Après L'ondée (1906)
by Guerlain

Iris and violet, with a light element of earthy spice. I'll trust the universal consensus that this is anise, but it smells a little more complex than that to my nose, as well as having a slight tinge of something animalic. For a violet perfume, this is very warm and earthy, only becoming more so as it develops, and the warm, vanillic base emerges. There is a touch of wet, floral drama in the top notes, but the melancholy evades me here, and I find Apres L'Ondee to be a comfort-blanket type of soft violet.

This review is for the now-discontinued parfum, which, despite being a parfum, has mild sillage and short longevity. It's probably my favorite Guerlain though, despite its ephemeral nature.

The anise and violet opening of Après l'Ondée is a thing of simple beauty: faintly melancholy, wistful, yet paradoxically bright and transparent. The composition soon turns very powdery, and with that more conventional and "perfumey." This is the stage at which my wife says Aprés l'Ondée smells like her mother, though not in a bad way. The scent never gets too heavy, and a light, clean musk and vanilla show themselves in the delicate drydown.

The whole olfactory experience vividly evokes another time and place: sophisticated, civilized, and ever so slightly ironic. Perhaps a certain age in Paris, or old Vienna just before its empire fell. I can see how it might not appeal to many modern women, but Après l'Ondée is a monument to classical perfumery.

This review is under revision...

Words cannot describe how much I love this scent. Being a newbie to more refined (read:niche and higher end) I will not attempt to describe the subtle nuances and notes. What I can tell you is it is a little sweet and powdery without being overwhelming. It is gentle and refined. It is soothing with a flawless transition between the top mid and base notes. Many fragrances give me a headache and make me nauseous so I was so relieved that this wonderful scent did not. I'm in love and will get a FB as soon as is humanly possible.

like walking into a Manet painting. sweet, candied violet on my skin with herbal nuances. A masterpiece

Apres L'Ondee is indeed melancholy for this simple reason: it is a heartbreaking truth that things of great beauty last only a moment. I would say it's ephemeral, but that would suggest Apres L'Ondee lasts a day, which it does not. On my skin, the EDT lasts no more than an hour, on fabric a bit longer. Too bad the parfum is impossible to find. Not sure if it's even in production anymore. If you want your Guerlain to last, try L'Heure Bleu parfum. There's some heliotropin too, and it wears like iron.