Mon Guerlain

Whenever I smell this fragrance, even though I wore it before I gave my mom some, it just reminds me of my mom - sweet, homey, warm - when people say this is a wife/mom fragrance it's very true. It has a very calm sweetness, and easy refinement that doesn't feel like it's trying to hard. I saw a comment about this being like 'Wealth whispers' and I 100% agree. Also, my mom loves this fragrance (it's probably an all time favorite for her) so there's that part too. However, if you wear it before that point in your life, don't worry! It's not old lady at all - just mature in the best way possible. Smells like a secure woman. I will say, this fragrance does lean sweet. I wouldn't say that I'm a huge gourmand person - a lot of people compare this too Burberry Goddess, and I find that disgustingly sweet while this is great in it's sweetness. (**Edit: Tried Burberry Goddess again today, and the Intense version is great! Also the Intense and OG don't feel too sweet anymore but that could always be a change of taste - however it definitely has a spicy peppery-ness, so if you want that go for Goddess, but if not Mon Guerlain**). If you are looking for a clean fresh lavender this is not either - it strikes a balance between sweet and herbal, and overall I haven't smelt much like it - I tried to pair this scent with other lavender/vanilla body care and its definitely distinct from those products. The pink pepper note at the beginning (I'm really surprised that's not listed here because I have always found that super prevalent in the opening, but it could be something similar so feel free to correct me) is strong, and so if you're taken aback give the fragrance it's time on your skin, and eventually you'll enjoy the opening as part of the 'experience.' However, one of my close friends hates when I spray this around her, and I'm pretty sure its because of this smell and negative associations with strong perfumes she has, so I'd keep that in mind. I will say, as much as I love this fragrance, there are a couple things that hold me from calling this a signature: 1. Runs sweet, and it would definitely be cloying in the summer. Then again, I live in a super hot and humid environment in the summers, so most perfumes have this effect. However, the fragrance has a very warm composition and wouldn't smell 'clean' per say. I'm also in general not a huge fan of wearing warm-sweet perfumes all the time, and this is a little too much in that direction for me. 2. Can come across as 'perfumey' - Compared to most other designer fragrances, this one is definitely very special, and I feel like has a distinct edge that separates it from many other fragrances, but the combination of notes can give it the lack of 'distinctness' in specific indefinable smells (aside from lavender vanilla?) and a similar sweet flowery-ness that is common in perfume, so even though its different it is still definitely a perfume smell. 3. The longevity is terrible on me. I smell it for 30 minutes, and then others can if there really close for an hour or two, but otherwise it's gone. Lasts better on clothes, but still weak. In terms of sillage it's okay and within distance, but with how short it lasts its hard to really give it a good sillage. It is a compliment getter, but for me only within the hour of spraying it. Also, if you layer perfumes or decide to add a vanilla to go with it, the perfume will be suffocated by that smell and then it's gone. I have read that the mon guerlain body lotion helps, and that oil perfumery has a mon guerlain impression that lasts a lot longer. if you were to want this perfume to last more than an hour or two, I'd follow doing that. Overall, a great perfume, but the lasting power is really bad, so I don't wear it too often. In an odd way, this perfume reminds me of Dave by Henry Rose, so if you like this I feel like you'd like the complexity of that (however that smells like almond praline vanilla compared to lavender vanilla, so not a alike smell, but an alike vibe (?)) and it lasts a lot longer.

Beautiful, romantic, softly sweet, feminine, warm, sensual, seductive, classy, elegant, chic, charming, delightful, sophisticated, luxurious, classic, smooth, warm spicy, woody, aromatic, powdery, fresh spicy, tempting, addictive, alluring, graceful, timeless, inviting, soothing, calming, uplifting, dreamy, whimsical, radiant, luminous, cozy, comforting, versatile, nostalgic I’m so excited that I finally got this one! I have heard so many great things about it, and it definitely doesn’t disappoint! I’ve always heard that it was similar to Burberry Goddes, and even somewhat like YSL Libre. Yes, all 3 fragrances are similar in that fact that they’re all lavender vanilla scents. I think Libre is the least similar because it has an almost cold feeling to it, as well as a sharpness (both I think are coming from the amount of lavender). Burberry Goddess is closer, but still different... even different enough to have both in your collection (which I do!). Goddess is more vanilla forward, a little warmer, with no floral notes besides the lavender, and no spicy coumarin or patchouli. On me this opens with fresh lavender, bright bergamot, slightly powdery and floral Iris, lush jasmine sambac, and warm, sweet, and sensual Tahitian vanilla. As it dries down it becomes warmer and more sensual as the vanilla becomes more prominent, while the benzoin adds a coziness, the creamy woody scent of sandalwood is comforting while adding depth, and the coumarin and patchouli add more depth with their soft and warm spicy scents. This is very well blended with the notes balanced beautifully. This is such a classy and elegant fragrance, and would make a lovely choice for a signature scent. I feel so put together and chic whenever I wear Mon Guerlain. It’s very feminine, and would easily suit women of all ages. I think this is one of those fragrances that can work really well throughout the whole year. I feel like this is suitable for all occasions, from at home and casual, to work and/or school, to date nights and fancy occasions. This is definitely full bottle worthy, and something that I highly recommend. I get great performance with Mon Guerlain. The longevity is very good, it lasts about 8 hours on me. The projection is nice, it radiates out 3+ feet from me. It’s somewhat subtle, but definitely still noticeable considering how many compliments I’ve already received on it in just the 5 days or so that I’ve owned it. So it also really appears to be a real crowd pleaser. For reference, some of my other favorite vanillas include: Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow, Kayali The Wedding Silk Santal, Kayali Vanilla 28, Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock, Sugar, Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato, PDM Oriana, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid, Burberry Goddess, The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods, Kilian LDBS, YSL Black Opium Glitter, Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows, Phlur Heavy Cream, SDJ Summer é Amor, SDJ 39, SDJ 62, VS Vanilla Lace (OG), B&BW Forever Sunshine, B&BW Boardwalk Marshmallow Clouds, B&BW Cotton Candy Clouds, B&BW Vanilla Romance, B&BW Cozy Vanilla Bourbon, B&BW Pistachio Glaze

Beautiful, romantic, sweet, vanilla, woody, warm, aromatic, powdery, balsamic, warm spicy, fresh spicy, floral, feminine, sensual, seductive, sexy, classy, elegant, polished. sophisticated, chic, charming, whimsical, enchanting, dreamy, divine, delightful, tempting, addictive, alluring, inviting, captivating, soothing, cozy, comforting Wow this is absolutely exquisite! This opens with aromatic lavender, a splash of bright bergamot, rich and powdery Iris, velvety rose, and just a touch of lush jasmine intertwined with a beautiful, sensual, and woody vanilla. As it dries down it grows more deep and sensual as the powdery vanilla, warm spicy coumarin, creamy sandalwood, cozy benzoin, just a soft twist of dark licorice, and earthy patchouli envelopes the powdery florals. This is so well done, and incredibly smooth. It’s balanced and blended beautifully. It’s complex, sophisticated, and luxurious, yet extremely wearable. It feels timeless and ultra feminine in the best way possible. It’s so very sensual, romantic, and even seductive. It has a somewhat classic feel to it, yet it’s also somehow modern. This can easily work for all occasions, and it would certainly make a gorgeous signature scent. To call it a masterpiece seems fitting. The reviews are definitely right about this one, and so are the people who recommend it. It took me quite a while before I finally got this one through a chance blind buy. I’m not super into florals, I tend to go for more sweet vanillas/gourmands, or beachy/coconuts. However, I heard so much about this one, and how incredible Guerlain does vanillas, and they weren’t wrong. I very highly recommend this. At the very least it’s worth testing, and it’s a safe blind buy. As for me, this will always have a special place in my collection. The performance is excellent. The longevity is impressive, it lasts throughout the day on me, and I can still smell it the next morning. The projection is really good, it radiates out at least a few feet from me, and that’s just with 2-3 sprays. For some reference, some of my other favorite florals and vanillas include: Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow, The Wedding Silk Santal, Vanilla 28, Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar, Yum Pistachio Gelato, PDM Oriana, Kilian LDBS, Princess, Bianco Latte, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid, Burberry Goddess, D&G The One, The One Desire, The Only One Intense, JPG Classique, Flowerbomb Ruby Orchid, Nest Vanilla Bourbon, Coach Love (2012), VS Vanilla Lace

Upon first spray you are hit with a fresh, spicy, sweet blast unlike any other fragrance I have ever encountered. The dry down starts to happen immediately first turning a bit powdery and aromatic. The lavender starts to become present for a moment followied by subtle hints of the vanilla peeking through. The woods are subtle in this one with only a hint of sandalwood. Once I stepped outside into the cool morning air the licorice shined through in a gentle way as well as the jasmine and iris. The patchouli is lurking in the background a bit but it gives off more of a cinnamon vibe in my opinion with a hint of green note. I would definitely place this fragrance into the floral group with sweetness coming through from the vanilla. I would say that this fragrance is far from a gourmand in traditional sense but can see why some people would consider it one. It does have a sweet lovely dry down, just not one that I would describe as edible. I know that Mon Guerlain is frequently compared to Burberry Goddess and although they do share the two main notes of lavender and vanilla, they are very, very different scents. Mon Guerlain is a much more complex fragrance. Mon Guerlain brings a calm, warm, snuggly feeling like being wrapped in a freshly washed warm fluffy blanket. It has a creaminess to it that glides over you. This fragrance could be for a younger or older woman but it definitely has an air of sophistication about it. I would consider it to be a more serious fragrance as opposed to a playful one. In my opinion it has good silage and lasting power. I used one spray on my chest before bed and it was still present in the morning. I blind bought this fragrance after watching many reviews and comparisons to Burberry Goddess. I absolutely love Goddess and took a chance at this fragrance. I am not disappointed one bit. I have even layered Goddess and Mon Guerlain and have had people asking me what I am wearing or telling me that I smell good. If you love lavender and vanilla I would highly recommend that you try this out.

I bought this because I love vanilla and lavender scents, though bold florals are usually outside my comfort zone (I'm a gourmand stan). That there were so many heart-note florals on the note list kind of scared me, admittedly. I have to say... holy freaking cow. I was not expecting how GOOD this smells. It's like getting a warm hug from some universal mother figure and rocked to sleep. The bergamot makes it a bit sharp on the opening (but still elegant, I feel), but oh my god the DRY DOWN. It's soft, it's sweet, it's powdery, feminine---it's the most amazing scent I've literally ever smelled. I had originally gotten a little 2ml decant because I wasn't sure if I would like it. I then bought a 1oz bottle two days later because I was spraying myself all the dang time and used up the tester in a weekend. Then I heard it might be reformulated or discontinued, so I then bought a 3.4oz bottle a week later, because I will probably literally die without this smell. It's so feminine and beautiful, the iris and lavender are doing a lot of heavy lifting. The vanilla is present throughout but it's not sugary or overly sweet. If the opening is quite sharp to you, really give it about five to seven minutes. It becomes the most amazing smell once it develops a little bit. I didn't have a signature scent and then Mon Guerlain entered my life. Welp, guess it's Mon Guerlain now. Word of caution to those who don't like powdery scents. This IS powdery. I find that it's not a dated, vintage powdery, but if powdery scents put you off, you might want to skip. Biggest downside for me is that it doesn't project for very long. I find myself reapplying often. I am going to try the Mon Guerlain Intense to see if it remedies that issue, but it shrinks down to an intimate, not-quite-skin scent after about three hours. However, the smell will stay for like eight hours at that intimate-to-skin level.