Launched as a limited edition in 1999, Terracotta Voile d’été was designed to complement Guerlain’s Terracotta makeup collection. The basis for the scent was Quand vient l’été, which was developed by Jacques Guerlain in 1910. Noses Jean-Paul Guerlain and Mathilde Laurent updated and revised the old formula, resulting in a gorgeous summer stunner.

Terracotta Voile d'ete opens with bright, citrusy bergamot and cool, herbaceous mint, creating a refreshing start that, to me, is reminiscent of the smell of the lime/mint combo in a mint mojito. A note of pear adds a sweet, fresh fruitiness to the opening that’s the perfect way to coax out the flowers at the heart. A rich, sumptuous rose leads the pack. It’s joined by a note of jasmine that’s heady, floral, and sweet; it gives Terracotta Voile d'ete a tropical sexiness. Ylang-ylang backs up the jasmine with its custardy, creamy carnal aspects that bring to mind the smell of sunscreen. White lilies round out the flowers, with their opulent, green and spicy aspects leading to the clove-like scent of carnation, which adds a vibrant spicy warmth to Voile d'ete. At the base, iris adds earthiness and mellowness while heliotrope adds its almond/musky/vanilla goodness. It feels like the heliotrope forms a bouquet around the flowers in the heart. Sweet, creamy Tonka bean is almondy and vanilla faceted and brings in a note of soft, smooth vanilla that completes the fragrance.

Voile d'ete translates into English as ‘French summer veil’, and Terracotta Voile d'ete dries down to a sophisticated, seductive veil of a scent.

Terracotta Voile d'ete is not just a summer scent; it’s a nostalgic interpretation of the season. It evokes a bright, sun-drenched day with lush tropical florals, the scent of suntan lotion, and sun-kissed skin that’s a little salty from sweat. This emotional connection to summer never fails to move me.