Geranium by Guerlain c1849

Geranium: launched in 1849. Created by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain.

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Chypre by Guerlain c1844

Guerlain's decision to name their 1844 fragrance "Chypre" is rooted in the deep historical and cultural significance of the term. "Chypre," the French word for Cyprus, refers to the Mediterranean island long associated with aromatic materials and ancient perfumery traditions. Since antiquity, Cyprus was famed for its natural materials, including resins, florals, and herbs, used in perfumery and incense. By the 19th century, the term "Chypre" came to define a fragrance style that combined citrus, floral, and woody notes with a distinct mossy, earthy undertone. For Guerlain, selecting the name "Chypre" was a nod to this rich heritage and a way to evoke the exotic allure of the Mediterranean—a blend of sophistication, nature, and timelessness.

The word "Chypre" itself conjures images of sun-drenched landscapes, rolling hills filled with cypress trees, and the salty breeze of the Mediterranean Sea. It evokes an air of exotic mystery, transporting the wearer to distant lands and a bygone era of ancient beauty and sensuality. The name suggests a scent that is earthy, grounded, and yet filled with light and freshness—a juxtaposition of nature's richness and breezy elegance. Emotions of nostalgia, refinement, and an understated but powerful allure might be brought to the surface when thinking of "Chypre." In scent, the word would translate to a complex blend of bright citrus, softened by a heart of floral opulence, all wrapped in a base of oakmoss, amber, and woods—a harmony of freshness and depth.

During the 19th century, both men and women would have responded to a fragrance named "Chypre" with admiration and a sense of connection to ancient history. For men, it may have evoked strength and nature, rooted in the earthiness of moss and wood. For women, the floral and citrus elements would have spoken to grace and femininity, balanced with a deeper, more complex undertone. In an era of Romanticism, with an emphasis on nature, beauty, and personal expression, Chypre would have resonated as a sophisticated choice for those looking to evoke both mystery and elegance. The nobility and the growing middle class, seeking to associate themselves with luxury and refinement, would have gravitated towards such a name.

Ebay Find! Mitsouko in Borne Flacon c1931-1960s

Ebay Find! Mitsouko in Borne Flacon c1931-1960s.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291034977534?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

photo from ebay seller bucarest17

Flacon Borne (Boundary Stone) c1931- 1960s

Made by Pochet et du Courval to house extraits of Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Sillage and others.

• 82cc/82ml/2.7 oz - 10,5cm/4.13" (1931), ground blue glass truncated stopper in the shape of a French policeman's cap 

World War II Version, all clear glass, without cobalt blue band.

1950s Guerlain Cosmetics and Skincare

1950s Guerlain Cosmetics and Skincare

from a 1953 advertisement

from a 1955 ad

from a 1956 ad

Trousseau de Week-End de Guerlain c1950

Trousseau de Week-End de Guerlain c1950. Holds skincare and cosmetics. Rare to find today.

Brillantine

Brillantine (brilliantine) was a grease used to groom the hair. It could be crystallized and sold in boxes like the one shown below or liquid form and housed in glass bottles.

"Brillantine" - (1920) rectangular box made up of molded colorless glass pressed for holding the solidifed hair oil, base decorated with draperies, brass lid embossed with baroque décor reminiscent of the eighteenth century. Titled. (Small chips) d: 5 x 8 cm. Photo by drouot.

Lotion de Guerlain c1850

Lotion de Guerlain, bleaching cream for the skin, created in 1850,  it consisted of Extract de Saturne (a solution of subacetate of lead), tincture of benzoin, distilled water of laurel, cherry and peach.

photo from museu del perfum

Lait de Perles

Lait de Perles (Pearl Milk) was a skin bleach containing water, holding in suspension about equal parts of zinc oxide, magnesic carbonate, and powdered talc, perfumed with otto of roses.

The bottle below is known as the "flat bottle with ringed neck" and held various products such as Teintre de Quina, Teintre de Pyrethre, Eau de Vie de Gaiac, Eau des Fumeurs, Teintre de Myrrhe, Veritable Tresor de la Bouche, Lait de Perles , Blanc Patti, Creme de Lys, Blanc Rachel, and Blanc de Perles.

photo from Museu del Perfum

Poudre Superdulci c1912

Created in 1912 by Guerlain, a face powder scented with Apres L'ondee perfume. Octagonal cardboard box wrapped with paper with polychromed Chinese decoration. I believe it was still available for sale around 1949.

photo by Le Floc'h

Veritable Graisse D'Ours

A touch of either Veritable Graisse d'Ours or Graisse d'Ours Liquéfie, a pommade made of bear's grease, would help keep that jaunty cowlick from popping out from a coiffure in addition to strengthening and prevent color fading of the hair.

Baume de la Ferté c1830

Baume de la Ferté was created around 1830 as an emollient balm to be used by nursing mothers and wet nurses to relieve their dried, cracked and sore nipples from breastfeeding. It contained tannins left over from Bordeaux wine production, benzoin, beeswax & almond oil. This moisturizing balm was also used to soothe chapped lips as well. The earliest pot lids are marked with the 15 ru de la Paix address (1840-1914), then in 1914, it was marked with the 68 Champs Elysees address.

The earliest pots were made up of stamped tin. The later pots were made up of galalith I believe. Newer formulas are housed in plastic tubes.

c2010

c2013

Eau Lustrale

Eau Lustrale, a liquid hair groom which would clean it, degrease it but also give it it a lustrous shine.

It was made up of Castor oil (deodorized), strongest alcohol (deodorized), cantharides powder, oil of bergamot and otto of roses. To soften the hair, and prevent baldness.

 It was made sometime before 1853 and continued to be sold into the 1960s.

Eau Lustrale was available in the following sizes and prices in 1941:

• 4 oz $1.00 
• 8 oz $3.25 
• Pt. $6.60 
• Qt. $12.75 

Harper's Bazaar, 1935:

"There are a couple of Guerlain things that will make your trip to the hairdresser's far more pleasant. The first, Eau Lustral, which is used after the shampoo, is delightful as a setting lotion. It is as light and thin as water, and dries quickly."

Eau Lustrale bottle c1845. Rectangular, 6 1/4", graduated top, no panels, O.P., olive green, side: "GUERLAIN" side: "EAU LUSTRALE", manufactured by Pochet et du Courval . Photo from Hair Raising Stories.

c1914, emerald green bottle, cork top, manufactured by Pochet et du Courval, photo from museu del perfum.

c1931 emerald green bottle, black bakelite cap, manufactured by Pochet et du Courval. Photo from delcampe.

c1930-1950. Green glass bottle, black bakelite screwcap. Photo from ebay seller chiquita_tuli

Backside of bottle, c1950. Photo from ebay seller chiquita_tuli

Mini bottle of Eau Lustrale. Photo by www.ventesuroffres.com

c1960s. Photo from delcampe

Ebay Find! Candide Effluve in Lyre Flacon

Ebay Find! Candide Effluve in Lyre Flacon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-CANDIDE-EFFLUVE-GUERLAIN-FLACON-BACCARAT-LYRE-SEALED-/181253487244?pt=fragrance&hash=item2a338cba8c

Candide Effluve: Created by Jacques Guerlain in 1921 but only launched the following year; in USA by 1924, it was intended to connote the innocent touch of a Virgin or young woman.

So what does it smell like? Notes include bergamot, lemon, ylang-ylang, lilac, muguet, styrax, hyacinth, lilac, orris, rose, amber, jasmine, iris, angelica, patchouli, vetiver, benzoin, tonka bean, heliotrope, thyme and vanilla.

The perfume was presented in a ‘Lyre’ bottle and the Flacon Brun Fume, made by Baccarat, starting in 1933.

Discontinued, date unknown, still being sold in 1946.

Weird Shalimar Bottle - Fake Seal - Alert!!

Ok, so on ebay this week I found this vintage bottle of Shalimar, so it is sealed ....but...it is not a genuine Guerlain seal, nor is the thread that is wrapped around it correct. Guerlain never used red wax seals imprinted with Asian language characters. Also Guerlain's Shalimar extrait bottles are always sealed with baudruchage that has a small gold metal seal with the "G" for Guerlain attached and a fluffy tassel which was brushed out by hand by the "dames du table".

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Shalimar-by-Guerlain-1-2-oz-Made-in-France-with-threads-and-hang-tag-/321241591829?pt=fragrance&hash=item4acb7db015

I have no idea whether the contents in this bottle are even authentic Shalimar. I do not like the idea of the FAKE seal on the bottle either, this really pisses me off.

Emily X has posted that the red seal belongs to Revlon's Xia Xiang perfume bottles. Here is a photo of one of the Xia Xiang bottles with it's red seal intact:

Thanks Emily X!

Ebay Find! Liu in Quadrilobe Flacon

Ebay Find! Liu in Quadrilobe Flacon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Guerlain-LUI-Eau-de-Parfum-BOTTLE-ONLY-/291007677922?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c168c5e2

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Ebay Find! Une Rose in Quadrilobe Flacon

Ebay Find! Une Rose in Quadrilobe Flacon

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-GUERLAINE-PARIS-UNE-ROSE-SEALED-BACCARAT-BOTTLE-WITH-BOX/121199612070?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D17905%26meid%3D2343746637206190253%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D8262%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D151149508888%26

Une Rose: created in 1908 by Jacques Guerlain.

So what does it smell like? It was a rose soliflore.

Presented in the quadrilobe flacon (parfum), the Capsule flacon, and the Amphore facon (parfum).

Discontinued, date unknown, still being sold in the1950s-1960s.

Ebay Find! Guerlain Sachet with Dali In Venice Record

Ebay Find! Guerlain Sachet with Dali In Venice Record

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DALI-IN-VENICE-CONFALONIERI-w-GUERLAIN-SACHET-RARE-LONDON-OSA-1105-FFSS-/221306437675?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item3386e4402b

Read more about this item here:
http://guerlainperfumes.blogspot.com/2013/07/guerlains-scented-flannel.html

Altered Glass Perfume Bottles

Occasionally one might come across an unusual colored perfume bottle. One might be inclined to think that this might have been a special limited edition or even perhaps a prototype. More than likely, the bottles have been artificially induced via radiation (sometimes done with the aid of a microwave or industrial good sterilizer). This would cause some glass to be a deep shade of purple or amber. from what I have read online, this appears to devalue a bottle, but some people collect these flacons for their aesthetic beauty rather than their investment value.

In the case of these Guerlain flacons, they have been intentionally artificially induced to an amber shade and older bottles are also artificially altered into the purple shade.

Please do not purchase these bottles in the hopes that it is "rare" or a "limited edition".

the same ebay seller (iluvjax) is irradiating old bottles hoping to get higher prices for these very common bottles.

Irradiated Carre flacon, with wrong stopper.

 Ebay seller (clancy_kid) is irradiating old bottles hoping to get higher prices for these very common bottles.

Ebay Find! Vintage Jicky in Lanterne Flacon

Ebay Find! Vintage Jicky in Lanterne Flacon. This bottle was used from 1935-1943 only. A very rare presentation comes with its equally rare presentation box.

30ml/1 oz Flacon. Approximately 15ml of parfum extrait remain in this cobalt blue lantern bottle. The bottle stands 7.3cm/2.87". This size was reserved for export.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1930s-ORIGINAL-GUERLAIN-perfume-COBALT-blue-LANTERN-BOTTLE-JICKY-W-BOX-/111200559491?pt=Antiques_Decorative_Arts&hash=item19e411e183

Ebay Find! Chamade Sucrier de Madame

Ebay Find! Chamade Sucrier de Madame

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guerlain-Chamade-Perfume-Bottle-Holder-Display-rare-has-some-left-1-5-in-bottle-/321233228706?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4acafe13a2

Le Sucrier de Madame c1980 - 2008?

Le Sucrier de Madame (Madam's Sugar Shaker/Muffineer) was made for express usage in the Guerlain boutiques to demonstrate the eau de toilettes. Sometimes they were often given as "rewards" to those who spent an exorbitant amount of money in the French boutiques.

The cases are of gilded brass and the domed tops are intricately pierced in a filigree pattern featuring the Guerlain G logo, hearkening back to the ornate muffineers of the 19th century. The bottle was designed by jeweler Robert Gossen.

Each bottle holds 200ml/6.7 oz of eau de toilette or 2.8 oz Parfum. I have seen these marked Chamade, Shalimar, Parure, Nahema, Chant D'Aromes, Chamade, Apres l'Ondee, Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, Samsara and Jicky. Others are not marked with a name. Each case held a bottle that when emptied, a new refill could be recharged into the case.

In 2008, a Guerlain SA told a member of beaute-test.com that the manufacturer of the Sucrier flacons had just passed away and the flacons would be discontinued as he was the sole manufacturer. Whether not this is true, please let me know.

Ebay Find! L'Heure Bleue in Borne Flacon c1940s

Ebay Find! L'Heure Bleue in Borne Flacon c1940s

This is a bottle of Guerlain Paris France L'Heure Bleue no.623. Comes in a glass bottle that measures about 4 1/4" tall with stopper and 3" wide. Bottle is over 3/4 full. This is a 2.7 oz bottle.

 This is a vintage bottle that comes with the original box, still has the string tied around the stopper, box has been opened.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Guerlain-Extrait-LHeure-Bleue-No-623-in-glass-Bottle-2-oz-/181244256597?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a32ffe155

Flacon Borne (Boundary Stone) c1931- 1960s


Made by Pochet et du Courval to house extraits of Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Sillage and others.

• 82cc/82ml/2.7 oz - 10,5cm/4.13" (1931), ground blue glass truncated stopper in the shape of a French policeman's cap 
• World War II Version, all clear glass, without cobalt blue band.

Ebay Find! Baccarat Lyre Flacon

Ebay Find! Baccarat Lyre Flacon, later hand painted.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dramatic-Baccarat-Hand-Painted-Enamel-Art-Deco-French-Commercial-Perfume-Bottle-/380748416865?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a65fc761

photo by ebay seller decodaysgoneby

Flacon Lyre c1921-1959

Flacon created by Baccarat to house Candide Efflueve, A Travers Champs and Guerlinade. Also produced by Pochet et du Courval in a very small quantity for export to the USA. Baccarat flacon #475.

Baccarat:

• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 12.9cm/5.08" (1921-1959) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 14.7cm/5.79" (1921-1959) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 18.7cm/7.36" (1921-1959) 
• 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz - 23.5cm/9.25" (1921-1952) 
• 1 liter/1000ml - 29cm/11.42" (1921-1952) 

Pochet & the Courval:

• 30cc/30ml/1 oz (1924) produced very limited quantities to the USA

Ebay Find! L'Heure Blue with Silver Fountain Label c1926

Ebay Find! L'Heure Blue with Silver Fountain Label c1926

Super rare find!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Superb-Baccarat-French-Art-Deco-Commerical-Perfume-Bottle-GUERLAIN-LHeure-Bleue-/380748402450?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a65f8f12

The Silver Fountain labels represent the fountains at the 1925 Art Deco Expo in Paris, they were used in 1928 to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Guerlain. The perfumes were boxed in a blue and silver box and the perfumes were presented in a clear glass bottle called the "petit beurre" or little butter pat..

Flacon Petit Beurre (Little Butter Pat) c1916 - ?

Baccarat:

• 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz - 7.7cm/3.03" (limited edition of only 500 in 1916)
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - (limited edition of only 500 in 1916)

Pochet et du Courval:

• 20ml/0.676 oz - 5.5cm/2.17" (1929)

These were used for the following perfumes:

• L'Heure Bleue
• Mitsouko
• Rue de la Paix
• Candide Effluve
• A Travers Champs
• Fol Arome
• Quand Vient L'Ete 
• Kadine
• Guerlinade
• Une Rose
• Pour Troubler
• Vague Souvenir
• Champs Elysees

Ebay Find! Vintage Jicky in Huge Quadrilobe flacon

Ebay Find! Vintage Jicky in Huge Quadrilobe flacon, bottle stands around 6 1/2" tall. Most likely holds 500ml/16.9 oz!

Seller claims it is a Baccarat flacon. I didn't see a photo of the base.

Ebay Find! Savons de Jeune Age

Savons de Jeune Age c1980s.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAVONS-DE-JEUNE-AGE-GUERLAIN-PERFUMED-SOAP-12-X-75-G-NET-WT-31-2-OZ-/111191369198?pt=UK_HeathBeauty_BathShowCons_RL&hash=item19e385a5ee

Eau de Cologne Jeune Age c1953

Eau de Cologne Jeune Age: launched in 1953. Created by Jacques Guerlain.


What does it smell like? I have no published notes on this composition.

Guerlain Journees Particulieurs Video

Our friend Monsieur Guerlain shared the link for this video http://vimeo.com/76552991

I do not understand French, so I don't know what is being said, but the images are beautiful.

La Pyrommee - Guerlain's First Kohl Eyeliner

The more daring woman may have lined her eyes with La Pyrommee, an Arabian styled kohl powder for the eyes kept inside an ivory tube decorated with an eye motif. Advertising of the era told a story that Pierre-Francois-Pascal Guerlain learned the secret formula from an Armenian Pasha who gave it to the ladies of his harem.

Eau de Rose Distillee c1910

Guerlain - "Eau de Rose Distillee" - (1910)


Clear glass vial molded pressed oval section, model "Fame" and titled siglé embossed collar carnette, its square flat cap with the label shown in gray and titled - h:. 18cm

Guerlain Manicure Kit c1950

Guerlain (1950). Rare necessary manicure including: tweezers, file, two pots, four nail enamel bottles and a brush in their travel case in burgundy box titled. Dimensions: 11 x 11 cm