Asking me to pick a favorite fragrance note is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child. But, if we’re being totally honest, all parents have a slight affinity toward one (even if they won’t admit it). But, I digress. A good musk has to be, without a doubt, one of my most beloved scents to experience because they rarely, if ever, miss the mark. I guess Guerlain is on the same page, and the brand has released an entire line to prove it.
Launched on April 6, the Les Eaux Eau de Toilette (EDT) Collection is a line of musk fragrances, inspired by fabrics and the real life moments associated with them. “Les Eaux is rooted in a singular and intimate idea: the sensation of fabric on skin,” Delphine Jelk, Guerlain’s director of perfume creation and master perfumer, tells me. “The collection draws its inspiration from textiles—the way they move, comfort, and become intertwined with personal memories. Each fragrance is anchored in a specific material, but also in the emotion it carries, translating tactile sensations into olfactory expressions.”
Guerlain Les Eaux EDT Collection.
(Image credit: Guerlain)
While the line is posited as a collection of eau de toilettes, there is one formula that is technically an eau de parfum (more on that to come). Each bottle is $250, and there are five scents to choose from: Eau de Cashmere, Eau de Coton, Eau de Lingerie, Eau de Tulle, and Eau de Popeline. At the core of the collection and a recurring element in all the fragrances is a white musk note, which Jelk says is used as a “unifying signature.” “White musks have the unique ability to recreate the softness and warmth of skin, blurring the line between fragrance and body,” she says. “They shape each composition into a true ‘second skin,’ something both subtle and deeply present. The approach is to translate touch into scent, giving a fragrant dimension to sensations that are usually felt rather than smelled.”
The line is now available exclusively at Guerlain.com as well as in the brand’s brick-and-mortar boutiques. I’ve been able to test drive all five of the new fragrances the past few days, so as the resident musk obsessive on Team Beauty, of course, I have thoughts. Keep reading to see my honest review of the line.
Contents
Eau de Lingerie
Ariel Baker testing Guerlain Eau de Lingerie.
(Image credit: Ariel Baker)
Guerlain
L’art & La Matière Eau De Lingerie – Eau De Toilette
Let’s start with my favorite from the bunch, shall we? Eau de Lingerie is an intoxicating blend of iris, vanilla, and white musk. It came as no surprise that it’s my favorite from the line because I’ve been on a serious iris kick lately, and this formula blends the note beautifully. The vanilla and musk add an almost lactonic element to the perfume that, as the day goes on, translates more like clean skin. Eau de Lingerie is sweet and ultra-feminine, but something about it also screams effortless and chic. It’s an intoxicating combination that feels like the energy of the most sensual and self-assured woman you know, bottled.
Eau de Cashmere
Ariel Baker testing Guerlain Eau de Cashmere.
(Image credit: Ariel Baker)
Guerlain
L’art & La Matière Eau De Cashmere
If woody perfumes are more your thing, Eau de Cashmere might be calling your name. Pink peppercorns, mandarin, and bergamot open the fragrance before vanilla, cedar, white musk, and vetiver take center stage. Iris, lavender, and petit grain set the stage for the base notes, and the result? A slightly citrus-y and uplifting profile that feels fresh, clean, and of course, a little musky. It’s perfect for layering with your sharper, more citrus-forward scents to create a special concoction that can be worn year-round.
Eau de Coton
Ariel Baker testing Eau de Coton.
(Image credit: Ariel Baker)
Guerlain
L’art & La Matière Eau De Coton
If you essentially want the fragrance equivalent of a white T-shirt, Eau de Coton will be your favorite perfume from this collection. Expect a combination of bergamot, lemon, green notes, and orange blossom to take center stage—it’s basically all I can smell on first whiff. However, like the rest of the line, it dries down to a gorgeous musky skin scent that perfectly straddles that line between being fresh, sweet, and warm, like your favorite minimalist tee coming straight out of the dryer.
Eau de Popline
Ariel Baker testing Eau de Popline.
(Image credit: Ariel Baker)
Guerlain
L’art & La Matière Eau De Popeline
The very first thing that came to mind when I smelled Eau de Popline? “Bride.” This is the perfect wedding fragrance or gift for a bride-to-be, especially one who has a more minimalist approach to scenting her special day. Almond and musk take the surprisingly fruity concoction down a more gourmand route than you might expect, but not in the traditional “overly sweet dessert” way. Instead, apricot, mimosa, and orange blossom support what, to me, is the star of the show: honey. As a result, the perfume lands more on the slightly syrupy, fruity-floral end of the spectrum, which feels particularly fitting for a spring 2026 bride.
Eau de Tulle
Ariel Baker testing Eau de Tulle.
(Image credit: Ariel Baker)
Guerlain
L’art & La Matière Eau De Tulle
The only eau de parfum formula in this lineup, Eau de Tulle, is for the girly girls. There’s a slight spiciness to the scent thanks to angelica seed being one of the first top notes, and it’s quickly followed by pink peppercorns and citrus notes. Some unexpected heavy hitters like patchouli and frankincense are then revealed in the heart of the formula, before rose, a sugared almond accord, and orange blossom round out the base. “What differentiates each fragrance is the way the white musk is shaped,” Jelk says. “Sometimes cocooning, sometimes airy, sometimes sensual.” To me, eau de Tulle lands firmly in the sensual category, and the rose note, in particular, truly shines in this fragrance.
Final Thoughts
In short, I really enjoyed testing this line and have found quite a few new favorites that will be added to my larger perfume collection. Do I think it’s necessary for everyone to run out and buy the collection in its entirety? No, unless that is your ministry, then, by all means.
Still, I genuinely can see this line being one of Guerlain’s most enduring. The entire launch is a lesson on the beauty of restraint, especially in a fragrance industry that does its best to launch the next viral beast-mode perfume. Anyone can find their next go-to in this collection—from the young woman who is just starting her high-end fragrance journey to the minimalist who prefers something that sits close to the skin. Even the most seasoned of noses can appreciate the nuances in each formulation, especially if, like me, they love (and prefer) musk-forward fragrances. These scents have the ability to be generation-defining, and I personally plan on gifting my niece a bottle as soon as she’s old enough to wear perfume and, hopefully, one day, my own daughter too.
That being said, one of the biggest reasons people tend to shy away from musk-heavy scents is that many can’t fully smell the note. There’s a ban on most animal-derived musk notes, so most modern perfumes use synthetic versions. Its high molecular weight can be hard for the human nose to detect, so I highly recommend trying these perfumes in person to make sure you are comfortable with how they wear on the skin. Now that that’s out of the way, excuse me while I douse myself in Eau de Lingerie and start planning out my new scent layering combinations.
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Meet the Expert
Delphine Jelk joined the House of Guerlain in 2014. Her round and warm, generous and inviting compositions are defined by oppositions and tensions. Iris, musks and powdery, vanilla, almond and milky notes are her favourite materials. Juggling between heritage and modernity, Delphine has created numerous creations for L’Art & La Matière and Aqua Allegoria. In 2021, she became a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature).
