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has Guerlain been scrimping lately?

post #1 of 17
8/4/10 at 3:40am
Thread Starter 
Just done a side by side of classic Samsara EDP in the clear glass bottle of the 90's to the later edition in the red glass flacon post 2000. It is obvious that the original has a very strong peach/bergamot opening which lasted well into the emergence of the florals and sandalwood/vanilla base. The lastest version wasn't nearly as powerful and worse still, it seemed to open with little bergamot, heading straight to the florals and base. I also noticed a strange minty note in the opening and a very zesty lemon note. Is Guerlain trying to replace more expensive ingredients and substituting them for cheaper alternatives? I also find the new Shalimars lacking in the spicy/heady bergamot top note with more emphasis on lemon. I have read somewhere they have also started using some synthetic bergamot as it is less expensive. Anyone else noticed subtle changes in the Guerlains lately?
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post #2 of 17
8/4/10 at 5:48am
Interesting question. I just bought a bottle of Habit Rouge EdT, which I always found to be a bit of sillage/longevity monster. While it still smells great, I found it to be less strong. Sumandre, you may be on to something.
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post #3 of 17
8/4/10 at 6:17am
My guess is that it's a combination of regulations and a drive to reduce costs. Many (all?) of the classics have been tampered with.
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post #4 of 17
8/4/10 at 6:23am
Well, it's a new scent, but my Guerlain Homme EDP Intense is a beast this AM. Very layered, powerful and delicious. I wore too much, but it's one smooth criminal.
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post #5 of 17
8/4/10 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckW View Post

Well, it's a new scent, but my Guerlain Homme EDP Intense is a beast this AM. Very layered, powerful and delicious. I wore too much, but it's one smooth criminal.

Oh is that you wearing Homme Intense this mornig? I smelled it in the lobby here. With the humidity here in the South, the sillage can carry hundreds of miles. It does smell nice though Chuck.
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post #6 of 17
8/4/10 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents View Post

Oh is that you wearing Homme Intense this mornig? I smelled it in the lobby here. With the humidity here in the South, the sillage can carry hundreds of miles. It does smell nice though Chuck.

Guilty! I hope I don't give anyone a headache today! It's a beauty, though. Sweet and green.
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post #7 of 17
8/4/10 at 7:12am
Isn't this old news? I thought it was common knowledge that Guerlain had been cheapening the quality of their mainstream releases. Does it worry me? Not anymore - I simply buy vintage.
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post #8 of 17
8/4/10 at 7:22am
I agree, and I think this applies to all large perfume houses who continue to produce classic fragrances.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

Isn't this old news? I thought it was common knowledge that Guerlain had been cheapening the quality of their mainstream releases. Does it worry me? Not anymore - I simply buy vintage.
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post #9 of 17
8/4/10 at 7:39am
I think this is true of a lot of houses. YSL for instance. I have a vintage splash bottle of Jazz that is absolute magic. While the new juice is still great, its not as heavy or think as the vintage. Is this due to refinement with age or a reformulation. Probably the latter.
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post #10 of 17
8/4/10 at 8:12am
As it has been said, reformulation and sadly, cheaper ingredients are the culprits. Guerlain doesn't use the top quality bergamot anymore, I hear.
Anyhow, plenty of vintage on Ebay .
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post #11 of 17
8/4/10 at 8:43am
Doesn't surprise me at all.

Perhaps, also, since Samsara is a sandalwood prominent scent the vintage also had some real Mysore sandalwood in it, whereas the new juice would not have it.

Trebor said it: Buy vintage!
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post #12 of 17
8/4/10 at 8:48am
The regulations cuz of allergens strike again! Honestly, who gives a damn if you get a rash or something. Its the same deal as say deodorant "stop use if irritation occurs". Common sense has to be substituted by regulation as usual
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post #13 of 17
8/4/10 at 4:36pm
It has little to do with anything being an allergen, and a lot more to do with politics: corporations competing to get their aromachemicals (thousands of them) used in fragrances, soaps, detergents, etc. The EU was/is being paid off, and so is the IFRA.
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post #14 of 17
8/4/10 at 4:56pm
If so, that is very sad. They have so many new releases, many of which do not impress me, and Habit Rouge is one of my all-time favourites.
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post #15 of 17
8/4/10 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Guyer View Post

Interesting question. I just bought a bottle of Habit Rouge EdT, which I always found to be a bit of sillage/longevity monster. While it still smells great, I found it to be less strong. Sumandre, you may be on to something.

Kevin, it makes sense... no wonder the lately released flankers in the direction of perfume and extrait.
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post #16 of 17
8/4/10 at 7:30pm
Sadly, I must agree that the term "luxury" no longer holds sway IMO with the so-called luxury houses, rather they attempt to re-define luxury to meet a financial instead of an artistic definition. I predict that this bean counter mentality will soon lead, as I believe it already is, to the detriment of these houses and most certainly to their products. One cannot fool all of the people, all of the time. The great houses have forgotten that they are defined by the quality of their products.
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post #17 of 17
8/4/10 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

It has little to do with anything being an allergen, and a lot more to do with politics: corporations competing to get their aromachemicals (thousands of them) used in fragrances, soaps, detergents, etc. The EU was/is being paid off, and so is the IFRA.

Reaaaally now? I honestly thought it was about allergens and banning them...That just makes me even more annoyed by this whole thing
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