L’Heure Bleue 2026 by Guerlain

L’HEURE BLEUE 2026 — IRIS & VIOLET CHAPTER Just a few days ago I reviewed L’Heure Bleue by Jacques Guerlain here, the fragrance born in 1912 that is now differentiated as L’Heure Bleue 1912. And a few days later I try this new interpretation, clearly adapted to other times. I wouldn’t expect to find here a simply updated version of the old one because, beyond some recognisable genes like iris, vanilla and that powdery character, olfactorily they are quite different perfumes. And I have to say that the opening of this new L’Heure Bleue seems fabulous to me. It is very fresh, luminous and quite citrusy, with an effect that to my nose reminds me a lot of violet sweets with a citrusy and sparkling touch. Nothing to do with a dense, dark or especially retro violet. Here everything is more airy and clean. Curiously, it immediately reminded me of a combination I often make: Petit Violet by Zara over Comète by Chanel. I’m not saying they are clones, far from it, but the citrus violet of Petit Violet added to the powdery, clean and musky iris of Comète produces in my nose a surprisingly close effect to this new L’Heure Bleue. And that’s where it loses me a bit. That first impact, which I find really precious, fades too quickly. That effect of citrusy and slightly sharp violet loses strength quickly and a softer iris appears, accompanied by musks and a subtle vanilla. Everything becomes clean, powdery, delicate and very calm. Perhaps too calm for my taste. And here I inevitably think of Insolence Eau de Parfum. They don’t smell the same, but I do find a certain kinship within that Guerlain universe of violet, iris, cosmetic powder and sweetness. The big difference for me is in the character. Insolence is sweeter, sharper and much more blatantly violet. That sweet effect lasts for hours, projects more and has much more presence. It is loud, feminine and has no intention of going unnoticed. L’Heure Bleue 2026, on the other hand, lowers its voice immediately. It is cleaner, muskier, more serene and quite more discreet. And I guess that’s why, in the end, I stick with Insolence. The performance has also disappointed me quite a bit. On my skin, L’Heure Bleue loses projection very quickly and ends up staying very close. Even on clothes it is considerably less persistent than Comète, which, being also a quiet and not at all strident perfume, I can still smell days later. As always, this is my skin and my experience. However, I have tried it in quite hot weather, so I want to give it another chance when temperatures drop. Regarding the name, I do find it curious to simply call L’Heure Bleue a perfume so different from the original. But knowing that Guerlain has not made the old one disappear and that it is still sold as L’Heure Bleue 1912, I no longer find it such a problematic decision. The new one retains some traits of that one, but it is clearly designed for another time. Is it the same L’Heure Bleue? To my nose, no. Does it have something of it? Yes. And that is probably precisely the intention. Judged on its own and without comparing it all the time with the 1912 one, it seems to me a pretty, feminine, polished and very easy-to-wear fragrance. The opening, in fact, seems fantastic to me. But I miss that it retains for a longer time precisely that part that I like the most and, above all, a bit more character. From the old one it retains some genes. The rest clearly lives in 2026. 🍀

it’s a no for my skin

A baby. Like when you hold a baby, that baby has a powdery perfume smell and is drooling (opening). It gets better after a few hours, but not as much as the reviewers go on about. In the drydown, a violet comes out and combines with the iris, very comforting; this perfume is meant to leave an impression, especially if you’re a woman. You’ll be remembered, that’s for sure, because it improves later, but it sits on the skin; it feels very youthful, under 30, and yes, it’s better than any of the current releases, those ultra-synthetic, vanilla-heavy fruit cocktails that are the equivalent of throwing your money away, but Guerlain Bleue doesn’t claim originality either. Opening5/10 Drydown7.5/10 Rating7.5.

First of all, I’ll say that I don’t know the original (unfortunately), so I won’t talk about similarities. I will talk about what it seemed like to me when I received it and tried it. I have to say I bought it blindly, influenced by such promising notes and the hype on social media. I hope they never take this perfume off the market 🤣 what a lovely perfume! My eyes opened wide when I smelled it, because I had read so many things that I couldn’t imagine I would like it this much (buying blind is a risk, but sometimes it fascinates me, and even more so when I get it right 😅). The ozonic notes… mmm, they are very fleeting, or at least that’s how my skin is; basically this perfume is like an iris and vanilla lotion, super rich and delicious, making you smell yourself again and again. It’s very warm, welcoming… I don’t know, I expected something airier, more ethereal, and on my skin it’s not like that at all. I share the opinion about the similarity with Pure Musc Blanc in that they both seem to me warm perfumes that invite a hug; I have both and I love them both 😍. The egg smell that some people mention… it has never happened to me with any perfume, and look, I use perfumes that usually receive that kind of praise, like Forte Bosca Vanilla (which, by the way, they said was similar to this one and I honestly don’t see how)… to me it doesn’t smell anything like that. If it has ever happened to you with ozonic or marine notes, you’d better try it first.

I bought it on the day of the worldwide launch… I got the 100 ml one and thank God! Otherwise I’d have regretted it! What a perfume! I love Delphine Jelk’s creations. It’s an ethereal, clearly blue perfume… with a beautiful creamy iris… a sublime violet… a vanilla so Guerlain…. I’m more and more in love with this masterpiece. I enjoy those wafts that reach me at every moment when I’m wearing it…. One of the best launches in recent times….

The opening is like putting your nose into a drum of Ariel washing powder, coughing fit included. It develops into something more pleasant and rounded, but it doesn’t lose that detergent aftertaste with a faint touch of vanilla.

I don’t understand all the hate this perfume is receiving. Creating a new interpretation of “the blue hour” more than 100 years later doesn’t have to be a sacrilege. That’s definitely what it is, because it still conveys that freshness, calm and melancholy of the moment before nightfall. Now, about the perfume: I tried it in the shop and loved it at the time. It’s an original perfume, but not to everyone’s taste, nor for every occasion. I didn’t like that in the base it had a coriander smell that I found too green. For outdoor wear only. I was also given a paper sample that still smells 4 days later; I left it in my car and every time I got in I could smell everything, which ended up annoying me. It’s a beautiful perfume, but because of the few opportunities I’d have to wear it, how potent it is and its high launch price (at least in Mexico), I won’t be buying it.

I’ve now been able to test this perfume properly. It almost came home with me, but… before that I looked for the “original” (quotes because of the reformulations) and on trying it, things changed radically. It was the L’Heure Bleue 1912 that came home with me, not this one by Delphine Jelk. And let it be noted that this isn’t a bad perfume: it’s pretty, and I really like that in these times of pistachio and red fruits, they’ve brought out something original. But it has hardly anything to do with its inspiration, perhaps a couple of brushstrokes. It reminded me almost more, in passing, of Eden by Cacharel than L’Heure Bleue. Comparisons are sometimes unfair, and in this case, the 1912 one is too iconic a perfume. But the one we’re talking about here is, to my mind, a perfume that perhaps they should have christened with a different name. It’s deep, with an iris that I do notice a little and that is addictive, but not too powdery. I’d say it’s somewhat Y2K, even because of those very present ozonic notes. This kind of profile is welcome at a time when designer perfumery is so boring and so self-cannibalising, but I insist they should have named it differently.

It’s a wonderful marketing campaign, nothing more. The inimitable and perfect original blue hour, nothing can overshadow it. It’s clear that this is a campaign so that the influ… and the YouTuber can give it closer visibility. Actually, I’m wearing it right now and it’s a reflection for people not used to Guerlain’s great creations. Millennials, G crystal…. G idiocy..G absurd, etc….. Very sad, there are no limits.

I don’t understand all the hate this perfume is receiving. Having a new interpretation of “the blue hour” more than 100 years later doesn’t have to be a sacrilege. That’s definitely what it is, because it still conveys to you that freshness, calm and melancholy of the moment before nightfall. Now, about the perfume: I tried it in the shop and I loved it at the time; it’s an original perfume, but not to everyone’s taste, nor for every occasion. I didn’t like that in the base it had a coriander smell that seemed too green to me. To be used outdoors only. They also gave me a paper sample that still smells 4 days later; I left it in my car and every time I got in I could smell it everywhere, which ended up annoying me. It’s a beautiful perfume, but because of the few opportunities I would have to wear it, how strong it is, and its high launch price (at least in Mexico), I won’t buy it.