Mon Guerlain vs Shalimar, which one is the ultimate best?

Guerlain is a legendary French perfume house that has revolutionized fragrances with his unique passion and talent. Being sure of always using luxurious and rare materials for its perfumes, such as French vanilla or ylang-ylang from its plantations in the Comoro Islands, it has ensured to bring out the best perfumes the world has ever seen. 

Shalimar by Guerlain is an everlasting classic and the queen of exotic Oriental perfumery. It is the first oriental fragrance in history that is the epitome of the fact that true love always thrives. Shalimar Eau de Parfum is voluptuous and sensual that opens with a breeze of flowers and bergamot. The best legendary fragrance brings power and sensuality to the wearer’s personality. 

Angelina Jolie inspires mon Guerlain to give tribute to the strong, free, and sensual femininity. The strong lines and curves on the Quadrilobe bottle express contemporary femininity. The Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum is attributed to its gold adornment.

In our final breakdown of Mon Guerlain vs. Shalimar, we explore how both the perfumes perform and differ in their properties. Let’s get started. 

Summary of Mon Guerlain vs. Shalimar  

Shalimar is the invincible winner of today’s one on one comparison. It is a spicy amber fragrance that opens with a gush of beautiful flowers and bergamot, warmed with iris, jasmine, and rose notes. Vanilla, balsam notes, and tonka beans meanwhile bring power and sensuality to this now-legendary scent. Also included are the notes that make up the famous “Guerlinade” olfactory signature, which is recognized for making many of the Guerlain house fragrances so unique.

Side by side comparison of Mon Guerlain vs Shalimar

Main Accords – Here’s a Tie

Its voluptuous base of powdery, sweet vanilla embraces warm notes of incense and amber that are opulent and tenacious, giving the seductive appeal of Shalimar gardens. It has the aroma of lush, fertile soil that has been moistened by crisp precipitation. L’Eau de Parfum Shalimar is a mythic fragrance with bergamot, iris, and vanilla notes; an intense wake with a touch of impertinence, always glowing, embodies skin-caressing sensuality with a hint of the undying love of the emperor Shah Jahan. 

Inspired by the passionate love story of an emperor and an Indian princess, Shalimar, which means “temple of love” in Sanskrit, symbolizes the promise of eternal love. It is a fragrance of desire.

Mon Guerlain opens with a tiny shimmer of bergamot before unleashing a glorious lavender note. Lavender is the smell of summer, and it portrays a vast number of nuances, smelling minty fresh, herbal, and sweet like caramelized sugar. In Mon Guerlain, the lavender used is the Carla variety grown in Provence, which has a touch of the herbaceous freshness of the material. Still, for the most part, it’s all sugar, showcasing a gorgeous lilac-shaded marzipan vibe that may be high in calories, but is also remarkably translucent. Mon Guerlain will make you fall in love with lavender once again. 

Mon Guerlain is a perfect Amber Woody fragrance for women 

Underneath that lavender in Mon Guerlain, is a robust gourmand base that pairs vanilla and sandalwood together in perfect harmony. The result is a clash of soft, supple sweetness and gauzy woodiness, creating a really interesting texture in the base. Together, these notes create a buttery quality reminiscent of hard toffee candies. 

Shalimar Is an Amber Spicy fragrance for women (check the best smelling spicy perfumes). Perfume is composed of citrus notes; lemon and bergamot, jasmine, may rose, opoponax, Tonka bean, vanilla, iris, Peru balsam, and gray amber. The coolness of the citrus notes leads to a floral heart ending with a warm and luxurious trail. 

The Tones – The Winner is Shalimar

Shalimar Eau de Parfum was launched in 1990. The nose behind this fragrance is Jacques Guerlain. Jacques Guerlain created Shalimar in 1925 as a tribute to the legendary love story between Emperor SHAHJAHAN and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the “Jewel of the Palace.” After the wedding, the prince and Mumtaz were inseparable, in war and peace. On her death, Shah Jahan was devastated and had built the Taj Mahal in the memory of his wife and their undying love. Shalimar is named after ‘The Gardens of Shalimar. It was Mumtaz’s favorite garden. Shalimar is one of the best-selling perfumes ever, and its magic is undeniable. 

The top notes are Citruses (check the best seller citrus perfumes for her), Bergamot, Lemon, Cedar, and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are iris, Patchouli, Vetiver, Jasmine, and Rose; base notes are Vanilla, Incense, Leather, Opoponax, Civet, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, and Musk.

Mon Guerlain also pays homage to many of the Guerlain classics. Its lavender note feels reminiscent of 1889’s Jicky, its vanilla serving as a nod to Shalimar and its fruitier aspects nodding politely at La Petite Robe Noire. All of that said, Mon Guerlain holds its own, and it’s yet again a delicious delicacy from the house of Guerlain that needs to be sniffed. Our one piece of advice: it may be ‘your Guerlain,’ but I hope you’ll agree that it’s too delightful not to share. Please go on, be generous with it. 

Mon Guerlain was launched in 2017. Thierry Wasser and Delphine Jelk created Mon Guerlain. The top notes are Lavender and Bergamot; middle notes are iris, Jasmine Sambac and Rose; base notes are Tahitian Vanilla, Coumarin, Australian Sandalwood, Licorice, Benzoin, and Patchouli.

Shalimar Eau de Parfum QUINTESSENCE OF “GUERLINADE” with a Voluptuous and sensuality 

Guerlain’s Shalimar opens with the violent zest of bergamot. In the words of Helg on an online site: 

Guerlain’s Shalimar opens with the violent zest of bergamot backed up by sweeter hesperidin scents, quickly melding into an embrace of flowers that soon set the stage for the sensual and warm undercurrent of the muskily sexy base (check the top rated sexy perfumes for ladies).

Mon Guerlain was inspired by the “notes of a woman,” or “the choices, emotions, and dreams that embody modern femininity.” The fragrance is said to be launched for the international market, with the notes of lavender and vanilla. 

Longevity & Sillage – The Winner is Shalimar 

Guerlain Shalimar EDP performs like a beast in Fall and the Winter. You can even get 12+ plus hours per wear with it. We recommend spraying 4 to 6 sprays on the neck to get decent sillage throughout the day. Also, if you plan to use Shalimar in the warmer weather, go with one of many flankers or Guerlain Shalimar EDT.

If you are under the age of 25 years and are someone who likes modern fragrances (check the best smelling fragrances for women in their 20s), you should at least try it. For using Shalimar, fall and winter are your best friends. The cooler, the better.  Mom Guerlain has a mild projection that is very well blended and even-tempered. Still, it lasts for a pretty long time. We cannot say it has a weak performance because we have easily hit 8-11 hours a day. So, you are sure to get your money’s worth. 

Shalimar is an all-rounder perfect to complement all moments 

Utterly beautiful, the EDP is more muted yet richer and more streamlined. It is considered the most elegant version; it is also the version that feels most vintage. To be used sparingly. An icon and a masterpiece. The dry-down is dark and rich, with the spicy-amber accord being complemented by the smooth, perfectly sweet vanilla.

Value for Money – Shalimar is the Winner 

Both the fragrances give unbeatable experiences which are worth every penny we pay. They won’t break your bank to smell good. Even though Shalimar tops the list because of the unique sophistication and elegance, it offers at such an affordable rate. The longer sillage and longevity further take our vote for the best perfume. 

Whereas Mon Guerlain costs more than Shalimar and serves lesser you’re than its counterpart. You get lots of compliments when you wear it, but there’s nothing like the impression that Shalimar creates. 

Shalimar win the deal with its woody vanilla accord  

When you get such a beautiful accord at a reasonable rate, the choice becomes easier. Although both scents are not that expensive, you get to enjoy the confidence and self-reliance aroma of a boss woman. 

Our scent experience – Here’s a Tie 

Both the scents by Guerlain have extremely distinct scents that we enjoyed immensely. Shalimar is extremely well-blended, featuring the famed Guerlinade accord throughout. The citruses of the opening are more muted here than in other concentrations. Lemon is most evident, and its typical sharpness is tempered beautifully by the woody-vanilla accord. Soft spices emerge pretty early on. Rose, jasmine, and iris are evident but are softer and less nuanced.  The dry-down phase has a touch more leathery and animalic. Sillage is moderate, and longevity is excellent. Best suited for autumn/winter.

Mon Guerlain reminds us of perfume BonBon and Black Opium. Mon Guerlain has an aroma similar to the caramel note in BonBon, and it, of course, shares the vanilla note that is featured so prominently in Black Opium.

However, as this perfume progresses, it loses some of its similarity with those two fragrances and becomes more of a vanilla/lavender combo. It is a fresh blend of floral notes with a smooth and inviting sweetness. Mon Guerlain is very feminine without being overpowering or bothersome, and we enjoy the mix of jasmine and lavender.

Final Word

The champion of this comparison will depend on the distinct taste you prefer. Both the scents performed well in our test and never failed to make us feel great. Where Mon Guerlain is a safe fragrance, Shalimar takes you into the beautiful mystic times, exploring the generous beauty of Shalimar Garden and Shah Jahan’s undying love.