Review: Hermes L'Ambre des Merveilles

Hermès has released a new perfume, called L'Ambre des Merveilles, which translates to The Amber of Wonder in English. By amber they mean the amber stone created from the resin of trees, fossilized over many thousands of ears within the Earth. The bottle above (100ml Eau de Parfum) resembles the stone, and stands leaning slightly to the side.

Amber

The perfume was created by the perfumist Jean-Claude Ellena, who wanted to create a decidedly feminine note without floral elements, rather with woodsy elements. The scent is a mix of vanilla, Patchouli and Labdanum, the latter of which is a sticky brown resin attained from rockrose shrubbery, often used for perfume. Perfumes that are named after amber don't actually contain the precious ingredient, but is often used to describe the type of scent created by mixing vanilla and Labdanum, which creates the honey-amber-colored perfume.

So what do I think of this scent?

I admit I was skeptical at first, because Hermès is not the type of brand I would ever choose to describe my personality. I always picture rich old ladies shopping there for purses and scarves; however, I also associate it with timeless, classic style and sophistication. This is exactly how I would describe the scent.

It is a beautiful perfume that is very elegant, high-class and sophisticated, without being edgy, cool or adventurous. It is feminine without being baby-ish, grown-up without being stuffy, elegant without being cloying. It might not be the first perfume I would grab off the shelf to buy, but it has definitely grown on me and I would wear this on a night out when I want to feel like a perfect lady. The lasting power is also incredible, since it is an Eau de Parfum, not an Eau de Toilette. A little goes a long way and lasts for many hours.

Two negatives: For one, it doesn't come with a proper bottle cap. There was a round plastic tube "thingee" supplied with it, but it's not a proper cap. So you cannot really close the perfume bottle for traveling, which is a nuisance. I like to take my perfumes with me for touching up, so unless you fill this into a travel size bottle, you run of the risk of it accidentally spraying in your bag. Definitely a "leave at home" bottle then. It struck me as very odd.

Second - well, let's face it: The Price! Hermès isn't exactly in the same price category as Bath and Body Works, or even mid-range perfumes like D&G or Boss, etc. I only was supplied the prices for the Swiss market (50ml Eau de Parfum 128 Swiss Franks, 100ml Eau de Parfum 182 Swiss Franks) but I imagine the prices are pretty high for other countries as well. The question then becomes, are you willing to pay for Hèrmes prices, or are you able to find another similar perfume in a slightly lower price class that you like equally?

If you like grown-up (but not old-lady) perfumes and don't mind spending a bit more for Hermès, I would definitely check this one out.

What is your favorite perfume for fall and winter? Share in the comments!