Look what came in the mail today... a new bottle of....L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme Extreme

[heperd]

Its not overrated, whatever that means. it is a great fragrance.

[checker]

+1 - L'Instant Eau Extreme is extremely overrated. I think the "come hither" reputation L'Instant Extreme has developed far outweighs the actual juice. I also wish it projected more - its sillage is minimal. I'll take Dior Homme Intense and Nejma Puro Intense all day over L'Instant Extreme.

What's your opinion on the EDT version of L'instant?

[kingpin]

I just got mine too. Not worth buying if you have the EDT. No big difference except stronger. I think all these differences people are smelling are completely in their head in all of the extremes. It make people feel more special if they have a hard to find parfum version of any fragrance. Please don't respond to this, I know im not going to convince anyone otherwise. Its just a stronger concentration of the same mixture of chemicals in a lesser amount of alcohol. Unless......its been reformulated? Can someone please start a thread debating this question.

For the love of god, NO.

[leor_77]

Don't recall if I tried it. Does it basically do the same thing that Dior Homme Intense does to DH (i.e. added cocoa, vanilla and overall depth)?

[cjbee]

I also wish it projected more - its sillage is minimal.

Funniest thing I've read all day.

[pluran]

Lots of interest in projection lately.

Makes you wonder if it's a need to make up for a lack of "performance" in other areas of their life. I mean most of these bonbon type fragrances often have too much sillage/projection/trajectory as it is.

[Bigsly]

I just got mine too. Not worth buying if you have the EDT. No big difference except stronger.

In general, EdPs should be denser/heavier and the EdTs should have better note separation. I've noticed this with a lot of "women's" EdP, that is, they often come across as a thick cream. This is one reason why I like the vintage men's EdTs (or "colognes," most of which seem to be EdT formulations); they are strong and last, but have good note separation. I'd be curious to find out how the L'Instant PH EdT compares to the EdP, but what I've found with recent designer "men's" frags like this (I include Dior Homme) is that they go into a boring base after a few hours. Pure Havane, for instance, loses the tobacco note after a while. The EdT of L'Instant PH goes into that hibiscus musk I don't find especially compelling. On the other hand, vintage frags, even Quorum, maintain their dynamism many hours later. I'd choose Rose d'Homme by Rosine over any of these other recent ones because of how long it maintains its dynamism (along with the notes I like most in it), as does Roadster. I'm surprised at how many BNers complain about longevity when the major issue to me is the lackluster character of the far drydown. In order for me to even consider paying $80+ for 100 ml, I need to have the characteristics I like most to last more than 5 hours.

[tdwctdwc]

Lots of interest in projection lately.

- Co-worker = " Hey man, why you keep shoving your nose to your wrist ? "
- Me = " I'm trying to enjoy the scent that i'm wearing today. I love how it smells " .
- Co-worker = " Oh really, cool, what are you wearing ? cuz i can't smell it "
- Me = " Exactly !!!! neither can i !! "

[Duke Hunt]

Is the difference between the EDT and Extreme that dramatic? I was a little under whelmed when I first sniffed DHI, compared to DH. Great fragrance (bought blind), but I didn't find the difference overly dramatic to the point to warrant owning both, within reason.

[change1]

After a full wear of this fragrance, I have to say that if you don't have class then this fragrance is not for you. This one is not for the t-shirt and jeans kind of a guy, but more for the kind of guy on the cover of GQ magazine. All I have to say is L'Instant de Guerlain Extreme is a very classy and prestige fragrance.

[divinesoul]

i feel citrus is more pronounced in the opening notes of the edt than the edp, and edp is definitely more stronger of the two in projection and sillage.

[Ken_Russell]

Stylish box and bottle, also, extremely wise buy

[Akahina]

Mine came today and I LOVE the smell.

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Lots of interest in projection lately.

Makes you wonder if it's a need to make up for a lack of "performance" in other areas of their life. I mean most of these bonbon type fragrances often have too much sillage/projection/trajectory as it is.

I think the thing I like the most about the EDP on this one is that it doesn't project very much. It's pleasantly close-wearing.

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Is the difference between the EDT and Extreme that dramatic? I was a little under whelmed when I first sniffed DHI, compared to DH. Great fragrance (bought blind), but I didn't find the difference overly dramatic to the point to warrant owning both, within reason.

I personally don't find the difference between EDT and EDP to be very dramatic. I know exactly what you're saying about DH versus DHI. Yes - it's about the same level of difference to my nose. It's even the same basic type of difference. The EDP is more gourmand, less dry and airy, sweeter, and richer, in both cases. Were I on a limited budget, or only marginally a fan of either frag (L'Instant or Dior Homme), I could get by easily with either the EDT or the EDP. As it is, I'm a big fan of L'Instant, and a growing fan of Dior Homme, so having both versions of either one becomes reasonable. I enjoy the differences, and may be in the mood for one version or the other (or both - that's a fun way to wear them, for both sillage and longevity).

[hednic]

I personally don't find the difference between EDT and EDP to be very dramatic.

Nor do I, but it's still nice to have both if one can.

[Riley]

Its amber-vanilla incensy drydown is heavenly.

it's with descriptions like that Mister, you almost got me to buy a bottle

[Akahina]

I sprayed this twice on my chest about 8 hours ago and it is still going fairly strong. I think this one will take a while for me to get to know well, but I do love this blind buy! Initial impressions are that it starts with a quick blast of short lived citrus that contains cacao, a combination that I have never smelled in a fragrance before. (So sue me, LOL!) And the cacao does stay throughout for me but becomes a little bit more subdued when the cedar, patchouli and sandalwood kicks in. And there is some sort of resin and spice in the middle too, must be the anise. I too get some vanilla but that is not listed so maybe it is an illusion from the combination of some other ingredients. This one will be in my regular rotation for sure and eventually I will get to know this fragrance...

Great stuff and glad I bought this.

(Wondering how many sprays you use if this if you own it. I did two and it seemed powerful to my nose at home. Not sure of the projection and silage because I have not worn this out yet.. I figure one spray may be enough. Opinions please!)

[Shaka]

After a full wear of this fragrance, I have to say that if you don't have class then this fragrance is not for you. This one is not for the t-shirt and jeans kind of a guy, but more for the kind of guy on the cover of GQ magazine. All I have to say is L'Instant de Guerlain Extreme is a very classy and prestige fragrance.

This is the impression I get from this juice.

[M.David]

Good sTuFFFFF!!! I Love L´Instant pour Homme Extreme EDP, it´s a must HAVE

[ChoppedGarlic]

It's a pretty good fragrance, but i agree that people may go a bit overboard with their enthusiasm for this one =) What if it is was more readily available in the US? Would there be as many threads raving about it?

[kingpin]

It's a pretty good fragrance, but i agree that people may go a bit overboard with their enthusiasm for this one =) What if it is was more readily available in the US? Would there be as many threads raving about it?

The answer to your question is no, absolutely not. Two of the most raved about fragrances are L'Instant Extreme and Pure Malt. One is hard to find in the US and the other is hard to find anywhere. Not a coincidence. However, they are good/unique fragrances.

[hobbes22]

Out of curiosity, how many of you that recently bought LIdGE bought it blind?

Like ChoppedGarlic, I also wonder if scarcity affects our perceptions of certain fragrances.

[Akahina]

I bought it blind, or at least nearsighted! (I had smelled the regular version and liked it.) Glad I found this and even if hyped, I am very, very happy with the fragrance and it is now a favorite scent that I will wear often. But the question makes me wonder about other fragrances that are also not available in the US. Certainly there are "rare" or unavailable fragrances that are not liked as much as this. Certainly the fact that it is generally unavailable here factors in to it's cult status, but if it were a bad scent I don't think there would be much love for it, available or not. Just an opinion...

[Partario]

I bought it blind, as there is very little other way to get a hold of or sample it outside of The Perfumed Court, and I figured the money for a 1.5 spray decant plus international shipping would end up being about 1/6 the price of the full bottle whilst only yielding 1/50 the volume of a full bottle. Plus I did like the smell of the EDT that I was able to smell locally. Chalk another one up for BN hype-buy! (Though economics did play a part)

Interesting thought about the scarcity/rarity affecting perception, however initially I think the main force behind some of the love for this one was provided by guys in countries where it was much easier to get a hold of, so the rest of us in turn became curious. There are some things I know that I've purchased before purely on the fact that it wasn't readily available, or at least wouldn't be in the near future. I guess I'll have to decide the case for this one when it gets here.

P.S. Hobbs, you pick up the secret weapon yet?

[Partario]

P.P.S. I forgot to mention, that's a fantastic picture that you've snapped for your bottle Akahina. The picture alone would almost warrant a blind buy.

[Akahina]

P.P.S. I forgot to mention, that's a fantastic picture that you've snapped for your bottle Akahina. The picture alone would almost warrant a blind buy.

Thanks! It is a very pretty bottle...

[hobbes22]

Yeah Akahina, that's a great pic - maybe it could be used as its image in the directory (instead of nothing).

I think basenotes does a pretty good job of preparing me for a blind buy, I mean there are usually enough good reviews and thoughtful descriptions of a scent to get an idea of what to expect.

And I've definitely bought scents partly because of impending scarcity, and I don't regret those purchases. I think a lower supply does heighten the demand for a scent, all else equal. A bad scent will likely not benefit much, but a good scent can certainly obtain a level of hype due to scarcity (and sometimes the hype is justified).

[Akahina]

Yeah Akahina, that's a great pic - maybe it could be used as its image in the directory (instead of nothing).

If the Basenote owners ask I will let them use it.

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I also blind-bought it after buying the EDT and then hearing about it on here. The things that convinced me were (a) I know my own taste - even my SAs point it out - that I tend to like EDPs, and (b) the European BNers who could get it generally preferred it by a large margin.

I generally use 2 sprays - 1 under my shirt and one on the arm. I use the deodorant as well, plus a dash of the EDT as a mist after dressing, to get some faint sillage in the morning. It's a great combination.

I think the reason the hype machine cranks up on these absent fragrances is simply that it's all we have. The frags are not totally unobtainable, they have good reputations, and if you act promptly when they DO become available, you're likely to get the juice in your wardrobe. Semi-nasty or strange frags never get this kind of love, either - they're always easy-to-love frags. But people want to be sure it's something they're really going to like, so they ask 20 questions before they buy. Personally, I don't think the questions are needed, because these frags are dead easy resellers - at no loss or risk. These kinds of frags are almost an investment - my advice is to buy first and ask questions later.