Aubepine 1839

Launched in 1839, Aubépine — pronounced "oh-bay-peen" — takes its name from the French word for hawthorn, a flowering shrub known for its delicate white or pink blossoms and softly sweet, almond-like fragrance. The name itself conjures an image of springtime awakening, when hedgerows burst into bloom and the air fills with a gentle, powdery sweetness. In the Victorian language of flowers, hawthorn symbolized hope, love, and the arrival of happiness, though it also carried an old-world mystique: in folklore, hawthorn was considered both a charm of protection and a symbol of chastity. By choosing this name, Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain celebrated nature’s quiet elegance and emotional depth — qualities that appealed to the refined sensibilities of 19th-century women.

In perfumery, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is valued for its soft, creamy floralcy with a faint bitter-green undertone, reminiscent of almond blossoms and new spring leaves. Its scent contains naturally occurring anisic aldehyde and phenylacetic compounds, which lend it that slightly spicy, powdery sweetness often found in vintage floral bouquets. In Guerlain’s time, true hawthorn tinctures were derived from blossoms harvested in rural France and England, where hedgerows were abundant and fragrant in late spring. Later, as perfumery advanced, synthetic notes such as benzyl acetate, rhodinyl butyrate, and phenyl ethyl acetate became essential to recreating and enhancing the scent of hawthorn. These compounds deepened its creamy, petal-like nuances and added luminosity — a perfect harmony of nature and innovation that Guerlain himself pioneered.

The year 1839 places Aubépine in the Romantic era, a period that prized sentiment, poetry, and nature’s beauty. This was a time when personal fragrance became an intimate expression of refinement and emotional sensibility rather than a mere mask for unpleasant odors. Fashion favored femininity and grace — gowns of soft silks and gauzes, adorned with floral trims, delicate lace, and pastel shades that echoed the natural world. Perfumes followed suit, drawing inspiration from gardens and woodlands. A fragrance named Aubépine would have felt at once fresh, romantic, and genteel — a portrait of the ideal Victorian woman: demure, sensitive, and connected to nature’s purity.

 

Olfactorily, the name Aubépine translates into a floral oriental (floral amber) composition — a luminous blend of airy blossoms resting on a warm, resinous base. The fragrance likely opened with a touch of orange flower and bergamot, unfolding into a heart of hawthorn, jasmine, and rose, and settling into a gentle base of tonka bean, vanilla, and balsam. The warmth of the oriental base would have softened the brightness of the floral heart, creating an aura that was both tender and sensual.

By the mid-19th century, Aubépine had become a perfumery classic. Nearly every perfume house of note — from Paris to London — offered its own interpretation of a “hawthorn bouquet.” Formulas appeared in trade manuals and perfumers’ notebooks, each slightly altered to display the maker’s personal touch. Guerlain’s version, however, stood out for its refinement and its ability to bridge tradition with innovation. In later decades, when perfumers began experimenting with synthetic aroma molecules like heliotropin, which mimics almond blossom and soft powder, the scent of hawthorn evolved into something even more dreamy and abstract — yet its emotional essence remained unchanged.

Thus, Aubépine represents not only one of Guerlain’s earliest floral masterpieces but also an important link in the evolution of perfumery itself — a fragrance that captured the poetry of spring, the innocence of love, and the promise of renewal, all distilled into a bottle of 19th-century charm.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Aubépine is classified as a floral oriental (also known as a floral amber) fragrance.

• Top notes: neroli, orange, cassie, benzyl acetate, rhodinyl butyrate, phenyl ethyl acetate 
• Middle notes: anisic aldehyde, jasmine, tuberose, hawthorn, heliotropin
• Base notes: almond, tonka bean, civet, storax, costus, benzoin, rosewood, vetiver

Scent Profile:

To experience Aubépine is to step into an early spring morning somewhere in the French countryside of the 1830s—where hedgerows bloom with hawthorn, sunlight filters through new green leaves, and the air carries the promise of warmth after a long winter. Classified as a floral oriental, the fragrance unfolds like a slow waltz between delicate blossoms and soft resins, capturing both purity and sensuality in perfect balance.

The opening greets the senses with a sparkling neroli, distilled from the bitter orange blossoms of Tunisia or Italy. Its radiant, honeyed aroma—rich in linalool and nerolidol—evokes sunlight diffused through lace curtains, both fresh and calming. Paired with orange oil, it offers a citrus sweetness that is rounder and more natural than lemon, softened by the golden warmth of the Mediterranean. Into this light steps cassie, the fragrant mimosa-like bloom from southern France, its scent powdery and green with a faint touch of violet leaf. Cassie adds a textured, nostalgic sweetness—like crushed petals mingling with pollen in the breeze. Synthetic esters such as benzyl acetate, rhodinyl butyrate, and phenyl ethyl acetate lend dimension and harmony here. Each of these molecules replicates facets of natural flowers—fruitiness, honey, and green freshness—and heightens the composition’s naturalism. They give body and radiance to the floral opening, making it shimmer and last beyond the fleeting moment of real citrus blossoms.

The heart is where Aubépine truly lives. The namesake hawthorn reveals itself in full bloom—soft, creamy, slightly sweet, and faintly bitter, a note hovering between fresh-cut almond and wildflower honey. Its unique character comes from anisic aldehyde and phenylacetic compounds, naturally present in hawthorn blossoms, which create that tender, powdery-almond aroma so beloved in 19th-century perfumery. Jasmine from Egypt adds a narcotic, opulent warmth—its benzyl acetate and indole giving a sensual undertone that contrasts beautifully with the innocent hawthorn. Tuberose, rich and creamy, brings a luxurious depth, while heliotropin introduces a velvety sweetness, reminiscent of sugared almonds and sunlit petals. The balance between these florals and the gentle almond-like nuances creates a romantic softness, at once intimate and ethereal.

As the fragrance settles, the base unfurls like antique silk. Almond and tonka bean blend seamlessly, their shared molecule, coumarin, infusing the perfume with a comforting, powdery warmth that feels like a whisper of nostalgia. Storax and benzoin, resins once traded along ancient spice routes, give a balsamic richness—ambery, slightly smoky, and enveloping—binding the floral notes in a golden haze. The presence of rosewood adds polish and grace, while vetiver, likely from Haiti, lends a subtle dryness that grounds the composition, preventing it from becoming overly sweet. In the background, civet and costus contribute the faintest animalic hum—never overt, but enough to suggest skin and intimacy, transforming the airy bouquet into something quietly sensual.

This interplay of natural extracts and early synthetics marks Aubépine as a bridge between eras—rooted in the romantic naturalism of the early 19th century yet already embracing the technical sophistication that would define modern perfumery. The synthetics—delicate esters, heliotropin, and anisic aldehyde—serve not to replace the natural materials but to amplify and perfect them, preserving the fleeting beauty of flowers that fade too quickly in their natural state.

Smelling Aubépine today is like uncovering a forgotten letter pressed between the pages of an old book—a memory of spring, innocence, and early perfumery’s artistry. It speaks of youth and refinement, of women in pastel silks and lace gloves, their perfumes as gentle as their whispered confidences. The scent of Aubépine lingers softly, like the last light of afternoon—a floral sigh warmed by amber and memory.

Bottle:

Aubepine was housed in the Carre flacon starting in 1870.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Aubépine was eventually discontinued, though the exact date remains unknown. What is known is that it was still being produced and sold as late as 1887, more than forty years after its debut — a testament to its enduring popularity and refined composition. Its long lifespan reflects both the craftsmanship of Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain and the continued appeal of soft floral perfumes in 19th-century France. During this period, Aubépine had become a familiar favorite among women of taste — a fragrance that bridged generations, retaining its romantic charm even as perfumery evolved toward more complex, modern creations.

That Aubépine remained on sale well into the late 19th century also highlights Guerlain’s reputation for timelessness and quality. While other perfumers moved quickly from one fashionable scent to the next, Guerlain’s creations often lingered for decades, cherished by loyal clients who valued consistency and refinement over novelty. By the 1880s, when synthetic aroma materials were beginning to revolutionize the art of perfumery, Aubépine stood as a graceful survivor from an earlier, more romantic era — a scent of pure blossoms, tender warmth, and quiet sophistication.

In this way, the perfume’s longevity serves as both a marker of its success and a symbol of Guerlain’s early mastery. Though eventually discontinued, Aubépine left behind an olfactory legacy: it captured the essence of 19th-century femininity and foreshadowed the floral oriental harmony that would become one of Guerlain’s enduring signatures.

Preparations Thermales

In the 1878 Guerlain catalog, under the section Préparations Thermales par bouteilles dosées pour un bain (“Thermal Preparations in Measured Bottles for the Bath”), the house offered a collection of specialized liquid bath treatments. Each formula was prepared with the same care as a fine perfume—precisely dosed, elegantly bottled, and designed to transform the bath into both a therapeutic ritual and a luxurious sensory experience. During the late nineteenth century, hydrotherapy and perfumed bathing were highly fashionable, blending notions of hygiene, health, and pleasure. Guerlain’s bains dosés reflected this dual purpose: to beautify the skin and restore vitality to body and spirit.

Bain rafraîchissant aux Quatre Semences

(Refreshing Bath with the Four Seeds)

The Bain aux Quatre Semences—literally “bath of the four seeds”—was inspired by traditional apothecary and herbalist remedies. The “four seeds” (quatre semences) typically referred to the cooling seeds of melon, cucumber, pumpkin, and gourd, all valued for their soothing and softening properties. When infused in warm water, these seeds released a mild, green, nutty aroma reminiscent of fresh cucumber and damp linen. Guerlain’s interpretation likely incorporated a light floral note or citrus accent to enhance the freshness. The bath would have felt cooling, calming, and slightly emollient, ideal for summer use or to soothe irritated skin. Such a preparation was believed to refresh the complexion, reduce redness, and restore balance to overheated or fatigued skin.

Bain aromatique fortifiant

(Aromatic Fortifying Bath)

This preparation drew upon aromatic botanicals known for their invigorating properties—likely including rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, and perhaps pine or juniper. These ingredients, often sourced from Provence and the Alps, were rich in essential oils containing camphor, cineole, and borneol, which stimulated circulation and cleared the respiratory system. The scent would have been bright, herbaceous, and resinous, filling the bath with an almost medicinal clarity. The Bain aromatique fortifiant was designed to revitalize the body, strengthen the nerves, and combat fatigue, echoing the curative principles of spa bathing then popular in Europe’s thermal towns such as Vichy and Aix-les-Bains.

Bain détersif au Savon de Naples

(Cleansing Bath with Neapolitan Soap)

The Savon de Naples (soap of Naples) referred to a pure, olive oil–based soap originating from southern Italy. Renowned for its gentleness, it produced a rich, creamy lather and a faintly green, soapy scent with hints of lemon and olive wood. Guerlain’s Bain détersif used this ingredient to create a deeply cleansing yet non-irritating bath. The preparation likely contained a mild alkaline base combined with aromatic waters or essential oils to purify the skin without stripping it. Its benefit was both hygienic and cosmetic—to cleanse, soften, and prepare the skin for perfumed powders or lotions. This bath would have left the body delicately scented and refreshed, a refinement beyond ordinary washing.

Bain cosmétique au Baume de Judée

(Cosmetic Bath with Balm of Judea)

Baume de Judée (Balm of Judea) was an exotic, resinous substance—closely associated with balsam of Mecca or opobalsam, historically harvested from trees in the region of Judea (present-day Israel and Palestine). This precious ingredient exuded a warm, sweet, and slightly spicy aroma, similar to benzoin or myrrh. In Guerlain’s Bain cosmétique, it would have been blended with other resins such as styrax or tolu balsam, creating a luxurious, ambered perfume that lingered on the skin. Beyond its beautiful scent, the balm was reputed to have healing and rejuvenating properties, softening the skin and promoting a radiant complexion. It was the bath of choice for those seeking to nourish dry skin and indulge in a sensuous, oriental atmosphere—an echo of the biblical “balm of Gilead.”

Bain adoucissant au Lait de Roses

(Softening Bath with Milk of Roses)

Perhaps the most romantic of the collection, the Bain au Lait de Roses combined rosewater, almond milk, and fine oils to create a delicately scented emulsion. The “milk of roses” was a time-honored cosmetic lotion known for its emollient and whitening qualities. Guerlain’s version would have carried the tender fragrance of fresh Damask roses, sourced from Grasse or Bulgaria, with soft powdery undertones of orris or vanilla. When poured into the bath, it transformed the water into a velvety, opalescent infusion that left the skin supple, smooth, and faintly perfumed. Its benefit was both aesthetic and sensory—to soothe dryness, calm sensitivity, and impart a glow of refinement associated with the toilette of elegant women.

Eau aromatique pour le Bain

(Aromatic Water for the Bath)

This was a more versatile, all-purpose bath additive, composed of fragrant distillates such as orange blossom, bergamot, lavender, rosemary, and thyme—an olfactory bridge between cologne and hydrotherapy. The scent was likely brisk, sparkling, and clean, reminiscent of Guerlain’s early Eaux de Cologne. When added to the bath, it offered an instant burst of freshness, gently toning the skin while perfuming the water with a luminous, invigorating aroma. Such aromatic waters were also believed to stimulate the senses, aid digestion, and improve circulation, combining pleasure with subtle health benefits.

Taken together, these six Préparations Thermales from Guerlain’s 1878 catalog reflect a time when bathing was not merely hygienic, but ritualistic and medicinal—a moment of luxury designed to purify, beautify, and restore harmony between body and spirit. Each bottle represented the house’s blend of pharmacy, perfumery, and art, transforming the private bath into a sanctuary of scent and well-being.