When it comes to luxury female fragrance, few institutions manage to balance the mystery of high-end luxury and the presence of a household name in the same.
High on today’s agenda is the review of the 10 best Hermés perfumes for her. Each offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of high-end luxury, class, and elegance. All for which Hermés are undeniably synonymous.
The History of Hermés
Founded in 1837, the Hermés brand began life producing bridles and wrought harnesses for the carriage trade. In 1880, Charles-Émile Hermés took the reins, so to speak, from his father and moved the shop to 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré where it remains today.
In this location, Hermés deviated into the retail market in 1929 and quickly gained acclaim for their couture apparel designs. From the 1930s, they moved into scarves, timepieces and finally perfumes in 1961 with their first perfume, ‘Caléche’.
After a period of decline in the 1970s. Some said that this was a result of their insistence on using all-natural ingredients and materials. Today this is seen as a plus, and while the paradigmatic shift towards a preference for natural products has no doubt contributed to Hermés’ renewed success.
10 Best Hermés Perfumes For Her
Here are 10 of the best Hemés perfumes for women who like to stand out; be complex, sophisticated, and genuinely representative of the Hermés brand.
1. 24 Faubourg – Eau de Parfum
Review
Composed by Maurice Roucel in 1995, 24 Faubourg represents Hermés and its aesthetic with remarkable accuracy.
Light, complex, and sophisticated, this perfume can be mistakenly labelled as a scent for ‘older’ women, but this is not the case. Ageless and timeless, this classic feminine scent features a creamy blend of white floral notes and vanilla as well as a surprising zing of orange and bergamot that invigorates the senses.
The understated elegance of the bottle, with its refined floral design and simple gold cap, matches the overall fragrance perfectly. The broad range of notes offered by this perfume make it incredibly long-lasting at 7+ hours. Also gives excellent sillage.
This is a good, all-round perfume which will see you from day to night with ease. Best worn in spring and early summer when the floral notes can truly shine.
Top Notes:
Orange, Peach, Hyacinth, Bergamot, Ylang-ylang
Mid Notes:
Black elder, Jasmine, Gardenia, Orange blossom, Iris
Base Notes:
Vanilla, Patchouli, Amber, Sandalwood
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
2. Eau des Merveilles Bleue – Eau de Toilette
Review
An aromatic, aquatic fragrance with salty undertones, Eau de Merveilles Bleue, could almost be mistaken for a unisex scent. Indeed, the woody, almost spicy notes which were chosen by perfumer Christine Nagel have masculine connotations, but modern perfumery is less attached to these old fashioned views.
How does this fragrance defy gender norms? It’s all about a hidden note; if you catch a whiff of fennel in this fragrance, it’s because of the inclusion of absinthe. This sweet, almost medicinal addition makes Eau des Merveilles Bleue genuinely unique.
Angular and precise, the bottle which houses this perfume is stunning and brings to mind the colour and movement of the ocean on a sunny day. The team at Hermés has gone to great lengths to ensure that this product is sleek and well-polished.
What really counts, however, is the fact that this beautiful scent is enduring. In fact, it evolves over time, providing a good 6+ hours wear with moderate sillage that is pleasant rather than overwhelming.
Best for hot summer days, this fragrance will transport you to the beach in seconds.
Top Notes:
Sea Salt
Mid Notes:
Absinthe
Base Notes:
Patchouli, Woody notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
3. Jour d’Hermés – Eau de Parfum
Review
One of the newer fragrances on our list, Jour d’Hermés was created by Jean-Claude Ellena and manages to be luminous in both appearance and scent.
Incredibly citrusy at first, this perfume soon mellows and offers a delicious complexity that feels absolutely luxurious. The floral and musk undertones that form the base of this fragrance act as a perfect counter to fresh and zingy lemon, grapefruit, and aquatic notes.
The simple, rectangular bottle with its white top and low base create a simple and clean look that lets this perfume really speak for itself.
It’s not the most long-lasting of scents at 4+ hours, but with its soft sillage and gentle, blooming layers, it is classically feminine and enchanting.
Perfect for winter and spring mornings, Jour d’Hermés does not lend itself well to the heat of summer.
Top Notes:
Grapefruit, Lemon, Aquatic notes
Mid Notes:
White flowers, Green notes, Sweet pea, Gardenia
Base Notes:
Musk, Woody notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
4. Kelly Caléche – Eau de Parfum
Review
A distinctly luxury fragrance with an edgy look to it, Kelly Caléche calls back to Hermés’ first handbag and first perfume. Designed by Jean-Claude Ellena, it is charming and whimsical, with bitter notes of grapefruit and undertones of smoky leather make it both unusual and exciting.
Floral notes take this otherwise masculine fragrance and make it feminine in a very modern way. Perfect for spring and autumnal evenings when the mild air nurtures its sensual notes.
The presentation, too, exudes modern womanhood; the contrast of pale pink with gunmetal grey and the dainty padlock on the topper is quite striking.
A medium-lasting perfume, but it should give you a good 5+ hours of wear, The sillage on this scent is moderate, but the floral notes make it overwhelmingly sweet at first.
Stick with it, however, and you will find that this is a mature and delicate fragrance which does Hermés proud.
Top Notes:
Iris, Violet
Mid Notes:
Rose, Tuberose, Mimosa
Base Notes:
Vanilla, Leather
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
5. Caléche Soie de Parfum
Review
The classic fragrance Caléche was first launched in 1961; this modernisation was released in 1992 in an attempt to attract a more youthful customer to Hermés.
A more vibrant and sparkling version of the old formula, Caléche Soie de Parfum features fruity and floral notes, as well as aldehydes, to vamp up the otherwise powdery blend.
A good, all-round perfume Caléche Soie de Parfum can be worn at any time; this is a real ‘signature’ fragrance which will look good on any dressing table.
The simply designed bottle is tall and elegant, and the gold-toned, rounded topper sets off the glamourous amber hue of the perfume itself. Classic and potent, this perfume has enormous sillage and is incredibly hard-wearing at 7+ hours.
You will find that as the day goes on the scent blooms and changes in the most pleasant of ways!
Top Notes:
Aldehydes, Citron, Neroli, Bergamot
Mid Notes:
Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, IrisMay rose, Damask rose, Orange blossom
Base Notes:
Oakmoss, Cedar, Vetiver, Sandalwood
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
6. Elixir des Merveilles – Eau de Parfum
Review
Blended by Jean-Claude Ellena, Elixir des Merveilles was launched in 2006 and is a delightful oriental perfume for women.
Woody, spicy, and musky, there is an over-riding balsamic scent to this fragrance that makes it alluring and sensual; this is truly an experience.
Sweet and bitter by turns, it features notes of caramel, orange peel, siam resin, and vanilla sugar. The smoky texture added by incense makes this an intense perfume suited to warm your soul on a cold winter day.
The simple, bevel bottomed, circular bottle with its orange-gold colouration, looks like a droplet of amber made solid.
This shape and colouration give it a look of warmth and malleability that looks so attractive on a dressing table.
The scent itself is incredibly durable at 6+ hours, but it mellows very quickly; the sillage is surprisingly light given the aromatic ingredients which make up the bulk of its notes.
Top Notes:
Orange peel, Caramel, Siam resin
Mid Notes:
Peru balsam, Incense, Vanilla, Amber
Base Notes:
Tonka bean, Sandalwood, CedarOak
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
7. Jour d’Hermés Absolu – Eau de Parfum
Review
A femininity supercharged version of Jour d’Hermés, Absolu was also mixed by Jean-Claude Ellena is offers a veritable profusion of floral scents… a bouquet, in fact.
The sharp notes of grapefruit, however, and the woody base notes provided by oakmoss serve to highlight, rather than undermine, the unashamed femininity of this fragrance. The delicacy of this scent makes it perfect for spring and autumnal days when the cold air will ensure it carries well.
Jour d’Hermés Absolu retains the same bottle as the first iteration. However, the pink tones and gold and white topper distinguish it from its predecessor.
Light and airy it has a soft sillage, but moderate staying power. You should get 5+ hours of wear out of one application unless you are particularly active.
Top Notes:
Grapefruit, Apricot, blossom
Mid Notes:
Floral notes, Jasmine, Sambac, Gardenia
Base Notes:
Oakmoss, Woody notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at John Lewis & Partners:
8. Galop d’Hermés – Eau de Parfum
Review
Blending florals and leather, in scent and aesthetic, is something that Hermés is very good at, and Galop d’Hermés is an oriental fragrance, blended by Christine Nagel, which represents this tradition.
Deceptively simple in its number of ingredients, this is nonetheless a complex and blooming scent which reveals layers as time goes by.
Fragrant saffron and rose mingle with leather and musk to create a seductive and sensual perfume that evokes Hermés’ origins as well as their more recent pedigree.
The elegant bracket shaped bottle with its silver and pink colour scheme, and sweet leather detail on the cap, will really stand out on your dressing table.
This aromatic and sensual scent is incredibly long-lasting at 7+ hours, but it has a moderate sillage. This makes it friendly for re-application, though this generally won’t be necessary unless you are extraordinarily active. Wear this perfume in autumn and winter evenings for best effect.
Top Notes:
Quince, Saffron
Mid Notes:
Osmanthus, Turkish Rose
Base Notes:
Leather, White Musk
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harvey Nichols:
9. Un Jardin Sur la Lague Hermés – Eau de Toilette
Review
The Jardin Collection is one of Hermés’ most enduringly popular, and Un Jardin sur la Lagune, mixed by Christine Nagel, is one of the newest additions. Hermés put real effort into making this perfume a work of art; Bosnian artist Safet Zec was commissioned to illustrate the packaging.
Evoking the magic of a hidden garden, this scent is floral, delicate, and bitter-sweet. The addition of sea notes, in particular, elevates this fragrance above the usual rank and file of floral perfumes. A perfect summer perfume, this is best worn during the day.
Like so many of Hermés’ perfumes, Un Jardin Sur la Lagune is held in a sophisticated and straightforward bottle. The rising pinkish hue at the base of the bottle stops the bottle from being entirely straightforward by injecting a welcome flash of colour.
With a light and fresh sillage, this is a delicate perfume that doesn’t stand up to exercise very well so reapplication may be necessary after 4+ hours.
However, it’s crisp and delightful scent sits very well on clothes and hair; applying it to your scarf, or brushing it through hair is a perfect solution.
Top Notes:
Lily, Sea notes
Mid Notes:
Magnolia, Pittosporum
Base Notes:
Woody, notes
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
10. Hermessence Vetiver Tonka – Eau de Toilette
Review
This unisex fragrance, blended by Jean-Claude Ellena, has become a firm favourite with young women. The Hermessence line is one of Hermés’ most exclusive and unique collections; based on the idea of reinventing nature in precious and unusual ways.
This vetiver and tonka fragrance is rich, earthy, and seductive; rough and sweet, it has bitter undertones that elevate it and makes this fragrance genuinely unforgettable. Wear this sensual and rich perfume in the evening to bring out the best that it has to offer.
The simple, rectangular bottle and leather topper make this an elegant if not unassuming bottle of perfume. It won’t be the star of your dressing table, but you will find yourself reaching for it time and time again.
With a heavy sillage and moderate longevity of 5+ hours, Hermessence Vetiver Tonka is a reliable and unique perfume which is truly perfect for the modern woman!
Top Notes:
Lily-of-the-valley
Mid Notes:
Hazelnut, Praliné, Vetiver
Base Notes:
Sandalwood, Tobacco, Tonka bean
Price & Reviews
You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online at Harrods:
Conclusion: The Future is Bright
Hermés remains one of the most instantly recognisable luxury fashion and beauty brands in the world. With their all-natural ethos, they are well-prepared for the latest clean beauty and sustainable living trends that are currently in vogue.
This selection of 10 delightful fragrances offers the best Hemés perfumes for women that are clearly on-trend. Each is made with natural, ethically sourced ingredients; if you’re concerned about the impact of your scent, Hermés is an excellent place to start.
Before you go, I have put together a review of the most elegant perfumes ranging from timeless classics to modern day sophistication that I think you will enjoy.
Further Reading
Below are some additional articles from Viora London’s blog. We write articles on a number of interesting lifestyle topics such as fragrance, beauty, designer handbags, luxury accessories and more.
