Hello and welcome! Please understand that this website is not affiliated with Guerlain in any way, it is only a reference site for collectors and those who have enjoyed the classic fragrances of days gone by. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. The main objective of this website is to chronicle the 200+ year old history of the Guerlain fragrances and showcase the bottles and advertising used throughout the years. Let this site be your source for information on antique and vintage Guerlain perfumes. Another goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Guerlain company how much we miss many of the discontinued classics and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back these fragrances! I invite you to leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the fragrance, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or on what occasion, what it smelled like to you, how it made you feel, any specific memories, what it reminded you of, maybe a relative wore it, or you remembered seeing the bottle on their vanity table), who knows, perhaps someone from the current Guerlain brand might see it. If you have any questions, please send all images of your bottle and pertinent information directly to me at cleopatrasboudoir@gmail.com. I will try to assist you the best I can.

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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Heliotrope Blanc 000 by Guerlain c1870

Héliotrope Blanc 000, created in 1870, very popular during 1878-1883. The 000 after the name means that this is a triple-strength floral extract.

Heliotrope is a sweet-scented plant which is called Heliotrope because it follows the course of the sun. After opening it gradually turns from the east to the west and during the night turns again to the east to meet the rising sun. The Ancients recognized this characteristic of the plant and applied it to mythology.




Fragrance Composition:


So what does it smell like? It is a soliflore based on the scent of white heliotrope, probably made possible by using heliotropin (piperonal). All types of Heliotrope perfumes were popular during the 19th century. Formulas for these perfumes appeared in several perfumery manuals and pharmacopeias during the period. These formulas were based on mixed blends to suggest the fresh odor of of the heliotrope. Natural extracts, infusions, absolutes and tinctures would have been used early on, but as the 19th century drew to a close, newly discovered synthetics such as heliotropin, coumarin, vanillin, terpineol, musk xylene and benzyl acetate would have been utilized. It may be colored with cochineal.  The general recipe included the following ingredients:
  • Top notes: heliotrope, cassie, orange blossom, bitter almond, bergamot, neroli
  • Middle notes: heliotrope, ylang ylang, rose, jasmine, tuberose
  • Base notes: musk, vanilla, Peru balsam, orris, ambergris, styrax, vetiver, tonka bean, civet

Heliotropin possesses a delightful clinging odor of the white heliotrope flower, and mixed with alcohol its 2% solution with coumarin and oil of jasmine forms a fragrant "heliotrope extract.

Heliotropin was discovered in 1869 by Fittig and Mielk who synthesized it and thus made the 'cherry pie' note of the heliotrope flower, for which it is named, available to perfumers for the first time - it was already in use in fragrances by the early 1880s.

Heliotropine occurs naturally in a range of botanicals including dill, violet flowers, black pepper and others and is used for vanilla or almond accords to bring a balsamic character and also has powdery, floral aspects. Despite having acquired the name heliotropine for its similar scent to that of the heliotrope flower this chemical does not itself appear in the flower scent and so cannot be extracted from those flowers.


Bottles:


Presented in the carre flacon (parfum). Bottle is 9,6 cm (3,8 inch) tall and contents 80 cc





"Heliotrope Blanc 000" - (1940-1950) Presented in a cubic box wrapped in sky blue "Marly" paper carton , clear glass decanter bottle pressed molded section and cubic shape, neck carnette, flat square faceted stopper, emblazoned with label. Model published by Pochet et du Courval for Mexico. Top:. 10cm. Photo by Lombrail-Teucquam













Fate of the Fragrance:


Discontinued, date unknown. Heliotrope Blanc was last sold around 1958, not sure when the 000 part was omitted from the name.


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