Cuir Beluga (2005)
by Guerlain

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.

4th July, 2011.

An opulent billow of vanilla pod infused-icing sugar and pulverised almonds, Cuir Beluga wears like a velour bathrobe, abundantly heavy and soporific in its pampering luxury, keeping one alert only with its leather trim of myrrh-like astringency. Minimalist in every regard other than its potency, it lingers beyond all expectations with a burnt sugar incandescence that greets you in the morning like a stretched-out purring kitten insistent upon adoration.

17th January, 2011.

Pure class and olfactory heaven!
This is a masterclass in perfumery and so expensive I
only have a small sample, which I shall attempt to make
last for as long as I can.
Cashmery,snuggly, sensuous and so much more.
When I win the lottery, this will be top of my wishlist.

10th June, 2010.

Perfumer Oliver Polge and part of the L’Art et la Matière collection . I'm fortunate to have come across a sample from dear Elena of perfumeshrine.com. White leather - the softest most luxurious white leather is what this fragrance is - subtle ,sweet ,lightly powdery with 'that' vanilla. Beautiful. Somehow it makes me think of Marilyn Monroe.

12nd April, 2010.

Now here is a leather I can wear with love. I got a sample via the guerlain rep who thought I would like to layer it wiht my Bois D'armenie. I find it works well alone quite nicely. It's a very high quality scent, just a little is enough to last all day, and it never fades. I'm one that loves the vanilla note common to Guerlains, and mixed with the orange and leather this really pops for me. hmmm.... just may have to get it

27th February, 2010.

Cuir Beluga is a definite leather scent. Perhaps most people have been used to leather being a bit more harsh, and that's why they claim they can't smell the leather in CB. I can see how someone might consider CB to be suede, but it is definitely leather nonetheless. It is a very soft, sumptuous leather that has great tenacity (a good 15 hours on me). The leather note in Cuir Beluga is every bit as elegant and satisfying as some of the finest in modern perfumery, and that includes Chanel's Cuir de Russie. I find it more unisex than the Chanel in any case. I think it is at least a contender for my favorite from L'Art et la Matiere. I disagree that the scents from this line are so similar that you only need to own one.

23rd February, 2010.