Eau de Lingerie Guerlain 2013

According to Fragrantica, this cold pink musky iris used to be part of the Elixirs Charnels range, which cost 65 euros for 120ml.
Now it's been rebranded as one of the Matières Confidentielles and it goes for three times as much.
So, if you really want your knickers to smell of peachy laundered cotton, why not try one of the Infusions d'iris at a quarter of the price?

It doesn't have an erotic meaning, as people often misunderstand. This is because French has different meanings in other countries, and this fragrance doesn't mean lacy Parisienne super feminine lingerie. It means that you put it on your underwear and it gives off a scent. So it's unisex. French people get that, right?
You can substitute this with L'instant Magic or Flower by Kenzo. There's nothing more to say. If a really rich person uses this to scent their clothes, towels, lingerie, I'd be a little sick of the snobbishness. If you have money to spare and want some Guerlain L'instant Magic flavored Febreze, invest in it to further enrich the Guerlain empire and feed Thierry Wasser's cute little shiba inu. No, he's got a better life than me without all that. So I'll pass. lol

So I have the 2026 version of this, which I couldn't find specifically on Parfumo. This was much more noticeable to me than eau de cashmere, which completely vanished on my skin after application. This is definitely a skin scent and quite subtle. In my initial spray I was hit with a whisper of citrus, which isn’t listed in the notes here, but it was fleeting and gave way to what I assume is the ambrette and iris. Ambrette isn’t a note I’m super familiar with, but it definitely lends itself to the white musk base. I’d rate this a 2/5, just on the fact alone that I can at least smell it on me compared to eau de cashmere, but I am not wowed. It is a delicate musk with a hint of rose and powder. This could be a cute nighttime fragrance just before bed, and I could see this doing super well in a place like Japan, where subtle, clean and floral scents are widely appreciated. However, this is such a blurred, translucent fragrance that like in my other note, I can’t help but feel like “what exactly are you paying for?” More watered down musk. I hate giving poor reviews, but so far this line has been so underwhelming. I also want to add that this smells like... baby wipes or baby powder.

Edit: as I analyse my notes and compare to the notes of Coton, I wonder if the sample I received is not for lingerie, but for Coton. Curious.

It's mega limited, this stuff. So it's not worth reading further here.
You just end up torturing yourself.

Okay, then go ahead and read on, you love to punish yourself, to long for, to hunger, to miss, and to suffer. Here you go.

A laundry scent. Otto Normalbürger is already interested in that by default. I'm no exception.
Yes, this is how "fresh" laundry should smell. Oh, how disgusting, but here it's necessary, because lingerie doesn't smell fresh at all. Sweet and powdery is much closer, and do you want that? Yes, definitely.
Because this powdery sweetness is a submissively charming, iris-buttery, vanilla-kissed sweetness.

And now everyone will say again, NO, vanilla, NO; but never forget, vanilla is one of the main, fundamental, and basic receptors of all, all aroma substances, and the absolute clue is, this one is one of the fifteen leading real ones in the world.

Vanilla is good.
Even Van Halen, Van Damme, and Van der Vaart knew that.

"Lingerie" - the word evokes memories of wonderfully beautiful lingerie shops; back then, they were true "temples" for women's underwear.
They were called things like "Lady M." and "Sarah K.", "Dream Lingerie in Salzburg" and similar.
In many cities, they were my destination, and I can't remember ever not finding something!

For some of these temples, the boudoir was clearly the inspiration: elegantly wallpapered walls, stylish mirrors with subtle lighting (you never looked green or yellow there), fine furniture and fabrics.
The lingerie racks were usually set into niches, which were wallpapered just like the rest of the store.
I still vividly remember fitting rooms that were modeled after little tents. Even inside, the mirrors were well lit: there was no harsh light that would startle and send a woman fleeing.
The customer and her selected pieces were put "in the right light"!
There, you found not only fine underwear; delicate lingerie that wasn't labeled with buzzwords like lingerie, underwear, or even underpants (Sweetsmell, thank you!)
Silk, lace, and very fine cotton were predominantly the materials used, even for "nightwear"!
Nightgowns that could almost be called night robes, negligees - often both as a combination (how I loved those!) - quilted housecoats and those dreamy silk robes that can be admired in every old Hollywood movie and always make a "bella figura".
(By the way, the enthusiasm for these silk dreams is somewhat dampened during ironing!)
Even in the eighties, I was often a guest and customer in such shops.
These visits were entertaining, time-consuming, and not exactly inexpensive!
The glass of "sparkling water" was, of course, part of the experience; as were the beautiful bags that were carried home with varying degrees of pride!

That's why "Eau de Lingerie" immediately reminds me of these "lingerie temples": the scent of pure femininity wafted there too.
Especially this fine vanilla. Vanilla of the kind that Sylvaine Delacourte uses in her vanilla fragrance collection.
The heavy, creamy, erotic vanilla would be out of place here: the fine sensuality of the lingerie needs no sledgehammer!
Iris and rose - are there actually more feminine flowers? - appear here with a delicate fragrance; I think a little of the small bouquets with the little yellow tea roses that were brought to coffee invitations: tied with baby’s breath and encased in lace cuffs!
Even the white musk tiptoes in. This is very pleasant.
Recently, it has always encountered me very powerfully; in some fragrances, it even tried to suffocate me.
That is not the case with "Eau de Lingerie": a restrained musk, lightly brushed with musk seed oil (Ambrette), sets very beautiful fragrance accents.
This elegant "lingerie scent" is enchantingly rounded off by sandalwood: discreetly dosed yet spreading a sensuality that beautiful lingerie should always accompany.

Some cotton sachets filled with lavender flowers placed between the underwear and bed linen is today often considered the height of feeling and is called "lingerie scent"!

"Eau de Lingerie" is a bit out of time: its feminine grace still unfolds, though.
This evokes nostalgic feelings: the longing for something we probably no longer allow.
Women who lovingly and devotedly choose, care for, and wear their lingerie seem to belong to the past.
One quickly forgets what used to be so natural and yet could easily be integrated back into life: that little bit of everyday luxury!

For this Guerlain scent envelops like a powdery veil: very light and fine - powder that is dusted on with a large, soft puff and where you don't think about having to clean the bathroom afterward.

Through the bottling of "Eau de Lingerie," I am reminded that even for me, the "little luxury" had to give way to a daily routine that often lacks luster.
In the search for familiar lingerie shops caused by this scent, I was disappointed to find a tanning salon, an internet café, and a coffee shop!
Even the friend who always accompanied me with great enthusiasm on these shopping trips belongs to the past.
What a shame - doubly so!

However, thanks to "Eau de Lingerie," I will become a bit more conscious of the contents of my lingerie drawer again!
This time of year with its long dark hours is perfect for it. Who knows, maybe I'll even find some surprises?