Cuir Béluga

(Note: see edit at the end of this review) What the HEY?!! I fell in love with the vanilla smokiness of Ciur Beluga at the very second I tried it in a sample size. The bottom notes are there all the time waiting their turn to fully show themselves, but the top notes disappear fast! The middle notes they blend so nicely and dance slowly and imperceptably out of the way of the bottom notes. The leather/suede turns into a sweet smoke - and it kept me interested! . It does indeed remind me of sitting by the window in a library in the late afternoon sun. I especially loved how many hours later - smelling how it developed into something almost like a smokey vanilla incense. It was so different from anything nowadays! I loved it so much that I bought a big bottle of it I also fell in love with Angelique Noire, Spiritueuse Double Vanille and Vanilla Planifolia Extrait 21. These 4 really stuck with me. I tried most of that set - "l'art de matiere". All of the fragrances were lovely, but these 4 with their unusual vanilla centerpiece scents really impressesmd me! I bought all of them in larger bottles because once I get that fragrance that keeps me sniffing at my wrist - it haunts me till I finally have to buy it - so I can spray at will without worring about hitting empty after 10 sprays (which is about 5 days for me). This allows me to splurge and spray a bit more once and a while. So far, everything is quite satisfying as far as longevity and sillage for me on all EXCEPT the Cuir Beluga! Did I get a bad bottle? Or a fake? (Yes, I do buy off of eBay but only from exemplary sellers). The Cuir Beluga scent just literally seems to dissappear in minutes after spraying. Either that or SPV has spoiled me with that big vanilla scent (?)! Usually my perfume will reveal itself if I heat up or sweat a little. Not with CB. I tried putting on unscented coconut oil first then layering CB, I tried spraying my clothes, and I went back to the sample that first hooked me and tried only that. They all did the same damned thing! The scent that attracted me and wove a spell on me is now laughing at me! I can't smell ot beyond minutes! Does anyone have any suggestions for a much less expensive dupe of Cuir Beluga? I have Diptyque's Eau Duelle (close but not quite), plus I am researching dupes but it is difficult to find information when it is spread so thin on the internet. I have read many reviews here on fragrantica and have gotten a list of the most mentioned dupes which all seem to be discontinued, hard to find or else just too expensive to make a blind buy. I know, I know! get a sample or a decant - but I think that is what got me in trouble here! I think they purposely put a stronger version in those tiny vials! Something addictive! I loved my first few days with Cuir Beluga but I cannot even smell it now! Nose blindness? I just don't know! My big bottle is the large square one (newer bottles). The only thing I can think of is to go buy Cuir Beluga in the older rectangular bottle - either the aged or the original formula is what I need. I love Guerlain, I really do! It is probably my number one fragrance company. But their prices are killing me! At this rate, I can't fit another bottle of perfume in my budget for another 10 years! I have some nice perfumes I would be willing to trade - is there a website for that? Seriously. I sprayed SDV on one wrist and Cuir Beluga on the other not 15 minutes ago and I can't smell even a hint of the CB! But the SDV? I have no trouble with that one! I am a fragrance addict. If I smell something lovely, it will bother me till i satisfy the call and make that purchase. And Cuir Beluga has me bewitched! I love it! At least what I could smell of it at first sample! Well now, I feel better now that I got all of that out of me! Edit: 9/3/24 I am still hooked on this lovely smokey vanilla and I found the perfect dupe! USA Inspired Fragrances makes a dupe called "Leather Beluga" and it is spot on! I ordered the 15ml spray and an oil roll on so I can layer for longevity. The spray is refillable and you can get it in a 30ml spray size and a 30ml refill (no spray). Fragrance prices are no higher that $40 in this scent. They also make Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body butter, hand moisturizer, hair scent, body moisturizer and a roll on oil in this and most all their dupes and originals. They may even have more products that they scent in your favorite high-end perfume! They are legit and quite inexpensive! They have quite an offering of fragrance dupes from high-end perfume houses. My suggestion is to read the reviews and get a larger size of the ones with good reviews. Try the sample size for anything else before you spend more. I suspect they are good at what they do. There is almost nothing as far as dupes for Cuir Beluga out there. That this company did it and so beautifully spot on, well, I would say their other dupes are probably just as good! I am still astounded at the absolute similarity to the original! Have fun!

Yes! Love this! Cuir Beluga is like Shalimar Millesime Tonka but the tonka is replaced with a soft, sweet vanilla (honestly a little *too* sweet for me at times), and a touch of heliotrope instead of SMT's bitter almond for that hint of almond without the overdose and bitterness I find in SMT, which is why this works for me when SMT absolutely does not. Cuir Beluga is a gorgeous, smooth, and somewhat restrained (I smell the Chanel influence here) sueded leather, no doubt, but it's just so amazingly blended with the other listed notes that it's difficult to describe it properly as the notes are difficult to parse. Don't expect a big hit of patchouli because it's buried in there. Tangerine? Wait, there's tangerine here?? Okay, so *that* and the aldehydes are the reason for the immediate brightness and slight tang just before quickly diving down that note pyramid toward those deeper, richer notes. So yeah, for those of you who might be putting off trying CB because of specific notes, give it a try anyway: none of the notes are distinct screamers, and the dry down is so very good, especially if you were dying for Guerlain tonkas to work for you but they never did (I own a couple myself and they still don't always play nicely on me, either). Also, like others have mentioned, I didn't feel that the top notes smacked me in the face upon first spritz as I thought they would, although I bet it's the aldehydes that keep it from becoming too heavy at first as it moves down the pyramid. For my nose, the slight sparkle quickly moved to a lovely mix of those middle and base notes, absolutely blended to perfection. Only caveat is that, again, this one is quite sweet. This is no dry, boozy vanilla fragrance, even if the dry down eventually almost gets there. Still a bit syrupy at the end. To my surprise, I don't mind it, though? Those who mention it being cuddly and closely-worn are spot-on as well, but there's a slight cleanness here that isn't generally present in the typical Guerlain leather. This is no skanky, smokey, dirty, or spiced leather. It's quite elegant, really. I'm not surprised that the current nose of Chanel is behind this one: it's like the offspring of the two houses, combining their characteristic DNA into something unique but paying homage to both at the same time. Elegant but warm; sophisticated but wearable; elevated but human. "Baby Polge" learned a few tricks from his dad, apparently, because Cuir Beluga truly does look back toward those greats during Jacques Polge's reign at Chanel, but he also learned quite a bit from the house of Guerlain during this exercise, too. That leather-vanilla dry down, while perhaps a bit cleaner, is still distinctly Guerlain. Side note: I own the tall rectangular bottle after testing both it and a branded spray sample from the newer style bottle. As always, the tall rectangular bottle has better juice than the current bottle. It's darker, richer, and much much stronger, although that could be from age, storage, maceration, or whatever and not necessarily from reformulation. With that said, the top notes do come off a little burnt at times. Yet here I am 3 hours later, comparing each on opposite wrists, and yep - the old juice is still going strong while the newer is a faint whisper of a skin scent.

Cuir Beluga is a remarkably gentle leather fragrance, challenging preconceptions one might have based on its name alone. Instead of an assertive leather profile, the scent leans into a powdery vanilla essence, subtly underscored by a delicate, soft suede note. The result is a fragrance that exudes beauty and class, carrying an air of luxury. You don't have to wait for the powdery vanilla with this fragrance. The base notes are dominant from initial application. The aldehydes are subtle and the tangering is fleeting. The mid notes are seemlessly blended into the composition and not discernible on their own. Cuir Beluga could almost be a Shalimar flanker. It smells most similar to Shalimar Millesime Tonka, not a dupe, but a close sister. Its distinguishing features lie in its smoother, softer, and more refined composition. Despite its refined character, Cuir Beluga is not a loud fragrance; instead, it lingers persistently. The fragrance projects intimately right from the initial application, creating a discreet but enduring aura that lasts well over 12 hours. This longevity makes it an ideal choice for work environments or any situation where a subtle, long-lasting scent is preferred. Adding to its allure is a beautiful femininity that emanates a soft, subtle sensuality. Unlike fragrances that demand attention with overt boldness, Cuir Beluga captivates with a more coy and understated allure. The fluffy vanilla is very cozy, soI would gravitate toward this in cooler weather. Though, it's not so heavy that I wouldn't wear it for a mild summer evening. Cuir Beluga is a beautiful fragrance I don't imagine I will be purchasing. I have loved wearing the sample I have, but the price point is far more than I am wiling to pay. It is a luxurious smelling fragrance that does deserve a higher price point than your average designer scent. But it's not so much better that I would be willing to pay triple the price. Although, if I come across a well priced tester bottle...

After I've been testing Cuir Beluga again and again, but wasn't sure about putting the large bottle on my wishlist (purely for econimical reasons), I was lucky to find the 20 ml travel size of this beauty in the Guerlain boutique when I was on holidays in Prague. Of course I bought one. When I wear Cuir Beluga, I feel like I'm in a fluffy, comforting cloud of the finest vanilla. If a marshmallow could be made of suede, it would smell like this. It's powdery and sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. The heliotrope note adds a cherry-like scent, especially in the opening, that makes it feel a little more juicy. Maybe the tangerine note helps with this, even though I don't really get anything citrussy here. I love how the suede note is done in this, it's clearly detectable, but so light and feminine, like the olfactory equivalent of a jacket or top made of soft white suede. An item so delicate that I would never buy it for myself - but now I can at least wear it as a perfume. The soft leathery scent comes really through in the drydown and mends beautifully with the Guerlain vanilla. It's a little reminiscent of how some of my mother's things like scarves smelled when I was a child in the 90s, with days-old remains of her then-signature Shalimar on them. Not the exact same smell, just a similar enough to conjure a memory. Anyways, the drydown is velvety, deep and beautiful and doesn't just fade away. This is not a loud scent, but it lasts. If you love cozy gourmands and sweet vanilla and want something sophisticated, this is a must-try. I'm in love.

I started with a small .7ml dabber and fell in love. Its soft and subtle and vanilla done in a way that is very mature and non-gourmand. I really like how it feels "around" you but not "applied to" you. It doesn't smell like a perfume, and so I like it especially for that! I ask my coworkers to tell me if they can smell me, so that I know how things project past my body and my coworker said as soon as I walked in "I can smell you today... is that vanilla?" I had two vanillas on: I had Cuir Beluga on a scarf and Mazzolari Vaniglia on my arms. I had her smell both, and she said that it was the Cuir Beluga she was smelling off of my scarf. We both agreed that this was the slightly masculine leaning of the two, and the more projecting of the two. neither were offensive to her (and she would tell me if it was!!) and if anything she preferred the Mazzolari Vaniglia for her picky nose but thought they were both nice. I got a 5ml decant of the Cuir Beluga to get to know it better, and I find I want to wear it more often than other fragrances, like one reviewer said below they feel bad if they have chosen another fragrance for the day! Now, although its the most beautiful non-gourmand vanilla, and although its the smooooooothest smelling thing ever... It's ever so slightly more masculine than I want to smell, and so for that it won't be my signature scent, but if it weren't for that I would 100% adopt this as my smell forever. And I will likely pick up a larger decant so that I can play with it some more because 5ml is going fast.