Rouge Hermès (2000)
by Hermès

Hermes Rouge is a very ladylike perfume that belongs to the floral-oriental family. The most identifiable notes are powder, rose, sandalwood and myrrh.

Hermes Rouge is not an immediately accessible floral in the way that Serge Lutens' Lys Med is, for example. Rather, Hermes Rouge is a fragrance for someone who enjoys a touch of formality and glamor, and who has the self-confidence to wear a perfume that is not necessarily the latest thing. It is also a fragrance better suited for the evening, most likely in the colder months. I would imagine that someone who likes Caron's Parfum Sacre (or that old discontinued Ralph Lauren favorite "Tuxedo") would appreciate and enjoy Hermes Rouge. Overall, the best way that I can describe Hermes Rouge is to ask you to imagine burying your nose in the most luxurious scented old-school powder puff. That sensation of delicate softness is what this perfume imparts to my nose.

Rouge Hermes is somewhat related to Chamade. Both fragrances have a green start and the mix of iris, sandalwood and vanilla accentuates the Guerlain-like effect. But where Guerlain can be bolder, Rouge has has that typical Hermès restrain. Rouge is all about basenotes, the more it evolves to more sublime its oriental softness becomes. Rouge is chic yet sensual. I would call it a "parfum de fourure".
Hermès just rereleased Rouge's first incarnation, namely: Le Parfum d'Hermès. I own just a tiny sample of the vintage scent and compaired to my Rouge edt, there isn't that a great difference. Maybe Parfum d'Hermès is somewhat leathery.
Really my kind of fragrance, yet if I had to choose I would go for Chamade (but only in pure parfum) at night and keep the Rouge edt for daywear.

Hmmmmmmmn. It starts off nice soft powdery, but evolves to something pungent has this funny after scent-- Which is not very pleasent. I like the eau des merveilles much better....

First of all. I must say I've tried four different Hermès scents and I am most struck by the high level of quality from all of them, this in the edt versions. I cannot say the same from most names of the same stature (sad, but true).

This is almost exactely what I want, except I'm a bit sensitive to a rose element, which lingers here. It reminds me of Nahema-which I also love, it's just,but for the roses, again.

Still, highly recommended. Rouge is a bit heavy, but of real class and quality. Super.

Do I like it? Oh yes I do! But what is it about this fragrance? There is just something that is off, a little weird, in a good way but at the same time just a little weird... And like this explanation of the fragrance I am lost when trying to explain the feel you get when you wear it... I liked it when I first sprayed it on, a little strong but I personally don't mind that. Then there is the transformation which happens pretty fast on me and then I am told that it smells like soap. Now I wonder where that came from, especially since after having read all these posts I see no one at all mention that this could ever possibly smell like soap whatsoever... Once again, I do like it but now I'm not sure if I really want to buy this... Maybe for the winter this will make a prefect companion on the way to work and in the office, on the drive home on those wintery cold days... but I'm not so sure that my fiance really liked it on me that much :) He simply just prefers lighter scents, and I love the more sensuous slightly heavier ones :)

Upon first sniff, this is extremely potent stuff, almost perversely so; when it first hit the market, I was simultanously repulsed and fascinated and coudn't stop thinking about it until I finally had it in my possession. It's an incredibly intensive rose-myrrh blend embellished with ylang ylang, cedar, cistus and Bourbon vanilla. My first impression of it, each and every time I apply, is "holy bug spray!" because that myrrh is just so hugely commanding. From there, it travels along a journey that traverses velvety rose, powdery, ambery cistus and spicy-smoky cedar and vanilla. The drydown, which retains and balances elements of all the notes involved, is considerably softer than the other stages of the scent and becomes, after perhaps three or four hours, like a warm pulse. But beware that everything before that is like wearing a scarlet slash, almost vibrating in its power. Comparison-wise, I do see thsi compared fairly often to the stunning triumph that is Guerlain Chamade and I concur somewhat, though the Rouge is sweeter and has a much more frank, bowl-you-over rose note. One fairly small bottle of this particualr Hermes scent could easily last five years, as this is a tiny-spray-at-a-time fragrance.