Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca 1999

Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca by Guerlain
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7.6 / 10 559 Ratings
A popular perfume by Guerlain for women, released in 1999. The scent is green-fresh. It is being marketed by LVMH.
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Main accords

Green
Fresh
Citrus
Floral
Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
CloverClover LemonLemon
Heart Notes Heart Notes
Curly mintCurly mint Green teaGreen tea
Base Notes Base Notes
CyclamenCyclamen Lily of the valleyLily of the valley Pear blossomPear blossom

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.6559 Ratings
Longevity
6.1421 Ratings
Sillage
5.7413 Ratings
Bottle
8.4402 Ratings
Value for money
7.0165 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 07/25/2025.

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Reviews

17 in-depth fragrance descriptions
7.5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
7
Scent
Sherapop

1239 Reviews
Sherapop
Sherapop
Helpful Review 6  
The Scent of the Color of a Fresh Bruise
I was very confused by Guerlain Aqua Allegoria HERBA-FRESCA the first time I tested it. Fortunately, my decant from a fellow fragrance traveler was rather large, so I was able to come back to it.

My initial confusion appears to have been caused by seriously dashed expectations. The last thing I expected this fragrance to be was a mint-centric creation. I had already owned and drained an entire bottle of Aqua Allegoria MENTAFOLLIA, which I really like, and it just did not make sense to me that such a careless repetition would be made in this series of what once upon a time were simple albeit very natural-smelling tributes to specific notes.

The series is no longer that, but the circa Y2K launches share the same governing aesthetic, and HERBA-FRESCA falls into that group, having been launched in 1999. I think that after several wears, I have finally figured this one out. HERBA-FRESCA is both minty and anisic simultaneously. This fragrance therefore toes the line between ANISIA BELLA and MENTAFOLLIA. It is actually a perfect product of the two. The green here is tinged blue, due to herbs such as tarragon or basil which are related to anise and impart a flavor not quite reaching anise, but coming pretty close.

The combination of the mint and the tarragon or basil, or whatever is making this composition blue, yields a strangely bright afterimage-like effect. It almost smells like ink, in fact, but I do believe that this is a natural effect caused by the combination of anisic herbs with a substantive mint note.

In the end, I've come around. I now like HERBA-FRESCA, just as I reach the end of my decant. I probably will not buy a bottle, however, because even if "this" fragrance is still in production, it's probably been reformulated to fall in line with the ghastly latter-day Aqua Allegoria compositions. Some suit at LVMH (probably the same one who thought that renaming MISS DIOR and MISS DIOR CHERIE was a fine idea) appears to have decided that "no one will notice" if they remove all of the nature from the once nature-inspired series that was Aqua Allegoria.

RIP.
0 Comments
10
Bottle
5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
10
Scent
MasterLi

375 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
Helpful Review 5  
Green Tea with Mint...
What a wonderful, lovely scent! So green and innocent! It is said that Jean-Paul Guerlain wanted to evoke with this the impression of when you are a child playing barefoot in the grass... and what an impression this one creates! The tea combined with the cyclamen, lilly-of-the-valley and clover, really give a light, airy, fresh, ozonic feeling to the whole fragrance, but the mint is the real player here. It's not a toothpaste-like mint, this is more of a green mint leaf crushed between your fingers kind of mint. It's extremely refreshing! Especially when combined with the lemon and green tea.

It's definitely beautiful stuff! I put some on earlier and it lasted six hours! Even longer on clothes! In my opinion this one is perfect for any time of year... and totally unisex! In fact, men, women, children... absolutely anyone can wear it! It's calm, clean, natural and inoffensive. A real masterpiece of freshness!
0 Comments
7
Pricing
10
Bottle
6
Longevity
10
Scent
Telekinec

437 Reviews
Telekinec
Telekinec
Helpful Review 4  
A glass of iced green tea with slices of lemons and fresh muddled mint
Smelled this on a strip of paper at a Holt Renfrew when I was about to leave. Kept smelling it in the car on my way back home. Knew I had to get a bottle of it even if I hadn't tried it on my skin. Little did I know that my boyfriend was paying attention. And thus, I received a full bottle of it at Valentines.

This ticks the box for a green, citrusy, fresh and floral fragrance that's perfect for spring and summer. It's super well-blended and absolutely invigorating. It's like drinking an iced green tea with slices of lemon and fresh mint that have been crushed in the glass when it's hot out. The beginning has that crisp, tart lemon that revitalizes the senses. After awhile, mint and green tea come up, imparting their beautiful green, herby notes to the scent. Mint is the strongest of the two on my skin and gives off this sharp, almost astringent accord (a good comparison would be the sharpness you get when taking a deep breath in the colder weather months) with a hint of spiciness. It's not unpleasant by any means. Green tea is a little bit softer, with a nice rounded green, fresh and herbal accord. After about an hour and a half, florals start peaking through. They're soft, soapy and smell quite fresh and clean. They give warmth, like flowers and herbs being warmed by the sun on a sunny afternoon in spring. They're a bit powdery, but also give off a hint of creaminess.

Although the sillage of this perfume is weak (becomes a skin scent after about 30 minutes), it does make you feel fresh and clean. I'd definitely wear this during warmer weather. Overall, I'd say it's a superbly well-blended perfume, proof that Guerlain knows what it's doing whatever the family of fragrance it tries to interpret.
0 Comments
8
Pricing
9
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
10
Scent
AdrianPapaki

72 Reviews
AdrianPapaki
AdrianPapaki
5  
Peak of mint scents.
I've spent quite some time hunting for the perfect HERBAL mint scent. It's always either "mojito" or toothpaste. THIS however, this is special to me.

This is both a relaxing spa experience as well as crunching mint leaves, whilst you're drinking cold green tea in a garden and the spring sun is shining on you. Protagonist is herbal mint, calming & soothing grassiness as well as a little bit of sweet green tea.
This is my absolute favorite from Guerlain and deserves more attention. Every time I put this on I smile bc damn it's so good I love it.

Leave You Or Someone Like You alone and try THIS masterpiece. You won't regret it. Great choice for spring/summer.
0 Comments
SystemeD

58 Reviews
SystemeD
SystemeD
Helpful Review 3  
Mint and grass and tea
After a vodka opening, a blast of mint. But the mint soon recedes in favor of a grassy note, and then is succeeded by tea. And then the grass. And back to tea.

While the mint is indeed a continuous presence in Herba Fresca, it is not overwhelming. It is refreshing.

On me, the lily of the valley and cyclamen present as an indistinct but fresh floral, still touched by mint.

Not my favorite in this line. I much prefer the Mentafollia.
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

17 short views on the fragrance
TelekinecTelekinec 1 year ago
10
Bottle
6
Longevity
10
Scent
There's a meadow full of wildflowers and, nearby, a glass of iced green tea with fresh spearmints and slices of lemon waiting.
0 Comments
Jazzy76Jazzy76 7 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
7
Scent
very fresh and green , it's a daily scent perfect in summer.Maybe too vibrant to my nose.The bottle is very elegant, in the Guerlain's style
0 Comments
BertolucciKBertolucciK 4 years ago
9
Bottle
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Green, aromatic and so fresh. In the opening, I get a minty toothpaste but it quickly dries down to a spicy fresh minty green tea with lily.
0 Comments
AdrianPapakiAdrianPapaki 7 months ago
9
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
10
Scent
Spa like feel with green tea & herbal mint, gorgeous summer scent. My fav from guerlain.
0 Comments
KacieNRKacieNR 1 year ago
7
Bottle
7
Sillage
10
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Crisp, green, and fresh, with some truly remarkable longevity from the mint note. Reminds me of Moroccan minty green tea.
0 Comments
Dixieland88Dixieland88 2 years ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
6
Longevity
9
Scent
Beautiful minty floral green. Realistic and of the highest smelling quality. It's not a beast, but it will keep you incredibly fresh for awh
0 Comments
ThundarcannaThundarcanna 3 months ago
8
Bottle
5
Sillage
9
Scent
The mint note in this is absolutely gorgeous, like picking wet mint fresh in your garden on a summer morning. Fresh, lovely, fleeting.
0 Comments
ScrubhelmetScrubhelmet 1 year ago
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9.5
Scent
A classy, relaxing but intimate blend of green tea, cucumber (?), and mint. I feel like these notes are scattered and fleeting.
0 Comments
EstbienlaEstbienla 3 years ago
A guerlain with an adn and a Hermès signature. With each use I am obliged to reread the brand :) fresh/fleuris perfume. Mixed perfume
0 Comments
BielwenassBielwenass 5 years ago
6
Scent
Grassy medicine. Fades away quickly.
0 Comments
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