Guerlain caught in controversy over using the term “quantum” to promote a cream

Guerlain, the cosmetics brand owned by French luxury giant LVMH, on Thursday defended its communication around a cream that claims to be innovative but has been mocked on social networks for its use of the scientific term “quantum”.

For the past 24 hours, Guerlain has been under fire for a skincare cream and serum called Impériale Gold Nobile, which claims to offer “a new way of cosmetic rejuvenation for the skin, born of quantum science.” These two products, which sell for €650 per 50 ml, also complement Guerlain’s ultra-premium Orchidée Impériale range.

“The company has taken note of the questions or risks of confusion surrounding the use of the term quantum. Guerlain, committed to ensuring that its messages and research are clearly understood, has therefore decided to clarify its communications in order to remove any ambiguity,” explains Guerlain in a statement sent to AFP.

The brand is not abandoning the term “quantum”, but explains that “quantum biology is a recent and recognised field of scientific investigation.”

“It has shown that living cells emit much smaller particles than molecules, photons or UPE (Ultra-weak Photon Emission). These photons are the elementary constituents of light,” it adds.

According to Guerlain, its skincare line “is based on major scientific advances in the field of quantum biology applied to skin cells, with proven results” in collaboration with biophysicists from Palacky University in Czech Republic.

The use of the term “quantum” was attacked in a video published on Wednesday, January 3 by youtuber G Milgram, who has a following of 163,000. In the video, which has already been seen by 158,000 people, the video maker, who is a fan of science, says that a few months ago he received internal documents from Guerlain about the launch of this new quantum range. Questioning the scientific basis of this launch, G Milgram also provides anonymous testimonials from scientists denouncing the use of the term quantum, a science that explains how matter works on the infinitely small scale of atoms and particles.

The controversy flared up on social networks. “At first I thought it was a hoax, but no,” wrote physicist Etienne Klein on X. “I can hear the corpses of Schrödinger, Dirac and Heisenberg spinning in their graves,” he added, referring to the names of three theoretical physicists of quantum mechanics.

On the Guerlain Instagram account, which is followed by almost 2 million people, the brand has been gently mocked by internet users.

With AFP