Our take
What does Gaultier² smell like?
Jean Paul Gaultier launched Gaultier² in 2005 as a perfume meant for everyone. Francis Kurkdjian, who had already composed Le Mâle, wrote the formula. The double bottle is held together by magnets, hence the squared name. The house deliberately dropped the classic pyramid. The scent is close to linear, with a short woody opening. The heart blends cistus labdanum with white musks for a warm-skin effect. Then ambergris and vanilla pod gently take over. None of it smells like pastry: the vanilla stays dry, more amber than sugar. After years off the shelves it was reissued in 2022. Compared with Le Mâle, it shares the vanilla but skips the lavender and mint, and it reads much more like a skin scent. The labdanum adds a faintly leathery warmth. On skin it lasts for hours without ever shouting.
When to wear it
An intimate perfume for evenings and close quarters. Two sprays on the chest are enough since it projects little but lasts long.
It belongs to the Oriental / Amber family. Gaultier² is one of 14 creations by Jean Paul Gaultier in our encyclopedia.
