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Recommendation; Hermès unisex for men.

post #1 of 39
8/8/10 at 4:07am
Thread Starter 
Hi. I own Bel Ami and Equipage, and they are among my top-favourite fragrances. Among the unisex`, I have only tested Voyage d`hermes and it was ok. Which one of the unisex fragrances from Hermes do you think is the best, and which one is best suited for men?
I like Spice, wood, chypre, oriental stuff. Not citrus aqua stuff...
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post #2 of 39
8/8/10 at 4:23am
My two favourites:
Poivre Samarcande! Very woody with pepper and spice (cumin?)
Vetiver Tonka. Unusual sweet vetiver. Addictive!
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post #3 of 39
8/8/10 at 4:33am
My favourite would be Jardin sur le Nil, however you might want to try it first, given your restrictions.
It's definetely no aquatic but has -some- citrus.
A green, fruity floral that is maybe my favourite creation by JCE overall.
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post #4 of 39
8/8/10 at 4:37am
Elixir de Merveilles
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post #5 of 39
8/8/10 at 4:50am
Not officially unisex, but I like to wear Caleche, which is one of my favorites, and Hiris.
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post #6 of 39
8/8/10 at 5:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pelle View Post

My two favourites:
Poivre Samarcande! Very woody with pepper and spice (cumin?)
Vetiver Tonka. Unusual sweet vetiver. Addictive!

Does Vetiver Tonka has some similarities with Creed Original Vetiver? How is sillage and longevity on the Hermessence fragrances? I have read many people complains about Poivre`s sillage, and call it a skin-scent.
Cumin.. Does it has some similarities with Declaration and Frapin Caravelle Epicee? (I love Caravelle Epicee).
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post #7 of 39
8/8/10 at 5:20am
I have not tried all of them but some does is a bit too fleeting to me. Not so VT though. I don´t think it is similar at all to OV - it is much sweeter but not cloying, and I detect no citrus. It is not very smoky and not very grassy either, it is more of a fresh vetiver accord combined with some candy-like sweetness...
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post #8 of 39
8/8/10 at 5:50am
I recently acquired some samples from the Hermessence line, and gotta admit I absolutely love Vetiver Tonka, it's mostly a tonka bean fragrance and can definitley be worn by a chick. Still has that great Hermes touch though.

Paprika Brasil smells more feminine in the opening, but the dry down may be a bit more masculine, another really good one. I had this on the other day and was out swimming in chlorine water for several hours and I could still smell it on my arms after I came out.. I then took a shower and it was still on me. In fact it lasted about 24 extra hours after my shower, but in a very flat note phase. Still very nice, some sort of very natural woodsy smell.. a mix of different woods I presume; I was quite astonished by this guys longevity.

Actually, all of them from the Hermessence line are versatile and unisex, I'm actually wearing Vanille Galante for my sotd today, trying it out for the first time. Definitley a strange take on a vanilla, kind of herbal and medicinal. I'm liking it thus far though. The only ones that I don't think are uni are the older orange ones and TdH, possibly VdH too, but a woman may be able to pull it off.
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post #9 of 39
8/8/10 at 5:55am
BTW Vetiver Tonka also has excellent sillage and longevity, the entire lineup projects quite well as only Hermes can do, but some are iffy. Longevity is always 10+ hours for me on any Hermessence frag. I have never tried Creed Original Vetiver though so can't help ya there. I can't really compare Vetiver Tonka to anything, it does smell familiar at first, but I get this with a lot of fragrances. It's actually pretty original, but because it's so calm and pretty linear, it may seem boring to some. I find it to be amazing, rich, luxurious.
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post #10 of 39
8/8/10 at 5:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oslo-Fjord View Post

Does Vetiver Tonka has some similarities with Creed Original Vetiver? How is sillage and longevity on the Hermessence fragrances?

In my opinion VT is nothing like the Creed, or in fact any other vetiver I tried. It's a powdery, curiously dry-sweet contrast of grassy vetiver and tonka. I find it a simple but enjoyable contrast, kind of gentlemanly and dissonant at the same time.

I've only tried two Hermessences, Ambre Narguile and Vetiver Tonka, and they have both been powerful and long-lasting. I'd recommend both to someone exploring Hermes' unisex offerings, though definitely try-before-you-buy on both.
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post #11 of 39
8/8/10 at 6:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Elixir de Merveilles

I agree - outside the Hermèssence, this alleged feminine is one of the best unisex Hermès frags..

Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

BTW Vetiver Tonka also has excellent sillage and longevity, the entire lineup projects quite well as only Hermes can do, but some are iffy. Longevity is always 10+ hours for me on any Hermessence frag. I have never tried Creed Original Vetiver though so can't help ya there. I can't really compare Vetiver Tonka to anything, it does smell familiar at first, but I get this with a lot of fragrances. It's actually pretty original, but because it's so calm and pretty linear, it may seem boring to some. I find it to be amazing, rich, luxurious.

VT is amazingly good. I was overjoyed the first time I wore it.
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post #12 of 39
8/8/10 at 7:02am
Thread Starter 
-Do you think some of the fragrances in the Hermessence-line outstrip the refinement of Bel Ami and Equipage?
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post #13 of 39
8/8/10 at 7:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pelle View Post

Poivre Samarcande! Very woody with pepper and spice (cumin?)
Vetiver Tonka. Unusual sweet vetiver. Addictive!

These are two good unisex choices.
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post #14 of 39
8/8/10 at 7:27am
Personally, I've not been terribly impressed by the Hermessence line. I like Vetiver Tonka, Ambre Narguille, Osmanthe Yunan, Parika Brasil and Rose Ikebana but for the price, I can get better Amber, Tea and Rose fragrances. Only Vetiver Tonka is somewhat unique as a vetiver scent, but it's not that 'challenging' a scent and a little too sweet.
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post #15 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sugandaraja View Post

In my opinion VT is nothing like the Creed, or in fact any other vetiver I tried. It's a powdery, curiously dry-sweet contrast of grassy vetiver and tonka. I find it a simple but enjoyable contrast, kind of gentlemanly and dissonant at the same time.

+1 . . . nicely put.

It's a comfort vetiver - my absolute fall-back tavel companion. It gets you to the end of the journey in one piece, seems to last forever, and it's great in the heat as well. The Hermessences 15ml bottles are roadproof and very cool IMO.
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post #16 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:36am
Un jardin en Méditerranée
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post #17 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:45am
If we're already browsing the girls side I want to strongly second Caleche. AMAZING scent!
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post #18 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:49am
Vetiver Tonka
Ambre Narguile
Poivre Samarcande - this is also good but doesn't last very long. =(
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post #19 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by supperman View Post

Personally, I've not been terribly impressed by the Hermessence line.

Me neither - way overpriced for what you get, or mainly what you don't get.
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post #20 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oslo-Fjord View Post

-Do you think some of the fragrances in the Hermessence-line outstrip the refinement of Bel Ami and Equipage?

It really depends on how you define refinement. The classic Hermès masculines have oodles of old-school refinement, lacking in the Hermèssence line. Hermèssence scents almost all have a sparse feel that is modern and totally Ellena, as well as in keeping with many parts of the modern Hermès image. A different kind of refinement, that is not going to please all good tastes. The aesthetic of very spare ikebana could be used to describe all of the Hermèssence line.
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post #21 of 39
8/8/10 at 8:56am
Paprika Brasil and Ambre Narguilé but neither are must haves IMHO.
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post #22 of 39
8/8/10 at 9:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

Me neither - way overpriced for what you get, or mainly what you don't get.

At the FB level - definitely. If you aren't in love with a particular scent, you need to be careful. Otherwise, a full bottle is probably not a good investment for people who don't need counter-candy for their spare villa.

The travel packs (4 scents) are a better investment for things which you've tested and found to be at least GOOD. I love Vetiver Tonka and Poivre Samarcande, and got Rose Ikebana and Ambre Narguilé in the deal (the latter two being interesting to me, but nothing more).

Not good blind buys, IMO. If you can get samples and/or sniff them in the store, and find at least two that you really like, then I would go from there. The sample vials are pretty healthy-sized, and may be enough for you, unless you're wearing one all the time.
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post #23 of 39
8/8/10 at 11:34am
one more vote for Vetiver Tonka
Mellow vetiver and hazelnut without other unnecessary accords jamming in. Didn’t get the Tonka sweetness from the first couple times though.

and here’s what i think about the others..

Brin de Reglisse
Initial blast of lavender essence on top of slightly salty licorice then settle to a dry and hay-like scent. Neutral, understated and quite stylish i think. It makes me want to wear something black to go with it. Although the lavender fades out in matter of couple minutes, the rest of the scent would stay very close to skin for quite a while.

(before making the purchase, I read a lot of things that about Hermessence and understand the made-to-measure lavender in this fragrance is from LMR, that been treated with a complicated process. To me, a big fan of lavender, that is a big plus.)

Poivre Samarcande
Ground pepper then follow with handful of spices. Somehow it turns to a sweaty man on my skin.

Ambre Narguile
Smoking waterpipe tobacco with cinnamon apple-pie on the side this is what I got and haven’t detected any amber yet.

Vanille Galante
Faint vanilla and white floral. Very pale and linger. And…somehow..it reminds me of banana flavored cone dip.

Osmanthe Yunnan
Umm…apricot, tea and floral plus Voyage d’Hermes. Although it leans toward to the feminine side more than the others from this line, the tea in this one is still quite lovely though.
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post #24 of 39
8/8/10 at 6:29pm
You may like Eau d'Hermes, but you'll have to go to an Hermes boutique or blind buy it online.
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post #25 of 39
8/8/10 at 6:39pm
They don't have a unisex of the type/classification you seem to want.
Vetiver Tonka is the closest so far.

Hermes is due for 2 mainstream scents imo, the first perfect for the OP:

1. A L'Instant type contemporary reserved quasi-gourmand EDT
2. Fleur D'Orange Verte EDT (unrelated to thread yes :])

Set your sights on another house for this current need, and wait for Hermes to expand their range.
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post #26 of 39
8/8/10 at 6:48pm
^ YOWZA
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post #27 of 39
8/8/10 at 7:34pm
Oh ya, I almost forgot about the caramel note/accord in VT, brings out this great sweetness but doesn't make it gourmand. A very real non synthetic smelling caramel imo as well.

After wearing Vanille Galante today though, I retract my previous statement, it's not good at all. It's actually pretty horrible. Ir reminds me of a hospital and rubber gloves, I can't explain it..
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post #28 of 39
8/9/10 at 9:40am
I'm going to recommend Eau d'Hermes. Very old-school, very unique, and unisex bordering on masculine...you can definitely see the Hermes lineage that was passed down to their other classics.

I don't think any of the modern Hermes unisex scents have the old-school type of refinement found in Bel Ami and Equipage. They all seem very modern and very Ellena. As others have said, Vetiver Tonka is probably the closest thing you'll find to the aesthetic you're after.
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post #29 of 39
8/9/10 at 9:44am
Bel Ami and Equipage are unisex, as is Terre d'Hermes. I would also recommend Kelly Caleche EDT (rose and leather) and Caleche Eau Delicate with its subtle cedar note.
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post #30 of 39
8/9/10 at 11:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

Bel Ami and Equipage are unisex, as is Terre d'Hermes. I would also recommend Kelly Caleche EDT (rose and leather) and Caleche Eau Delicate with its subtle cedar note.

hmm, that was new to me.. Not to my nose!
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post #31 of 39
8/10/10 at 9:38am
If you like oriental, chypre fragrances, and if you like the leather facets of Bel Ami, do try the unissex Eau d'Hermés.
It`s one of the most complex leather fragrances that I`ve already tried. I have already owned a bottle and I fully regret of having sold it. It`s a beautiful fragrance for winter. It starts dry, spicy, with lots of cummin, then you have like 6-7 layers of accords, that goes from leather to spice aromas to resins to shy sweet notes. It`s beautiful, a little bit old-fashioned, but I`ve never tried any unissex leather like it.
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post #32 of 39
8/10/10 at 9:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Primrose View Post

Bel Ami and Equipage are unisex, as is Terre d'Hermes. I would also recommend Kelly Caleche EDT (rose and leather) and Caleche Eau Delicate with its subtle cedar note.

I ended buying Caleche Eau Delicate because of your recommendation Primrose! I found one at a reasonable price and didn`t regret buying it. It`s a great soft woody with a faint rooty iris note. It seemed perfect as a woody fragrance for summer days.
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post #33 of 39
8/10/10 at 9:42am
When I wear Caleche EDT, my sister says that I`m smelling like a pretzel...
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post #34 of 39
8/10/10 at 9:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

I recently acquired some samples from the Hermessence line, and gotta admit I absolutely love Vetiver Tonka, it's mostly a tonka bean fragrance and can definitley be worn by a chick. Still has that great Hermes touch though.

Paprika Brasil smells more feminine in the opening, but the dry down may be a bit more masculine, another really good one. I had this on the other day and was out swimming in chlorine water for several hours and I could still smell it on my arms after I came out.. I then took a shower and it was still on me. In fact it lasted about 24 extra hours after my shower, but in a very flat note phase. Still very nice, some sort of very natural woodsy smell.. a mix of different woods I presume; I was quite astonished by this guys longevity.

Actually, all of them from the Hermessence line are versatile and unisex, I'm actually wearing Vanille Galante for my sotd today, trying it out for the first time. Definitley a strange take on a vanilla, kind of herbal and medicinal. I'm liking it thus far though. The only ones that I don't think are uni are the older orange ones and TdH, possibly VdH too, but a woman may be able to pull it off.

On me Paprika Brasil has anything delicate that would be considered feminine. It starts dry and peppery, and remains this way during its disappointing short longevity on skin...
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post #35 of 39
8/10/10 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rickbr View Post

On me Paprika Brasil has anything delicate that would be considered feminine. It starts dry and peppery, and remains this way during its disappointing short longevity on skin...

Wow really? I can't imagine this one lasting less than 12 hours on anybodies skin, but I guess what skin chemistry is. To my nose I get kind of a carrot-like opening it's hard to actually distinguish but it definitley smells feminine. Then as it dries a little, that fantastic paprika comes out, along with some cloves and woods. They all just blend together more more and more as it gets to the base, but they all play major roles. I think the combination of the paprika, clove, and woods (definitley cedar wood but not sure what else) was a brilliant decision on Jean Claude Ellena's part. All of his fragrances are pretty much excellent, and you can almost always tell when you're wearing one of his masterpieces.
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post #36 of 39
8/10/10 at 10:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Wow really? I can't imagine this one lasting less than 12 hours on anybodies skin, but I guess what skin chemistry is. To my nose I get kind of a carrot-like opening it's hard to actually distinguish but it definitley smells feminine. Then as it dries a little, that fantastic paprika comes out, along with some cloves and woods. They all just blend together more more and more as it gets to the base, but they all play major roles. I think the combination of the paprika, clove, and woods (definitley cedar wood but not sure what else) was a brilliant decision on Jean Claude Ellena's part. All of his fragrances are pretty much excellent, and you can almost always tell when you're wearing one of his masterpieces.

Now I get it. The carrot seed-like opening is probably a kind of orris note. Iris root has this kind of smell. But i consider it more unissex than feminine
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post #37 of 39
8/10/10 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Wow really? I can't imagine this one lasting less than 12 hours on anybodies skin, but I guess what skin chemistry is. To my nose I get kind of a carrot-like opening it's hard to actually distinguish but it definitley smells feminine. Then as it dries a little, that fantastic paprika comes out, along with some cloves and woods. They all just blend together more more and more as it gets to the base, but they all play major roles. I think the combination of the paprika, clove, and woods (definitley cedar wood but not sure what else) was a brilliant decision on Jean Claude Ellena's part. All of his fragrances are pretty much excellent, and you can almost always tell when you're wearing one of his masterpieces.

Oh, you`re one of the first that really says something positive about paprika brasil I have the impression that it`s one of the least liked hermessence frags
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post #38 of 39
8/10/10 at 1:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by timaru View Post

My favourite would be Jardin sur le Nil, however you might want to try it first, given your restrictions.
It's definetely no aquatic but has -some- citrus.
A green, fruity floral that is maybe my favourite creation by JCE overall.

One of my favorites also!!!
Gary
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post #39 of 39
8/10/10 at 3:22pm
I always say praise Vetiver Tonka, Paprika Brasil and Poivre Samarcande.....
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