Pretty bottle, the contents of which are insolently disappointing (Guerlain: Insolence, Eau de Toilette)

Member Name: Sacheverell

Product:	Guerlain: Insolence, Eau de Toilette
Date:	09/11/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A hint of parma violet; not a 'bad' smell; pretty bottle; good staying power

Disadvantages: Not to my taste; one-note perfume, no depth to it; too sweet; too overpowering

I bought a selection of mini perfumes from Boots as a treat for myself - it was reduced to £8 and contained five fragrances so I thought that was pretty good value, and I really enjoy trying new perfumes.
I had previously seen an advert for Guerlain Insolence. What struck me about that was that I really didn't like the name; insolence is defined as 'an arrogant, insulting or bold mode of conduct or attitude'. To me that doesn't seem anything to aspire to; perhaps they were aiming at a vaguely 'rebellious' teenage market, which would also explain why it's the sponsor for the programme Gossip Girl, which is not something I've wanted to watch.

The bottle - even the miniature version I have - is really rather pretty, with a glass rose shape forming the lid, which sits on the rounded bottle at a jaunty angle.
I applied the perfume to my wrists by dabbing it on - the miniature bottles don't usually come with a spray action. I didn't find the perfume changed scent over time, as some do as they adjust to your skin.

The scent is described as having heart notes of orange blossom and rose, top notes of violet and red berries, and base notes of iris and tonka bean resins.
I am not terribly good at identifying different layers to fragrances, but this to me is rather a 'one note' sort of perfume - it's very sweet with a hint of parma violets. I can't really detect the rose scent but other people with better noses may be able to. It's described as a fruity fragrance but I consider it to be more on the floral side.

It is a heavy sort of fragrance but it doesn't give me a headache. It has a warmth to it, and it is generally pleasant. It has very good staying power. However, it doesn't really smell like an expensive perfume - to me it has a fragrance reminiscent of the heavy, more old-fashioned perfumes like L'Aimant and also Amarige (which is also by Guerlain). It doesn't really smell like it costs £29.50 for 30ml, which is the going rate.
In general, I think this perfume is a nice, cosy warm smell for winter, but rather too sweet, a little overpowering, and not especially complex. Although it was introduced in 2006, it does not seem like a modern fragrance. However, fragrance is a very personal thing and I can see why it would appeal to people - it's not unpleasant by any means. It does have a beautiful bottle, so if you know someone who likes the more old-fashioned sweet perfumes, it's probably an ideal gift for them.

Please note that this review is also posted on Ciao.

Summary: For someone who likes heavy, sweet fragrance, this would be nice. It's not an offputting scent.