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281 community ratings
Guerlain

Oud Essentiel

Perfumer: Thierry Wasser

2017UnisexClassic

Votes lean masculine

7.6/ 10
Community score
281 ratings
See your match

Guerlain Oud Essentiel is a unisex scent where oud, Atlas cedar and Bulgarian rose lead, deepened by spice, smoke and leather.

Compare

Skunky's take: Floral accords up front; keep it from the bees.

How does it perform?

From 248 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity
8.4 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage
8.0 /10

People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.

Bottle
8.4 /10

Sits nicely on a shelf.

Value for money
7.4 /10

Most people feel it is worth the price.

Blind buy risk

Low risk

80% of votes are positive and opinions barely differ.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Heart notesfirst few hours

Base noteswhat stays into the evening

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

  1. Floral
  2. Spicy
  3. Woody
  4. Oriental
  5. Resinous
  6. Earthy
  7. Smoky
  8. Leathery

What does Oud Essentiel smell like?

Longevity and sillage are both rated strong. Most voters pick autumn and winter, and it is too heavy for summer heat. Evenings and nights out get the most votes, with business and daily wear well behind. More voters call it masculine, though it is classed as unisex.

It opens with saffron and geranium for a spicy start. In the heart, oud, Atlas cedar and rose join floral and woody sides. The base of gaiac wood, leather and frankincense leaves an earthy, smoky, resinous trail. The overall feel is warm and oriental.

How it changes through the day

  1. First minutes

    • Saffron
    • Geranium
  2. First hours

    • Oud
    • Atlas cedar
    • Bulgarian rose
  3. Towards evening

    • Gaiac wood
    • Leather
    • Frankincense

When to wear it?

Seasons and occasions, by user votes.

  • 38%
    Winter
  • 38%
    Autumn
  • 17%
    Spring
  • 7%
    Summer
  • Evening
    32%
  • Nighttime
    30%
  • Casual
    19%
  • Office
    10%
  • Daytime
    9%

Go easy on it for daytime: the sillage is strong.

Smells like this

The closest scents by notes and accords.

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Last updated: October 26, 2026