I've finally opened a youtube account, so now I can comment. Thank you for all the hard work you put in on these videos. I appreciate not just your reviews but the careful editing work you do. Your work is inspiring!
Thank you for such a poetic review. I feel I really "know" this fragrance now. I too adore Paris and I really enjoyed your storytelling on this one. I have been watching fragrance reviews for almost a year now and this is the first of yours I have seen. Well done and bravo!
Great review Mr.Smith and absolutely spot on!Waiting for you to do a similar review on L Eau Exreme Edp and tell us all what you think about the differences between these 2 great Guerlain perfumes!
That shirt (I wore a stripe skirt today before seeing your video, so we are on the same wavelength again!) and your stories of Paris just brought it all together, LOVED it! This sounds divine
Nice review. I just received my bottle of L'instant De Guerlain in the mail today. I bought it blind and I am so pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it smells. I cannot stop smelling my wrist. This got me to look up reviews on RU-vid and I came across your video. I like your story and the way you presented the video. To me L'instant De Guerlain is like Paris in a bottle. Love it.
Isn't it an amazing city? Grand and intimate all at the same time. And yes it has a great fragrance of rain and bread and chocolate. Paris, je t'aime,,,, oh and if you love Paris that is a great filmby which to visit the city again. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mJG0lqukJTQ.html
Great review Lanier, it truly is a special scent. I find it almost too formal/upscale to wear to work, but I have worn it a few times to break the routine from wearing Platinum Egoiste daily :) Loved the story and the ending. Marvelous!
A really great video from start to finish. I completely agree that this is better then the Extreme. Also the irony of a French person calling the English rude ;-)
I know Greggie! I was surprised when she said that. I find the British to be absolutly delightful. The Parisians have the reputation of being snooty and curt but I did not find man woman or child that wasn't charming and warm. It must have been because I tried to speak French and that made them laugh and smile.
I have discovered your excellent reviews just 30 min. ago and i've immediately subscribed your channel. Now i declare you my official online fragrance advisor :)
Ivan how charming! I am indeed flattered. But do keep in mind that what works on my skin may not work on yours. My advice is to always test and sample a fragrance (if possible) before you buy it. Cheers my new friend.
All the charm, class, greatness, humbleness, experience, generosity, all of which are fading away as modernity imposes laziness, superficiality and mediocrity. Please keep posting Sir! And thank you!
What a great review on a superb men's fragrance, coincidentally I have a large bottle being delivered this week. Went to a department store to sample Habit Rouge and while there sampled L'instant as well, sprayed some on my wrist and jacket sleeve loved it. Lasted for about 6 hours on my skin but 4 to 5 days on my jacket!
I absolutely agree with you, it is an incredibly sophisticated and understated fragrance few people really appreciate. But this is something good. It’s what an upscale fragrance should smell like. It’s a classy gem; and a veritable French classic. This is my signature scent.
I saw you had posted this video earlier and it delightfully inspired me to wear LIDG this afternoon whilst around town running errands. I got rid of my Extreme in order to get this as i find a warm apple note that i find irresistible. Great review, American :)
Thank you sir. I forgot to mention that I'm also one of the very few that thinks this original version smells far better and "rounded" than the parfum ("extreme") version.
MMMMMMMMM chocolate. I love how you pronounced it. I love woody spicy. I love when you read your amazing stories. The description was so lovely, it sure sounds amazingly yummy. Vive la Paris!!
Oh Natey thank you so very much. You always make me smile with delight when you drop by and say something. Friends across the Pacific forever...right? Big hug to your whole family and you. xo
Lanier Smith Always and forever. BTW can we come and visit this year or next? All the pressure I've been putting on my husband is paying off, he wanted to go to Hawaii and then California, I convinced him That SF his better so we are going! We must make something happen. Prem x
Love Guerlain. I bought this but found it a bit generic in smell. My favourite and I believe the most renowned Guerlain has to be Vetiver for me and is in fact often listed as one of the best mens fragrances of all time.
Hi Lanier The filming angle was great. Yeh a brandy Alexander - yummy. A woody spicy scent sounds lovely. Many times the original scents are better I think. Thanks for the review.
What a lovely complement! You wouldn't want to be me today. I have a terrible cold. But seriously... be you, the very best you possible. When you are the one and only you then you are an original and very stylish in my book. Cheers.
I had to look up Nectarine in Paris after your lovely description. Sadly, it seems to have closed from the looks of Google street view. I wonder what happened with that waitress friend of yours...time flies by.
Just found your vids and am really enjoying, great to find someone with "Old World" class. Have you reviewed any men's scents from Molinard or Oriza L. Legrand?
The dry down on this is mind-blowing.. sweet but masculine.. woody and spicy.. light and not overpowering.. smells expensive... this is a fragrance I would wear to a white party.
Superb video, Lanier! I have been wanting to try LIDG for a long time. I have tried LIDGE (reformed) and liked it a lot, but I am hoping LIDG is even better. Do you have a favorite of the two?
Lanier, good morning. Please help me to understand this fragrance. I buy a bottle of L'instant with batch code from 2013. It could be a problem? On my skin, it lasts long but the projection is too close, just like Dior Homme. Is it correct or should i go back to the store? I'm a fan of you and your videos are wonderful. My next fragrances will be Habit Rouge and Antaeus! Thank you, have a good day!!!
Hello Gilberto ~ first let me say thank you for your kind words. As to batch codes, I am not an expert on them and frankly pay little attention to them. What counts for me is the way a fragrance smells over when it was produced. I am sorry it does not project the way you hoped it would. I have my version from 2012 and it seems to preform in the projection just fine. If you bought it from a good and trusted retailer I am sure it is okay. It just might not be a good match to your chemistry. I hope that is helpful. I thank you again and hope your purchases of Antaeus and Habit Rough will live up to your expectations. Cheers.
I was on the hunt for this fragrance for a very long time. I owned the EDP version way before I owned this EDT version and way before the hype. Finally, I found one at an amazing price and since I enjoyed the EDP so much, the EDT seemed like a no brainer. After various testing and wears, I have to say that this fragrance is just not my style. It's easily similar to the EDP but instead of the creaminess and damp qualities the EDP possesses, this is far more drier and very powdery. It also has an "old woman" feel to it but with a classic "old school" vibe. Almost as if I'm reminded of an old french women in the 1930s, suited in her most attractive trailing skirt and broad-brimmed hat, stepping out of her 1935 402 Peugeot, ready to hit the finest boutiques, all while puffing on her long cigarette holder. It's feminine enough to be unisex because of the sweet cocoa and star anise but masculine enough to be a men's fragrance because of the heavy woods and lingering citrus. The opening is a beautiful citrus floral over a heavy anise. As it transcends into the heart, the star anise and citrus linger over a powdery cocoa and woods. Finally, the base utilizes all those elements in perfect harmony, and adds a light musk to the creation and you're left with a sweet, powdery, citrus, anised-cocoa and woods. I might even say that this is M7 gone gay. It has that oud M7 aura about it but with a feminine quality. Definitely unisex and not recommended for the 30 and under crowd. This is far too elegant and beautifully crafted and might not get appreciated as it should. I guess you're wondering how this was disappointing to me? Well, the longevity on me is about 3-4 hours (on a good day) and sillage is close to the skin. My main complaint is how feminine this actually is. I don't mind unisex fragrances but this one is very hard to pull off and doesn't suit a casual lifestyle. Maybe in my professional career, I might pick this bottle up again, but, if they amped up the woods, toned down the anise, and took out the dreaded "old lady" vibe, you'd have yourself a BEAST of a scent!
Thanks for the great review! So well written you should if you have not already done so consider a vlog or blog. I really enjoyed reading your take on this fragrance.
Picked up a 4.2 oz tester for $39.99. Your review sold this bottle. I haven't smelt anything from Guerlain. I was getting a back up bottle for chic for men and noticed lidg and after watching your review it was an easy decision to add to my order. Have you tried Chic for Men? I know CH man has some hype but chic is far superior scent.
great review as always! I need to try this one. I think LIDGE is just okay. My little daughter watched this with me and she was riveted. I guess you have two fans, here. :)
David I hope you do try it. I would love to hear your take on it. How wonderful and utterly charming that your daughter was enchanted by my efforts. She like her father has very good taste! Do give her my love.
Great video! Yes...i'm yet another who prefers this to the Extreme. It is more subtle...and so smooth. If i had to compare any scent in my collection to velvet, this would be it.
Maybe a year ago, I choose Lidge over Lidg because I thought Lidge was going away, was getting hard to find, and I thought that when the future arrived that I could still get Lidg when I wanted it. A year later the realm has changed. With the new EU regulations, whole houses such as Canali and Rochas are just hanging up their spurs, looking to dude up with their clothing lines and perhaps exit the fragrance game. Other classic fragrances such as Drakkar, Cool Water, Aventus, and Chrome are going to see reformulations become inevitable. I was pretty much happy buying my 4-5 fragrances a month with one repurchase / backup bottle, 2 (designers), 1 niche, and a cheapie. Every 3-4 months, Id try and do a trade for 2 that I didnt like as much and were 75% full for one that I did that was full. But now the landscape has changed and if I dont mark things off my buy list they might disappear and go away. Im buying around 10 a month because Im afriad that many of the best ones will escape. And its driving me nuts. I reached for Cristobal based on your review and now it seems that Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche has been reformulated and Im going to have to reach for that one VERY soon. The new version is Parfum strength but I like the old EDT versions pyramid much better. Im going to just have to start buying Chanel regardless of price before they ruin their entire line. Bleu is reformulated into a Parfum version but happily I have the old EDT. Antaeus and Pour Monsieur are just going to have to have major reformulations because they are Oakmoss heavy. Reforms across the board are coming and fan boys of the house like me probably wont like them. So there sits Lidg. I thought it would be more sparkly in spring and summer with Lidge a better choice in late fall and winter but right now, can I get both ? Somethings going to have to give and I think L'instant might be around a bit longer in its splendid current blend than say Habit Rouge, Vetiver, Pour Homme and others from this single house that I should buy before they become lost. It drives me nutso because you cant own them all even if you want to ... And Lidg and Lidge are pretty close and I own one rather than the other. It would be nice if more people on these boards did trading splits rather than trying to buy mega sized bottles and split for profit or extra juice. With so many quality frags going out of business, Id really appreciate someone taking the initiave to do equity splits. My Mickers is great and I dont begrudge him making $50 for his split plus 30 ml of niche quality juice each time he does one. But Id much rather see someone offer me a 30 ml decant of Aventus for 30 ml of my Green Irish Tweed or Milliseme Imperiale in an even steven split kind of format. I think that it would help all of us that are chasing discontinued scents and cant own them all. I cant believe it but I already own 20-30 fragrances that must be discontinued that you cant find anymore. Even midnight in Paris seems to be going away. I sort of hate splits and dont like owning decants instead of bottles but Im just sure that if I dont explore these options that I will miss out on some good frags and never even get to smell them. I suppose that the good news is that if European perfumeries go into steep decline that the American Houses will step up and fill the gap. I was home alone last night and after my miles I put on Dames Heliotrope. It was such a comforting scent during a sad and lonely time and it relaxed me and helped me sleep. And when I woke up I still smelled beautiful 14 hours after I put it on and it was a lovely way to begin the day. Certainly new perfumes and colognes will fill the void but its going to be sad to see old classics die. The real point and best thing about this video was the example that Mr. Smith set. How many times do we as fans say thank you to the gentlemen who work hard to bring these videos to us and contribute to the community. Do we tell them what we dont like or do ? Do we say thank you ? Showing appreciation is necessary in life. Its needed. And not just short flippant thank yous that eject from lips barely heard or noticed but strong meaningful thank yous that waft fragrant in memory. And not just here with people we know and love like Lanier Smith but to strangers and waitresses and people that go unnoticed yet have value to concepts of life. Its easy to thank the ones we know and love. Its important to thank others that make our lives brighter. A lesson here is to be learned. So Lanier Smith, sit your butt down. You sir are Mobeetie Texas and Im going to tell you what I think of you and you are going to listen. Mobeetie was once one of the more towns and areas of Texas and was home to Fort Elliot which was a key trading post in the Panhandle area of Texas but its long since gone into decline. Its original name was Sweetwater but when it came time to register the towns name for a new fangled concept of getting a post office Sweetwater had already been registered. In a bit of panic as to what the town should do, an elderly native man suggested that Mobeetie was the Indian word for Sweetwater so the town took a vote that passed and submitted Mobeetie as their towns name on the government charter and it was accepted and approved. For years afterwards, Indians of all tribes would ride through and laugh hysterically from town entrance to town exit. Years later, the mayor asked one of them why they always laughed when riding through and they told him that they just couldnt believe anybody would name a town after Buffalo Dung. Today the grand ole city of Mobeetie sits in the Panhandle of Texas working hard to hold firm to its 100 or so citizens. Sadly they recently lost the only stoplight in town and it now exists as a Metropolis without a stoplight. The first state bank of Mobeetie is one of those old time grand ole banks thats still part of the old state banking system that hasnt yet been gobbled up by a national federal reserve bank. My Distant cousin Bonnie Parker and her friend Mr. Barrows would probably feel right at home robbing such a bank though my grandmother was so ashamed of Bonnie that mention of her name was forbidden in her presence. And for the record, Bonnie didnt look anything like Faye Dunaway. Now my mother was probably the nicest of the clan and a lot nicer person than Bonnie ever was and she travelled the world and was friends with Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant, pretty much every Hollywood Cowboy that ever volunteered raising money at Boys Ranch and lots of celebrities from Arsenio Hall to the many thousands of friends she made amongst less celebrated people and yet I think 8 people came to her funeral that didnt have to while Bonnie Parker attracted 10s of thousands. So you look at Mobeetie Bank and the fact that its served its populace well much like Happy State Bank through attributes of kindness and customer service and attention thats become lost with the big national banks. Mr. Lanier Smith this is what you are about. You show individual care and concern for those around you and you exist slowly to recognize and appreciate the world around you. You enjoy life slowly while most of those rush around you to get nowhere and your live is one suffered, smiled and lived. Today there are 2 mega feedlots that exist on both sides of Mobeetie Texas and man do they stink. You rush hundreds of thousands of cattle through these babies each year and you see cattle that produce mounds of manure. You aint lived till youve seen and smelled a cow standing on top of a 60 foot high pile of manure and yet I aint lying. Unless you happen to be a vegetarian, I imagine that at least once in your life youve probably tasted Mobeetie fed beef. And despite the stench, and a populace thats outnumbered by Cows over a thousand to 1. Mobeetie feeds the world. Kindness is like that really. Its contagious and necessary to life. So let me say this. Mobeetie never imaging that its name meant manure has become a town surrnounded by mountains of solid fertilizer with a scent others might avoid turning into jobs and money. You sir, Lanier Smith are Sweetwater in a world surrounded by Manure and your kindness and gentle qualities of service and compassion stand as firm as the Mobeetie bank in a world of greed and selfishness. You bank joy while others spend selfishness and you paint humanity while others embrace the animal. Reciprocity and Empathy are what engages our spirits above those of the beasts and the world needs some Cowboys in the midst of the herds. So you sir are Mobeetie Texas. A town of sweetwater and fragrance and beautiful quality of air amidst herds of manure that feed the world and go unnoticed by the crowd. The world needs more people like you that can live inside a town that has no need of a single stoplight or traffic to direct and is fine with it because there, a smile is all you need. You might rather hear me say thank you for Paris or San Francisco but its easy to love those cities. Sometimes the world of dung needs some sweetwater, clean and refreshing. Thank you for your videos Have a great day.
Hello Mr Lanier Smith, first of all let me tell you that you are, by far, the most eloquent and affable fragrance reviewer on RU-vid. I need your educated opinion regarding fragrances. between Versace Eros and L'instant de Guerlain eau de parfum, which one is the best according to you and your criteria? I'm waiting for your reply, and thank you in advance.
First off thank you Mouloud Thogenis for the lovely complement. You made my day extra special. To answer your question I would have to say that fragrance is subjective, What I like you may not like and vica versa. To my taste L'Instant de Guerlain is far more sophisticated and adult. I love the Eros bottle and wanted to love the juice but it just is too sweet, loud and immature. Cheers.
Lanier Smith Thank you most kindly sir for the quick response and know that you are one of the very few who take time to answer these simple questions, your opinion matters to me, I am going to buy L'instant de Guerlain and I am sure that I won't be disappointed at all. Thank you again and keep up the good work.
Thanks Top Ten! I found Londoners to be quite charming and they found me very funny. That may be because I attempted to speak English while I was visiting that amazing city.
Outstanding review of this fragrance Lanier, as usual. I'm with you on LIDG...it is much, much better than LIDGE in my opinion, and the ladies agree. Someone from France calling a Brit rude? Too funny!!!
Wellll .....That it an interesting story. All I can say is that it is a faux Andy Warhol. As to the rest of the story I am sworn to silence. Cheers Derek
Agree that the original smells better. The extreme version smells like a Chinese herb shop in Chinatown with a merchant that smells DHI. I like the extreme version, but not as much as the original.
Onde!será quer que perto do Natal ou no Natal eu vou realizar meu sonho de ter um gardenia da Chanel ou da cartier eu vou me presentear com um desses mais só no país onde mora Lander Smith aqui no Brasil não tem, Love Jou Channel. Eu e essa minha paixão por Channel aff.que faço eu com esse sonhoooo
i HAD TO JUST DROP A NOTE TO SAY THAT YOUR SERVER WAS WRONG NOT ALL ENGLISH OR BRITISH ARE RUDE.........BUT AS A ....Scots i could not possibly comment on the English as they seem make manners up up as they go along..........but we Scots are without a doubt humble and with a sense of charm that knows no end...........ta for the review sweetheart if you ever find yourself in Dundee then look me up for a little cocktail or four........x Steven
I have lived 3 yrs in London (1 reading my Masters and 2 working) and 3 yrs in the centre of Paris. I love both cities. I speak French, but guess who are the rudest and most chauvinistic? Oui, les Francais. (nuance, read les Parisiens, people in the South of France are friendlier) BTW it's not les "Rosbifs" the French consider rude, it's the people not across the Channel, but across that bigger pond, les "Ricains". 😜
Just reminded me of a song called Brandy Alexander ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-agL9V0FIqL4.html Good review, as always. I know the line comes in a new presentation, hope the quality is the same.
@@laniersmith1798 discovered your channel last night and you inspired me to pick my bottle of Habit Rouge from the back of the shelf and wear it today. Beautiful fragrance. Thank you!
I like your videos, Lanier, but I was disappointed you decided to relay one person's prejudice towards the British. As a British man, I try not to be rude. Instead, I try to be kind and polite. I know some British people are rude, and I expect some Americans are rude too, and even some French people, but I wouldn't tar a whole nation with that particular brush. Shame you chose to repeat it, but otherwise I thank you for your video and your comments on the perfume.
Oh, no doubt I'm just being oversensitive and I know you weren't being critical. Possibly the Brits are more reserved which might be taken as stand-offishness or rudeness. Anyway, I appreciate the fact that you took the trouble to reply. Thank you. I have only once visited the USA and that was a trip to NYC 3 years ago. I loved it and I loved the people. I'm hoping to take an extended trip next year taking in New England and then California if possible. I really do enjoy your reviews and look forward to watching many more in the future. It's refreshing to see a youtube personality with such a restrained and informative style. Keep up the good work.@@laniersmith1798
Lanier, I was surprised by your reporting of an insult about English people. I have met many English gentlemen. You, on the other hand, have been celebrated as an American gentleman, which is unfortunately a rarity. Up until this insult. I am very disappointed.
I am sorry you are hurt by the story. But please believe me that the insult was the expression of the French woman and not my personal feelings about the British. I adore the British and being 42% British in heritage I feel a deep connection to England. so again I do apologize if I insulted you or anyone in the UK. Cheers.
