Guerlain · Aqua Allegoria Eau de Toilette

The House of Guerlain has a long & storied history in the world of fragrance, having composed masterpieces such as Shalimar (which I absolutely love, for the record) amongst others. Then in 1999, Aqua Allegoria — a new fresh range of fragrances, was created to compliment the brand’s impressive roster … and caught the attention of a younger demographic, along with those who wanted to dip their toes (so to speak) in the Guerlain olfactory experience. For my part, I only recently tried these on for size and my jaw dropped; how have I missed wearing these fragrances until now?

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Aqua Allegoria Eau de Toilette (CAN $80.00/75 ml) | All shown have been created by Thierry Wasser, with the exception of Bergamote Calabria that was in collaboration with Delphine Jelk. Housed in crisp white boxes, each bears a different coloured motif and band, as a nod to the individual scent. The round cap bears the brand’s iconic bee emblem along with a honeycomb ‘cage’ upon the bottle’s shoulders, with the only colour coming from the liquid that also matches the name on the label. All said, each bottle is a perfect blending of traditional and modern … not to mention utterly display-worthy.

Rosa Rossa (new for 2018) – Fresh Floral with bergamot, litchi, black current & lemon (top notes), rose, peony (heart notes), cedar, white musk (base notes)
Bergamote Calabria (launched in 2017) – Earthy & Woody with Calabrian bergamot, petitgrain (top notes), cardamom, ginger (heart notes), woody notes, white musk (base notes)
Teazzurra (launched in 2015) – Fresh & slightly Ozonic with bergamot, lemon, yuzu, grapefruit (top notes), green tea, chamomile, jasmine (heart notes), musk, calone, vanilla (base notes)
Limon Verde (launched in 2014) – Citrus & Tropical with lime (top note), green notes, tropical fruit, fig, sugar cane (heart notes), tonka bean (base note)

Make no mistake about it: these were not created to have the same longevity as perfume, but I still feel like Thierry Wasser managed to accomplish something amazing just the same; they may all be Eau de Toilette, but their performance definitely leans a lot longer.

“Eaux de Toilette that combine the freshness of a Cologne with the lingering trail of a Guerlain perfume, majestically showcasing Calabrian bergamot, an essential ingredient in any Aqua Allegoria fragrance”

I’ve said often enough that choosing a fragrance is highly personal, not to mention tailored to one’s individual taste; so basically that means I can only speak for myself and what works for me. I’m also that person that can have an instant migraine triggered by certain scents — although that isn’t the case with any of the four shown here (thank God). As my tastes have always run to anything vanilla, lately I’ve been looking to lighten things up and experiment with fresher compositions: Aqua Allegoria definitely fits that bill.

Details such as the etched bee emblem and honeycomb cage, elevate each bottle to little works of art; the touches are relatively simple, but carry an impact — as well as tie in to the brand’s long history.

Some consider the Aqua Allegoria range as entry level scents into Guerlain’s vast fragrance world, but I feel that they stand alone and unique. Of the four here, I am positively obsessed with both Limon Verde (it’s literally like wearing Summer … or a mojito, for that matter) and Rosa Rossa (not your grandmother’s rose fragrance: this one is fresh and totally sexy at the same time), with each fitting into different aspects of my personality. Teazzura is a bit puzzling; on me, the first spritz seems household cleaner-ish, but as it develops it warms up and becomes something that’s hard to pin down — sort of like walking through a forest after a rain. I still need to play with Bergamote Calabria a bit further, but I get a redolent citrus grove/sunshine vibe that makes me want to discover what other secrets it hides. To sum up: these are all lovely and perfect for anyone who wants unique combinations of traditional scents, but not the commitment. All of which now means I will definitely be testing out the rest.

Available at Sephora, select retailers & Guerlain Boutiques