No. 25 by Guerlain, launched in 2002 as part of the Les Parisiennes collection, was both a revival and a transformation — a sophisticated reincarnation of Terracotta Voile d’Été, which had briefly illuminated Guerlain’s line just a few years earlier. The name “No. 25” was deliberately enigmatic, evoking both elegance and exclusivity. In perfumery, numbering a scent rather than naming it in the traditional sense carries a certain mystique — it feels like a code known only to the initiated, reminiscent of the legendary Chanel No. 5. The choice suggested refinement, restraint, and quiet luxury — the mark of something rare and collector-worthy.
The numeral “25” itself holds symbolic weight. It may allude to the 25th anniversary of Guerlain’s legendary Terracotta line of bronzing cosmetics, the house’s ode to sun-drenched beauty. But beyond its literal meaning, “No. 25” conjures images of Parisian ateliers, bottles lined in gilded cabinets, and a kind of serene precision in both form and fragrance. The title evokes a sense of mystery and artistry — a perfume that feels private, numbered like a couture gown or a limited-edition creation whispered among connoisseurs.
In 2002, the fragrance world was shifting. Minimalism had started to replace the excess of the 1980s and early 1990s, yet the early 2000s also embraced sun-kissed sensuality and Mediterranean warmth. Guerlain’s No. 25 appeared at this crossroads — poised between sophistication and hedonism. The fashions of the time favored clean lines, bronzed skin, and understated glamour, echoing the effortless allure of French summer. In perfumery, transparent florals, creamy vanillas, and warm amber bases were the prevailing trend. No. 25, like Terracotta Voile d’Été before it, captured this atmosphere perfectly — luminous, warm, and kissed by sunlight.
For women of the period, a perfume named No. 25 would have carried an air of private luxury. It wasn’t shouting for attention but inviting admiration — the kind of scent one discovers rather than wears loudly. Its reinterpretation of Terracotta Voile d’Été revealed a sophisticated evolution: while the original basked in golden sunlight, No. 25 softened that radiance into something more introspective — still warm and floral, but more refined, polished, and timeless.
Interpreted in scent, No. 25 is a floral oriental—where creamy ylang-ylang, jasmine, and warm vanilla intertwine with soft spices and gentle woods. It evokes the feel of sun-warmed skin after a day by the sea, touched by a lingering breeze of flowers and resins. The composition pays homage to Guerlain’s sensuality while modernizing it for the turn of the millennium.
In the context of its time, No. 25 stood apart — not as a bold innovator, but as a quietly confident continuation of Guerlain’s heritage. Where others chased fleeting trends, Guerlain anchored its creation in craftsmanship and nostalgia. Though discontinued in 2004, the scent’s story didn’t end there. In 2005, it was reborn yet again as Quand Vient l’Été (“When Summer Comes”), reaffirming its identity as Guerlain’s eternal ode to sun, warmth, and the golden, fleeting beauty of summer itself.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? No. 25 is classified as a floral oriental fragrance for women.
- Top notes: bergamot, mint, citrus, rose
- Middle notes: ylang-ylang, heliotrope, jasmine, iris, white lily, carnation, pear
- Base notes: vanilla, tonka bean, orris and straw
Scent Profile:
When first uncapped, Guerlain’s No. 25 unfurls like the first breath of summer after a long Parisian winter—radiant, warm, and faintly nostalgic. The fragrance opens with a sparkle of bergamot, its brisk and sunlit aroma lending a glimmering freshness reminiscent of dew on citrus leaves at dawn. Guerlain likely sourced their bergamot from Calabria, Italy, where the fruit’s peel yields an oil of superior clarity and sweetness, its scent more rounded and floral than the harsher varieties cultivated elsewhere. The citrus accord, brightened by hints of sweet orange and lemon, lifts the composition into a crystalline light. A trace of mint flickers through the top—cool and green, it brings an almost tactile freshness, as though crushed between the fingers. This green sharpness helps frame the perfume’s first impression before yielding to the silken touch of rose.
The rose in No. 25 is tender, airy, and luminous rather than opulent—likely a blend of Bulgarian rose essence, prized for its rich yet crisp aroma, and rose absolute from Grasse, whose honeyed, spicy undertones add warmth. Guerlain enhances this natural bouquet with a trace of phenylethyl alcohol, a soft, fresh molecule naturally present in roses that amplifies their dewy sweetness. This synthetic accent makes the floral note feel as though it has been freshly cut, still damp from the morning mist.
As the fragrance settles into its heart, ylang-ylang unfurls its solar richness. Harvested from the Comoros Islands, this exotic flower brings a creamy, almost buttery sensuality that bridges the airy top notes and the velvety base. Ylang-ylang’s natural components—benzyl acetate and p-cresyl methyl ether—contribute to its narcotic sweetness and faintly banana-like, tropical warmth. Alongside it, heliotrope introduces a gentle powderiness, tinged with almond and marzipan—its key molecule, heliotropin (piperonal), adds a cozy, nostalgic tone that softens the florals.
A procession of blossoms follows—jasmine, luminous and velvety, likely a blend of Grasse jasmine absolute and jasmine synthetics like Hedione (methyl dihydrojasmonate), a molecule famous for its radiant, airy diffusion. This gives jasmine in No. 25 a modern translucence, allowing it to breathe within the composition instead of smothering it with heady intensity. Iris and white lily lend an aristocratic polish—the iris with its cool, powdery elegance derived from orris butter, and the lily contributing its silken, faintly green sensuality. The faint spice of carnation, with its clove-like eugenol content, pricks the sweetness ever so slightly, while the inclusion of pear adds a soft, juicy freshness, a playful nod to the fruity florals popular in late-1990s perfumery.
As the perfume dries down, the base becomes a gentle exhalation of warmth and comfort. Vanilla, creamy and balsamic, anchors the scent with its golden sweetness—likely sourced from Madagascar, whose vanilla beans possess an unparalleled balance of warmth and depth. The presence of vanillin, both natural and synthetic, enhances this note’s diffusion, ensuring it lingers like sunlight on skin. Tonka bean, rich in coumarin, contributes its characteristic almond-hay nuance, deepening the gourmand impression without overwhelming it. Orris, in the base as well as the heart, reinforces the powdery, velvety texture, while the delicate straw accord evokes dry grass warmed by the sun—perhaps created through ionones and coumarin derivatives that give a bucolic, honeyed softness.
In its totality, No. 25 feels like the olfactory portrait of eternal summer—the shimmering brightness of citrus and mint dissolving into sun-heated flowers and finally settling into the serene warmth of vanilla and hay. Compared to the Terracotta Voile d’Été that preceded it, No. 25 retains the same bronzed sensuality but smooths it into something more refined—less overtly sun-kissed, more softly perfumed, as though the skin itself had absorbed the light of a long, golden afternoon. The natural florals are illuminated by modern synthetics, each one amplifying the beauty of the raw materials—like sunlight glancing off silk. The result is quietly intoxicating: radiant, feminine, and timelessly French.
Bottle:
