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Portia
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Hello Fellow Fumies,
At APJ we have a Saturday Question. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it’s a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.
The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back regularly and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them. The aim is to generate real conversation and connection even though we are scattered around the globe.
Over 100 responses I will draw a Secret Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
Last Weeks Winner: Didn’t make 100 comments
eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with your address please
Saturday Question: What Is Your Hermès Fragrance?
Woo Hoo! How have I not thought to ask you all this before? One of my favourite houses and it has such a wealth of beautiful fragrance. Their department store offerings, the colognes, Hermessence and their vintage line ups are all very interesting and well though out. From Doblis, Caleche, Bel Ami and Amazone through Jean Claude Elena’s years as Hermès perfumer to new offerings by Christine Nagel; what is your favourite Hermès offering?
It doesn’t have to be one you own or wear. Maybe it’s a vintage that you remember or perhaps your friend wears an Hermès fragrance perfectly. None of that matters, which one speaks to you, no matter how.
My Answer:
This is so tricky. I have a huge collection of Hermès fragrances from very early Caleche to Eau des Merveilles Bleue and Twilly. So I’m going to go with the one I spritz most regularly. It sits in a box behind my desk chair that is full of unboxed favourites. Quite often when I can’t decide what to wear but I want to smell fabulous it’s my pick. So special because it’s originally from Michael Edwards collection, he gave it to me and it’s also special because Mum spent some time wearing it as well. Just a spritz can turn my grey skies to blue.
Vintage Caleche EdT by Hermès
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, Bergamot, Mandarin, Neroli, Orange blossom, Lemon, Cypress
Heart: Gardenia, Iris, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-valley, Rose, Ylang-ylang
Base: Amber, Oakmoss, Musk, Sandalwood, Tonka bean, Vetiver, Cedar
This 1961 beauty by Guy Robert is an aldehydic floriental. Zingy aldehydes, soapy orange blossom tarted up with some greenery and a bouquet of other flowers that run through sharp to creamy and all get their moment in the sun as chorus. All undercut with a deep and warm base of amber, woods and moss. A real big, old fashioned fragrance that enters slightly ahead of you and announces your imminent arrival with a fanfare and flourish.
Though I wear a LOT of Hermès oeuvre, it is this vintage Caleche EdT that has my heart and soul.
Paprika Brasil
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OOOH! Nice under the radar start to the discussion Brigitte. Is it a regular wear?
Portia xx
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I think I prefer it in the cooler weather. It will definitely get some wearing in the fall.
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Cuir d‘Ange and Cédre Sambac are definitely my most worn. I do love others though.
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Oh crap. Forgot Galop. I‘ve used nearly a whole bottle. I guess I don‘t have one favorite tbh.
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Or maybe it’s your favorite house 😆
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You love your Doblis too yeah? When I was writing this question I was thinking of you Val.
Portia xx
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Oh I do. But I don’t wear it so often. Not because I am eeking it out, I am not. It”s just pure perfume and to be dabbed and best in winter. Sublimely elegant (like me) I have to be in the right mood. I want to try the Caleche pure perfume. Must get around to that.
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I would like to try the Caleche perfume too.
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Kelly Caleche and Cuir D’Ange. There’s an underlying note in both that’s similar.
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Guess what??? Sampling Caleche and Caleche eau Delicate!!!
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And I tried Caleche Soie de Parfum last time I was downtown. Very, very nice. I should probably get a bottle.
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So perhaps I should go back and try a variation or two of Caleche. While I admired Caleche many years ago, I found it hard to wear. I do think I used the half full bottle my great aunt gave to me when she gave up perfume, but it wasn’t really my kind of scent back then.
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I doubt you would find the Soie de Parfum hard to wear. It’s much more modern in feel than Caleche of years gone by. It’s a very nice and interesting little perfume. Quite soft, but surprisingly tenacious. It won’t keep pestering you for attention but you will be aware of it around you from time to time. And, it looks like I’m talking myself into a bottle!
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GET
THE
BOTTLE
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Wait a minute. Do you get another enabler pin if I do 🤔. I’m not current on the rules of enabling. And you have quite enough of them already!
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Yes I would lol 😂
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And one can never have enough. 🤣
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Yes you can! I say so. It’s not fair and I’m telling Mummy 😫
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I knew you’d say that. You’re shameless!
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You know it! 🙃🙃
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Didn’t even know there was a Caleche Eau Delicate. It probably never made it to these shores.
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It came out in 2006, I think. It’s discontinued. It’s different from Caleche which is very powdery on my skin ( the EDP version). Eau Delicate is sharper and brings to mind Bottega Venetta which means I really like it. Let me know if you want me to put some to the side for you to sample. Kathleen sent me a decant.
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This entire conversation is cracking me up!!! You two are Lucy and Ethel…thank you guys for giving me a good laugh. And now Prince is singing in my head ( act your age not your shoe size).
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Oops…how did my comment get here? Meant for down below ⬇️⬇️
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BUY IT!! I need an enabler pin. Mrs. M is hogging them all and it’s not fair 😖
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Now you just listen here, and listen good. Didn’t I just buy a decant this very morning of Soie de Parfum? On your very own say-so? The pin gem is being delivered to you in the morning. You just stop that stomping right now.! Do you want to go to your room? Ok then, act your age, not your shoe size🤣
Looking forward to trying this. Never knew of its existence.
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That is seriously the THIRD time you have made me literally laugh out loud today. And please shoot me if I EVER use the word literally in the incorrect fashion. Or, if I ever use it again. 😂 “act my age instead of my shoe size”😂😂
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My job here is done. Thank you for coming and I’ll bid you goodnight . Yeah, right🤣 am not getting off the stage til I’m pushed.
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I’ll literally kill you if you ever literally utter the word literally. How’s that?
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I actually meant it in the figurative sense 😂😂Haha. Now I just made myself laugh. Which is really rather lame.
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Hey, take your laughs wherever you get them.
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See my comment way above ⬆️⬆️. You two gave me a good belly laugh.
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I will have to try them together. Would never have made that connection Cassieflower. thanks,
Portia xx
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For me Bel Ami vintage remains number 1 from Hermes 👌🏻👌🏻
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Oh yeah Alen,
Good choice. I love those old cocktail shaker looking flacons too.
Portia xx
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Quite difficult! 24 Faubourg.
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Ha! I knew you would pick that one! Either that or EdM or one of the EdM flankers like Bleue.
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It was very hard to decide, because I also love Paprika Brasil, Hiris and Eau de Merveilles Bleue.
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That’s right!!!! Paprika Brasil!! We both share a love for that one ♥️♥️
I realize that I don’t really have too many Hermes full bottles. I had EdM but couldn’t smell it, so added lavender oil and thunked it at work with liberal application. While I like a few of the Hermessence like Brin de Reglisse and Vanille Galante they last a nano second on my skin. Paprika Brasil requires a hefty amount of application.
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None of the Merveilles, except for Eau de Bleue, last on my skin either. I need to spray them heavily on clothes to be able to smell them for a couple of hours. So sad because they are all great perfumes!
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YAY! I’m glad we got a vote for 24 Faubourg. What a wonderful fragrance. It doesn’t get as much wear around here as it deserves. Now spring has arrived it might.
Portia xx
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24 Faubourg will forever remind me of an old colleague who wore it as her’pulling’ perfume.
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Ummm…..did you know that fragrancenet sells it as a soap? It appears that since we ran out of soap a few weeks ago soap shopping has become my new obsession.😱
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HA! Brigitte,
If you knew how much soap there was in this house you wouldn’t be sending me off to buy more.
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Ahahaha 😜. We are a loveable bunch of enablers.
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It looks like you are becoming like me with the huge amount of soaps I have and still keep getting. I can’t stop! Welcome to the club! 😂🤣
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Ha!! I AM turning into you. And I am rationalizing by telling myself it’s a necessity.
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Also going with most-used bottle and it’s Ambre des Merveilles, although only in the winter.
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Hey AnnieA,
YUMMO! Another grand beauty from the Hermès oeuvre.
Portia x
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The current Calèche EDT seems to be my most worn Hermès. I should probably explore the other versions.
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Hey SunnyDay,
If you love it, wear it. Don’t question or search. Modern Caleche is lovely. I might have a bottle of that here too.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia! You must smell AMAZING! I adore Caleche. What I wear most often at the moment are Myrrhe Egalantine and Cuir d’Ange. I wish I could own all of the Hermessences!
Sandra xo
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Sandra! You and I are so similar. Yes, the Hermessence range is fabulous. Imagine a row of all the bottles. MMMMMMMMM That would be heaven.
Portia xx
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I have two: Muguet Porcelaine, and Un Jardin Apres la Mousson. But I love Un Jardin Sur le Nil and Twilly too! I don’t know many of the Hermessence line.
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Hi there OH,
Un Jardin Apres la Mousson is beautiful. That’s my most worn jardin by far too.
Isn’t Muguet Porcelaine pretty. I love that melon/lely of the valley combo. Fresh and dainty but so present.
Portia xx
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You know I love a good muguet! I was able to get a bottle of Santa Maria Novella’s Mughetto while in Florence, but I’m saving it to write about next May if I do another May Muguet Marathon on the blog.
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My favorite Jardin too, followed by un Jardin au Nil.
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I haven’t tried a whole lot but it’s hard to go past Terre d’Hermes. I think I’d have the parfum version slightly above the original.
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Classic and gorgeous JD,
I am a Terre d’Hermès fan too. My bottle rarely gets an outing nowadays though. Thanks for the reminder.
Portia xx
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The only Hermes I own is Caleche, an older bottle, as well as Caleche Eau Delicate. I had 24 Faubourg in the remote past but gifted away. Just a few days ago I ordered an older bottle of Rouge after reading Neil’s Perfume book boudoir oriental perfumes chapter which is my favorite genre of fragrance.
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Hi Kathleen,
LOVE Rouge. I have a modern red bottle. So divine. Sheer and sultry, boudoir is the perfect category for it.
Portia xx
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That red bottle is stunning!
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I you love Rouge Portia, I am sure to love it as well. The red bottle is beautiful.
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Did you know that Rouge was originally released in 1984 under a different name..Parfum d”Hermes? I didn’t realize that Rouge is a relatively new release circa 2000.
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WHAT? Is that for real Brigitte? Rouge and Parfum d”Hermes are quite different though. Rouge isn’t nearly as animalic or sweaty.
I wonder if the reform was so drastic they felt it needed a name change?
Portia xx
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I read the same information regarding Rouge and previously Parfum d’Hermes. You have worn that in the past Portia?
I’m excited to wear Rouge, it sounds right up my alley! It should be waiting in my mailbox when I get home tomorrow.
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Yes that was what I read. I wonder if the original was too wild so it was toned down to Rouge.
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Yes, Rouge is a beauty. Did you score a vintage or one of the newer bottles?
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I’m not sure of the year but it is not in the newer bottle. It is in the rounder and shorter bottle with the gold on the top. I’m hoping it smells wonderful! I’ll find out later today.
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Oooh delish.
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Portia, I made an accurate guess before seeing your choice that it would be Caleche for you. In fact, I believe Caleche is to Hermes what No. 5 is to Chanel and Shalimar is to Guerlain. I love Caleche but if the question is most favorite or what would I choose if I could keep only one in my collection, I might have to go for vintage Bel Ami.
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I wore the vintage Bel Ami in the late 70’s Fazal. It was a knock-out!!
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Good guessing Fazal,
Yeah, 100%. Caleche is their No 5 answer. Being an aldehydic floral it even shares some compositional components.
Ahhhh, Bel Ami! You know I had a vintage mini but used it and have not rebought, maybe i should investigate.
Portia xx
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Hermes. Where to start. Late 70’s and 80’s I wore Amazone. Bel Ami and Hiris. Beautiful perfumes with loads of character. I’ve tried most of the Hermessence line and some of them are gorgeous. But I seriously doubt they last on me for more than a couple of hours with very little to no projection. I still have a bottle of Osmanthe Yunnan which I can barely even smell on myself. I gave it to my youngest daughter who favours very light, ethereal scents.
Eau de Merveilles is one I still have and works quite well. I always get compliments with it, although I am a bit tired of it. I have four of the Jardins series and like them well enough on hot days, but I suppose I consider them supporting cast members. Nice for a while but no real star power. Nonetheless, I’m still a huge fan of those bottles. Beautifully designed. Nice heft, good sprayer and lovely colours.
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O MG!! You triggered a distant memory!! We had a big bottle of Amazone in the house in the 70s. Back then it was a splash. My mom didn’t care for it so I wore it. I bet there was real Mysore Sandalwood in it at that time.
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Wasn’t it great? Such an emphatic personality without rubbing it in everyone’s faces.
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It was great!
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it had to have mysore sandalwood. Mysore Sandalwood was a given in perfumes until sometime in 1990s because it was in abundance and reasonable in cost before the demise of mysore sandalwood industry due to excessive exploitation.
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Fazal, if I had a crystal ball I never would have thunked all the full bottles I owned in my lifetime of fragrances that contained real Mysore.
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I know what you mean.
I am sometimes amused by the marketing of niche releases with exorbitant prices, claiming the perfume has mysore sandalwood when it is obvious they are lying, due to the restrictions placed by the Indian Government. I am particularly thinking about Xerjoff Richwood in this case and I have seen certain other niche brands making the same false claim as well.
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I didn’t realize I had to pick a favorite. Just ran off at the mouth, like usual. Probably Amazone from the 80’s.
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HA! Perfect Marcella,
I have some old Amazone and soaps from one of those old lavish boxed extravaganzas they used to do. So posh.
Portia xx
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Terrible affliction. There must be a cure. Somewhere🤷♀️
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Somehow I’m guessing (actually, I’m positive) you haven’t found it 🤨
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🧐still searching.
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And probably not looking too hard. Just give up. I did. It’s great. I get to be offensive, but nobody knows if I really meant it. So they don’t feel offended.
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Well I’m not searching as ardently as I search out perfume. I just don’t have the time. Sheesh, sooo busy 😅
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😂😂😂
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I don’t have many bottles from Hèrmes, but L’Ambtre des Merveilles is one I really love, especially in the colder months. Other than that, I think I would use Hiris or Iris Ukiyoe a lot, but they don’t last well on my skin, so I have not bought a FB of any of them
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Hey Ingeborg,
L’Ambre des Merveilles is getting a lot of love today. Giving me a severe lemming if I’m being honest.
Portia xx
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Cèdre Sambac and Ambré Narguilé
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Perfect TaraC,
A summer and winter weight.
Portia xx
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Twilly Twilly Twilly and more Twilly
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YAY! Gina,
Did you see the ridiculous bargain Twilly is going for on FragranceNet?
Portia xx
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Did you see the bargains on all Hermes at fragrancenet? And soaps? And sets of minis? And two of the Traveller sprays in the adorable pouches? Eek!! P, this Saturday question made me look!!
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HA! Me too.
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Hey B, had yet another soap incident this week. And talked my niece into one as well🤫
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Oh lordy, we are so bad 😈😈
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Someone needs to sit on Brigitte.🙊
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😂Yup
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I love Terre d’Hermes. Galop is gorgeous too. I really want to try Eau de Merveilles Bleu and Eau d’Hermes soon. Bel Ami is really special as is the Jardin collection.
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Hey there DougG,
Nice choices. Eau de Merveilles Bleu is my favourite from that line.
Portia xx
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I used to wear Hermes more often than now, but when I do: Cuir d’Ange, Muguet P. and Hiris. I gave away my Jardin sur le Toit, I don’t regret giving it away but I miss it sometimes.
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Well they are three stellar fumes Hamamelis, You’ve got your year covered for Hermès.
Portia xx
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Id happily accept all Jardin, Merveilles and Hermenessence perfumes if they dropped into my lap, even if some are really fleeting. But if I have to choose I‘d go with Un Jardin Apres La Mousson, which was my introduction to Hermes, Eau de Merveilles Bleue and Epice Marine. I have yet to try Caleche, Bel Ami and Rouge so looking forward to that!
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For me it’s probably Eau d’Orange Verte, in any form. I love that in summer. I have some vintage Equipage that I really like in the cooler months, too.
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Just one favorite from Hermès? Not possible. 24 Faubourg for spring and autumn. Eau des Merveilles, Un Jardin en Mediterranee, Un Jardin Sur Le Nil and Le Jardin de Monsieur Li for summer. L’Ambre des Merveilles for the autumn and winter. Hermessence Santal Massoïa and Vetiver Tonka for whenever the mood suits. And I’m probably one of the few persons who like Jour d’Hermès.
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I like Jour d‘Hermes as well!
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I like it a lot, too. So there are at least three who like it.
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Make that four. I had a bottle but gave it to my youngest daughter who loved it. Nice of me, I think
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I have none at the moment, I thunked Merveilles Bleue, but was not overly fond of it. If I will get Hermès, it will be Eau de Merveilles or Amazone
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Mine would be Eau de Pamplemousse Rose and I have also owned decants from Elena’s Jardin series–although all have been likes and not loves. Cardamusc is still high on my want to try list.
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I got nuthin. 🤷🏽♀️
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