Our take
What does Mon Guerlain smell like?
Unveiled in 2017, Mon Guerlain is the work of Thierry Wasser and Delphine Jelk, who revisit a pairing close to the house’s heart: lavender and vanilla. Carla lavender from Provence gives the opening an aromatic freshness that is soft and faintly sweet, supported by bergamot. Jasmine, iris and rose lend floral, powdery roundness at the heart. The base is what defines it, though: a creamy vanilla, smoothed by sandalwood and coumarin, recalling the warmth of Guerlain’s great classics. The result is a luminous, tender, very comforting oriental that marries lavender’s aromatic freshness with the sweetness of a light pastry.
When to wear it
An everyday scent for the office or evenings, in mild or cool weather. It suits women who love elegant, enveloping vanillas.
The story of Mon Guerlain
Angelina Jolie fronted Mon Guerlain in 2017, her first fragrance campaign. Signing a star of that size showed what Guerlain wanted: a major contemporary feminine to sit next to La Petite Robe Noire, which was younger and sweeter. Thierry Wasser, the house perfumer since 2008, wrote the formula with Delphine Jelk. They went back to a pairing Guerlain has worked on since Jicky in 1889, lavender and vanilla. Here Carla lavender grown in Provence is the common thread, and the vanilla is handled in a milkier way than in the old classics. The bottle is the quadrilobe, designed in 1908 and used by Guerlain for several of its perfumes. The thick four-lobed glass made the launch look like a heritage piece more than a novelty. The line grew quickly. A lighter eau de toilette came first, then the more floral Mon Guerlain Florale. An Intense version followed, along with Bloom of Rose, which leans into rose. Every one of them keeps lavender and vanilla as the foundation.
Our detailed review
Lavender leads, fresh and a little camphorous, with bergamot to brighten it. For ten minutes you could mistake it for a classic men’s scent. But the vanilla is already rising underneath, and that tension is what makes the first hours charming. The heart is quiet. A touch of powdery iris, a rose and a jasmine that stay in the background. After two hours it becomes a creamy vanilla with a hint of coumarin, a biscuit note and some sandalwood. The lavender lingers faintly, like linen folded away in a wardrobe. We like how controlled the sweetness is. It never cloys, and the link to the house classics is obvious. Our main complaint is that the vanilla ends up covering everything, so the scent goes flat. Anyone who knows Shalimar or Jicky will find it well-behaved, with no smoke and no rough edges. It suits people after an elegant everyday vanilla. It will not win over those who dislike lavender or want a bolder gourmand.
Mon Guerlain vs its rivals
Shalimar is the obvious model. Both have bergamot, jasmine and rose, plus iris and vanilla. Shalimar adds tonka and opoponax, and its vanilla is smoky, almost leathery, under far brighter citrus. Mon Guerlain smooths all that into a cleaner, milkier vanilla. To ease into the Guerlain style, start with Mon Guerlain. For character, go to Shalimar. Vol de Nuit is the insider’s pick. It shares jasmine and iris with Mon Guerlain, plus vanilla and sandalwood. Bitter galbanum and violet make it greener and more melancholy, and it takes some getting used to. Lancôme Trésor is the rival from outside the house. It has iris and jasmine, rose and vanilla, all pulled toward apricot and powder with a strong musk. Trésor feels more retro and rosier. Mon Guerlain reads as more modern thanks to its lavender.
Longevity, projection and use
Mon Guerlain lasts six to eight hours on most skin, and the vanilla base is still there in the evening. Projection is moderate for the first hour, then it wraps around you without filling the room. Three sprays are enough: one on the neck and one on each wrist. To stretch it, add one on your scarf or coat collar, where vanilla keeps well. It is at ease from autumn to spring, by day, at work or for dinner. In high summer the vanilla feels heavy, so reach for the Florale version instead.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber family. Mon Guerlain is one of 10 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
