Eau des Merveilles Hermès for women

It really is as good as everyone says. The combination of pepper, citrus, woods, and amber creates the most natural and easy to wear fragrance I've ever experienced. Out of the entire line, this one is the least salty and probably the most conventional. Longevity is an issue but it is a eau de toilette. For me I find the citrus is loudest initially and then peeks through the basenotes.

It’s nice enough - a really pleasant woody citrus. Not something I’d buy a full bottle of, but I can understand why people love it.

It smells expensive, slightly spa-like, quiet and contained. It doesn’t try too hard.

I get the orange, amber, woods, resin and cedar.

I walked into an adorable snow-covered Vermont inn and smelled the most sophisticated gentle calming spa sort of scent. I thought they might be piping it in or have a rack of super expensive bath products, but the woman at the desk, in her 60s with beautiful long white hair, sheepishly said it might be her. I had to know what it was: Hermes, and an M-word I wasn't sure about. Once settled in our room, I checked Fragrantica for any Hermes scent that sounded similar to what she said, and then took my tablet back downstairs to her to make sure I got it right. She said people follow her to ask what she is wearing. I have a sample on the way and pray it smells as good on me. It is from the end of the golden age of fragrance, in my mind. I am new to Hermes having no access to it. And there are so many flankers I wish I could try. I will report back once my precious sample arrives.

It smells like you're walking through a forest full of orange trees during a rainy day.

Aquarelle in the form of perfume. I’m surprised to know Ellena is not the author? This is very much in his style. For me, this is foremost about the bright orange citrus. Very elegant. Perfect for the office. Don’t worry about being marketed as a ’women’s’ perfume. This is genderless. Simply beautiful.

Another beautiful take on orange by Hermès.

The orange in this is beautiful, it is nice and light and the orange truly shines. The quality of this is immaculate and the smooth blend is just chefs kiss. It is sold as a women fragrance, but honestly I wouldn't mind wearing this. It's definitely more on the unisex side of things. It's basically classy and clean in a bottle. What a beauty.

Sexy salty skin it’s stunning and so unique I’m in love with this fragrance always get compliments when I’m wearing this

Had a vertiginous epiphany during which I realized that this smells a lot like BR 540 if you replaced BR’s super-sweetness with tart orange and amped up the pine. Both fill the room with a sparkly ambroxan cloud, last for days (weeks) on clothes, and unsettle/seduce you with that trinity of bitter/salty/sweet 4k special effects. Give me a balloon.

Bright yet comforting, like taking a nap on a sunny day under a shady tree. Cozy but refreshing, I get some warm lemon notes, green earthiness (oakmoss). A unique combination of scents that works so well.

Pretty unisex in the sense that anyone could wear it, tones way down the femininity in a woman, or masculinity in a man, without leaning into the other direction.

I would love to wear this on a weekend staying at home, or to go on a walk through a park. I personally find it hard to choose an actual occasion to wear this out though :(

Another unique take on orange from Hermes, yet not too different from Terre EDT. Good stuff.

Not sure what to make of this one yet. It's heavy and light smelling at the same time if that's even possible, lol. I'm a fan of Hermes perfumes though because they have a very niche quality to them so I'm continue to explore this one. My initial feeling is that I wish it was slightly sweeter to balance the woods and aromatics.

Note though that it leans slightly masculine.

Starts out smelling like citrusy amber. Slightly peppery. Then turns subtle, almost like bounce dryer sheets. In a good way. It smells clean and light after the first 15 minutes of the citrusy amber.

I really like this fragrance. It s fresh, crisp, woody, and it feels like Chance- like a bottle of champagne on a summer night.

It s light and delicate, but an uplifting scent. It does not remind me of Chance by Chanel, just the same feeling of crispness.
Lasts about 4 h on my skin, better in clothes.
Low sillage.

If you are into Voyage from the same house, I suggest you try this.

If a fragrance has pepper in it, for whatever reason, that is what I can smell most of the time. This perfume is no different. It's an interesting peppery woody scent on me. It's not a favorite but it is interesting enough for me to want to keep it around.

I have a mini of this. It smells like orange creamsicle but more sharply orange less creamy while still being somewhat sweet. This smells good, but is too similar to others I own, and honestly my similar perfumes were cheaper and better smelling to me :x lol I personally find this one to be somewhat strong.

didn’t notice anything special on paper but on my skin it’s amazing! very signature worthy. smells like me! warm with lots of depth

I love them, they are refreshing, elegant and pure, but the logetivity is so disappointing. After an hour I forget I wore any perfums.

Resinous, ambery and warm but somehow manages to be light, peppery and fresh. I would say more feminine than masculine, tentatively. Enjoying my little miniature today. Ages well, I really get the more ambery notes and this is quite comforting. Lovely. Still love this.

I received a 2ml sample of this and since I often like perfumes with amber notes in them I was keen to try it.

At first spray, I got the warm creaminess of amber, which I loved and then an orange spiciness coming through. I immediately started to get excited thinking I had found something to fall in love with. Although I only sprayed once on my wrist, I felt completely perfumed as I walked around engulfed in a cloud of loveliness. I then suddenly realised that this smell was actually very familiar to me and instantly recalled JLO’s Miami Glow, which I own. I didn’t need to do a side-by-side comparison - it’s quite a distinctive scent.

So how do they compare? I enjoy Miami Glow, but I don’t LOVE it - it lacks longevity and disappears too quickly on me. Eau des Merveilles is, for me, Miami Glow with staying power so if I really loved it then this would be a fantastic (albeit far more expensive) alternative and I would definitely consider purchasing. Eau des Merveilles seems like a richer, more rounded scent. It and has a deliciously soft dry down - unfortunately, Miami Glow doesn’t have much of a dry down, it’s more of a fade away! Eau des Merveilles is the sort of scent that could be worn all year around so that also takes it into a league above Miami Glow.

I didn’t get any of the woody, cedar, fir or moss notes, which to be honest, I am glad about….those notes would have worried me, but I did get all the delicious citrusy notes weighted with the depth of the amber and the spiciness of the peppers - a yummy perfume. If I see it on sale I’ll buy it in a heartbeat, otherwise, I will stick with the Miami Glow in summertime.

Eau Des Merveilles EDT is a woody, spicy, aromatic, citrusy and unisex fragrance that I could imagine one could wear either in the fall or the winter during the day on a stroll in the park. I can imagine the spice from mulled wine when I smell this and also ginger, which is why it especially reminds me of Christmas time.

The opening reminds me of a spiced orange jaffa chocolate (something we get in my native land New Zealand) because of the juicy orange and lemon at the top and the balsamic spice smell from the elemi too. It very wintry, but in a very warm sort of way.

I can smell the amber, pepper and pink pepper in the heart notes enhancing that warmth even more and making this fragrance even more spicy and ambery. It is a very rich and complex scent that develops slowly on you. I admit that all of the spice kind of gives me a headache though, since I find the smell and the sillage on Eau Des Merveilles EDT quite strong.

The whole fragrance then lies on a very spicy and woody base that makes me think of Old Spice cologne for men and other vintage and masculine style colognes. I'm not a fan of the very bitter smell from the oakmoss and the spicy and sweet balsamic smell from the fir. This all makes this frsgrance smell very old and outdated, as well as quite mature.

It ended up lasting 8 and a half hours on me and so this means that this is very good bang for your buck. I just feel like I have smelt a perfume like this many times before and that it needed some more sweetness in it.

Altogether, I'd give this fragrance a lowly 3.5/10.

Fresh powdery citrus yet incredibly sophisticated. Smells like a rich lady in her late 30's and up. Mature yet still 21st century modern.

It really is a shame this was only released as an EDT. It has strong sillage but it disappears within 15-30 mins then becomes a lithe skin scent that lasts for about 4 hours before disappearing into the ether. It really deserves a proper EDP formulation.

I thought L'ambre des Merveilles and Elixir des Merveilles would serve that purpose but those frags have a completely different identity altogether; they're just heavy and dark ambery candied citruses with none of Eau's sophisticated, lithe and powdery citrus charm.

10/10. I got this is the Sephora Hermes sample box and based on the notes I didn't expect to really like it, but it's all I've been wanting to wear for weeks. It's hard to describe, but it's like sexy pencil shavings, bitter orange and something mineral. Then I realized that it's a sophisticated skin scent, and the only scent I can wear to work. I would love the scent even if I didn't have a lot of occasions to wear it.

Smells like literal tree sap and the sweet animalic sweat of a just-woken baby with its drool-covered soother or the smell of someone else’s honeyed morning breath on their pillow if, say, they happened to brush their teeth with tree sap the night before. It’s very natural-smelling, and definitely kind of magical and wondrous in the way that trees and babies and breath are. In that sense I completely love it, but as for actually wearing it... I don’t. I think it makes me feel a bit vulnerable? I’m not so comfortable showing the sticky, natural, animal parts of myself. Still, a touching and evocative scent.

I bought a sample and expected an orange woodsy womanly scent. However, it doesn't match what I had in mind. To me it smells like an Avon male perfume. I could smell pine, some other kind of wood and a hint of amber but there's no femininity about it. I would say this should be marketed as unisex at least.

The lightness and delicacy of this fragrance are among its nicest qualities, but don't let this fool you into thinking this makes it a feminine scent, even despite how Hermès originally marketed this. This is truly a unisex fragrance, and it's perfect for the office or for outdoor parties because of its lightness and wearability. It reminds me quite a bit of both Armani Eau d'Aromes and even Hermès's own Terre d'Hermès, both masculine fragrances, although it's lighter than either. The orange and the amber are dominant, but they are nicely balanced with the fir and black pepper, giving the central accord a pleasantly gritty quality behind the smoothness of the major notes.

This is a lovely fragrance to wear when transitioning from the summer to autumn season. The opening is very zesty: the citrus and pepper notes are quite prominent on my skin. The dry down is very pleasant and elegant, almost soapy and fresh, and the orange really shines. I don’t like to overspray, as it can be quite strong and I don’t like to overwhelm people. All in all, I love bringing this out on the warmer days of fall! A woman who wears this will be taken seriously.

Something in this perfume I am allergic to. I can't stop sneezing and itching.

Used to be my signature scent, gone through bottles of this stuff. Compliment getter , elegant , warm but airy a 10 / 10 in longevity, scent and trail. Composition has now changed , now scratchier and off . Do not bother with the Salvatore Dali dupe ... Not the same. Nearly full bottle lying around in my closet unused .. search for the 10/10 signature scent continues

I tried this scent, the EDT, on my wrist when I went to buy my Hermes cologne. It was absolutely awful with only the pepper and oakmoss hitting my nose. BUT, I cannot reject any perfume before I actually try it, so I asked if I could have a 2 ml sample of this one to try at home with leisure. She gave it to me along with a Twilly and a Le Jardin de Monsieur Li, which I will also test.

Hmm, totally different performance on clean skin without my body creams that I had on that day, the environmental pollution that my wrist already had on it and without all the other scents floating around in the department store affecting my nose.

So, the next day, I sprayed it on clean skin, at home. At first I got a smooth woody fragrance, very aromatic, pleasing and relaxing. After a couple of hours the violet and amber showed, very well blended with the peppers. The next day it was still on my skin and clothes with a light smell of oakmoss, vetiver, fir, cedar? I' not sure which one, but, the next day's remaining scent was still woody and soothing.

For an EDT it has long sillage. I am prone to buying a full bottle. I am not sure, though, if it is a summer or winter scent. I will try it in winter again to see how it performs in colder weather.

I've been obsessed with this perfume since 2017! it's still always in my collection, still definitely a signature scent, and still catches me by surprise every time I wear it because it's more and more beautiful each and every day!

I am back to say i love this more than when i first tried it. I absolutely love orange, i love all citrus but orange is my bae.❤️I love to layer this with rose to get that rose tangerine vibe, i either use ormande jayne taif rose or NR fleur musc. I highly recommend these combos, judt wonderful!

I was hoping to get a citrusy/earthy/aromatic dry down from this. But what I got is a little bit sweeter and balsamic, something I am not really a fan of. I have smelled this from different persons, from younger than me around early 20s, and to nearly 50s women and men. The dry down is very different to each individual. I'm really happy I've gotten the 15ml instead of diving right away to a full size. This fragrance is powerful, very put together, warm, and something I would wear on a cold date night. Just not an everyday wear for me as I'd love a more fresh and clean scent.

I could have put money on a bet that there is jasmine in here. I smell it. But apparently not. Weird. Anyway, this doesn't really smell like the notes would suggest. But the bottle does. The bottle kinda gives you the idea that it would be fresh, airy and slightly spicy with the amount of dark at the bottom of the clear bottle. It suggests it isn't strong. And it isn't. It's a bit 'thin', it's fresh spicy orange, with amber and woods (and jasmine 😉) definitely unisex. I really like this, the dry down is stunning👍

I had Eau des Merveilles and I can say that it is one of my favorite perfumes. It smells like resin, orange, pepper and vetiver. A perfume with a great projection that lasts all day. It's warm, summery, spicy and sexy, suitable for women and men. A unique perfume for which I have not found a dupe. I will definitely repurchase it.

After years of hearing the hype I decided to indulge myself a 1.6 to see what all the fuss was about.
Light, very dry, citrusy, elemi, dash of pepper, nuanced cédar & pine, veiled vetiver.
Don't quite get the the name "Marvelous Water".
Kind of underwhelming and I don't really care for it.
Fortunately, not many fragrance give me a headache but this one did.

Unisex.
Cute bottle, though.

✨

Magical. Seriously, where did this come from and where has it been my whole life?

It's woody and peppery, but not masculine. Slight powdery violet in the background is that tie back to the early 2000's. The citrus and fir kick up the freshness- it's so hard to describe and I know I'm not doing this juice justice. I do sense the leather but it's really faint- in a good way, just adds to the complexity. Spicy. Classic. Strong but not overwhelming. It's just a knockout from first sniff.

You know when you open a sample and you can just tell it's something different and unique? That is this. It has no other 'dna' I can point to that it is like- it's like a mix of both modern perfumes and some elements of what was popular in the 90's and 2000's. So hard to put my finger on! I can't stop smelling it. New obsession.

Ah, I got it! Its closest cousin is Coco Noir. If you took out the sharp amber and some of the soapiness. I came so close to buying Coco Noir but the amber was just too sharp and soapy- this is GRAND.

Hands down, one of my favorites. It smells confident, strong, classy, sexy, mysterious, travelled, rich, and clean. You're not trying to be feminine, but they'll know that you are without even having to see you: No florals or sweetness. Just a divine blend of pepper and woods

the end all be all. the perfume i think of when i think of perfume. i would do things im not proud of in the name of eau des merveilles. it was worn by my mother (though not as frequently as some of her others, which were never as good) perhaps there is a genetic component to our love for it.

There is such a beautiful fleeting impression from this fragrance; but the thing that annoys me about it is that it does not last - what is annoying is that its proving a notion I don't aspire to; just hate that its longevity is weak. I am glad I had a 10ml decant of this and didn't just blind buy - I won't be buying a full bottle but I do like this a lot and can understand the levels of love this would attract. I just wished it was a little bit stronger

7.9/10

I just ordered this, will return when i receive it for review!

Update: i just opened this and i love it! So clean and citrusy without the big punch of lemon you normally have with citrus scents. I would wear this any time anywhere!
Three of my faves are fleur mic by NR, ani by nishane and SDPP by kayali. This is like right between those three. I smell the pepper and the citrus, the fir, the violet. I like that it isnt overpowering but i may get the elixir too. I feel like i get musk but that isnt in the notes🤷♀️
This may go on my top shelf!

Im wearing today with just a tiny drop of kayali invite only amber and the two together are everything.
I have also layered with fleur musc and burberry her edp and also wonderful!

Note: this bottle does not lend itself well to loading up a mini atomizer. I cant get the little cannister to fit over the top?!?

In the perfume stand of a department store in sunny Greece .. There was i looking for a present for my love at that time !
It was 2005 , early September , a pretty hot month in Greece i shall mention . There were some mainstream best seller scents but i could not decide what perfume to buy for her .. So the lady proposed to try something new from Hermes.
One spray and that was it ! Sophistication , mystery , the beach , sex , body , spice , eathereal , angels , sun , blond , gold salt , brave and signature . Those are the words i can say that echoe in my brain . Bought it and fell more in love with it and with her . A strong bond created , so strong that the other times i smelled this on someone my spine chilled and my brain stopped . I felt that i could fall in love so easy with someone wearing this . But a deeper thing almost primitive awakes with E.D.M. The love with the girl ended but i always have this in my collection . Always admiring the perfumers of this and the people who choose to wear it . They are special as this creation is special too.
Now i am trying to find something similar to this , a niche variant maybe ? Any help ?
thanks for your time

Bright and interesting, chic and expensive smelling. Have been wearing this on and off, trying to decide if I really like it, as the fir note turns a bit sharp and quite masculine. Somewhere between a 6/10 and an 8/10 for me, due to personal preference. A classic, ahead of its time, marketed towards women but definitely unisex.

Imagine that you have gone camping on the top of a mountain. Towards dusk, the tents have been set up, and the campfire lit. You settle down, leaning against a cypress tree, facing the great valleys. You think of nothing. You listen to the silence of nature, and you savour the fresh mountain air. Exhausted, you close your eyes and fall into the arms of Morpheus. You wake up, hours later, under a peaceful starry sky, a soft breeze tickling your neck, and the campfire almost dead. You look around you, everyone is sleeping. The crickets are chirping, and the owl is hooting. You raise your head towards the sky, a shooting star appears to your eyes. You make a wish... and you smile!
L'Eau des Merveilles is not a simple EDT, it's an escape.

This feels like a woody pepper version of something in the Hermes Jardin line. It is fresh and on the masculine side of unisex. I think this is a good fit for someone looking for a hot weather scent that wants to avoid anything floral or too fruity sweet.

Although this is perfectly pleasant, I'll reach for Hermes Jardin Apres la Mousson or Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe before this every time.

Opens with sharp aromatic notes; spicy orange peel, it's a little waxy, green, fresh. Isn't overly feminine but does have a powdery tinge as it drifts through the air. Has a watery aspect as well, becomes spicier, the woods then emerge and it all smells very natural, light and airy.

It has a great balance between fresh and sour, doesn't become overpowered by either.

Starts to become reminiscent of dry coniferous trees and actually leans a little masculine.

The woody notes are subtle and blend well with the aromatic spices, and it continues to do a good job of conjuring a realistic mediterranean-pine-forest.

A soft, slightly powdery amber then develops and there are the first inclinations of the distinguished Hermes vetiver. Spicy, peppery notes also return from time to time and the scent becomes very recognisable as the work of the "Hermes-house".

The woods get sharper (with a chalky, balsamic bite) as the vetiver and amber increase and the powdery/waxy/incense note can be smelt close to the skin.

As somone else mentioned it does sparkle, perhaps from the airy, slightly watery quality the composition has?
After an hour it gets warmer and the sharp woody notes become softer and more comforting. Does hang on to the citrus note quite well although it hides behind the vetiver. The chalk facets become a little milky but are only really perceptible through ocasional wafts in the air. The oakmoss does give it a "chypre - esque" aroma.

Definitely Uni-sex. Ahead of its time, not sure? Wearable today, yes even if it does feel a tad mature and masculine.
It's a day scent that's good year round though I personally think this would really sing in summer and is fresh enough to handle even the warmest climes (and would certainly make you smell unique).

Performance is OK, longevity moderate .

The Hermes orange with some woods. the marketing is a bit confusing, should be unisex masculine leaning.

Candied orange amber, something sparkly and whimsical about it, unisex, nothing notable that is ultra masculine or feminine. Mood maker.

When I look at the notes, I think that they should result in a warm, thick, resinous and balsamic scent. Something viscous and intense. Instead, what I have on me is transparent and airy mix of amber and cedar. Citrus goes very fast while this beautiful base stays for hours. This is my second large bottle, as I love it a lot. It makes life cozier.

The amber in this reminds me a bit of Hugo Boss Intense 2003.

I am a big fan of Hermès' Merveilles line. I have reviewed most of them, and own a big bottle of Elixir de Merveilles, but somehow I have managed to neglect to review the original. Until today. Eau des Merveilles is an airy, zesty, woody scent centred on a beautiful salty amber accord. While it features a prominent orange note, it is far from a generic citrus freshie. It is very similar to Elixir des Merveilles - it is just lighter, fresher and airier with a sprinkling of peppery spice. Elixir is an autumn/winter scent, while I would classify Eau as a summer scent - for me, it encapsulates a beach day in an unusual and strikingly accurate manner. The marine saltiness is there, alongside seasonally-appropriate citrus and the woody-amber accord adds sunny warmth. Seemingly, the assignment for EDM was to compose a feminine scent without relying on florals. While the two perfumers listed here succeeded in the latter, EDM is unisex in my opinion.

EDM opens with a zesty orange note, followed closely by elemi, which paves the way to the resinous amber accord, adding its signature subtle pine-like nuance. It is quite peppery up top, giving a warm yet fizzy spiciness to the opening. The amber accord develops with the scent, becoming increasingly dry and salty. It is not animalic, just marine-like and resinous, complementing the orange of the opening to perfection.

It becomes increasingly woody as it dries down, blending beautifully with the amber accord. The woody notes are light and dry, and there is a lovely mossiness thanks to the oakmoss. The fir note enhances the pine nuance from the elemi to perfection, and it is nicely resinous until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate.

Despite the rich amber accord and mossy drydown, there is still a nice, light touch to EDM throughout. A beautiful, unique composition housed in one of my favourite bottle designs, EDM is aptly named - it truly is a marvel. Warm radiance in a bottle. 4.5/5.

From opening until the dry down this fragance is a whole Gentleman, a relaxed one. Not an uppity/snobbish.

OH WOW!!! I love this so much and I'm normally not a big Hermes perfume fan. It's got a beautiful, soft citrus opening, and dries down almost a soft floral. There is a damp woodsy quality here too and it's so soothing. Citrus openings normally don't agree with me so I was always hesitant to try this, but this one works and I am in love. A bit of lightheartedness here for sure. I can see myself wearing this day and night all seasons. It lasts without ever being heady or overwhelming. Super chic scent!!

Very peppery + noticeable citrus smell & unisex.
Don't understand why the majority of the votes are for day scent, I personally think it is more of a night scent. Noticed when dried down that it smells like cedar and vetiver a bit, but isn't rlly noticeable for the others.

7/10

After trying a spritz on my hand, by the time I got home, I smelled like a man...Starts off feminine and finishes off totally masculine. This is not a fragrance for women (in my opinion)-it can be easily worn by men. Of course, it's all about taste and preference. Nevertheless, it is a high quality fragrance with huge longevity- just not for me..

Obvious masterpiece, apparent at first sniff. Dizzying, sparkling, effervescent beachwood.
And far more unisex than the marketing would have you believe.
The flankers are all pretty good, but start here. As with most things, the original is the best.

Also, while the bottles are all gorgeous, go for the 50ml. The dimension are more balanced and it feels more natural in the hand, which makes for a better application experience.

4.5 stars. I really like this, but unfortunately I happen to love Elixir de Merveilles just a little bit more. This is more fresh and summery, and it's not at all bad... but I do regret not getting Elixir instead. It could have been worse though, I almost bought Ambre, and that's turned in to my least favorite of the series aside from the blues. My initial impressions of the yellow/orange fragrances completely flipped with several tries, I at first thought that Elixir was too soapy/harsh (now more exciting) and that Ambre was deliciously smooth (now more boring) with Eau as a decent compromise.

The scent is really high quality as you would expect from Hermes, but sadly the lasting power of Eau is fairly middling. I have several cheapies that last better on my skin, but to be fair they're edp not edt like this. Also, this fades very nicely, it doesn't at all turn funky towards the end unlike the cheap and otherwise nice dupe from Tesori d'Orient.

Eau des Merveilles reminds me ever so slightly of Kenzo Jungle Elephant, not the fragrance as a whole, but something in the drydown is like a single layer of scent from the more complex Elephant. I tried them on one arm each to make sure that I wasn't imagining things, and the exact acidity and some of the spices are definitely familiar.

As for the whole series: the bottle is beautiful, but it annoys me that the sprayer can't be rotated. It's ergonomically very unpleasant to hold the 100ml bottle and spray and would be much more comfortable if the globe side could be held in your palm.

Ah, my signature scent.

There is nothing else quite like this. It's fresh and somehow breezy, with that orange opening. The heart is resinous and has a delicious soft, warm peppery spice to it. And it's salty! Like salt crystals on driftwood, which is not for everyone but which evokes memories of my honeymoon for me. It dries down soft and warm, with just a hint of sweetness (maybe the cedar?). The woods are blended well and you can't really pick them apart.

It's probably suitable for every season except spring (it has very different vibes) and really cold winters, because the projection is just ok. But lasts well on my skin and amazingly on clothes. On clothes it can last half a week for me.

I am completely incapable of reviewing this objectively, so I will just say that I love it.

Orange, pepper, light resin, woody, salty, slightly sharp/metallic.

At first I couldn’t believe I like this scent. Its the most beautiful, elegant, classy, chic fragrance for a woman who has found herself. For me, this comunicates confidence. I wish it had a bigger sillage, People around me can smell this in the first hour and then it becomes a skinscent for almost a day, but the drydown is to die for!!!!

I smelled this from a vial at first and fell in love with it . It was so warm and comforting, evoking the memories of being a child and being in the lap of a maternal caretaker that you trust with your life. It felt like a hug in a small attic that shielded you from the evils of the world. I normally dont like warm scents as someone coming from the tropics (where I dont belong frankly) but this one needed to be had at the time. I got a full size on my birthday and oh....it ruined my sinuses. It was suddenly too sparkling , too acrid, and salty and woody and ambery. I got the worst headache of my life. I blame it on ambergris, which I since discovered I simply cannot handle in perfumes. It could be due to my history of intense seasickness on long ship voyages but it just wasnt for me and I felt so horrible about it because its quite pricey and I so wanted to cherish it ( I gave it away, hoping to get the empty bottle back ofcourse). Because if there is any bottle design I am enamored with, its this one. It's so magical, the way light reflects off of it both in light and flash , the little stars on it , the way it feels like something I went on a quest for and robbed from the wizard's tower. Truly marvelous bottle, but the liquid is like poison to my nose, and maybe I deserved that as punishment for my theft of the wizard's orb...

edit: the notes dont say ambergris therefore its the elemi resin and amber doing the torture. eitherway, allergic to ambergris in other perfumes.

Very intriguing scent, although not something I am particularly drawn to at the current stage of my perfume journey.

The type of woman I imagine wearing this: Assertive, well spoken, has a quite unique style, she doesn't care to fit in or to be liked (both of which she does/is though, but without trying at all).

The notes that stand out to me (in this order): citrus, pepper, and something earthy - probably the moss.

Oh how much I love this one! I remember one of my aunts had it as I was a kid, and she was the type of woman to always be put together and smelling great. Then, a year ago I randomly smelled it again in a counter and ohhh my god. I just fell in love again. This is such a good one! It smells clean, warm, cozy, sophisticated. The citrusy vibes are dominant in the beginning, but in the most refreshing and pleasant way. And then my favourite part, the drydown. I think it's also my skin chemistry but this dries on the most beautiful, warm, sweet and enveloping amber/cedar combination.
I also recieved many compliments on this, a male collegue loved it so much that he bought it for himself. I think I could never live without this in my collection. Such a gem.
I have to say though that this is more appreciated by the "older" geeration, like 30+. (Someone that likes all the new designer releases full of ultra sweet and sickening orange blossom, jasmine and I don't know what else, wouldn't appreciate that.)

So back in the 2000's I put my nose on this fantastic dry orange fragrance at my local perfume store. I forgot to take the name down and left the store thinking I'd come back for it later.

Fast forward to 2022. 🥹👉👈

I think I had difficulty finding this because it was marketed to women and I had no idea.
I wouldn't say this perfume is particularly feminine/masculine. I just get a happy vibe from it.

I don't believe this fragrance will 'wow' too many people. It's not loud enough for that. I think people will adore this because of the uplifting and bright quality it has.

It triggers a lot of good memories of my youth. It might even dethrone my much loved Prada Amber our Homme as my all time favorite. We shall see.

Beautiful fragrance smells like salty skin that’s been at the beach all day and such a polarising fragrance smells cozy in winter will always have in my collection stunning scent

It's a beautiful scent but there is something bothering me about it. So I layer it with Chanel coco edt to enjoy it.

Reminded me of the Blackbird fragrances I loved in my early twenties, sold at the shop Omoi Zakka in Philadelphia. Particularly, it reminds me of Pipe Bomb, a scent I owned but haven't smelled in a long time. Very delicate, untraceable amber scent with a hint of what one reviewer called "pencil shaving" wood. That smell is actually very pleasant, sweet with a touch of cool, dark graphite if one can imagine. Would like to sample both again and see if my memory is correct.

I’ve own a bottle of this for a few years now and until today, I’d never worn it in summer. I’ve always thought its amber accord would be too much for high heat…and I was dead wrong. This needs heat to be sensed properly. Duly noted.

Eau des Merveilles by Hermès by Ralf Schwieger and Nathalie Feisthauer a grandiose and magical orangery, which extends on fresh citrus notes of orange and lemon, on the dry you can feel the marked verve épicé of pepper and pink pepper, on the dry-down a magnetic floral note of violet and the oriental sensuality of amber, ending in a welcoming and reassuring woody conversion. The Hermès maison always amazes with its wonderful olfactory creations. Eau des Merveilles is a fragrance that embodies the summer, pleasant Sillage. The base note Boisés guarantees its duration and appreciation over time.

When they cancelled my signature scent, Dsquared 2 She Wood, I spent a few years looking for a replacement - a similarly pleasant woody scent that was also year-round, not overpowering, and ideally subtly unisex. Not too sweet, a little spicy, sexy and memorable.

This scent meets a lot of my requirements.

This perfume is the sun in a bottle. It's the beach, the tan, the mimosa, the festival and the dance. it's pure happiness and joy.

I was very worried about the aforementioned orange opening, but I was pleasantly surprised that it goes away very quickly and gives way to a fresh, spicy scent. The amber lingers longest on me, and I can also smell a hint of balsam peru, woods, and herbs. For me, it's a year-round scent, not too heavy. There is a very subtle orange in the background, and not that cheap orangey scent, but a ripe, almost dried orange.

I fell in love with Replica's By The Fireplace at the same time, but it's a very wintery scent. This reminds me of it very subtly, but it's like someone has transformed it into a summer sunny scent.

Some days I love it, and some days I don't. It's very mood dependent for me. I'm intrigued by the elemi resin, but it does lean masculine to me. I'd like to smell in on my significant other.

There are majorly rose and leather in it that remains throughout. The luxurious soft leather feel which is deepen by the roses and then seems to be tinted with saffron is seriously enveloping and delicate with all the warmth. There is smokiness and a seamless composite character in it. Musk in it not so prominent, rather remains silently and calmly in the background which radiates the sensuous feel gradually. On me, this lasts for more than 12-14 hours and shows the moderate silage. P.S. The bottle is very handsome and heavy that feels wonderful in hands. Fresh, green and lively along with being dark and sensuous. Looks more of a unsiex scent to me rather than the feminine one.

There is definitely something unique about the smell and was definitely intrigued and interested first time I smelled it. But gets surprisingly boring and stale pretty quickly after spraying. I'm glad I only bought a 5ml sample as I don't see myself wearing and liking it much.

Quite unisex, relatively fresh and light without being too boring (though it's not exactly ground breaking). Will probably buy a small bottle to share between myself and my girlfriend.

Like grandmother's hairspray and the way a freshly dry-cleaned garment smells. It somehow manages to smell simultaneously stale and expensive.

There's a sweetness in this from something I truly can't place but never leaves the scent throughout it's life. It's also very feminine to me, though I can see how others would dispute that - but I say that even though I tend to really enjoy wearing unisex scents. Beautiful bottle. It honestly smells the way the bottle looks. Presentation 10/10, would love to smell this on a woman/anyone presenting femme in the summer. Good longevity too, I would say worth the price.

I enjoyed this a lot, especially that sparkling orange soap opening, for a bit but then gave the bottle to my mother. She really likes it. Good for her!

I bought a 10ml sample, thinking I'd love it. I thought wrong! I get the orange burst, but then I smell like a salty swamp log for 4-5 hours. Must be my skin chemistry. Not a safe blind buy.

A few seconds of happy citrus orange at the opening, dries through to some coniferous woods, then settles into an airy-pencil shaving-light amber-super powdery cloud. No spice or balsamic notes to be found and on the fem side of unisex. My guess is that there's a heavy dose of ambroxan in there.

I have definitely smelled this as a child. I want to say on my parents real estate agent or someone similar. It's nice, unobjectionable.

Why do I feel like this one smells exactly like ELDO Archives 69? Anybody feels the same way I do?

This is such an interesting perfume, I definitely recommend sampling it if you can, but I wouldn't recommend it as a safe blind buy as it's quite different and may not be to everyone's taste.
To me, the initial notes are intensively citrus zest with an almost sherbet fizz. It reminds me of Wizz Fizz so I'm transported back to my childhood, but then the fizz abruptly ends and it takes on more of a fir, woody scent. It's refreshing and crisp, like a walk in the park or by the beach on a winter's day. There's no sweetness or floral notes detectable to me so I was sure this wouldn't be for me, but I actually quite like it. Sometimes I'll catch a whiff and think it's more masculine, but on the whole I think it is more feminine.

Got this perfume as a sample and upon looking at the notes, I was sure I wouldn't like it, but I was wrong. I tend to avoid peppery notes like the plague- they always overpower the other notes and on my skin it often smells like axe body spray, but this is one of the first perfumes where the peppery notes didn't dominate the perfume. It smells like sitting under a large fir tree overlooking a pond as the sun sets, zipping up the light jacket you have on as the evening breeze blows towards you. I'd argue that this is for sure a unisex fragrance- maybe a bit on the feminine side, but not really what I'd consider a traditionally feminine fragrance.

I won't be purchasing a full size of this, but I appreciate it for what it is, and I definitely will be keeping an eye on Hermés fragrances from now on because I am pleasantly surprised and enjoy how long it lasts and how atmospheric it is. Definitely a perfume that I could see lasting a while because one little spritz on my wrist was enough for me to smell it a few hours later.

One of the most beautiful bottles, but it gave me an awful headache. I got the orange and fir at the start, and those notes continued to be the focus as it dried down on me (orange turned into a less juicy version of itself). It's a fresh and clean scent, but if you tend to get headaches, this may not be for you.

I smell orange, lemon, and whatever is making it smell like cleaning liquid. Not something I want to smell like, but it’s not bad. It’s fresh.

Very similar to Amber des merveilles, but a little fresher and not so warm or ambery. Lacks the effervescent sparkle or slight darkness of the amber version.
Meh

I adore this fragrance, the entire line is quite good.The opening is a fresh, not overly sweet orange with some depth coming from the resins and woods and a pleasant earthiness from the oakmoss. I find the freshness more of an outdoorsy freshness, like a walk in the forest rather than an airy, aquatic or clean freshness.

I find it an easy to love fragrance with enough complexity to make it interesting. It has the right amount of maturity to make it an ageless and timeless fragrance. I can see this as a fragrance that stands the test of time. I don't see it ever smelling dated. It has a classic character to it that makes it smell both modern and vintage. It is creeping up on 20 years old, but it also smells like it could be a new release. Because of that, I see this as an ageless fragrance. It wouldn't smell out of place on a teenage girl or an elderly man, and everyone in between. This makes Eau Des Merveilles an excellent choice for a signature fragrance. It is also pretty darn unisex. It leans just a hair feminine, so someone looking for a super masculine, rugged fragrance won't find what they are looking for here.

Eau Des Merveilles has stellar performance. It lasts forever, when I wear it, it lasts until I shower, at least 12+ hours. It projects quite far most of that time. It will be noticeable well outside of you personal space for hours. I can smell it around myself the whole day. I tend to be a little careful on the application of this one because it has a strong throw. I don't imagine it being obnoxious to others even when oversprayed because of the fresh outdoorsy quality to the scent, but it is quite stron and I would be pretty careful in professional settings or when you may be around others who are sensitive to fragrances. Besides I never need more than 2-3 sprays for the above performance. More sprays is just a waste anyway.

Hermes is one of the pricier designer brands. Even at discounters Hermes fragrances tend to be a little on the higher side. But the quality of this fragrance justifies that price tag. You will get your money's worth even if you pay full price. Eau Des Mervielles smells like something you spent a lot of money on, and you get your money's worth in performance.

I really like the bottle. It is very esthetically pleasing and the quality matches the price. My only complaint is the lack of a cap or some way to lock the atomizer. I never travel with this fragrance because without one of these options it's not travel friendly. The 30ml bottle has a cap, but the larger ones don't. The cap on the smaller bottle doesn't detract from the design of the bottle, so I don't understand the omission.

I prefer the Elixir version of Merveilles, which is warmer and sweeter and more on the feminine side. This one is crispy, fresh and more for the males on my opinion.

This one is a very special one, it lives up to its name.
I usually tend to avoid sharp fragrances as my skin likes to pull woods and resins like nobody's business and a nice perfume can turn heavy and bothersome on me; but Eau des Merveilles is different: In summer it smells like the Atlantic Ocean and in winter it is a colourful autumn and a snowy Christmas Day (Elixir des Merveilles manages this magic trick at the same time but it is stronger).
It has a lot of personality yet it is super easy to wear in all weathers and occasions. A true year rounder.

Latex! That’s the mystery note, it’s a big dose of latex in the opening. It doesn’t smell bad, it makes the scent addictive, I kept sniffing my wrists to try to figure it out. Eventually the latex fades and blends nicely with the citrus and amber. I wore it with Delina on my other wrist because the latex was making me nauseous and I need a break. Overall I do like the scent and I love the addictiveness of it even though it’s odd.

Late summer. I'm sitting under the pine trees on the rocky shore of a Dalmatian island. It is sunset. I am peeling an orange, the juices of the fruit and rind are mixing on my hands. The sea spray carries on the cool breeze. I can hear the water lapping at the shore and the leaves rustling. I am at peace.

I blind bought this due to the fact that I love L'Ombre des Merveilles and really like Eau des Merveilles Bleue, but could not find a tester in the store to test this one. On the first spray I thought it was beautiful, the orange and the fir were so fresh and strong. Then it slowly started calming down onto fresh amber and then it turned into something like a weird vintage closet smell. I was so sad, thought this one is not for me (my husband loved it from the beginning). But the next day I was drawn to it again and the next day again and now I have it for over a week and have worn it every day (that's rare for me) and I think it is one of the most beautiful, feminine fragrances out there. It's not too loud, sort of like second skin scent except I can smell the whiffs of it the whole day and it stays on my clothes for over 2 days. In the end, it turns out I really love it. Maybe it was weird hormone chemistry on the first day? Ambery orange fir goodness, it feels appropriate for winter but also colder summer nights as the ambergris really does make you think of the ocean air.

Nice fresh orange fragrance. Smells like a combination of Terre d'Hermes and Prada Infusion d'Iris. It's very pleasant and non-offensive, but quite weak to the point that it only last 2-3hours on skin before disappearing into the ether. I don't think this will project much beyond the first 10mins. Totally unisex. I can see this as a fragrance you can wear around the house to freshen up, but if you're thinking of wearing it to venture out, the lack of performance means it will be gone by the time you're out of the door.

This is a hidden gem, quite literally "hidden" as it is marketed as a frag for women while clearly a unisex. To me it smells like a smoother version of terre d'hermes but still spicy enough for men to wear.

This scent reminds me of being up north in quebec right after the winter. The fir trees are crisp smelling and theres an aromatic spice in the air. Its very woody and fresh. The notes say orange but I only smell orange in the dry down, I mostly smell fir, amber and cedar. The citrus adds a nice touch to the scent to balance out the sticky and sweet resin.

I've been trying really hard with this line, because I know people who love it. I have this and a sample of L'Ombre des Merveilles. Maybe I'm anosmic to something here, but I have appreciated these notes in other perfumes, so I don't know. There are other ambroxan fragrances I love, so I don't see how that could be the issue, but it really does feel like I'm only getting one dimension of this. For me, the initial top notes are cold licorice and concrete. It dries down to pencil shavings with just a hint of citrus--like if your elementary school teacher ate an orange with her lunch. I'm not getting the warmth others are talking about, or the amber and spiciness. It lasts a long time on my skin, but the fade-out is just pencil shavings and watered-down orange juice. My problem with perfumes is that I like EVERYTHING, even really challenging scents--this is one of the few things I've smelled that I just can't seem to get my head around. I guess it's either my nose or my chemistry. I'll try this again in a different season--maybe it will work better on me in the spring.

I was expecting crisp citrus and wood. It actually smells warm and oakmossy. I'd say it is a good gateway into vintage fragrances, to ease yourself into that moss.
Actually smells like the drydown of BBW Japanese Cherry Blossom to me

This reminds me of the suffocating high-octane fragrances that adults oversprayed on themselves when I was a child, always immediately right before trapping me in a hot car with them to go somewhere. You couldn’t even roll down a window because it would ruin their hair. Inevitably you’d arrive at the event with nausea, a headache, and a parent who was irritatedly commanding you to appear happy.

I think I'd enjoy this fragrance more if I wasn't so scarred by resinous/amber/woody fragrances sprayed with the “go big or go home” zeal of the 80s. Definitely not for me.

I am very surprised that I don't love this. I love woody notes, orange, fur, oakmoss, and pepper. I really should want to bathe in this. There is something about it that smells... common? Is that weird? I smell the orange, the pepper, and oakmoss... which I should be wild about, but it reminds me of a boring rich woman.

Although... I do wish I was a boring rich woman...

If they'd given it some clove it would smell a lot like one of those holiday orange pomanders and a bit more interesting (I might've added some pine as well because it just seems to be lacking something). Would still make a decent daytime fragrance to wear during the autumn/winter holidays because of the orange and woody notes. It does have a bit of salty fishiness from ambergris (the notes listed here aren't completely correct). Unisex.

Very sweet, juicy orange, like the clementine in Cinema. Slightly spicy coniferous freshness with just a touch of vanillic warmth. EDM is great for all seasons. It's very pleasant, open, unpretentious while still being classy.

-Predominantly a woody, peppery scent.
-Has a hint of amber in the background.
-Leans masculine.
-Nothing too spectacular. (-)

Delicious

A beautiful fragrance, elegant and sophisticated without being too heavy or overwhelming. I do think this is strictly feminine, it does not smell masculine at all to me. I’m not usually a fan of citrus scents but its so well done here. I bought a bottle for my mother as she mentioned she had a sample and loved it and I think I’ll have to get a bottle of my own as I’ve ‘borrowed’ hers one too many times. It lasts well on my skin, not amazing but not bad either, it lasts forever on clothes.

Wet grassy meadow after a light morning rain, but you just peeled an orange with your bare hands.
it's addictive, soothing, and it last all day specially on clothing.

Sometimes I wear this on skin and Jeann en province Neroli intense on my clothing to have a really fresh orangy mossy day.

when i first smelled eau des merveilles, i liked it - and that was it. it was rich and well balanced, but nothing mindblowing, certainly not signature scent worthy. but then i kept coming back to it over and over - i'd find myself reaching for it whenever i wanted to impress someone, or feel fancy, or if i didn't know what else to wear and wanted to be put together. and every time i appreciated it more - the round, juicy warmth of the orange, the grounding woods beneath it, the hint of spice that made it feel so lush. it's like taking a bite of one of those clove-studded clementines at christmas - two notes that go together SO WELL even if you wouldn't necessarily expect them to. it works in all seasons - bright and citrusy in summer, luxe and festive during winter. and now i wear it every day, lol.

A fresh and spicy fragrance with strong notes of orange, fir, and amber, and with hints of cedar and pepper. It is slightly sweet as well. I think the best time to wear this one is during spring and fall, but it is honestly perfect to wear year-round, at day or at night. It's a unisex fragrance but it can, at times, feel a bit more feminine.

The performance is pretty good, with the fragrance lasting about 6 hours on me, and with a moderate trail turning into an intimate one after two hours or so. The price is pretty okay tho.

8/10. It is fresh yet spicy and citrusy, and has a decent performance and value.

I love this!! I do think this could be a unisex fragrance. On me I smell the Amber, orange, veviter, cedar. But something also smells like caramel. I just love it. It has a warm, cozy, spicey scent to it. ..just love!!!

Scratchy, woody, not pleasant to my nose at all. Quite synthetic-smelling, too. I normally love Hermès fragrances, but not this one.

I’m one who finds it pretty feminine - it feels feminine to me, from my associations, I guess, but I can objectively see how it’s like a Mona Lisa perfume - whichever way you come at her, she’s prob looking at you.

It’s warm and has a spiciness aura that reminds me of the vibe I love in things like Serge Lutens Cedre or even in Poison, not the smell of tuberose and amber, per se, but the warm and spicey vibe of them.

I don’t get “peppery” as a distinct note.

The orange is not juicy - it’s like that dried stuff you get at Trader Joe’s that is good with goat cheese as a cracker sub.

I also should say I love woods and spice. So for me, this is a “my pores ooze angel essence” scent.

Just wish it came in an EDP. Projection and longevity are kinda pitiful.

On my skin, this is very 'masculine'-leaning, with heavy fir and elemi. It's not my cup of tea, but I can see how others appreciate it. I smell no citrus in it (and usually my skin amplifies citrus).

Secondary notes I pick up are pepper, vetiver, amber, moss, and violet.

Imho, It's very much like "Cape Heartache" (a scent I adore), but without the lighter strawberry notes.

This small decant is my first experience with a Hermès scent, and although it's not to my taste, it does make me want to explore the house further.

The most unique aspect of Eau des Merveilles is that it feels feminine without any use of floral notes. It gives off a warm radiance and projects the natural sweetness of oranges. A very special one from the designer perfumes in my opinion. Probably not a safe blind buy but definitely worth checking out if you love perfumes.

Meh... it's okay, I guess. There's just not a lot there, in my opinion. Others seem to enjoy it. They can have my share.

Charming, but my ex bought this for me, so now I need to purge it! Lol. PM me if you want to swap in US.

I had read so many promising reviews for this particular fragrance and I was very interested in the notes. A light citrus with an earthy dry down. Sign me up! When I received my tester I was surprised with the unisex aspect, leaning more toward manly, but oooohhhhh, I do not care. As a woman I will definitely and confidently wear this with my femininity all over it. I'm so entranced with this scent, I can't stop sniffing my wrists and arms. Perfect for the summer months, but I can see where this will work well in the fall as well. Sillage is pretty intimate, but I do find for me the longevity is decent. Price is a bit high though, so I wish both sillage and longevity performed even better. I, however, will still be purchasing this. The earthy dry down is too amazing not to have.

I dont know what is wrong, but smelling from the cap, this simply smells like bad breath of an elder person :-(
when it dries down on my skin, it smells like I've been in a pool all day. Maybe a salty fresh beach, but more like a swimming pool with some chlorine in there... its nice and fresh then, but nothing crazy. I really wanted to like this, because the reviews sounded amazing. I'll keep it around until winter though, maybe it smells different in cold weather.

Finding myself entranced by this, I keep doing the self sniff. I’m usually leery of trying woody frags, I detest pine notes but I like cedar. I acquired a sample as I am on the hunt for a classy versatile choice with citrus that is not paired with jammy fruits or pungent flowers. The citrus, pepper, amber, and woody elements seem perfectly balanced, not too much spice for me. I find something slightly reminiscent of aqua (eh hem, the name), maybe the violet? The initial spray alarmed me, it seemed like a huge blast of bug spray reeking of artificial linalool. Thank goodness it dissipated immediately. I thoroughly enjoy this, FB worthy.

Effervescent orange and lemon opening. Makes me think of a cleaned-up Terre d'Hermes EDT, very bright and fresh, unfortunately I haven't tried Eau Tres Fraiche so I can't compare the two. Gains some woody and mossy notes as it dries down, but it always retains a smidge of that orange through the very end. I kinda prefer TDH as a guy, but it's a close battle. The performance is worse here, though, with weak projection for ~2hr and longevity 4-5hr.

The opening is heavenly🥰 with beautiful zesty orange. I don't like the dry down though... it's very mossy and earthy. It's like a balmy spring day and all of a sudden it rains and you're all covered in mud!

This smells to me super old-dated and kind of nasty. Smells like old and moist furnitures. So many positive reviews like here is really surprising to me. Maybe its just me, because I think some of my mothers friends were wearing this as I was a child. Thats probably why I associate this with old ladys parfume. But still, I find it overly strong and unpleasant.

Some time ago I wrote the review on it because i tried it and I HATED it. I like gourmands and I thought it was too sharp and spicy and masculine etc. Since then my nose has become er...more sophisticated after trying several amber rich scents and when I heard a vlogger mention this, I decided to give it a shot. Well, color me happy because i fell in love with it on the spot but...yes, major BUT. It doesn't last. Major dissapointment. it does linger on your skin for several hours but I really feel that for a price, it should at least project better. I am going to try layering it and spraying more. And this makes me want to try Elixir version as well.
I love most amber scents now. Its very heavy on amber, with orange and spice and woods. Very elegant and appropriate for all ages and occasions.
Bottle is BEAUTIFUL. I can't stop looking at it. And yes, it can easily be unisex but I don't find it overtly masculine. There are few reviewers commenting that its for "women over 40". Perfume doesn't have an age . I wore Samsara by Guerlain when I was 17 so it all depends on someone's personal taste. I will say though that this scent is sophisticated ergo the comparisons to "mature"

I really like the fir and cedar combined with the amber. Lasts about 3 hours before I felt the urge to respray and refresh it. For me it was truly unisex, but versatile for season transitions. But, it would be too woody to wear in 100+ degree heat, as it would likely start to lean masculine when it is that hot and muggy.

I get a peppery orange peel and the thick woody scent of opening an empty cedar chest. Unisex, leaning masculine. It's interesting. I don't really want to smell like this, but I'd shop for expensive furniture in a store that smelled like this.

Oh wow, i had been sleeping on this perfume for way too long.
Now that I' ve worn it for a few weeks and formed my thoughts on it, its time to write a review!!
Scent description:
I think its very well blended, and definitely unisex. Unisex perfumes have a very special place in my perfume shelf because I find them the most interesting to wear. My partner asked me if this is a mens perfume when he first smelled it, and after a few whiffs he said its very flattering on me. Thats always a huge plus. Its faintly sweet, with a bitter citrus, spicy, resinous and woody, but none of these elements jumps out to me more than the others. It is so well blended that I can't make out any particular notes. At times I've detected a tiny but of saltiness, which happened during colder days.
Scent progression: On my skin this is mostly linear. When i spray it, it smells artificial and sharp but after it settles a few minutes in, that disappears and I get the scent i described above for almost the entire wear time. Before it completely fades away, the notes that remain are resinous, a tiny bit citrusy and woody.
Longevity: It lasts for a fairly long time on me, around eight to ten hours on average, but my partner told me that he can faintly smell it even the morning after I've worn it
Projection: Moderate. It's discreet but definitely not a skin scent. I'd say it radiates at almost an arms length but that probably depends on the weather.
Overall thoughts:
I am in love with it. Its so interesting without being loud, and it is balanced enough to suit a lot of different ages. To me it seems good for both day and night time. I would wear it at work too. I just love it, it ticks all the boxes for me. I may have found my new favorite.

I own a sample of Eau des Merveilles (EDM) and what can I say, this is a terrific 'my skin, but better' scent. Makes me think of Escentric Molecules 01. Citrusy yet dry and metallic but came up as very pleasant to my nose. I really like the scent as it's unusual yet easily attained in department stores and online. Smells 'modern'. Definitely unisex. However its projection and longevity is poor. I had to spray more than I used to in order to get a whiff of it and can barely detect it within an hour (Maybe that's the point? Being 'barely there' and mingling with your body chemistry?). Having said that I managed to get whiffs of it when I am doing strenuous activities. Interesting. Give it a try before you buy.

I blind bought this based on the description and the "people who like this also like" section. It was not what I expected at all, and I can not think of any other perfume quite like it. But I love it.

This is not a dainty fresh citrus. And what citrus is here is very bitter. I am surprised to see the citrus element talked about so often and it described as clean or fresh. It is bright, for sure, but it is dirty, salty, ambergris dominant powerhouse.

It reminds me of salt preserved citrus peel. You can imagine; the bitter pithy rind, orange oil, age, and salt.

I loooooove it. Something orangy, something salty, something clean, something woody, something bit powdery. Pure marvel. It evokes good memories and gives the feeling of freedom. I have never felt such things about any perfume before.

Eternal love! I have the edition from 2012. It plays the notes stated in partitur and plays it very nicely.
This sent has a great silage, last long and it is the one I'm getting mostly complimented for.
However, I would say that this perfume (EDT or however you call it) is more suitable for curios and challenging minds.
For minds, that have already collected some life experience and have a timeline this sent will send them to travel back to.
Herewith, I'm not saying that this is not for everyone, I'm saying it need a right time :-)

Glad I only got a sample. I really don't have much to say about this. I thought I would like this, but I never got the woody tones on my skin. In short, to me it smelled like a lemon drop wrapped in a lysol wipe.

I was thinking of blind buying this for the summer as I’ve heard and read so many good things about it. I wanted a fresh scent that would make me feel things, evoke memories or transport me somewhere comforting, beautiful, sunny. I’m so glad I didn’t blind buy this. I went at a Sephora store and tried this in person. This perfume is strooong and it lasts for many hours on my skin. It’s a punch right from the start to the dry down. This is also not unisex, it is more male to my nose. I wanted to smell the air on a forest walk but all I got was men’s after shower spray. This is exactly what this smells like. My brother liked it. I did not. Couldn’t wait to wash it off. I normally adore and trust Hermes, but this was not for me. I’ll definitely go for the Un Jardin line!

While overall positive, a very ambiguous scent in a host of ways. Unisex but leaning masculine, I think this would be a refined, elegant scent on many men and while I adore unisex scents, something about this is a bit too masculine to me. It could be worn in the day or at night and despite its softness, lack of projection and longevity, it strikes me as a more formal fragrance (think corner office at the stock brokerage firm) or one more appropriate for night wear, perhaps due to the peppery mid-notes. The citrus freshness at the top is quite lovely but I also get a hint of something like anise which is a fragrance I don't personally enjoy. Could be worn any season but the citrus freshness combined with the softness make me think this would be nice scent to wear in mild Winter weather. Love Hermes but this one is not for me and not recommended as a blind buy.

This perfume easily could be my signature for the rest of my life, that’s how much I loved it, it’s fresh, spicy, sexy, however the longevity kills me. I have bought 3 bottles, but I cannot continue to bath in it anymore and spray every hr, it doesn’t last at all :(

Orangey freshness in a bottle that dries down with a tinge of powder. Eau des Merveilles was a dislike at first sniff for me. Then I tried it again weeks later and it instantly became a love from there on out. Strange how that happens. It's a cool scent. The amber isn't sticky or warm and resinous but dry and salty. And the orange is sweet but non-edible and dry. There's also some spice that lends itself to a barely-there minty coolness. It doesn't project much on my skin (gosh, I wish it did) but I find it easy to wear in all seasons and settings. An elegant take on freshness.

Eau des Merveilles is an incredibly spicy, peppery scent. I like some pepper in my fragrances but this one is too much. People mentioned it reminds them too much of the kitchen and I completely agree, everything about this scent has kitchen undertones from the orange to the pepper to the ginger (which isn't listed in the pyramid but it's definitely there). Initially this went on heavily spicy, I was blown away by the strength of the pepper and the ginger notes I was picking up. However, it also has an effervescent quality to this that just reminds me of a strong, spicy ginger ale. Despite being spicy though, it doesn't have that piercing sharpness that can feel like it's stinging my nostrils in the way some other heavily spiced fragrances do. There's also an ever so slight sweetness in the beginning, not a food, gourmand sweetness but more like a beverage which might be why I instantly go to ginger ale with this scent.

As it dries down, the orange comes forward. It doesn't smell fruity though. More like if you had rubbed orange peels on your wrist a few hours ago and the orange oil scent was still hanging on. The amber tries to say hello but the pepper notes shove it away and keep this fragrance from settling down into a more laid back relaxed scent. In fact, the pepper mixed with the base notes which really come out to play in its dry down, make this lean more masculine or strong boss-lady power fragrance than feminine. It's definitely a mature fragrance. Not in an old granny way, but more "I have my life together and I'm serious" kind of way.

It's quite strong in my opinion. That peppery ginger note goes on strong and stays around. I wouldn't exactly say this is safe for work or where you might be working closely with people because it could come off offensive to fragrance-sensitive people. Despite being strong, I don't find the sillage to be incredibly great. Someone might smell this walking past you or when they're close, but it won't be that fragrance that carries across a room.

I don't really like it and it's not for me but I do like the powerful, serious vibes Eau des Merveilles gives off.

Ok I gave this a try because of that english garden gnome. This is definitely unisex but still leaning fem. Tried it on me and on my sister, I liked it more on her. Spray your wrists and it will smell like you were peeling sweet oranges and forgot to wash your hands. Pleasant and soothing but I see it more suitable for a fair haired man than a darker one like me

It's hard for me to review this one objectively, because every time I spray it, I'm thrown back to a very specific memory:

Orange slices on the beach.

Not a resort beach. Not a beach somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, nor a beach lined with stone under overcast skies. Instead, I'm thrown back to an Australian beach - rugged, a line of sand hugging both the ocean and coastal bushland behind it. The sun is blazing overhead, the sky so blue it's almost blinding - a dry heat, high thirties, the hole in the ozone layer promising trouble to anyone who isn't wearing protection. You've walked out of the waves, the salt drying on your skin almost instantly - it has a particular note, does sea-salt-on-hot-skin, and the air around you is filled with the scent of the bush in the sun. You collapse on the sand, and someone offers you a container full of orange slices - kept cool under shade, bright wedges of colour, and when you bring it up to your nose it all comes together.


Salt on skin, bitter orange opening, woods in the background. This one to me is a summer fragrance through and through, but like I said, it's hard for me to separate this one from the memory it's tied with, so eh. Forever a favourite, and definitely unisex.

Eau des Merveilles, I wanted to like you. You started off amazing, light and effervescent: everything a woman could want but then quickly died down into spicy woody tones that are unisex. Not bitter but the opposite of sweet or floral. Unusual and not boring. Pencil shavings, shaving cream and vetiver. Too woody for me.

5.5/10

This perfume has been giving me challenges until I layered with olympea EDP it become enjoyable.

I want to like this perfume more than I do. It has all the right things going for it (Hermès DNA, great bottle, great notes) but on me...I just don't know. Maybe it's a climate thing (I live in SW Florida) maybe it's a pH thing, but after the initial blast of woods dries down (which are oh so reminiscent of my fav, Hermès Terre) it just goes really animalic on me. I don't mind a sweaty scent, and there's a lot to love about this perfume, but it seems pretty unpredictable; one day I'll love it, the next I'm meh. Maybe that's the fickle nature of Iso-E-Super or some ambergris fuckery, but I just don't know if this one will stay in my collection. Based on the bottle alone, that would be a solid yes. The juice itself? We'll see...

Eau des Merveilles is a beautiful woody, peppery citrus. It's the perfect combo of dirty and fresh. It smells like a camping trip by the water and you're peeling fresh oranges to snack on. It's a summer night spent with your friends under the stars.

The combination of citrus, amber and dry woods gives me a bohemian vibe which I love! This is the scent to wear in the late summer and early autumn when the leaves start to fall.

8/10

Ambergris deconstructed. Mineral chic. The signature scent of a woman whose entire wardrobe consists of tailored trousers & statement-sleeved white shirts. Not at all me, but sometimes I want that for a day. To feel more together within a capitalist construct than in fact I am.

Beachy but not in a hippy/tropical/surfer way. Think more Nancy Myers movie set in the Hamptons. Mermaid turned CFO.

Soapy citrus woody cologne. The soapiness ruins an otherwise lovely cologne.

Woah this was unexpected in the best way. It is mainly mineral to my nose, like the smell released from a hot stone or piece of rock on a beach under a hot sun. The salt from the sea lingers in the air too. This is not to say that Eau de Merveilles is 'summery' or 'beachy', but it does smell very natural and elemental. It isn't 'airy' but it is definitely atmospheric. At first this 'hot mineral' was all I could smell, but now I can clearly sense a waft of juicy orange. This is weirdly moreish for a perfume sans any sweetness. Even though I am 23 and love this perfume, I must concede that it probably wouldn't be wildly popular with the majority of fragrance wearers under 30. To me this is unisex, and I can't think of a time of day or year when this wouldn't be appropriate.

Unique creation long neglected on the shop counters by me. Dommage! It is a unique cloud of oranges and salt with some fir and cedar in the background. Very round and not chemical. UNIQUE and CLASSY. I got often compliments wearing this perfume. it is something to always have in your collection. 4.5/5

I love the beginning of this- it's almost like standing next to someone peeling fresh juicy lemons and oranges in a room where some good strong incense is burning. It mellows out a bit later on as the spices come in, but it's still a great all-around scent.

Hermes Eau des Merveilles is a rare fruity scent that is not at all sweet. It has a prominent orange note but I don't consider EdM to be a citrus fragrance. Orange, woods and amber blend to make EdM bright, dry and heavy at the same time. There is a salty, beachy feel with this fragrance but it's balanced with woods and spices. EdM evokes the ocean but there is no boardwalk or suntan lotion vibe here at all. Picture 1970s glamorous jet-setters lounging on the beach in Saint-Tropez wearing giant sunglasses, bikinis, kaftans and lots of gold statement jewelry. That is what Hermes Eau des Merveilles smells like to me.

Driftwood, salty air from the sea, sand beneath my feet and tall pine trees behind my back, smell of orange peel on my hands and my lover's t-shirt. To die for.

Looking at the note pyramid, which I know is not entirely accurate, on its face it does not look different to many men's fragrances, I can see why some You Tube reviewers claim this is a unisex fragrance and no one would be able to to know the difference when worn.
Just by the performance and its season versatility, looks like I will need to get a decant test this.

for me this is a sexy female weapon!

I'm not sure if any men can resist the right woman who wears this perfume in the right occasion.
let me rephrase my statement: even if the wrong woman wears this perfume, it will make her the right one!
This is sex bomb in a bottle like Dior hypnotic poison, Armani Code EDP, and Mugler Alien.

For all females out there: Please have mercy on us and USE IT WISELY!

Extraordinarily unique fragrance, I recommend this one for women who tend to dislike mainstream women's perfumes because they are too sweet or heavy.

This is light, luminous, bright. I smell a mix of orange, lemon, dark, wooded forest, and clean skin - all in a very restrained, elegant style. There's something magical about it. Don't hear orange and lemon and picture a typical citrus summer "freshie", this is a world away from that.

The only thing holding me back from "love" with this scent is a little something in the opening. To me the opening blast comes across like orange liqueur and black licorice, it makes me recoil a little. It dissipates fairly quickly, but I'm at the point in my fragrance journey where I will only consider full bottles I love love love all the way through.

I think EVERY perfume lover should at least sample this perfume. It's truly one of a kind.

This starts as a very in-your-face orange scent. Immediately after spraying, it did smell like an alcholic orange drink and I coughed some, and it dried after that to a very bright orange scent. Unlike Happy by Clinique, it just smells straight clean orange citrusy at first, and obviously there's no big floral element in this. It's almost a slight candied orange lean. Perhaps where the amber comes in. It's kind of intresting having the bright orange scent, and then the slightly sweet amber scent. I do get the fir and cedar a lot too, which amps up some of the sharp brightness. It's like if you sprayed a Christmas tree with orange oil. About 10 minutes after spraying is when the woody notes started to come out more. After that, it gets a bit salty, too. Despite these strong smells, it is pretty much a skin scent on me, but it's still strong.

On a side note, I absolutely love the presentation and bottle of this. This smelled heavenly when I first sprayed it into the air and I thought I would for sure love it. So I really wanted to love this, but I think it screams a bit too "ORANGE!!!" and "WOOD!!!" on me. It does smell sophisticated, rich, and high class, though. It's also a 'dry' orange, rather than a juicy orange smell.

People also seem to be going back and forth with saying if it's a summer or a winter scent. I can't really decide. The cedar and orange are both wintery, especially in some parts of Europe where citrus, like clementine, is had then, as well as candied orange. So I can see that. But then here in America, at least to me, I associate orange and citrus with hot weather, and then cedar can be kind of like a boardwalk, and saltiness like the sea. So I guess it's up to you and your background for what you see here. I still can't decide.

Update: At about the 1.5-2 hour mark, the smell really settled down some and was pretty woody. It was less loud and a bit less strong, but still going pretty well.

At about 3 hours in, it was about maybe a quarter the strength of what it was at an hour ago, but still definitely noticeable.

At the 4 hour mark, it is now basically gone on my skin, with a huge drop off at the 3.5 hour mark. There is the sliiiightest hint of "fresh" and orange left there, but I have to really smell for it

Bonus: I got a "you smell nice" from my boyfriend after hugging him, 10 hours after applying. I checked and the scent still has a *barely* detectable light, fresh, orange scent. But if you're very close, I suppose you can still pick up on there being something slightly different

Sadness - this disappears and becomes a skin scent on me super fast. I want to love it based on the notes and other folks's reviews, but it's just not happening for me. I *think* I can smell some of the orange and pine, but maybe I just know that's what I'm looking for. Test before buying just in case your body chemistry does the same thing mine does, and this scent becomes non-existent in seconds.

This smells like you sprayed a strong ambery and pepper fragrance and then went swimming in the ocean and let your skin and hair dry in the sun.This is brackish, woody, and spicy. I personally like the Amber flanker more, because the original leans too peppery for my taste. I appreciate the concept behind it and I think it accomplishes the story it aims to tells.

I really like this on paper! It is fresh yet deep. Classy and timeless. Unfortunately it doesn't work on my skin. It smells sharp and bitter on my arm :-(

My boyfriend got me a Mini Eau de Toilette of Eau des Merveilles, unfortunately it's the 2nd time that I'm trying it and it really doesn't agree with my skin chemistry. Instead of the avalanche of notes each one of you seem to get, on my it's smells like a faint orangy chemical smell ( even after 45 min ). I have always had a hard time with Hermes fragrances, the only one that suits me is Voyage. I believe I'll wait and give it to someone who's skin is compatible with it. Our skin chemistry changes every 7yrs, Maybe one day, I'll be able to wear it, who knows?

Woooow I love this! Someone recently made a post on the forum asking about the most "masculine" scents marketed towards women and immediately this one came to mind. This is mostly bright orange and woody fir tree, with lots of pepper and amber. The orange here is not at all fruity. It's blended so beautifully that, in a very unusual way, it almost smells like the color orange more than an actual orange: bright and sparkly. The woody notes are very prominent as is the pepper. It's fresh and spicy, with the citrus and pepper keeping it from becoming deep and dark. This is extremely dry-- no sweetness whatsoever, which helps it play just as beautifully in the heat as in the cool weather. It's absolutely mesmerizing.


When I wear it I feel like I drive a porsche and carry a birkin (which- and I can't emphasize this enough- I do not). Transformative. It really reminds me of a luxury quality wool sweater both in smell and feel.


Longevity is around 6 hours on me with soft to moderate projection.

This is a beautiful clean, sophisticated scent. Not soapy, but fresh from a dip in the ocean clean. Bayside stroll on a clear day. I love it since I live in the tropics.

This perfume reminds me of walking through Kensington & Chelsea in London; maybe that is why I love it so much. I cannot resist the candied orange because it is so delicious while not being cloying or overpoweringly sweet. I simply feel incredible wearing this - a bit like a boss-lady faerie on the go. Someone stop me from purchasing this compulsively! I'm a bit surprised that this receives some really negative reactions, but I suppose that's expected from a perfume that isn't wholly conventional and is a bit unisex.

I do like this. It’s a clean slightly sweet citrus that doesn’t go sharp or chemical.

This best way I can describe this is like remember being a teenager in AP US History and you don’t really know what’s going on and you’re kind of an asshole and they had oranges at lunch so instead of listening to the teacher talk about John F Kennedy or whatever, you jab a freshly sharpened No. 2 pencil into the orange you were saving for a snack because you’re seventeen years old and have no impulse control. This smells exactly like that.

A light woody orange, leans more unisex than straight up feminine in my opinion. The amber can make it a bit syrupy in high heat but nice and bright for late August/early September

Eau des Merveilles is typical for the house of Hermès but atypical for the generic, pedestrian and spurious trappings of mass-market, modern perfume. The perfume is a 'rain shadow', as it starts wet and transforms into something dry.

It edges on generic only because it's so inoffensive and so darn people pleasing (but still interesting). At first encounter, the top notes hit as something of a lively, effervescient citris scent - sophisticated as a flute of bubbly and wearable to everything and anything as the office, the playground, or the dinner party. It is very much a skin scent and doesn't last long (maybe 1 hour), but what an encounter and interesting story book in that short period!

It flirts as something at first of the myriad of perfumes easily dismissive and tossable into the market-flood/landfill I warmingly refer to as the 'summer citrus club'. BUT, then that 'water of wonder' (as the name loosely translates) shows up and springs from amidst the predictable cocktail party bubbles into a mysterious grotto - something subterranean. It is a short narrative, yet one that quickly plunges into amazing topography and interiors. You're wet for only a second - into a marine cave of darkness - inescapable marine saltiness (the much anticipated ambergris note), then you are taken into a dank, wooded meadow (I detect mostly vetiver at this point). After the notes settle into the woodsy botanical dampness, you are taken into a dune of some sort - desert-like. You invision sand, earth, but it is light and airy; windy (if I may). The dryness at the end is very unexpected and surreal. The juiciness of the fragrance (fresh mandarin or orange) evaporates into almost a pot-pourri of dried orange peel and spice - like a cocktail that was allowed to reduce and evaporate from the hot glass from which it sat for weeks baking in the sun left forgotten on a roof top hotel terrace.

I will say that it starts loud and ends quiet - even weak, but that's not entirely bad, just more interesting (and also frusterating, as the retail bottle price is hefty - like all of Hermès' offerings ). Using a familiar object, I would best describe Eau des Merveilles as a shell; something aquatic once inhabited underwater and then is washed-up unto land, something once colourful and living and then left as a chaulky, white structure of beauty and symmetry, but dead, and hollow - a mere sediment of what once was and a token of beauty in transformation.

The opening of this scent is so exciting, Mediterranean summer - peppery mandarin. It's great. Unfortunately the excitement doesn't last long on my skin and it dries down to a semi-blah. Love it though - carry it in my bag if I'm wearing it.

First things first, Eau des Merveilles is heavenly to the point of being a people-pleaser.

I sprayed myself today in a shopping mall after a long perfume detox and suddenly Eau des Merveilles hit me as a retro fragrance. I thought ‘Wow, nostalgia in a bottle’. The warm amber aura and the happy orangey accord made me think of the early 2000’s. And that’s not a good thing. While each of the flankers have made an update on this classic, EdM itself has moved to the “aged gracefully” category. Nothing to worry about for the 20-something crowd, but a turn-off for me in my 30ies. I hate to admit this, but I would rather go for a ‘fresher’ version like EdM Bleu.


Edit: Um... bought it anyway, ha-ha!

I have a feeling anything Hermes' makes will be well received and universally liked. Their fragrances, and Merveilles included, are sophisticated, subtle and smooth. I think it's lovely, unisex and unique. 7/10

Awful on me. No pleasant citrus just nauseating salt. Made me feel physically sick. Wish I could smell what the fans on here smell, for me it's wretched.

My wife really adore this..so do i..we share this bottle together :)

It is marvellous!

10/10

What can I really say about this fragrance?! What an enchanting fragrances from the house of Hermes! This scent reminds me of an enchanted forest, on my skin the scent sits very close but in my opinion that is where the true beauty of this fragrances lies as it leave you wanting more. The scent really takes you on so many different journeys with it, from the zestiness of the opening to the warm, spicy and cosy dry down. Great for colder weather and for the indoors. The bottle is also one of the best and more beautiful designed pieces. It is a fragrance that can be worn classed as unisex in fact (in fact, every flanker from this line can be). The original is still my favourite, an amazing bedtime fragrance too!

Great performance and great silage, but not intended for young woman. It's sophisticated and more mature in my opinion. I say it's the typical 'rich lady' kinda perfume lol

What an amazing scent! My signature since I was 16.

Very unique and complex and it lasts a lot on my skin. Leaves a beautiful sillage.

It is not sweet nor floral. Fizzy, fresh, yet warm. I actually smell fresh oranges, cedar, sea salt and woody notes which are strong in this scent.

The scent is unisex and I find it a bit masculine. Reminds me of Terre d'Hermès.
I recommend this scent if you want something (not floral or very fruity/sweet) but rather fresh, classy and different.

Perfect for all occasions, all seasons.

Note: Not a safe blind buy.


من العطور المميزة من ايرميز، ريحته ليست سويت ولا ورد، العطر عبارة عن حمضيات ومنها برتقال فريش وملح بحر و اخشاب. العطر جدا فريش (العطر يناسب الجنسين). انصح فيه بشدة اذا حابين عطر مميز وراقي (عموماً عطورات ايرميز راقية وبسيطة بدون تكلف).

I wore this yesterday,I enjoy it since we are under lockdown.It is very comforting and very mysterious may it's the pepper.

I honestly don’t understand the hype. On me it smells like working outdoors, pollen and all. It’s the kind of smell I experience after doing yard work or taking a long hike in cedar pollen season. It’s not a stink, but that earthly smell mixed with natural scent, suede (from garden gloves or boots), and glistening sweat. Furthermore, it makes my child sneeze. I definitely think it’s unisex. I’ll pass my samples to my husband.

EdM is a very fresh, clean, airy, woody perfume that reminds me of a summer breezy night. I can only think of seaside, salt water, sand, it is amazing.

I discovered it 9 years ago, but I did not due to many reviews which stated it is not long lasting, which for me is a very important criteria when buying perfumes.

However, I received it as a Christmas gift last year.
Unfortunately, it is true that the longevity on skin is as weak as I expected, but keep in mind that this is an Eau de Toilette, which is usually less strong than an Eau de Parfum. Even though, I have noticed that it definitely lasts longer on clothing (even days), which makes me very happy.

Give it a try, test it before on both skin and clothing so you will not get confused by any reviews, it may develop differently on everyone.

Overall note: 8/10

Instagram: @My_Insta_Fragrances

You're walking along a beach that stretches out before you. This is not an exuberant island beach lapped by turquoise waves. It is in the city, though you can't hear those noises clearly. The sky is overcast, and the wind that blows across your face is bracing. The jacket you're wearing is warm, with faint embroidery. You're thinking about some past adventure -- your mood could almost be wistful, except that there is a definite sparkle in your eye.

I love this scent. It is salty... without the synthetic blue notes that usually stifles salt in other scents. It is clean, but not in that I just stepped out of the shower clean. It is a more lived in cleanliness. The orange is warm, and gilds the scent with something exotic -- or the memory of something exotic. It is restrained, but also very present.

Despite its coolness, I wouldn't wear it in summer. It is almost too delicate and elegant. This, for me, is an autumn/winter's scent. It is lovely during the day, but I can also imagine wearing it on nights when you want to laugh quietly with someone rather than seduce or stun them.

It stays fairly long on my skin. However, the projection is very weak which, given its price point, is disappointing.

I have a mini of this and can’t wait to get my self a big ol’ bottle as this is one that does need reapplying. Light sillage and weak to moderate longevity. This is so nice and peppery, fizzy and zesty. A hint of citrus, with musk, pepper, woods and a little amber. Dry and spicy and earthy and lovely. This is a real mood lifter for me and there’s nothing in it to cloy or upset. Reminds me a bit of the Molton Brown peppercorn/ black pepper recharge body wash. I would say this could be unisex. It’s definitely not sweet thankfully.

Absolutely love this one it’s a no brainer for me

I'm a man reviewing this perfume so the perspective might be totally different here.

On my skin the orange is a bit too thin and fade away within an hour. It got taken over by peppery, salty ambergris with a bit of creamy and woody undertone. The salty / mineraly is slightly too much for me but it's definitely very clean. A classier and cleaner cousin of Bvlgari Aqva Amara, if you will.

I've tried it for only twice but I envisioned it might eventually grow on me and I might come to like it more. It would be perfect for me if the orange note is amped up and the ambergris note / salty accord is toned down a bit but I definitely can see it works on some other people.

However, had I not known that this is a popular women's perfume from 2004, I definitely would think this is a modern take of masculine blue fragrance by Hermes. Looking through the lens of current perfumery, all of its structure are there: It's citrusy, peppery, woody and it has salty (yet very clean) ambergris. I'm very pleasantly surprised. It's not an easy task creating fragrance that managed to stay relevant 15 years later. This is a timeless masterpiece by Ralf Schwieger and Nathalie Feisthauer.

For men reading this, let me challenge you: Spray it on your skin and try to tell yourself straight-faced that this is not one of masculine blue fragrance from the day and age of Dior Sauvage and Blue de Chanel. Don't look past this just because it was advertised for women. Try it out and you'll be surprised.

Absolute gorgeous however I find my new mini has very poor sillage and longevity! I therefore only get to enjoy it for about 20 minutes before I can’t really detect it anymore. An hour later I can still detect a bit of the woods and spices and get a soft citrusy whiff when I move my head but only because I over applied behind my ears. What I put on my wrists has vanished. This goes on more like a cologne concentrate in my opinion. I wouldn’t call this feminine either, would say this is a relatively unisex cologne for a hot summer’s day. Warm, peppery, earthy, zesty. Very lovely.

i've been crushing on this perfume from afar for awhile now. the image i get from this perfume is the all saints’ pure shores music video - a sunny day at the beach in the winter, while the salty and crisp breezy winds hit your face. the cool waters of the atlantic are so chilly that you can almost taste it and feel it in your bones, even when you're layered up in your coziest coat and scarf.

as for the perfume itself, it starts with the smell of opening an orange that you're peeling with your bare hands, a citrusy tone with the bitterness of the rind (not juicy, but dry), then the perfume quickly develops into a subtle airy salty feel that’s lightly marine-like, and then grounded by a soft peppery amber. it's a pretty unique scent, especially since there are no floral notes (at least, none that are detectable to my nose). while EDM is not a bold scent, she's no wallflower either. she's the kind of scent that has a quiet power about her, that's also charming and almost enigmatic.

i like this fragrance a lot, and will most likely purchase once i finish my sample. i would recommend this perfume to someone who’s looking for something different, a scent that’s coyly cozy and that’ll brighten your mood during the colder months.

Eating clementines in the coldest day of autumn while reading a book that has pictures of those dry-ice dunes found in Mars that look like foaming crests swirling ghostly over rusty sand and of phantasmagorical oceans without atmosphere, beautiful but impervious to life, a poem about inhospitable planets that live in perpetual twilight and everyday is a dumpy winter day. The driftwood cottage in a Cornish beach of Rebecca. Or if you want to get literal: orange-iso-e-super-dry-salty-amber.

Apparently sci-fi seas in the need of Prozac buttressed by orange is my thang.

Transparent, ethereal beauty.

A dash of sparkling orange in the fleeting top notes, joined by some white pepper, cedar and an inky ambergris accord. Sounds bizarre, but on skin, it simply works.

Not sure why the brand decided to market this is a feminine (as if such designations matter to many people these days) but this absolutely genderless and wearable in any season.

After years of admiring it, I’m happy to finally own a bottle.

Warm clean amber. Stays close to the skin.

My favorite on women... so much so I’d wear it and that’s a really really big deal. Js

The idea is beautiful, yet I find myself wanting more -- it feels sadly unfinished.

Here, many contradictions are woven together. Between gentle violet and gruff pepper, between innocent citrus and world-weary oakmoss, between cool woods and warm resins.

I should also emphasize the pervading saltiness that is incredibly addictive and soothing. It's not a "salt" note/accord like the ones promoted in Olympea or Wood Sage & Sea Salt or Reveal or most recently, Vanilla Vibes -- the "salt" in all of these blends actually makes me quite nauseous. There is no "salt" listed or injected into EdM, it simply arises from the composition, and I am entranced by it.

But there is a spark missing. In the end, it leans a bit too intellectual on my skin. Like that friend who listens to you intently, nodding, and says unforgettable observations once in a while. Even after years of these intense conversations, you are still unsure of how close you really are. Sometimes you want a friend you can get loud and messy drunk with and forget yourselves with each other.

I'll keep wearing this through the end of summer, to see if I can learn to smell its completeness. Maybe I just need to grow into it more.

This is such a sweet orange! The opening is extremely fruity and fresh, through the orange and lemon notes, but then amber kicks in and it's so beautifully balanced and pretty. It's such a complex and intriguing scent and it keeps changing during the day. Sillage is moderate and longevity is just all right, but it's still a huge yes from me. Can't wait to try Elixir.

(Apparently Luca Turin is the only one that does not love it...)

I'm afraid this just disapears on my skin. It is pleasant: pine, bitter citrus, very fresh clean and unisex, but disappears very quickly.

This really is quite beautiful and very unique. Other then the obvious amber and citrus notes, the remainder is so well blended that I can't really identify anything else! I'm not am expert at detecting notes, but I'm not a novice either. This one is about accords blending together so well that at any moment it can be citrusy, resinous, fresh, or woodsy. I do love it and if it wasn't for the fleeting longevity, I buy a fu bottle and choose this as the scent I bring with me on my vacation this summer. For now my mini will do, but there is still time to change my mind!

This is going to sound terrible and I do sincerely apologize to those who love this fragrance, but I have been scouring Fragrantica trying to figure out which scent it was that almost made me throw up in Sephora a few years back and this is the one! Oh, my sweet word, when I first smelled this, I dry heaved so bad that one of the sales associates asked me if I needed medical assistance, LOL! I think it's the amber that hit my nose wrong, or maybe a mixture of the notes; not sure, but whatever it was, I was embarrassed that day in Sephora.

Unfortunately I had to stop buying this one, I fed up enjoying this for few minutes only:(

Starts off with a most unique blast of fresh, woodsy, peppery citrus, and settles quite quickly and nicely as one of the freshest and most interesting scents I’ve ever encountered. Unique and perfect for a warm spring afternoon.

This is one of the few scents that gets me compliments every time I wear it from both men and women. It is uplifting and mysterious, suitable for every occasion, cold and hot temperatures, days and nights and is completely genderless. It lasts for 8+ hours on my skin and days on clothes.

On my skin it is even not unisex but plain masculine. Nothing for me...

For Amber lovers, this is a must have.

Fresh but warm Amberish goodness.
Sweetness is just right, balanced with the lemony Orange and woods.

Totally love this.

people always ask me what i'm wearing when i put this on!
something with my body chemistry , i don't know, i get so many compliments with this one as i used to get from "premier jour" by nina ricci.
reminds me of christmas and it makes me happy in genral. there is a peppery note in it which is very pleasant.

Oh, how I love this! I bought Eau des Merveilles completely blind, based on the reviews here, and I am hooked. It is so different -- opens with citrus, but quickly morphs into something warm and spicy and woody that's so perfectly blended I can't distinguish notes beyond "good" and "let's have some more of that right now." It reminds me of Ralph Lauren's (VINTAGE!) Lauren, in that it's spicy -- feminine but not sweet or floral at all. Now if only it lasted more than a couple of hours! EDM fades to a skin scent distressingly quickly, on me at least. Is there an EDP? I can't find it anywhere, just Elixir and Ambre. I haven't tried either, and based on the reviews I don't think I'd like them. No sweet or powdery, please!

Opens up sharply perfumey, but in the space of a few minutes settles down to something bitter, something savory, and something herbal/aromatic. I do not get the citrus. Definitely interesting and out of the norm. Feels like it would smell wonderful on a man, but haven't yet talked the husband into trying it. Not sure if it will be a favorite, as I prefer floral scents, but very very interesting to wear, so I won't be in a hurry to pass it on, and if I do pass it on, will keep a few mls for myself to be able to wear it once in a blue moon.

I am a male and this fragrance is definitely unisex! I first smelt this as a free sample and thought it smelt high end and that I had to get it.

This gets compliments and people's interests. You have to use in moderation to enjoy the beauty of this fragrance as I got bored with continuous use.

Peep my summary below

Smell: 8/10
Longevity: 9/10
Silliage: 9/10
Age: 30+

Extremely well blended so that it is hard to pick out notes....just salty and woody with orange and white pepper, but yet not belonging to any of these notes, per se. Smells expensive and upscale. A Madison Avenue scent.

Both sexes could wear this, but it is not unfeminine. Sillage is close, but someone very nearby could detect this. Longevity seems good, so far.

My co-worker has started to wear this in excessive amounts (she even spreads more on during lunch - in our shared office, that is so incredibly rude and vulgar, like a cat marking its territory, please don't ever do that) and I am finding it sickening. The warmth everyone talks about eludes me, I just get floral with a hint of spice and something vaguely woody that scratches the back of my throat. I own a full bottle because I convinced myself I would like it but it was always a scent I wore when I wanted to be "not quite me" and "what others expect of me". That is also what it smells like in a way - a standard issue business woman.

I wanted to like this scent and gave it several tries over a period of time. I found it too masculine for my taste and passed it on.

This is a very unique scent.

I definitely think this can be unisex.

sprayed some on paper and walked around wondering who was wearing such a wonderful scent...and finally realized it came from me...

a soft comforting creamy orange scent

Water of Wonders indeed!

Bought a full bottle...

This smells very food-like to me, maybe the mix of orange with the ginger and pepper notes evokes the scent of a kitchen. Eau des Merveilles is very strong and a little screechy in its treatment of the spicy citrus notes. Personally smells too much like cooking for my liking, but it does stand out and I can see why people like it so much.

I thought I would enjoy this. I tested this two days in a row. It has that expensive Hermes touch, but it's boring to me. A little dusty, a little citrussy, a little flowery. And that's it. A little. I only have a vial and I would not miss it, I suspect, if I never smelt it again.

Very exceptional, elegant and refined fragrance ... On my cold skin gives out a warm citrus scent namely oranges in amber, with freshly ground into dust black pepper on the top... didn't catch any prickly fir-needles or too masculine character.... A very special scent. Competition can make only Elixir des Merveilles