Myrrhe & Merveilles (2002)
by Keiko Mecheri

I really like myrrh, but this is awful because of the soap. I typically don't like soapy notes, but can tolerate them if nicely done. But no, this is not the luxe soap you get in most fragrances. Elf (below) was spot on about the Soviet soap -- this is an extremely true (although I assume accidental) rendition of the nasty brown "Khozyaystennoye" soap that I had plenty of exposure too during my childhood. I can detect nice myrrhe lurking in the background but the soap makes it a scrubber for me.

For me, this is "Myrrhe and Mauvais Souvenirs."

15th April, 2009.

Not my cup of tea. Although I like myrrh, I do not like it the way it is handled here. The florals and mainly lots of white musk overwhelm any myrrh.

Especially the opening reminds me of the smell of hairspray. After a few minutes, a very soapy musk takes control over the scent.

25th February, 2009.

uhhh...pretty nasty, cheap blast of Kewra flowers. it stays pretty intense and smells exactly like these flowers. it's quite powdery in nature as well...its only when this note tones down that this one is bearable. the basenotes is quite musky and then on handles the scent quite well. definitely feminine and must test before buy types.

6th October, 2008.

Such a fine, translucent fragrance. Myrrhe & Merveilles is a complex floral / myrrh / musk fragrance that, like many of the other Keiko Mecheri scents, is notable for its balance, refinement, delicacy, and elegance. The myrrh in this fragrance is presented quite discreetly and combined so beautifully with the other accords—it serves as a satiny sheer base for the wonderfully diaphanous citrus / almond / jasmine / musk accords. The citrus opening is sensitive and sparkling and refreshing—I would suspect aldehydes, but the sparkle lasts almost too long for it to be caused by aldehydes. The almond is so very clean, clear, and enticing. All the accords are exquisitely combined and excellently progressed, stay close to the skin, and have superior longevity. Several in the Keiko Mecheri line are marvelous and remarkable—these scents should be better known.

9th December, 2006.

Well, this will be a strange review, but when I tried my sample, it brought back many memories, then I remembered where I had smelled this before...the soap used on Soviet trains! Almost identical. For those with Soviet experience, it might be more of a memory trigger than a comfort scent....

16th August, 2006.