Description
For the event of opening of renovated main boutique La Maison Guerlain (The House of Guerlain) at 68 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris, Guerlain launched exclusive line of three perfumes – L ‘Art et la Matière (The Art and (raw) Material, a pun after the French expression L’Art et la Manière – the art and manners). Three famous noses were invited to work on the perfumes using the highest quality materials. The perfumes were launched in 2005.
Cuir Beluga is a fragrance of leather, worked on by Olivier Polge. The main notes are of mandarin, immortelle flower, leather, amber, heliotrope and vanilla. It starts with the sweet accord of wild citrus, and ends in creamy vanilla cloud. The leather of Cuir Beluga delicate, velvety and soft, without sharp animalistic notes typical for leather fragrances. Cuir Beluga caresses just like expensive leather woman gloves.
andrianbihor – :
Another in the “yummy” category of scents, gourmands. Very vanilla. It’s like vanilla was spilled on a ladies’ glove. A very nice scent but… very weak. It doesn’t last and it doesn’t project – and for the money they’re asking, it should.
10tims – :
Warm, calm, happy and sunny.
Cuir Beluga triggers some very specific childhood memories: my grandpa picking me up in his car on a sunny September Friday afternoon, he had just bought a loaf of fresh baked white bread and the car is filled with this comforting smell, the sun is shining through the windscreen, it’s warm and cozy…
Usually I have issues with vanilla in perfumes, but the solar (immortelle), warm (suede) and subtle sweet (vanilla) aspect in Cuir Beluga make simply stunning mirror-effect of gourmand/sunny/suede-ish car interior from my childhood memory.
Complex, yet fairly linear. Moderate sillage first couple of hours, later skinscent. Excellent longevity (around 12 hours).
Unique, comforting and simply unforgettable.
Byharin – :
A super classy scent from Guerlain, but the projection is so weak that nobody can smell it.. Pity!
neubasuablext – :
Wearing Cuir Beluga is like floating on a cloud of warm, sugary air in the land of majestic unicorns.
Buttery soft, suede hand gloves with freshly whipped vanilla meringue, caramelized brown sugar, and warm play-doh. Do unicorns enjoy freshly baked French sweets? Sure they do.
An enticing, wonderfully inviting gourmand with that dries down to a warm and luxurious amber.
vov19usja83 – :
Reminds me very much of Anne Klein 2. Lovely.
pozdiko – :
This is wonderful, I’m in love with Cuir Beluga.
I reviewed this back in February, when it disappeared far too quickly and I was unconvinced. Sampling it again, and instead of editing my initial review I must do a new one: as I suspected, this performs so much better in warmer weather.
In cold weather I had a hard time picking up on anything but the vanilla. Today is different: amber and leather are with the vanilla in the opening, creating a slightly powdery effect. A little citrus with heliotrope in the middle, and it stays that way to the end. It’s opulent and luxurious.
Not a big projector but I don’t want to gas out people in warm weather so it’s perfect to wear in Spring and early Summer. This is the vanilla-amber-leather bomb I’ve been searching for, and I realize I’ve had it for months.
If you have tried this out in the Winter months and had trouble with longevity, give it another try when the temperature rises. It works for me.
serg63chika – :
Fascinating royal scent .. Good job Guerlain ❤️:)
renat633 – :
Great Vanilla fragrance, it makes me feel very warm and cozy upon application, while not complex it is a very high quality blend, longevity is a killer on this one think Dior Homme Intense, I can smell it after weeks on my clothes!
Shusefshorgog – :
Cuir Beluga opens with a blast of syrupy immortelle, vanilla and a pinch of well behaved patchouli. As it dries down it becomes a super wearable powdery vanilla with tinge of golden amber and a discernable hint of a transformed darker immortelle still lurking in the background. The far drydown is mostly a sheer and slightly salty amber, probably ambroxan. Not much if any leather to be found here at any stage.
Overall it is pleasant to wear but not very interesting to my nose or for my sensibilities. I’d say it’s a very safe blind buy for those who like sweetish, powdered amber skin scents. Projection is minimal and longevity is average.
Dodgeast – :
I assumed I’d love this so much that I bought a decant without smelling it first.
I had to check the reviews to see if I was the only one who felt like this, and thankfully I’m not, but all I get is a strong Play-Doh smell. It actually annoys me because of that. It’s not just in the beginning either but all throughout.
Edit-August 2018
I gave this one another try. It smells SO much better in warmer weather! Instead of just play-doh, I get all the other notes, and it seems smoother and richer.
FafFruimaReme – :
By just looking at the notes, I seriously doubt I’d be interested in this one. Not a fan for heliotrope, amber, powdery and god knows I detest mandarin, but this is just intoxicated. I have no idea what captures me, I guess it must be what love is like. 😉
I also love how the amber here doesn’t leave a nasty aftertaste on me as what usually happened with other perfume with amber as the base. Soft, creamy, smooth almond-ish (could you believe I don’t like almond either) vanilla and soft suede, elegant and sophisticated, perhaps a little too soft for my taste, but this is simply too beautiful to miss. Stands besides Cuir Beluga, TF white suede suddenly seems shallow and pretentious.
The only downside is after a couple of hours it turns into a skin scent.
updates:
not sure what makes the differences, I found out some days it does smell like the other reviewers has mentioned: gets eaten up by the skin and pretty underwhelming (baby powder-ish / play-doh-ish), I’m guessing it’s probably because the cold weather when my body temperature is lower, unlike the other days when the scent is pretty while fully developed.
sanja-ilin – :
I’m not sure how I feel about this perfume…yet. The vanilla dominant opening lasts for about 15 minutes then it turns to a skin scent, an opulent skin scent, but still, given the price tag I’m disappointed.
The only other notes I pick up are citrus and amber, but it’s light. This is not a young woman’s scent: it’s sophisticated and understated.
For many reviewers here, this for cold weather. But i want to try this in the summer. My guess is that when my skin heats up the beauty of this perfume might break through. In a wet cold climate, my skin just eats this up.
I’m hoping this works for me in a few months. Will post an update.
Alexandra_fromAC – :
Would it be sacrilege to say that this reminds me of a cooler version of Calvin Klein Obsession? It is very complex and I can enjoy it on a cerebral level but I don’t actually enjoy wearing it on a day to day basis. Perhaps a little too much vanilla for me. I would recommend it to anyone who loves vanilla and actually would be good for either gender.
Intrigantka – :
One of my favourite Guerlains. It’s a powdery amber-vanilla, with a slight chocolate feel to it. Do not expect strong suede from this one, this is more of a gourmand vanilla-white chocolate than anything else. Not too sweet and such a pleasure to wear, especially during wintertime. Not overpowering and polite, but lasts all day.
yhh330Unlogrere – :
I love this smell, but not for me. I prefer it for woman, not for man
DDD – :
Femminile,accattivante,elegante e magnetica pelle scamosciata avvolta da una vaniglia che rasenta la perfezione.
Il sillage non esagerato e’ la chiave per l’eleganza in questa creazione amalgamata al millilitro.
Tutte le note che adoro in un flacone solo.
Insieme a tonka imperiale il top della linea.
Hanno entrambi una dolcezza calibrata,ariosa e versatile che ne consente l’utilizzo anche in momenti della giornata dove si ha che fare con i pasti.
Senza mai stomacare.
C’è poco da aggiungere…questo va provato!
gdetotamer – :
Creamy vanilla and suede leather. One of the most elegant and high class fragrances I have tried. Perfect for a subtle evening at a nice restaurant or bar.
AqayNQ – :
Ahh, Cuir Beluga – you and Iris Ganache are beyond my wildest feelings of love. Both of you are top line ‘nu’ Guerlain which is why it pains me that I can’t afford either of you (ebay Iris Ganache and cry with me)
One of the creamiest, most delicious suede/leather scents I’ve ever smelt. I’m not reminded of the animalic tendencies of either material, but more the creamy and sensual ones. The vanilla and amber really lend some assistance to the heaviness.
The aldeydes at the start I, sadly, do not detect. As an aldehyde lover, I would’ve loved a bit of that. However, the citrus is definitely there.
Immortelle I also don’t detect and having smelt a lot of it yesterday in Eau Noire, I’m definitely hunting it down everywhere. Alas, for me, no…
10.5/10
Vopallole – :
I get a lovely vanilla and a little almond like note from the heliotrope.. slightly powdery, warm and cozy. Very feminine smelling perfume, I wouldn’t be comfortable as a man to wear it. Lovely on a woman though, there are vibes of Play-Doh to me..
as well as a soft blonde suede like note, it dries down almost to like cotton wool or baby powder at the end… projection was soft, longevity was close to the skin and around 8 hours, but as a skin scent – for a woman I like it very much, on a man.. not so much
heergeNoili – :
Wow. My limited experience with Guerlain scents is that they generally are fairly long lasting and have good projection. For some reason, Cuir Beluga goes on almost as a skin scent and lasts about an hour. I smell vanilla and a hint of floral and that is it. It is so soft, that it is very difficult to smell much else.
Just came back to add that this opens with a nod to Play Doh, and it seems I have a kindred spirit! Which came first; Play Doh or the perfume?
tolik23 – :
Creamy and vanillic just delightful. Analogy: creamy vanillic white leather couch. Rich and enticing. In one word stunning delicate velvety and soft. Enjoy the mandarine ambery opening and imagine yourself on a new white letter couch after just having lit up a vanillic candle..the smoke evaporates from the candle and lingers in the air whilst you can smell the scent from the new leather couch in the back ground. Those two scents blend wonderfully together in one unique and utterly refined way. This is truely a vanilla scent where the Guerlainade dna immediately comes to mind and this is where the scent is truely at its best! Do not miss out on this wonderful masterpiece!
Slim84 – :
White leather.
When i experience Cuir Beluga, I get a soft, powdery vanilla reminiscent of L’huere blue but lighter in feel. A feather-downy experience. The smooth leather surfaces naked without tge animal musk suporting it as it usually does, and it winks back to the leathery nuance of vintage shalimars of old.
Its well blended as it should be for the price point. I do agree it strikes a balance between LHB and Shalimar but with angel wings. It doesnt impress you with major tricks but haunts you like a comforting whisper.
lyudvik – :
It’s a sweet soft clean leather. It starts sweet with vanilla and orange and then settles to sweet soft soapy leather. Settles to an artificial type of leather material (not the ingredient material but the type of leather it refers too) and not the expensive new bag type of leather or car leather.
I can’t deny that it is a pleasant type of leather but leather does differs, as there is rough leather, there is soft and rich leather like “cuir velours” by Naomi Goodsir, and many more so this type of leather that cuir beluga presents is the type that overly used leather replica bag.
It’s quite an interesting take, not one of a kind as I have sniffed it somewhere.
The problem with this fragrance is it vanished within minutes. Although some fragrances must be like that (should be soft and vanishes quickly) but this one should’ve been like this as this kind of leather fragrance should be powerful in order to show it’s strength, it’s true colors. So with that silage and longevity, it doesn’t worth it’s price at all.
Sart – :
Besides vanilla & a touch of grey amber, this parfume has a clear and noticeable scent of iris : this can be verified at the parfume organ at Guerlain’s rue St Honore boutique in Paris.
mjc549Unlogrere – :
I was able to finally sample this one. It’s just not for me. The first thing I smelled was Johnson’s Baby Powder. That’s it. It never developed. Everyone in my family agrees, I smell like baby powder. I put it on over 4 hours ago, and it is still going strong, unfortunately. Oh well; you win some, you lose some.
uehjsowjaud – :
Soft vanilla with a hint of leather. Then the whole (nothing) scent disappears within minutes. By far the worst offering from this nose and this house that I’ve encountered.
apemnalfusnep – :
Nice fragrance very soft vanilla cloud with just a hint of leather. Agreed with some below that it’s too soft to be memorable. I just sprayd all over and can’t smell a thing unless nose on wrist and even then super faint. What is there is lovely though.
I have 100+ niche samples for swap within Europe – updated spreadsheet of samples on my profile, get in touch!
Igor Nik – :
A soft amber vanilla with only vague nods towards soft buttery leather to my nose. Not what I was expecting – warm, sweet and pleasant but personally I don’t want pleasant when it comes to leather. This feels like a walk through the rather sanitised leather bag section at Smith & Caughey’s to me (very nice dept store in NZ). Stylish but very new bag/car seat to my nose. Sorry to the lovers out there, maybe I’m just not getting the hype. I like a leather note to be more intense.
ловец – :
Vanilla perfection period.
I can’t smell any leather here, maybe just a suede. If you like vanilla, please try it, this is the most well balanced vanilla i’ve ever tried. Worth every penny.
Should change name for Divine Vanilla.
agafon2511 – :
After seeing that Guerlain’s L ‘Art et la Matière collection included another vanilla-dominant fragrance (in addition to Spiritueuse Double Vanille), I had to try Cuir Beluga, and on the whole, it did not disappoint.
I’m not sure I have much to add beyond concurring with the consensus—CB is, to me, a vanilla-dominant fragrance with elements of powder, leather, and perhaps even the amber note that is listed. Comparing it to SDV, CB is more limited on projection and longevity, less the burst and chorus of vanilla (that SDV is) and more so a symphony of mixed instruments, the most dominant of which is the vanilla. As others have noted, CB is safer and more work-friendly than SDV for the reason that the vanilla projects somewhat less, but CB is still a strong composition with respect to the performance expectations of a high-end EDP.
Comparisons of CB to Tonka Imperiale have less merit, given the absence of the vanilla overlap that CB has with SDV.
Overall, Cuir Beluga is a fantastic unisex vanilla-dominant fragrance that should be tried by both vanilla-lovers and lovers of SDV alike. Given that I already have SDV and TI, I’m not sure I’d opt for a bottle unless I got a special deal, but even though I love both SDV and TI, I’d still encourage others to perhaps try CB as they may like it more, especially given the cost of the items in this collection by Guerlain.
9 out of 10
shabo – :
I wanted to try out Cuir Beluga after getting a bottle of Reminiscence Vanille and falling in love with that. I’m surprised how very similar they are, enough so that I don’t need to hunt down CB at all. I’ll be very happy with my bottle of RV.
I think I just heard my wallet smile.
dmitry1853 – :
I received a large decant of this and at first spray was an instant ‘I need this reaction’. But now I am not so sure…….it is beautiful, soft, sweet and tenacious but it almost feels too safe, too perfect and it’s almost at though I’m waiting for more, for something else to come through. I don’t get any leather at all, rather it’s a just a faint suggestion of suede. I’m just going to sit on this, try it for a bit longer and see if I do in fact ‘need’ this as badly as I first thought. It’s also nagging me that this reminds me of something that I can’t quite put my finger on, it may be HP EDP?
VELDER – :
On me, in the cold autumn and winter days, Cuir Beluga smells like a rich and fabulous vanilla ice cream! Amazingly beautiful. I love it!
LacratsTearce – :
I got a sample of this yesterday from a wonderful friend who knows I love vanilla. This reminds me of a wonderful aunt who wore the original Monteil Royal Secret. It has that same ‘bite’ to it. It’s certainly different and smells expensive. I wouldn’t buy it..it’s too ‘obvious’..
realrocker – :
I received a generous sample of this scent from the Guerlain boutique in Toronto when I bought a bottle of Samsra extrait and one of Bois D’armenie. Wow! it is amazing. Smells like play doh in a really good way. It is so classy and versatile and I can see myself wearing this in virtually any scenario. Well blended and smooooooth. Creamy floral suede with absolutely no sharp corners. Unique too. You will smell like no one else. Everyone who I have exposed it to remarks on its appeal. Thumbs way up. I will be adding this one to my collection without a doubt.
On a side note I have to say how generous this boutique was for samples. I left with about 25 mL of sample fragrance, all high end exclusive scents. They will be getting my business for sure!!
andrei_2601 – :
I’ve been sitting on this decant for years. Why hadn’t I tried it before? Perhaps fear of liking it and “needing” a bottle because it ain’t cheap! Now that I gave it a shot, I find it very lovely, intoxicating for some time, but not as many fireworks as I’d fully expected from a perfume of this price point and also from a Guerlain containing suede–one of my very favorite notes in all of perfumery.
The phases were distinct. Top notes smelled like a really nice Play-Doey, powdery amber. It was ok, but my L’Artisan Eau de l’Ambre Extreme does the same thing for less than half the price. The heart of the perfume is what spoke to me. It was a nice, lengthy phase of a subtle suede accord married with an absolutely gorgeous vanilla and just a wee bit of powder. I can’t quite put my finger on what makes the vanilla so exceptional; I want to say that it’s a milkiness I have never smelled before–and Heaven knows I’ve smelled probably too many vanilla perfumes in my lifetime. So at first I was thinking, “Ya! Totally! I’d spend $260 for this. Mmmm–yaaaa!” It was getting good, and I was expecting this crescendo, but what I got was a diminuendo. The drydown fell flat. A little linear. A little boring [frown of disappointment]. It no longer smelled like a $260 perfume, but became a woody vanilla that I have smelled many times before. The exceptional vanilla was replaced by a common woody vanilla. Still smells great, but not $260 great. If Cuir Beluga were $125 less, it would make more sense to me. I will just enjoy every drop of my large decant.
OldDoggy – :
This is OG Givenchy PI in the 90’s with more leather. Nice but when it settles becomes more of a vanilla amber. Eh there are other great frags in this category but definitely worth a try if you like vanilla and subtle leather.
2ENG – :
the nose behind this perfume is Sylvaine Delacourte and it is the perfume she usually wears…
PacTaMaH – :
Really excited to find another powdery beauty from Guerlain that I love.
Cuir Beluga is something you’d expect from Guerlain – kind of like it is the essence of the house’s fragrances in a bottle! Powdery, elegant, smooth, soft, a semi-modern scent with a nod to more ‘classic’ perfumes. Here, we’re looking at a very zen, comforting, pastel, neutral, non-sweet vanilla with depth, instead of something like Parfum Initial, French Kiss or Gourmand Coquin where it’s sugary-pink-frilly-all-the-things. I wouldn’t classify Cuir Beluga as a gourmand – it is inedible! (Although in my mind I do call it my “antiqued rice pudding” perfume.)
Even after the initial application, this clings moderately close to the skin, and doesn’t project too far. Understated, but noticeable. Predominantly made up of a more smooth, cozy vanilla, POWDER, and resting on a base of heliotrope (which amplifies as the perfume progresses. This scent is turning me into a heliotrope lover.) – I don’t get an actual leather note, but instead just the texture of suede. Really smooth and fuzzy, powdery in an almost dusty way, and a hint of warmth to round it all out.
If you love most Guerlain fragrances – you will love Cuir Beluga, I think this is probably the safest scent out of their exclusive line, in terms of being inoffensive, or a safe blind buy. It is definitely a new favorite of mine!
DersiPerso – :
This is a luxurious scent, soft and supple. It opens with a sweet and rich vanilla cream supported by a smooth and refined leather accord. The sweetness diminishes after the first hour and becomes a dry inedible vanilla graced with a drop of amber. The leather is still there and it is superb. The sillage and lasting power are outstanding.
Алекс441 – :
I got no mandarin or citrus of any kind from this. I mostly got the creamy, sort of powdery vanilla, with a flowery note, and amber, and a very very faint note of suede. But that’s it. I would not buy an entire bottle of this, no. For me it’s not worth it. It’s nice, yes, but it does not in any way invoke the “Ohh, I’d really like a bottle of this!”-feeling in me.
Timo Laine – :
I think to appreciate this patisserie in a bottle, one has to disassociate from the title. A cuir it is not, although the clever thing they’ve done with vanilla and immortelle does create a suede-like effect. The pleasant astringency goes in about half an hour, leaving a skin-melting vanilla which reminds me of choux pastry. it IS the ultimate luxury, but not in the sense the name suggests; it’s all bourgeois pleasure, not aristocratic chic. The staying power is phenomenal – it smelled amazing on a scarf of mine for over a week, and a tiny wrist spray survived two (!) showers. Bottle worthy, in my opinion.
afsusselwgm – :
Quiet perfection.
From beginning to end, this fragrance speaks of luxury. Like white suede chamois gloves or the soft white leather interior of a luxury car, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Initially I get a very delicate, sparkling mandarin orange balanced by aldehydes. The soft, vanilla-heliotrope background is joined by the dry, honey-like texture of immortelle flower. Followed by Amber and more vanilla in the dry down.
This is a minimalist composition of only 15 ingredients, this is very different for a Guerlain fragrance (most of which are very rich and complex). I think that whilst this is minimalist, it speaks of quality all the way through.
A beautifully balanced, quiet, sweet and soft fragrance which really lets people know you have taste. In a class of its own, really.
Dapscoips – :
I must be the only person on the fragrance planet who does not think of Guerlain as the perfume nirvana, however Cuir Beluga is a whole new different ball game for me.
Utterly beautiful, ambery, powdery, vanilla, sweet, heavenly scent. This perfume is the scent of angels, of that I’m convinced. I get a faint, almost not there at all, leathery accord and I would say that the aroma that this perfume produces around me, is actually more glorious than the smell on my skin.
I love this perfume because it’s easy on the olfactories. One doesn’t have to work hard at liking it, (like a lot of Guerlain scents), it’s all there from the start. There’s nothing pretentious or complicated about this fume, it is just ravishingly stunning.
Silage, longevity, fabulosity, everything = 10/10
Chitarik10 – :
This opens with a gorgeous creamy vanilla coupled with a leather suede note. Within this are hints of the citrus mandarin note and I must say this is lovely.
As time passes a amber note gives the vanilla that extra full body sweetness but never overwhelms. Also within this beautiful composition floral notes can be detected. Giving the fragrance a extra layer of complexity.
To sum up a exquisite enigmatic amber vanilla fragrance that has hidden facets of leather and florals just waiting to be explored.
stolica – :
For me honestly I feel at least for now this is the safest bet from this line. Theres nothing offensive about this at all. Its just a nice pleasent smell. But for what this costs…. Although it doesnt smell the same, it gives me the same vibe as YSL la nuit de l’homme. It makes me think of being out doors and nice smelling creamy gardenish vibe. But I got tired while wearing this, after the intial blast it was basically the same thing throughout for me. Its a little powdery, its a litle sweet. But man… almost $300 dollars? Again for me personally I dont think I would even pay for a decant of it. Nice smell dont get me wrong, but theres way to many other less expensive scents that would do the same thing for me personally. For what its worth longevity and projection off hand are less than the more talked about SDV, and tonka imperiale from the line as well that ive noticed.
Because theres no novelty factor, and the smell is just nice and not great. I think this is not worth it for the average joe. This for me is deffintly more for a collector or the more well off.
briedsAdheste – :
I just love love love it. its a modern masterpiece. It is like being in heaven floating on soft billowy clouds of not too sweet vanilla dusted with gentle powdery heliotrope supported with soft white/dove grey suede leather. i did not think i would like the leather but it is so gentle and powdery more like suede. This has been blended to created a very high end fragrance and has become my signature frag. i understand the likeness to Reminiscence Vanille (which i also own and enjoy) but this is far superior and worth paying the much bigger price tag for. it is a treat in autumn and winter; with excellent longevity and good sillage. I wore it on holiday and got into a hot tub and one man made an involuntary exclamation saying ‘wow what is that incredible smell’- sums it up for me
kolmar – :
ashandasphodel was spot on in their review saying that Cuir Beluga was the perfect balance between Shalimar and L’Heure Bleu! That is a great reference point to what this smells like!
I immediately get a warm, powdery vanilla/amber at the top that feels like a comforting hug. The powderiness fades a little and heliotrope is at the center. My skin really amps heliotrope to a salty play-doh smell, but it’s balanced enough here to not be too annoying. This lasted all day and the very last notes were a mild, sweet, warm patchouli that was lovely.
Overall this was a warm, deep, sweet, recognisably Guerlain scent. I don’t desire a fb because of my heliotrope issue, but I do think most Guerlain lovers would find this beautiful.
bodinator007 – :
Love it!
Just wish it had more “Leather” in it,
It was hard for me to notice the leather even though the name saids “Cuir Beluga”, how exotic is the name?
12kvartal_club – :
Guerlain lover here…….LOVE this one! This one is a great one! I live in warmer climate in Southwest Florida. Wonder if I should invest in this one. I’m an oriental lover anyway so what do I care? I know this one is great in cooler weather ….any opinions??
co-co – :
i finally got my hands on a sample of this, after smelling it at a retailer several months ago. this may be the first guerlain i’ve tried on my skin in my adult life. it immediately reminds me of some of my mother’s perfume that i would try on in the 80s, but just in it’s style/type, not an exact match or anything.
it’s all suede, amber and vanilla with a subtle hint of florals. it’s definitely not a fresh black leather at all. i love the sillage on this-not too light, not too strong, it just envelops you like a warm scarf.
DipClilmKic – :
Have just tried it yesterday at the airport in transit, could not decide immediately to buy the full bottle (EUR 185 for 75ml), but I loved it tough, very cozy, powdery vanilla, moderate sillage, but excellent longevity, could feel it on my skin even after 12 hours.
Slava 1 – :
I don’t like Shalimar because it’s too much vanilla, and I don’t like L’heure Bleu because it’s too much heliotrope. Cuir Beluga strikes the perfect balance between the two. The vanilla is like simmering a fresh pod in heavy cream and the heliotrope is like catching the scent of a nearby garden on the breeze. The leather is light and sophisticated rather than animalic. The citrus is gone almost immediately. It’s a cozy cashmere scent, in the same vein as Bois des Iles (another favorite) though the amber is less pronounced here than in the Chanel.
Citabseskweta – :
I absolutely LOVE this fragrance! It is smooth and rich and very “thick” smelling. By that I mean it smells of the highest quality oils and vanilla extracts. It is a cold weather frag, and since I live in Canada, this feels like a warm sweater and lasts for hours. My 5ml decant from Posh Peasant is almost gone so I’m saving up for a full bottle, which I believe is very worth the cost. Absolutely beautiful! Thanks to Guerlain, once again.
СС – :
Like Cruel Gardenia, Cuir Beluga seems to use the main note just as an excuse for a luxury smooth fragrance. This line seem to have a powdery secondary theme on most of the fragrances, and on Cuir Beluga this is showed by a vanillic sweet flower aroma that only shows a hint of leather sometimes; it`s not your classic, dry leather, it`s more of a suede accord that stays on the background of the sweet flowers and powdery ambered vanilla. Cuir Beluga, in some aspects, seems to be a homage to Shalimar, and it`s a pleasant scent to be worn on a winter day.
max32rus – :
I love this pretty scent, but it is the quietest of skin scents on me. I’d have to douse myself in it to be able to smell it, which is a disappointment. Of course, my experience with the L’Art et la Matiere line is that spraying really is the best course, while my Cuir Beluga sample is a dab on. So, I’ll give it another go and order a sample size that can be spritzed.
smignee – :
Integrating the exclusive collection “L’art et la Matière” (art and material) by Guerlain, this fragrance comes to interpret the brightness and the touch of the white leather on the skin.
For those who don’t know, “Cuir” means leather and “Beluga” comes from the Russian byeluga, which means white.
It is composed by top notes of mandarin and aldehydes (chemical and synthetic compounds which serve to give strength and shine to perfumes). In the heart, notes of patchouli and Immortelle, or as we call it around here, in Brazil, sempre-vivas (everlasting flower). Finally, at the base, notes of vanilla, amber, heliotrope (some call it vanilla-flower, because of its aroma) and white suede.
But where is the leather? So, the point is: a lot of people forget that suede is a type of leather without the proper treatment, usually extracted from the underside of the skin of sheep, goats, among others. By being more flexible and having opened pores, tends to absorb more liquid. And was this silky and delicate touch that served as the inspiration for this fragrance.
The result is a creamy aroma, in which the mandarin orange is almost imperceptible, being noted, just for an ephemeral moment, when it touches on the skin. Almost immediately, the nuances of vanilla scream, because of the tone that was extracted from the immortelle, which may present a more caramelized aspect as well as a spicy one. Add the creaminess of vanilla pod itself and even more, the scent of heliotrope. We have, then, many nuances of the same genre dancing, in the shape of a smell on the skin. The tone of patchouli used is not the earthy, but the bitter. Now take all this and wrap with a cozy touch of white suede and amber. Can you imagine the creaminess, almost liqueur, in this creation?
I thought the projection a little bit shy, but the lasting is excellent. And in the cold weather, it’s perfect!
masterport73 – :
I have this scent and its unparalleled, cant nobody tell me nothing!
gold999 – :
This masterpiece is a creation of true art. To be appreciated. In the scent it is attractive elegant scent. It sillage is modest and true brilliance in this creation.
A beloved scent that was created with compassion and love.
It is a fine fragrance. It has nothing loud about it. A smooth welcoming of pure soft seduction.
BaCTeP – :
Feel that scent is so nice and comfortable, there are no words.
I feel within a velvety aureate, both comfortable and also rich
It seems a mixture of aldehydes, soft, clean aromatic floral touch as if the edge of a leather with caramel, the touch of amber does so, mixed with vanilla, very refers suede as well.
I feel in a Rolls Royce in the streets of Monaco, eating a French pave caramel.
Elegant, important and attractive with all these aspects, Guerlain as always sensational
rebrv – :
Alchemist1976 your review was spot on. I agree that this has a wonderful vintage feel and whe