Guerlain Apres L’Ondee Eau de Toilette Sparkle of Joy
Some weeks ago I had the opportunity to swap for the classic Guerlain Apres L’Ondee eau de toilette. The eau de toilette is a recent version which can still be bought in perfumeries and department stores. Originally Apres L’Ondee was made in 1906 by Jacques Guerlain. It means after the rainshower in French and is meant to captivate the light and fresh atmosphere after the rain in Springtime or Summer when it is a bit warmer outside.
What surprised me most about Apres L’Ondee was its radiance and youthfullness when I scented it for the first time. After about a minute, it was as if its radiance was restrained, like a child who is not allowed to walk in the rain and enjoy it fully, wanting to play with her boots in the mud.
On my skin Apres L’Ondee has a slightly medicinal scent at the beginning, I call it medicinal but others have referred to it as herbes de Provence. Dissappearing to leave a light violet scent on the skin, like it has been powdered.
The fact that Apres L’Ondee is referred to as a real classic fragrance had deterred me a bit. Jean Claude Elenna paid homage to the sillage of Apres L’Ondee with Frederic Malle L’Eau d’Hiver*. Maurice Roucel made Guerlain Insolence edt as a modern version of Apres L’Ondee. It had left me with the impression of an old and musty fragrance. But none of these were the case. Not only does Apres L’Ondee not give the impression that it was created more then a century ago. When I scented it I started wondering why I had been looking for a holy violet vintage grail while it was right before my eyes to be found.
What did I like about Apres L’Ondee ? It takes me to the beginning of joy. You start to see a sparkle of light as a new era is about to start but still do not experience it fully and feel a bit restrained by your environment or circumstances. It feels very different to the Italian fragrance Luce made by Hilde Soliani where you can experience the joy fully and openly.
Try Apres L’Ondee especially if you like violets and do not be put off by the fact it was created more than a century ago. Have you been looking for a holy grail or perfect fragrance when it was right before your eyes to be found ?
Notes according to Guerlain (read more on the website of Monsieur Guerlain ) : bergamot, lemon, anise, neroli, hawthorn, rosemary, lavender, lily, orchid, violet, rose, jasmine, heliotrope, orris, sandalwood, vanilla, musk.
Fragrance family: floral spicy amber by the French Committee of Perfume / floral oriental fresh by Michael Edwards
When to wear: at a job interview, when meeting your Mother in law for the first time, at an occasion where you want to wear a subtle and refined fragrance or when you want you start feeling joy over a new beginning of a job or new period in your life.
Painting Courtesy of Mary-Clare Cornwallis
Read more about experiencing joy while wearing a perfume in my review of Hilde Soliani Luce
* More to be read in the article New Yorker The Scent of the Nile