’m wearing L’Instant EDP on my left and Hanae Mori PP on my right.
L’Instant initially smells like straight up syrup, then it mellows out into a soft sugary floral.
L’Instant and HM are similar, but definitely not the same. However, after this side by side, I prefer HM.
ist442Bessinepome – :
Honey and vanilla but with something irritating.
This could be a nice scent but on my skin its like too much.
I can not stand it. I prefer edt version of it much more.
Bottle thou is nice.
mikol-97 – :
Citrus, Floral, powdery, honey goodness. In a few words this is how you sum up this fragrance. Delicate, soft, fluffy, warm, comforting. As I am one who cherishes honey, not just to eat, but in fragrance, this is done so right, so perfect. A Guerlain honeybee’s signature fragrance. The essence is refined, classy, and elegant. There is NO age limit on this fragrance. Honestly, I have never been one to put fragrances in a category by age. Such nonesense. All woman can take pleasure in wearing this beauty. I differ on opinion with some here stating season as well of time of day in order to wear this scent. Wear it when you want! This scent is universal for day, night, winter, summer. If you enjoy it, wear it! The longevity is decent, as is the sillage. On me, the projection is intense. Be gentle on the sprayer. From the opening, I get citrus with an abundance of powdery honey. The scent then moves into a nice Floral surrounded continuously with honey. The base is still soft with vanilla, and even more honey. A timeless scent to please the nose, and give an appetite for more powdery, honey goodness. Xo
kivi555 – :
I really love this perfume. It is a delicate mixture of soft, honeyed florals and warm, luxurious vanillas. This is a day time fragrance for a sophisticated woman who carries herself, and her intellect, confidently. A fragrance that will be a part of my permanent collect, any woman who loves honeyed white florals (that are NOT cloying) should absolutely give this a whirl – you will not be disappointed.
Bemsik – :
Don’t expect a heavy scent like Petite Robe Noir. This one is feminine, innocent and young but still classic. It’s quite powdery in the opening but soft and honey-like after twenty minutes. It does have a subtile, luxurious edge. This would be a nice daytime scent.
GordiS – :
Based on the notes and reviews, and the fact that my recent Guerlain purchases have been magical, I blind bought this.
I had such high hopes – sweet fruity oriental floral that dries down with a powdery puff. Just what I love. I had to have it. So I blind bought it.
Sadly, it’s not all that it promises to be, there’s something just wrong about it. Firstly, it’s far too delicate, it’s gone in a puff, and it’s poorly balanced. The fruit is only just barely there, the vanilla is hiding in there somewhere, the honey is sickly, and yes, it’s got a powdery finish, but it’s a light talcum powder finish with barely anything else left.
This had the opportunity to be stunning, but it’s been watered down and prettied up for the wider marketplace and has little appeal to lovers of what a Guerlain fragrance was and could still be. It has beautiful components, which when blended and layered carefully, should have been complex and stunning.
This, sadly, is not. It’s bland and boring and I’m surprised that Guerlain would release something this plain. I wasn’t expecting a beast, but I was expecting something with depth and interest.
It’s a nice safe fragrance for everyday. It will have to be topped up every few hours. If you’re looking for soft and pretty, you’ll like this. But, there are so many fragrances out there that fit this bill, and some of them are very inexpensive. I almost feel like I’ve been left out of some sort of inside joke.
Sad, disappointed, and have been reminded once again that blind buys are a bad investment. Lesson relearned.
Howlflimirtierce – :
O que dizer de um Guerlain? Esse Guerlain para mim é o melhor de todos. Doce, cítrico, frutal, não é gourmand ele é um digno perfume doce adulto e elegante, com certeza é uma must have, adoro usá-lo em noites de frio, para um teatro, ou festa, para causar a melhor impressão, de todas.
What about a Guerlain? This Guerlain for me is the best of them all. Sweet, citrus, fruity, is not gourmand it is a decent sweet and elegant adult perfume, sure is a must have, I love to wear it on cold nights, to a theater, or party, to make the best impression, of all .
AHbKA – :
Beautiful. Not powdery at all, but very sweet. I feel like instead of floral it should say SWEET first!!! I only have a mini and must now savor it!
dadamisha – :
When I went on my honeymoon in Rome in the dead heat of summer, I brought two perfumes with me: L’Instant de Guerlain, and Shalimar. The heat was too oppressive for Shalimar, so I ended up wearing l’Instant primarily during the day. I received more compliments on my perfume than I ever had in my life, which tells me that the sillage is excellent, and it’s not too heavy for the extreme heat and humidity of a Southern European summer. Maybe it says something about Roman men too, I don’t know. Although they might seem like polar opposites, I find that l’Instant and Shalimar compliment eachother perfectly, and ever since that trip, I think of Shalimar as my winter signature while l’Instant is my summer scent.
It took me a long time to warm up to l’Instant. There is a sharpness in the beginning due to the bitter, lemony magnolia, and on a bad day, it can remind me of the bitter smell of shampoo with masking floral perfume. But on a good day, it’s refreshing, like the bitter lemonade they sell from stands in European city gardens. After that, the whole perfume goes up like a fluffy, creamy and nostalgic tonka, vanilla, and honey, with the slightest hints of lemony lilies and jordan almonds. Although somewhat sweet, the fragrance is balanced with that bitter, citric magnolia, and is light as a feather, but with all the heavy-lidded refinement of the classic Guerlains.
There are many reviewers who have complained that l’Instant is too ordinary and not befitting of the grandeur of Guerlain, but I completely disagree. I’ve smelled an outrageous number of perfumes in my life, and I’ve never smelled anything similar to l’Instant. Although it lacks the strength and the strange twist you often get from the classic Guerlains, l’Instant definitely bears the Guerlainade thumbprint, and stands apart from mainstream perfumes.
OnekHeins – :
This is a interesting fragrance from Guerlain. It’s quite different from their classic offerings. I certainly don’t say that with the word “different” intended to imply “bad” though. I simply mean, L’instant is very modern and light compared to their typical tendency towards a heavy, classic, vintage style.
On me it opens very “green” which I have yet to see other reviewers mention. Again, it isn’t bad, just unexpected. From there it quickly becomes a creamy, pillowy-soft, honeyed floral. I don’t get any apple or fruit, but actually that’s good for me. I don’t do fruity. If you’re specifically intrigued by the Apple note this isn’t going to be what you’re looking for. Very feminine and nice for daytime wear. This could fly anywhere for any occasion. Overall I am glad to have it and find myself reaching for it surprisingly frequently since it’s so versatile. I’d go so far as to say it’s blind buy safe and should be in every wardrobe.
I do admittedly prefer L’instant Magic slightly, but I am fully aware I am the minority in that opinion. Almost everyone I know prefers this one by miles! I find the powder and lipstick vibe just lovely in Magic and this one is just super easy to wear and so versatile that I highly recommend at least testing both of these Guerlain fragrances.
karim – :
EDP –
Very closely related to Estee Lauder Intuition and YSL Cinema.
They all feature that same opulent, heady and languorous combo of vanilla, amber, benzoin, and honey (or some honey-adjacent) sweetness. It is this thick and expensive smelling cream of a vanilla featured here that people find so irresistible. And from the opening to the drydown, that fortified creamy vanilla will never let you out of its velvet claw.
While I very much love sleeping in this, her male counterpart is definitely the superior creation among the two. People-in-the-know will surely attest to that. L’instant de Guerlain pour Homme is a giant of a masterpiece among all modern colognes. And weirdly enough, he absolutely has no connection to his feminine counterpart beyond the stylish name.
The magnolia here does not really smell like true magnolias that I grew up smelling. The very pretty and agreeable floral whateverness in here lacks the carnal and ripe quality of true magnolias which happen to be the most glorious of all flowers in existence. However, the gleaming amber here is simple feminine perfection.
All that said, what bothers me about this beauty is her lack of longevity and the very timid sillage. She performs pretty lackluster on both gr