Guerlain: 57 posts

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Now and again, walking down a street in Paris, I catch a whiff of Shalimar. According to the latest bestseller lists—compiled by companies whose entire business rests on the arcane practice of counting doors and tracking fragrance sales—Guerlain Shalimar remains among the top ten best-selling perfumes in France. If that is true, then excellent. Few perfumes deserve to be worn, loved, and admired as much as Shalimar.

What makes Shalimar extraordinary is its paradox. It is sumptuous, yet startlingly modern; ornate, yet almost linear in its construction. One could even call it a precursor to the Sophia Grojsman style: a bold block of high-impact materials, softened and ornamented with delicate flourishes.

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Guerlain Shalimar L’Essence (українська версія)

When a house like Guerlain marks the centenary of its most famous perfume, expectations run high. Shalimar is more than a fragrance; it is a myth. Born in 1925, Jacques Guerlain’s creation was radical in its structure: a dazzling bergamot opening tumbling into smoke, balsams, and a warm, animalic vanilla base. It was perfume as sensation, unapologetically modern and deeply sensual.

Shalimar L’Essence, launched in 2025 by Delphine Jelk, does not attempt to recreate that audacity. Instead, it revives the formula of Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia (2021), a limited edition that quickly became a cult favorite. Fans of that release will be pleased to know that L’Essence brings the same opulent, liqueur-like vanilla into the permanent collection.

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With the start of summer it seems natural to reach for a cologne. This style of fragrances based on citrus is uplifting and bright, and wearing a cologne is a low-commitment affair since it lasts on skin for only a few hours, leaving behind a memory of freshness. Of course, these days there are many different colognes, some promising an all-day citrus blast and others treating the most un-cologne-like notes like sandalwood, roses and musk in the style’s gossamer lightness. For my part, I recommend visiting three classics from Guerlain: Eau de Cologne du Coq, Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat and Eau de Guerlain.

Not only does the trio offer a range of styles, it gives a great overview of the house’s signature and the way it evolved over time. The fragrances were created by three perfumers representing different generations of the Guerlain family–Aimé Guerlain with his fin-de-siecle sensibilities, Jacques Guerlain renowned for his technical mastery and Jean-Paul Guerlain, the renegade. One need not have all three colognes in one’s wardrobe, but each is distinctive enough to be worth comparing.

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Mint plays a curious trick on our senses.  Menthol, the main component of mint essence, triggers the cold-sensitive TRPM8 receptors found in the skin – a phenomenon that is responsible for the icy burst one experiences when eating mint candy or drinking a mint julep. Even a sip of hot Moroccan mint tea on a balmy day will produce the same cooling effect. In the realm of perfumes, you can try Guerlain Herba Fresca.

Herba Fresca has been around for a while, and I don’t even remember the first time I tried it. I only recall enjoying its uplifting freshness and green notes. It’s not a complicated perfume and it holds few secrets. From the burst of verdancy and citrus to the soft musky chords in the drydown, it’s a straightforward blend. But what it lacks in complexity, it makes up for in its vibrant character. It’s refreshing in the summer and rejuvenating in the winter.

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It’s easy to get overtaken by the flood of newness and to forget about the trusted old favorites. The other day I found a neglected bottle of Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat in one of my fragrance drawers and put it on more as a reflex than because of any desire to wear it. It had been a while since I had tried it, but smelling its zesty lemon top notes reminded me what a gem it is and how refreshing it feels on a hot day.

If Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat were a color, it would be pop-art yellow. The initial impression is of grated lemon zest and lots of it. The bitterness of bergamot and lime add an additional twist, but it doesn’t happen until a few minutes into the development. Also, despite the “citron flowers” promised by the name, the composition is not particularly floral. It’s as classical of a cologne as you can find.

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