L'Homme Ideal Eau De Parfum by Guerlain Fragrance Review

L'Homme Ideal Eau De Parfum by Guerlain (2016)

Notes: 

Top: Almond, Bergamot, Spices, Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme

Heart: Incense, Vanilla, Bulgarian Rose, Cherry
Base: Leather, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood

Strength: Eau De Parfum
Gender Label: Masculine
Perfumer: Thierry Wasser & Daphne Jelk

As mentioned in my review of L'Homme Ideal Sport a few months ago, Guerlain's L'Homme Ideal fragrance collection is a line I'm a huge fan of! I own all four versions. I find them all to be very modern, unique and gentlemanly in their own individual ways and each fragrance proves to be a useful addition to my fragrance wardrobe. I've also got my fingers crossed hoping that Guerlain has plans for even more additions in the near future!

Anyway, enough gushing, let's delve into the Eau De Parfum edition of L'Homme Ideal, as I've found myself reaching for this one a lot to add some warmth to these cold winter months... 

So, I'll start off by saying that L'Homme Ideal Eau De Parfum is probably my favourite addition to the collection (though sometimes it's hard to choose between this and the original EDT) and I'm finding it to be one of those scents that, the more I wear it, the more I like it. It appears to be slowly earning it's place as a cult favourite among fragrance lovers and, while this is the version I receive the most compliments on when wearing (and also one of the most complimented fragrances in my entire collection), it's also one of those scents that's perhaps not for everybody.

L'Homme Ideal EDP is a rich, deep, sweet oriental... my favourite type of scent and, for me, this ticks all the boxes. It opens with that signature almond/tonka combo which runs throughout all L'Homme Ideal fragrances. However, in this scent, the leather and spices, along with the additions of vanilla and cherry to the scent, are turned all the way up to 11 giving off this incredibly gorgeous, almost but not-quite edible aroma. 

The aromatic notes appear more muted in this compared with the EDT, but the spices are slightly more prominent and the opening kind of makes me think of a posh, creamy chai tea.

Whilst the EDP is certainly sweeter than the original EDT, what I find interesting is that it doesn't appear anywhere near as "gourmand" as the original does. I would attribute that to the almond note being much less airy in the EDP and, even though it's still a prominent note, that tonka bean and leather accord seems to cut through so much more. 

It may be very sweet, but there's nothing sugary about it. It's a sensual, luxurious sweetness that can be extremely attractive. I wouldn't say anything about this smells particularly feminine (despite it's mixture of more than a few typically "feminine" notes), but it could definitely be unisex.

If you're someone who enjoys wearing Yves Saint Laurent's Black Opium, or Guerlain's own La Petite Robe Noire or even Shalimar then don't be afraid to give this a try! I actually feel like this could easily be considered Guerlain's "La Petite Robe Noire Pour Homme" with it's cherry note homage.

Although it's a complex scent, L'Homme Ideal EDP is pretty linear throughout it's life on your skin... but that's certainly not a bad thing. The way it smells in the opening isn't all that dissimilar to it's drydown. Some of the notes like the spices, cherry and the tiniest hint of rose die off but that combination of tonka bean, vanilla and leather just keeps on going.

If you're a guy that only likes to wear fresh, clean scents, then this probably wont be for you... and if you're a guy that likes dark, woody, overtly masculine scents then this may not be for you either. There's something about L'Homme Ideal EDP that's just a little bit of an acquired taste.

If you're a guy who loves fragrances such as Dior Homme Intense, Givenchy Pi and Valentino Uomo... those "slightly androgynous but still masculine" kinda scents.... then this is right up your alley!

My only criticism is that, strangely, I find this doesn't last quite as long on my skin as the original EDT does. However, that doesn't mean that this doesn't last. I can easily get a full eight hours out of this and it's very strong for the first couple hours, before gradually fading into a skin scent. 

I really love L'Homme Ideal EDP and I don't think it's a scent I would ever want to be without. It's very cozy and sexy, perfect for the winter time and very fitting to wear on a date. It's immaculate...  warm and intense yet gentle and elegant.

Wear Details

• Best Time(s) To Wear: Date night, formal occasions, nights out, chilly days
• Best Season(s): Winter and autumn
• Sprays I wear: 4 - 5
• Longevity: 8 hours
• Projection: Strong for the first couple hours, gradually becomes close to the skin

Thank you so much for reading my review! I will continue to review the other two fragrances in the L'Homme Ideal collection and will also have other fragrance reviews coming in the near future.

If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to share them.

Josh :-)