halfwhiteboy

It’s been a little over a year since I got this, a little over a year since Guerlain released Habit Rouge Parfum . Naturally, I was curious because I adore the original Guerlain Habit Rouge EDT . It was love at first sniff and I regret not getting into fragrances sooner so I would have enjoyed that masterpiece longer. That said, I also missed the boat on its many flankers, which is why when I got wind of this 2024 parfum version, I got excited.

Released in 2019, Coconut Fizz was yet another addition to Guerlain 's already extensive roster of Aqua Allegoria fragrances. I was a bit surprised when this came out because I felt like coconut seemed out of place in a line known for light and fresh scents. When I think of coconut in fragrances—from Nishane's Fan Your Flames , to Francesca Bianchi's Sex and the Sea , and even to local brand ScentSmith Perfumery's Ilang Ilang Coconut —it's always warm and creamy. But then this one has "fizz" in its name.

Guerlain's Habit Rouge EDT is one of those fragrances that wowed me from the very first spritz. I remember being overwhelmed by this complex blend of sheer beauty that I couldn't make out what it was. I tried picking out the notes but I was totally lost and couldn't identify any, so I simply surrendered to its intoxicating grace and enjoyed the moment. Only after a few more occasions was I able to sit down and somehow analyze this wonderful creation.

The list of fragrances under  Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria line just keeps on getting longer by the minute. Last year (2019), Ginger Piccante caught my eye at a sales counter. It was a fairly new release then and the idea of introducing ginger to this line—otherwise known for inoffensive, light and fresh scents—intrigued me. Although it's not a particularly heavy spice, ginger isn't to everyone's taste, so my curiosity was instantly piqued.

Banking on my positive experiences with Guerlain fragrances, particularly L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme and Guerlain Heritage , I blind-bought this one expecting to be wowed - but only moderately considering it's in cologne concentration. A flanker of the 2014 original, Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Cologne is, without a doubt, a freshie, a characteristic well represented by its pristine, white-themed bottle. It opens predictably with a citrusy blast but is not overly zesty or sharp. There's a certain creaminess to it, however mild. Perhaps it's due to the almond. But unlike Tom Ford's Fucking Fabulous , I don't find it as prominent here. It's not a bad thing, though, as it serves its purpose of smoothening out the citrus's sharp edges - and quite beautifully so.

It's been years since I tried a Guerlain fragrance, and that was L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme . I liked it enough but I never really went crazy over it. It was a fairly good introduction to the brand nonetheless and I told myself that I wanted to try their other fragrances. However, I haven't come across any local store that carried them--until I set my sights on eBay and found a few listings from a local seller. After much thought and banking on nothing but reviews, I made a blind buy with Guerlain Heritage . I got the EDP version and did not regret my purchase at all.

For weeks now I've been using L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme , my first taste of the Guerlain brand. The legendary French perfume house, acquired by LVMH in 1994, has a considerable history that dates back to 1828. As such, it has produced a long list of fragrances, a lot of which have become classic bestsellers. So it's quite a shame I've only tried them now.