Reviews of L'Eau D'Issey (1992)
by Issey Miyake

I loved this fragrance when it was first launched in 1992, but when I tried it again in 2005, I found that I didn't like it anymore. I think this is partly because it had become so commonplace, and partly because my taste had changed. I now much prefer the very similar Escape by Calvin Klein. But L'Eau D'Issey was very cutting edge when first launched, and it deserves its place as an iconic fragrance.

i wore this fragrance in the mid-90s during my early 20s. i loved it. clean, light, fresh, and unusual. it is not a sexy scent, but it is unique. i like the *ozone* scents that came out in the early 90s. however, now issey gives me a tickle in my throat. i still enjoy this fragrance, but it's not for me anymore.

I hope never to have to smell this chemical toilet-cleaner mess ever again. Yes it's clean and watery, sure. But the melon-cucumber-horror! The grating fresh-accord! Thank god this trend is over, give me fifty strawberry-praline-chocolate disasters before this nastiness strikes my nose again.

I fell in love with L'Eau D'Issey when if first came out, and it was my signature scent for many years. To me LEDI is the epitome of a clean, fresh (but not citrusy), and light scent - if you could bottle a breeze, this would be it. It's pure, refined, and never overbearing; floral without being flowery. They say you can never go back, but I'm tempted to buy a bottle simply to reminisce that simpler time in my life!

It's a fresh, clean, romantic scent.Fresh withouth being too zesty, clean without being soapy, and romantic but not cloying. It's JUST RIGHT. Mine is the Edt, and last for a good 4-5hrs. Just love it! the bottle is gorgeous too!

I don't usually go for fresh green-floral fragrances until I met L'Eau D'Issey many years ago. Now, it still managed to surprise me with its ability to attract a bevy of admirers, which one of them is me!

A gorgeous scent. Makes you wanna get out from your cave-like room and do something, pronto.

I felt compelled to review this fragrance because it is credited for pioneering a genre of scents aimed at re-creating the aroma of water. It is frustrating that this house names all of its fragrances L'Eau D'Issey. I attempted to obtain a sample of the original, with lotus, freesia, and ambrox. There is a distinct cucumber overtone. I cannot say that I like this, because it is too chemical smelling. I do agree that it is clean and watery. If that is what you seek, you will find it here.

The EdT didn't offend me as it seems to have so many others. The dry down ends on mostly Tuberose, very white floral that reminds me of a more expensive and richer Jessica McClintock. And it lasts for absolutely ever, whether you like it or not. If you like pale florals, this is a good one to sample.

I cant explain how this fragrances bears perfection in every single way! I cant see someone disliking this! ...
A fresh floral best when worn on a hot summer day!
My thumbs love it...

L’Eau D’Issey is an ground-breaking fragrance whose uniqueness is that it is transparent and palpable at the same time. It opens with a subtle floral / aquatic accord—quite identifiably floral but with a contra intuitive lack of headiness. It is real and solid in its subtly … Somehow, because of the use of the aquatic accord, the florals are uncharacteristically pure and light—florals as refreshing as citrus—and as refined and well-balanced as any floral accord I have smelled before. As full and real as the florals are, the total sense of the fragrance is aquatic. Judging from the reviews, it responds quite differently on skin type variations: on my skin it is, obviously, very transparently floral. This is a completely delightful fragrance. It is not very similar to L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme, which is probably a good thing, I think.

A great feminine floral green acquatic fruity composition with rose and jasmine that should only be bought in EDP. A signature scent of a current gf, and I can't fault her for her loyalty. As a previous reviewer noted, this is the one that she reaches for again and again.

I love this scent. It is sensual and feminine without being floral or food-oriented. My favourite for winter time, I always feel special wearing this.

I remember smelling this several years ago and thinking it smelled like a fresh, cucumbery, soft, and feminine scent. It didn't have that thing that would make me come back to it, but as I was trying fragrances in Saks today, I sprayed it (unfortunately I didn't check if it was EDP or EDT) and couldn't stand how I smelled. It smells too much like Escape, but cheaper, and can be relentless, even though I only spritzed twice! It has something strong that made me sick all day!

At the time of its release, this glorious scent was groundbreaking! Over the years it has influenced SO MANY other fragrances...which is quite a compliment in itself! I don't wear it anymore. As time moves on, so do I ~ and my tastes of scent & personal expression move forward. L'Eau D'Issey was a turning point in the modern history of perfumery - forever to be praised!

I have well over 100 fragrances......but this one is one i continue to go back to. A Masterpeice. Its feminine without being overly floral....its clean and refreshing without being clinical, its an elegant "for every occassion" fragrance and when wearing it I continue get complimentson it. Its not an "IM WEARING FRAGRANCE AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO SMELL IT" fragrance. 10 out of 10 Mr Miyake

I had worn this perfume for 7 years. It was only last year that I started trying to find other scents after reading articles about perfume. I'm still on a quest to find something that equals this scent, but have found it difficult. En Passant, L'Eau D'Hiver and Angelique Sous La Pluie come close though and are a little more subtle.

My favourite fragrance to smell on a woman. I love the floral-aquatic development of this wonderful scent, many have tried to copy it but none have come close to the perfection of L'eau D'Issey.

L'Eau D'Issey has always been a bit of an enigma to me; in my head I always think of it as "that melon and black pepper scent" and then am always so surprised when I go back, review the notes and remember that it contains neither. I believe it's the spicy, somewhat peppery carnation and watery-fruit combination of lotus and osmanthus that create this impression; the actual florals in it have always been barely perceptible to my nose. As for the basenotes, I think L'Eau d'Issey was a first in bringing out very soft, suedelike woods as a platform for clear, aquatic notes; so many fragrances since have been structured along similar lines. I remember that when this fragrance first launched, I was immediately struck by its uniqueness and actually wore it exclusively as my signature scent (okay, it was only for a few months but still!) Today, I don't wear it often at all precisely because it has been so widely imitated and no longer smells so different, but I still think it deserves its due as an original.

Was a little disappointed. I expected something a little less floral, more abstract. I did smell clean, but I expected something more ethereal or complex. Also, it really disappeared after about an hour. Admittedly, I tried the EDP and not the actual perfume - which may be made with higher quality ingredients.

LíEau díIssey is the ultimate perfume for those peculiar people who loathe perfume but still feel obligated to wear one, for reasons that are totally beyond my understanding.
The simple cone-shaped bottle, with its aluminum top, is a statue that will forever remain as a witness for the Ice-Age of perfume.
Designed to smell like water, líEau díIssey definitely achieves the goal of providing artificial tranquility for the masses.
Wearing líEau díIssey is like washing in a mildly diluted disinfectant and highly resembles the scent that refuses to leave your skin after swimming in a chlorine-drenched swimming-pool.
It starts with fresh-cut-grass notes derived from galbanum, which are equally compelling and repelling (like overly concentrated parsley), and leads to a light and subtle floral heart of rose supported by a minute amount of neroli and the suggestively honey-like sweetness of magnolia and linden blossom. Along with some virtual, computer-generated cool fresh-air like notes that are meant to create the impression of fresh, clean water, the floral accord achieves the impression that is widely known to this day as waterlillies and is marketed as ìfresh transparent floralî.
When the water finally dries down it is a dominant white musk that is quite sharp and resembles the scents used in some high quality bathtub cleaners, along with some overly processed, refined and distilled (or perhaps bleached?) cedar and sandalwood.
The EDT and the EDP, by the way, are much worse ñ has the very common synthetically-powdery light floral that I personally loathe and that líEau díIssey must have been the prototype and trendsetter for (and now took over about 50% of new perfume creations).
I would only recommend the Parfum, and in very light moderation. This stuff is much more powerful than what you would like to imagine, and can easily make you sick if overdosed.
Recommended for use when you seek a detached peace of mind, or as a relief for mental thirst for water-derived tranquility. Can be also used a substitute for a shower when necessaryÖ
To be worn when you do not want to wear perfume; before or after the swimming pool, or when you want to feel transparent and blend in the crowds.