WHAT I SMELL:  Insolence (eau de parfum) opens with an ambered violet that quickly begins to turn creamy.  It’s slightly thickened and very pretty without being soft and demure.  Soon after, a more rounded vanilla and berry note comes forward and is added to the creamy concoction which feels like it would make for the perfect body lotion.  After a short time, the vanilla helps to move the perfume to the sweetened side which is a combination of candied and floral sweetness.  Here, the perfume really begins to radiate and grow in strength.  The addition of a sandalwood note helps to bring the sweetness down to earth while creating a wrap of warmth around the florals.  In the end, the perfume settles with a lightly sweet powdered vanilla’d violet resting on a subtle base of sandalwood.  Insolence is a “nice” perfume.

From the Guerlain website:

This fruity floral fragrance highlights an unprecedented powdery duo of violet and iris, given a modern edge by a dash of berries.

The Eau de Parfum Insolence showcases an overdosed, high-voltage violet: a triumphant violet that registers at the opposite end of the spectrum from the shy whisper usually used to treat this flower in half-shades and shadows. This dazzling violet rubs shoulders with a timeless, chic and feminine iris.

Top note is Violet; middle notes are Wild Strawberry and Orange Blossom; base notes are iris, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:   A perfume that “Pat” would wear in the 1970s.  It’s not offensive, it’s lightly girlish, yet slightly mature and her husband thinks she smells “swell”.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE INSOLENCE:  sweetened, effective, pleasant-enough

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT INSOLENCE:  A Tea-Scented Library

BOTTOM LINE:  Insolence is a pleasant enough of a perfume.  But I’m not sure that it’s enough.  To me, it’s an everyday perfume that doesn’t feel like something that I would want to wear every day.  And that’s too bad because I love my Guerlain perfumes.  As I said earlier, Insolence is a “nice” perfume.

• Bone Rating:  3 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent: Fruity Floral
• Classification:  Feminine
• Expense:  $135 for 75ml eau de parfum.