Guerlain Meteorites 2018 and 2000 photo by Robert H©

The legendary house of Guerlain has just released a newly reformulated version of their Meteorites perfume from 2000, and in keeping with many of the recent releases from Guerlain, the new Meteorites is clearly skewed towards a new and younger demographic, and that is not at all a bad thing. I really like the new release quite a bit in and of itself.  It is to the original Guerlain Meteorites what Shalimar Souffle is to Shalimar; perhaps better released as an Aqua Allegoria, but extremely pretty on its own and fun to wear. By my very nature, it is difficult not to compare and contrast but that would be doing the new release a disservice. Both releases were/are said to be limited editions, which could just be a way of testing the market for a future general release. Regardless, the new Guerlain Meteorites 2018 (attributed to Thierry Wasser) is worth seeking out.

Guerlain Meteorites 2018  EDT photo by Robert H.©

Whereas the original Guerlain Meteorites  opens with a hefty dose of dust-dry iris and greenery, this new iteration starts with a blast of citrus with just a soupçon of greenish apple that really only adds some sweetness, but doesn’t read as apple to my nose. The rose and violet combination is exactly that, and well done to boot; the rose manages to uplift the violet from that of a candy drop to a pre-dinner aperitif.

Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia © and not affiliated with Guerlain

All in all the 2018 fragrance is a much younger version of 2000 Meteorites, and perfect for “les jeunesse”. The classic “Guerlainade” accord is in the mix as well, but dialed back to a wisp, and really doesn’t come forward until the drydown. There seemed to be a slight praline/caramel note that might have pushed this right into “La Vie Est (not so) Belle” territory, but thankfully, no. (I’m not a fan of LVEB if you can’t tell). So where this does newly reformulated Meteorites EdT sit within the Guerlain canon? It feels and wears like a lighter Aqua Allegoria, but carries the heft, weight, and title of what has always been considered a more sophisticated jus. I suspect that this will be a scent that continues to grow on me, and will perform much better in warmer months. I can see wearing this to a summer wedding or outdoor supper under the stars. It is a very “safe” scent and would likely not be out of place in an office setting as well. My one quibble with Guerlain Meteorites 2018 would be with the bottle, which feels clunky and frankly “down-market”, but at under $100 for 100 ml it’s a small issue really.

I suspect some die-hard Guerlainiacs will beat their chests all the while bemoaning the further abasement of a once-great house, but as a lifetime small-business owner I credit Guerlain and parent company LVMH for looking to their future customers to keep their business model relevant in these rapidly changing times. As long as they continue to use earnings to create more sophisticated offerings for us hard-core fans, I will remain happy to see how they reinvent themselves without losing the heart, soul, and scent of the company. And who knows? Perhaps like Shalimar Souffle they will release an “Intense” flanker that will bring it closer to the original. Hope springs eternal.

With any luck the 2018 limited edition Meteorites perfume is expected to be back in stock at Guerlain boutiques by mid-July.

Notes: (2018) bergamot, apple, green notes, rose, violet, white musk, woody notes

Notes: (2000) green notes, iris, violet, heliotrope.

The bottle and opinions are my own.

–Robert Herrmann, Senior Editor

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

photo via maggiesmakeup.com

Guerlain named the Meteorite perfume after the pastel”perles” pearl-like powder of the same name that was introduced in 1993.That too has been reinvented. I bought my powder in Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC in 1995- Michelyn

Have you tried either the 2000 Guerlain Meteorites or the Guerlain Meteorites 20018?