Our take
What does Embruns d'Ylang smell like?
Guerlain added Embruns d'Ylang to its L'Art & La Matière collection in 2019. Thierry Wasser built this eau de parfum around a flower usually cast in a supporting role: ylang-ylang. Here it takes the lead, pushed along by sea spray. The opening is salty and bright, with a snap of bergamot. The salt recalls hair dried in the sun. Then the ylang unfolds, somewhere between ripe banana and cream, backed by jasmine sambac. Clove spices the heart and honey rounds it off. The base blends iris, patchouli and vanilla in a very Guerlain register. The house talks about a sunny flower with salt-coated petals, and the image fits. The critic Persolaise praised the risk taken with the saline accord. He also likened its slightly shrill drydown to Tom Ford's Black Orchid. The first hours are the best part.
When to wear it
A summer floral for daytime and holiday evenings. Spray it on skin rather than clothes, where the salt makes the most sense.
It belongs to the Floral, Aquatic family. Embruns d'Ylang is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
