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Mouchoir de Monsieur Guerlain 1904

7.8 / 10 214 Ratings

A popular perfume by Guerlain for men, released in 1904. The scent is powdery-animal. It is being marketed by LVMH.
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Main accords

Powdery

Animal

Floral

Citrus

Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Lavender

Bergamot

Lemon vervain

Heart Notes

Jasmine

Patchouli

Cinnamon

Neroli

Rose

Tonka bean

Base Notes

Oakmoss

Vanilla

Amber

Iris

Perfumer

Jacques Guerlain

Ratings

Scent

7.8214 Ratings

Longevity

7.2164 Ratings

Sillage

6.1151 Ratings

Bottle

8.3153 Ratings

Value for money

6.720 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 09/30/2025.

Interesting Facts

Since February 2014, the original 1904 Extrait version of Mouchoir de Monsieur is exhibited in the "Hall of Mirrors" at Maison Guerlain.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Jicky Eau de Toilette

Jicky Eau de Parfum

Eau de Quinine

Special for Gentlemen (2014)

Aqua Allegoria Lavande Velours

Zino Eau de Toilette

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/25/2013

7.5
Bottle 5
Sillage 7.5
Longevity 8
Scent

Apicius
224 Reviews

Apicius

Helpful Review 5

Powdery Notes for the Dandy

Launched in 1904, Mouchoir de Monsieur is one of Guerlain's long sellers. It has always been there although I think it does not get the attention of other Guerlain perfumes. Small wonder, its marketing in the traditional bee-bottle is just as old-fashioned as the fragrance. For me, the bee-bottle indicates that a perfume is aimed at dedicated Guerlain aficionados and not so much at a chain store audience. A wise decision? Given the fact that a powdery-spicy gents' cologne is something rather special, one has to grow into it to really appreciate it.

The core of Mouchoir de Monsieur is a brilliant blend of iris, cinnamon spiciness and a good dash of Guerlinade – definitely not just another iris soliflore. This very unusual accord of powder and chalk takes me back to the Fin de Siècle, and maybe further on to the times of allonge wigs 300 years ago. Mouchoir de Monsieur may never have expressed any modernism. Mouchoir de Monsieur is sometimes compared to Jicky as the male version of it. There are indeed similarities, namely a similar vanilla and civet accord (although civet is not listed here). I do not get too much development which means that this fragrance retains its character during a full wear. It fades considerably after about four hours but traces remain for much longer.

I wouldn't say that powdery iris fragrances mark a typical gents' cologne. It is not easy to link powder notes to the idea of the masculine. Rather than that, powdery notes can evoke a certain air of distinction, or a certain detachedness from the world of the ordinary. The combination with the vanillic Guerlinade and the cinnamon both enhances and alienates this character of the iris. A well-dressed gentleman wrapped in bone-dry chalk, vanilla and spices cannot be a man of hard labour: more than anything else, Mouchoir de Monsieur is the fragrance of the Dandy. Oscar Wilde would have loved it!

But - who is a Dandy today?

With the decline of this archetype also the audience for Mouchoir de Monsieur may have become smaller. If today the Guerlain afficionados buy Mouchoir de Monsieur, are they also wearing it?

We have gents' colognes with iris and powder notes that have overcome this olden style. The straightforward L'Homme de Cœur by Divine with its leaner juniper spiciness and background woods has much more grip. Prada's powdery Infusion d'Homme hits the taste of today's consumer with its fresh appeal, and Dior Homme with its “lipstick” accord is for those who like it comfy.

Mouchoir de Monsieur is a brilliant and unique fragrance well worth getting to know. But what makes Mouchoir de Monsieur difficult to wear for me is that powder notes are generally something intimate. I cannot ignore that body powder is used for baby bottoms. This use is actually what will limit the popularity of any powdery gents' cologne IMHO. In case of Mouchoir de Monsieur, distinction and intimacy is a strange combination. Not sure if some people would consider this sexy. When I use this fragrance I feel like wearing somebody else's suit. At least I haven't grown into it yet.

06/19/2014

jtd
484 Reviews

jtd

3

Mouchoir de Monsieur

Maybe it's some weird human drive for finding distinction, maybe it's simply the result of having more perfumes than I could ever imagine wearing in a lifetime, but I find myself focussing on the qualitative differences of some very similar perfumes. Guerlain Habit Rouge eau de toilette and eau de parfum. The same for Guerlain Insolence. Serge Lutens Féminité du Bois, Bois de Violette and Bois et Fruits. I’ve found themes that I like and now I'm looking for the variations.

I've gone backwards historically, starting with the Sheldrake/Bourdon perfumes for Lutens and going back to the ones that started the trend: Guerlain’s Jicky (1889) and Mouchoir de Monsieur (1904). The contrasts between Jicky and Mouchoir play out as the differences in temperament you might find between twins. These perfumes differ in degrees of expansiveness, but have more similarity than difference. But when resemblance is taken for granted, the differences jump out at you.

(A note about formulation. I have the eau de toilette of Jicky from 2005, and a brand-new bottle of Mouchoir, also eau de toilette.)

Both perfumes have a rich, almost tactile quality but Jicky also has a cat’s poise, an active balance that might shift one way or the other on a whim. Jicky’s play of lavender and vanilla seems to sparkle, suggesting something fluid and always in motion. Oh, Jicky has its raunch. The civet note is neither subtle nor hidden, but it's playfully lewd. Jicky seems very aware of its shifty personality, and may play any side at one time or another to charm you. Mouchoir speaks with the same voice as Jicky, but is more reserved. To use a word that I wish had never fallen out of use, Mouchoir is melancholic. Where you can take the entirety of Jicky in in a single breath, Mouchoir takes a bit more commitment. The effort pays dividends, though, and wearing Mouchoir rewards you with a sense of groundedness and presence.

Is Jicky simply a less uptight version of Mouchoir? Or is Mouchoir a more introspective version of its impulsive elder brother? To look at the two more specifically as perfumes, Jicky leans more toward the oriental genre. It is thicker and more voluptuous. It's dessert qualities are right on the tip of its tongue when it kisses you. Mouchoir, particularly in its basenotes, has the austerity of a chypre, emphasizing dryness over dessert. Accordingly, it's basenotes growl where Jicky’s purr.

Only the most sensitive nose around you will likely spot the difference in these perfumes from one day to the next. Deciding which to where is far more important to you than to anyone around you. And here is the delight of these twins. Choosing the right one and feeling the satisfaction as I apply it feels like setting loose the butterfly effect on my day.

from scenthurdle.com

01/14/2016

8
Bottle 9
Sillage 9
Longevity 9.5
Scent

Hajuvana
13 Reviews

Hajuvana

2

A floral-animalic fougère

Although I'm very tempted by the idea of writing a review on Mouchoir de Monsieur without a single reference to Jicky, I guess it's only fair to start by stating that yes, they are similar.

Nevertheless, if I hadn't smelled, owned and worn Jicky EdT prior to MdM, I would have simply perceived the latter as a wonderful, old-fashioned powdery fougére dominated by three notes in particular: lavender, iris and civet. You will have to like each of the three in order to appreciate or even tolerate MdM.

However, having worn Jicky and never feeling entirely comfortable with its dry-down, I will make some comparisons.
First of all, despite some people feel exactly the opposite, I find considerably more civet in MdM. Someone at Basenotes referred to MdM's animalic side as "bad breath" smell, which is not only brilliantly funny but also brilliantly accurate. But only if you huff it from an inches distance and that's not how one wears a perfume.
Whereas Jicky is more herbal and aromatic, MdM is essentially flowery. Jicky does have a noticeable rose note, but that's in a way obscured by the herbs.
And about the drydown... Even though MdM kind of settles into a more powdery scent than it's elder sister, I also do find it somehow more 'open', easier to wear and - dare I say this - artistically better. Jicky, at least in its current EdT formula, turns more into an ambery mess.

Mouchoir de Monsieur may not be the easiest masculine to pull off, but it has such timeless, unquestionable beauty, that instead of wanting to wear it daily for the rest of my life, I'd much more prefer it to be the single fragrance my loved ones actually remember me by.

06/18/2021

9
Bottle 6
Sillage 7
Longevity 9
Scent

Serenissima
739 Reviews

Translated Show original

Serenissima

Top Review 19

the beau and his shawl

To every real beau or dandy belonged his perfumed batiste or even lace cloth.
Not only in the Rokoko, where it was held elegantly against bad smells before the nose; no, it was simply a component of the equipment of the "fine gentleman". Just like the not too narrow watch chain with at least one berlocke.
Skilfully used, this lace cloth made in my imagination certainly many a fan of the ladies' world competition: what could one express with it everything!
Of course, one waved at any time more or less distinguished with the decorative piece in front of the nose to express his displeasure.
Or it was used to remove any snuff crumbs from the back of the hand or the cuff of the sleeve: every beau had his own, as he thought, elegant hand gesture to put himself in the limelight in this way.
Only to something so mundane as blowing one's nose was this fine square of cloth not used.

Later this ornamental object was replaced by the classic pocket square, often matching the tie; this too more or less discreetly perfumed.
Man / just always liked to surround himself with noble fragrance.
Perhaps Jacques Guerlain, my second favorite man from this fragrance-creating family, thought of this when he created his first men's fragrance at the beginning of the 20th century.
Fresh and lively this should be, aromatic with a subtle fern / forest nuance.

With "Mouchoir de Monsieur" (the worldly Gentleman's fragrance) he succeeded.
Just the prelude of bergamot and spicy-fresh lemon balm invigorates.
Whereby the lemon balm proves to be a real stroke of luck: how wonderfully fresh is its fragrance and how popular it is still today.
Just think of its jagged green leaves adorning sundaes and cocktail glasses.
But back to the "Tuchlein of the Lord":
Both fragrances harmonize excellently without being intrusive, and the herbaceous spiciness of the lavender adds its very own charm.
After this pleasant entrée, the first components of the guerlinade/classic chypre fragrance now appear: jasmine and rose, with neroli in tow.
They don't mind lending their perfumed beauty to a men's fragrance: the main thing is, the composition succeeds and pleases.
With patchouli, tonka bean and a warm cinnamon nuance comes a pleasantly earthy-sweet nuance in this fragrance creation.
Oak moss - here beautifully and cleverly dosed - may not be missing, before sensual-warm vanilla and powdery iris for a slight animalism, a quiet erotic touch.
Who says that a men's fragrance - even at the prudish time of its appearance - must always be citrus-fresh and forest-spicy?
"Mouchoir de Monsieur" proves that it can be done differently, and the sparkle of golden amber lights skillfully closes this elegant fragrance creation.

Taking Cravache's hint elsewhere in this community with pleasure, I picked out my bottling of "Mouchoir de Monsieur" from the mountain of samples today.
Luckily, I could remember receiving it from Yatagan back in the day, so I didn't have to dig through it too much.
Right after the first spray, I knew: I can follow the advice of these two gentlemen and their fragrance savvy without hesitation.

Aromatic, spicy, fresh and lively envelops me this fragrance artwork, without to smother, to bite or to become annoying in the prevailing temperatures.
Rather, a balsamic touch of great elegance and charisma surrounds me.
Sillage and durability say me as always; here the house of Guerlain lives up to its name. And in addition, I love it, especially with lighter fragrances, to re-spray in between.
This gives me an extra freshness kick!

Even if "Mouchoir de Monsieur" is designated as a classic men's fragrance; I am delighted Jacques Guerlain with its thoroughly successful composition.
This fragrance invites you to spray it on a handkerchief.
And I still use cloth handkerchiefs - what luck!
So I can enjoy this fine and luxurious fragrance without any problems!

07/13/2020

9
Bottle 3
Sillage 9
Longevity 5
Scent

AndreasK
9 Reviews

Translated Show original

AndreasK

13

Habit Rouge precursor with grey appearance slightly cacophonous

Guerlain's Mouchoir Pour Monsieur comes from the time shortly after the turn of the 20th century and seems to me like the forerunner of the great Habit Rouge EdT from the 60s.

The prelude is a subdued citric note. In the course of time, the fragrance develops into a powdery, animalistic one. Whereby also this is very dimmed. So you could say that the idea for Habit Rouge had already been realized in the Mouchoir, but not yet expressively implemented. However, the difference in expressiveness between handkerchief (Mouchoir) and tailcoat (Habit) is very clear. In the Habit Rouge the prelude of bitter orange is violent, in the Mouchoir the bergamot (?) is only discreetly audible. Even the animalistic-powdery heart note is only dimly silent here and virulently agitated there.

I don't like the dimmed ones at the mouchoir. I much prefer the loud expression of the Habit Rouge. With Mouchoir, you always have to go into yourself to be aware of the characteristics. A perfume should already radiate and draw attention to itself. To be found by the seeker is not enough for a perfume. It may also be the overstimulation of our time, which requires strong signals. But that's the way it is.

Furthermore, with the mouchoir, I have the impression from the top note onwards that a certain cacophony prevails. The components do not seem to fit together properly. This shortcoming goes right through to heart trouble. This may be due to the fact that in 120 years the taste has changed somewhat. But especially the heart note I would describe as grey. That's the association that evokes the animalistic, dimmed, something disharmonic. When I close my eyes, I see a horse stable in front of me at Habit, and a woodshed in a garden at Mouchoir.

All in all, I advise against buying. If you want a classic, complex, expressive powdery-animal scent of complex French perfumery, you should go for Habit Rouge. In it has found to perfection what in the Mouchoir de Monsieur only exists in the idea. Time has passed over the mouchoir. Guerlain should rest in peace