Les Matières Confidentielles by Guerlain is a refined collection of intimately personal scents, conceived as fresh eaux de toilette designed to exist in harmony not only with the skin but also with fine materials in the home. These fragrances are meant to be misted lightly over the body, fabrics, or even delicate textiles such as lingerie, cotton, or cashmere, offering a subtle veil of elegance that enhances both the wearer and their surroundings. The compositions highlight white musks, which balance between innocence and sensuality. Evoking the velvety softness of bare skin, white musks create a powdery, cotton-like aura that lingers with exceptional persistence, forming an intimate and enveloping trail.
The line includes three scents: Eau de Lingerie, a delicate fragrance designed to perfume lingerie and fine fabrics; Eau de Coton, a gentle, airy scent echoing the softness and purity of freshly laundered cotton; and Eau de Cashmere, a cocooning fragrance intended to enhance the warmth and luxury of cashmere garments. Together, they illustrate Guerlain’s vision of fragrance as an everyday luxury, merging practicality with elegance.
The bottles for Les Matières Confidentielles are inspired by Guerlain’s historic Carré flacon of 1870, reinterpreted with a modern, unisex sophistication. Manufactured by Pochet du Courval, the house’s longtime glassmaker, the flacon is designed to be infinitely refillable and customizable in Guerlain boutiques and select counters, reflecting both sustainability and luxury. In regions where regulations permit, Guerlain offers an exclusive in-store refilling service, ensuring that the bottles remain treasured and enduring objects.
Eau de Coton:
Eau de Coton (2021) – Translating to “Cotton Water”, this creation from Guerlain’s Les Matières Confidentielles collection offers a fresh and almondy interpretation of white musks. Designed as an intimately personal fragrance, it may be misted directly on the skin or over household linens, blurring the line between perfume and lifestyle. Its character is sheer, soft, and velvety, capturing the purity and comfort of freshly washed cotton.
The composition highlights almond and orange blossom wrapped in musk, creating a tender, luminous impression that evokes both innocence and quiet sensuality. At its heart lies the sensation of cotton flower—airy, comforting, and subtly floral—while the base develops into a cocoon of powdery white musks. These musks are the defining signature of the fragrance, long-lasting and diffusive, forming an aura that clings to the skin or fabric like a cloud of cotton.
Classified as a floral fragrance for women and men, Eau de Coton is more than just a scent; it is a soothing, enveloping gesture. Whether worn as a personal veil or used to perfume one’s living spaces, it brings with it the softness, clarity, and intimacy that distinguish the Matières Confidentielles scent trail.
Fragrance Composition:
- Top notes: citral, citronellal, limonene, almond, linalool
- Middle notes: geraniol, orange blossom, cotton accord, linen accord
- Base notes: alpha-isomethyl ionone, cinnamyl alcohol, farnesol, coumarin, white musk
Scent Profile:
Eau de Coton (2021) unfolds like a whisper of fabric against the skin, each note carefully chosen to evoke the soft, airy purity of freshly laundered cotton. It is classified as a floral fragrance for women and men, but its spirit is sheer and universal—at once comforting, refined, and delicately sensual. To appreciate it fully, imagine smelling each ingredient in turn, before they merge into a seamless, cocooning veil.
At the opening, citral strikes first: a bright, lemony aldehyde found in lemongrass and lemon peel. Its crisp sharpness sets the stage with sparkling clarity, like the first breath of air through sun-dried linen. Alongside it, citronellal, often sourced from citronella or lemon eucalyptus, lends a softer, slightly rosy nuance, balancing citral’s sharp edges with a gentler, almost green citrus glow. Limonene, a dominant component in citrus rinds, enhances this brightness with juicy, effervescent energy—its scent recalling the zest of freshly peeled oranges, uplifting and cheerful. Threading through this citrusy sparkle is almond, whose bittersweet, nutty warmth introduces tenderness and comfort, softening the brisk edges of the top accord. Finally, linalool, commonly found in lavender and coriander, brings a smooth floral-woody transparency—both calming and luminous—linking the freshness of citrus with the softness of flowers to come.
The heart of the fragrance blossoms delicately. Geraniol, a naturally occurring alcohol found in roses and geraniums, contributes a vivid rosy-green quality—dewy and slightly fruity—lifting the composition with natural freshness. Orange blossom, often sourced from Tunisia or Morocco, enriches the heart with its radiant, honeyed warmth. Unlike heavier white florals, Tunisian orange blossom in particular is prized for its balance: sparkling, almost green at the edges, yet sensual and narcotic at its core. Then comes the cotton accord, a perfumer’s invention meant to capture the airy purity of fabric fresh from the wash. It blends subtle aldehydic notes with hints of powder and musk, creating an impression of fluff and softness. Paired with it, the linen accord adds a cool, crisp texture, evoking the clean snap of sun-bleached sheets drying in the breeze—more mineral, almost ozonic, and slightly starchy, contrasting beautifully with the warmth of almond and orange blossom.
As the fragrance settles, the base notes form a cocooning veil. Alpha-isomethyl ionone, a synthetic molecule related to orris, provides a powdery violet-like softness—evoking both petals and fabric, it enhances the floral heart while lending a cosmetic, skin-like polish. Cinnamyl alcohol, naturally found in cinnamon leaves and styrax, introduces a faintly spicy, balsamic warmth that anchors the citrus and florals without overwhelming them. Farnesol, a subtle floral alcohol present in linden blossoms and jasmine, enriches the bouquet with its honeyed, slightly woody sweetness, prolonging the floral heart and enhancing its natural radiance. Coumarin, a cornerstone of perfumery first discovered in tonka beans, adds its warm, hay-like, almond-tinged softness—blending seamlessly with the almond note of the opening and amplifying the fragrance’s comforting aura. Finally, white musk envelops everything in a sheer, sensual veil. Unlike animal-derived musks of the past, modern white musks are synthetic, clean, and long-lasting. They provide the fragrance’s enduring softness, lingering on skin and fabric like the memory of warmth, like cotton pressed gently against the skin.
Together, these notes create a fragrance that feels as intimate as clothing itself. Eau de Coton is not just about scent, but about texture: the crisp freshness of linen, the cloud-like softness of cotton, and the powdery warmth of skin swaddled in clean fabrics. Its balance of naturals and synthetics enhances this illusion—nature’s brightness sharpened and softened by molecules designed to extend, clarify, and refine. The result is a fragrance both innocent and sensual, airy and enveloping, as timeless and comforting as freshly washed fabric against the skin.
Eau de Cashmere:
Eau de Cashmere (2014) – Introduced by Thierry Wasser, Eau de Cashmere (English: “Cashmere Water”) is part of Guerlain’s Les Matières Confidentielles collection, conceived as a fragrance to be worn both on the skin and misted over clothing. This unisex creation was designed with a novel intent: to perfume soft knits, especially sweaters and cashmere stoles, wrapping the wearer in a veil of luxurious comfort. Its effect is cocooning and intimate, much like the sensation of being enveloped in fine cashmere.
The composition opens with the fresh brightness of bergamot and mandarin, offering a crisp, airy introduction. These citrus notes quickly melt into the heart of the fragrance, where the noble powdery nuances of iris and lavender lend elegance and refinement. Finally, the scent settles into its enveloping base: white musks paired with cedar and vetiver, creating a soft yet structured trail that balances warmth with lightness.
Eau de Cashmere is described as a fresh and powdery interpretation of white musks, designed to be as delicate and whisper-like as the fabric that inspired it. Whether misted on the skin or across garments, it leaves behind an elegant, comforting aura—a fragrant accessory as much as a perfume. Presented in a 125ml spray, this original concept reflects Guerlain’s innovative approach to scenting daily life, elevating both personal ritual and wardrobe with an air of refinement.
Fragrance Composition:
Eau de Cashmere is classified as a floral woody musk fragrance for women and men
- Top notes: bergamot, limonene, mandarin, citral
- Middle notes: iris, lavender, geraniol, linalool
- Base notes: benzyl cinnamate, coumarin, cedar, benzyl benzoate, vetiver and musk
Scent Profile:
Eau de Lingerie:
Eau de Lingerie (2013) – Created by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain’s Les Matières Confidentielles collection, Eau de Lingerie was conceived as a fragrance specifically designed to perfume intimate fabrics. Intended to be misted lightly over lingerie, it can also be used on bedding, within wardrobes, or even as a delicate skin scent, enhancing everyday rituals with elegance and intimacy. Available in a 125ml spray and originally priced at €65 in Guerlain boutiques, it embodies the idea of perfume as a personal and private luxury.
The composition is classified as a musky woody floral fragrance for women, offering a fresh and floral interpretation of white musks. Its structure weaves together like fine lace: the powdery elegance of iris and the romantic softness of rose form the heart, accented by the gentle sweetness of vanilla and the warmth of sandalwood. A delicate infusion of ambrette seed adds a subtle vegetal-musky nuance, while white musk envelops the entire creation in a sensual, powdery veil.
Like lingerie itself—delicate, refined, and intimate—Eau de Lingerie is designed to be an invisible luxury, offering the wearer a secret pleasure that lingers close to the skin. Sprayed on fabric or skin, it leaves a soft, feminine aura that is both comforting and alluring, making it a perfect olfactory accessory for moments of quiet indulgence.
Fragrance Composition:
Eau de Lingerie is classified as a powdery floral woody musk fragrance for men and women.
- Top notes: citronellol, powdery notes
- Middle notes: rose, geraniol, iris, alpha-isomethyl ionone
- Base notes: vanilla, coumarin, sandalwood, white musk and ambrette
Scent Profile:
Eau de Lingerie (2013) – Eau de Lingerie from Guerlain’s Les Matières Confidentielles collection is a delicate, intimate fragrance, classified as a floral woody musk for women and men. It evokes the softness and refinement of fine lingerie, drifting against the skin like lace, powder, and petals intertwined. The fragrance is designed to be misted lightly on delicate fabrics, bedding, or directly on the skin, creating an aura of subtle sensuality and elegance.
The top notes open with citronellol, a soft, rosy-citrus alcohol commonly extracted from geraniums or citronella. Citronellol’s refined floral quality brings a fresh, gentle lift that is simultaneously sweet and slightly green, brightening the fragrance in a way that feels natural yet meticulously crafted. It is complemented by powdery notes, a delicate synthetic accord that imparts the sensation of softness and silkiness, like pressed linen or the caress of cotton lace, immediately creating a tactile impression of intimacy and elegance.
In the heart, the floral complexity deepens. Rose, preferably from Grasse or Bulgaria, provides a luminous, slightly honeyed richness that evokes timeless femininity. The addition of geraniol, naturally occurring in roses and geraniums, reinforces this rosy quality while adding a subtle green freshness that prevents the heart from feeling overly sweet. Iris, sourced from the orris root of Tuscany or Morocco, contributes a powdery, velvety elegance, conjuring the sensation of soft, brushed petals. Enhancing this effect is alpha-isomethyl ionone, a synthetic note reminiscent of violet and iris, which amplifies the powdery, floral quality of the heart, giving it a refined, modern clarity while emphasizing softness against the skin.
The base notes ground the fragrance with warmth and sensuality. Vanilla, particularly the Bourbon variety, lends a comforting, creamy sweetness that harmonizes with coumarin, which introduces a hay-like, slightly toasted nuance, echoing the powdery softness of the florals. Sandalwood, sourced from Mysore or Australia, offers a creamy, milky woody richness that adds depth without overpowering the delicate floral heart. White musk envelops the composition in a clean, intimate veil, giving longevity and a soft sensuality reminiscent of skin against silk. Finally, ambrette, a natural musk derived from seeds of the Abelmoschus plant, complements the synthetic musks by contributing a slightly fruity, warm, and sensual nuance, enhancing the overall enveloping effect.
Altogether, Eau de Lingerie is a sensory journey from the airy, rosy freshness of the top notes, through a velvety, powdery floral heart, to a soft, musky, and woody base. Each element—whether natural or synthetic—interacts seamlessly, creating a fragrance that is as delicate, intimate, and tactile as fine lingerie, offering both a personal and enveloping olfactory experience that lingers like the whisper of lace against the skin.
