hermes

H24 by Hermes

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Hermes is a brand that doesn’t seem to follow the trends, with its fragrance offerings for men. H24 is another example, released in 2021, which received mixed reviews from folks. I got my sample and have tested this Hermes cologne out, to see how it really performed. How does it smell? Is it worth a try?

What does H24 by Hermes Smell Like?

Notes includes: sage, narcissus, rosewood, sclarene

Click here to try: H24 by Hermes

h24 review

My Full Review

How does Hermes (best colognes) describe it: H24 is the first perfume expressing the contemporary man as seen by Hermès. A lively, sensual and bright perfume, stemming from the daring blend between nature and technology.

H24 isn’t all that complicated of a fragrance. However, I do think that it is an interesting one and takes things in a much different direction, than most other designer men’s colognes out today.

Upon first spraying, you get a sage bomb. The sage will be the strongest note in the mix here, which is pretty unusual for an ingredient which usually serves as a background player.

Also, noticeable with be the warmth of the metallic-like sclarene note. If I had to explain it, I’d say that it is sort of resinous, but not too thick. Warm. Almost like the carbon note found in Luna Rossa Carbon.

Underneath those two notes, sits the narcissus. Lending a nice floral aroma to the H24 blend. There does seem to be a light sweetness here also, from something fruity. Checking the chemical ingredients, I think it’s a bit of lemon blending with the flower.

Although, there’s something else there too. I just can’t quite pick it out.

After a while, the narcissus seems to back away. Rosewood occupies the base, along with some dry woodsiness. Again, an unlisted oakmoss note. Not too strong, but it even says it’s there on my sample card’s chemical breakdown.

So, fresh sage. Metallic warmth. Woods. Simple, right? Yes, but it really works for me.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate, but not at all weak on my skin. In fact, it provides a pretty substantial scent bubble early on, and sticks around fairly well.

The projection isn’t huge. However, 5-7 feet is about what I’ve experienced, and where I pick it up after spraying H24 on some clothing. Not a massive fragrance, but solid.

The fragrance stays on my skin for 6-7.5 hours. I had heard people say that this scent doesn’t last long. I don’t find that to be true. It worked well enough for me. Not an all day, marathon performance, just something I have no real complaints about.

Seasonally, this is beautiful in the warmth of the summer. Spring would also obviously be a good candidate for wearing H24. I wore this outside and then went inside to air conditioned stores, H24 adapted well and smelled great in the temperature changes.

This is a daytime wear. It’s attractive and pleasant. Not a nightlife banger or one for romantic evening occasions.

H24 is office and school safe. Not too casual or buttoned up and formal. It has a fairly wide use case during this spring and summer season.

Overall Impressions of H24

Overall, do I like H24? I do.

At first, I wasn’t too sure about it. Then, I tried this Hermes fragrance again and liked smelling it throughout the day. It’s not a complete love for me, just a pretty strong like.

I do like sage, so, that helps. But, this simple scent also gives you a unique blend of floral, metallic, sweetish, and woodsy underneath the herbal freshness. It’s modern and sleek. Very clean and inoffensive.

The performance is good, though not great. With around 7 hours of wear, H24 is good enough for most occasions.

This is worth a try. I wouldn’t mind having a bottle of it, but I’m not rushing out to purchase H24 either. If it’s on discount, it’s one that could get a lot of use in one’s collection.

Un Jardin Apres la Mousson by Hermes

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Hermes’ Jardin line is one that I’m currently doing my write-ups on, after having tested them out. Today’s perfume is the release, Un Jardin Apres la Mousson (A Garden After the Monsoon). How does this one smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Un Jardin Apres la Mousson Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, ginger flower, cardamom, coriander, vetiver, pepper, citrus, water

Click here to try: Un Jardin Apres la Mousson

jardin mousson review

My Full Review

Here’s how Hermes describes it: Un Jardin après la Mousson explores unexpected aspects of India, when the monsoon gives back what the sun has taken from the earth, and drives away the scorching breath of drought.

The opening of Mousson is an interesting blend of warmth and aquatic coolness. It does really capture that rainy aftermath, where the sun is out, but you have somewhat of a break from the heat…but not necessarily to humidity.

The citrus top is light, much like a flavored water than a distinct solo lemon or orange note. This is joined by the suite of spicy notes: pepper, cardamom, coriander, and the headlining ginger.

The pepper and coriander do give it an initial sharp spiciness, that will become more subtle and really a fresh aromatic.

Once this stage has cleared, the heart is where you get much of the garden aspect of this scent. Ginger, floral notes, and a greenish quality with that rainy aquatic base.

The only real change is that it becomes less watery and get a drier aroma, with some added vetiver strength. This Hermes scent is pretty simple in its development.

Spices, watery notes, earthiness/floral, with an underlying sweetness throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Mousson definitely leans more towards the lighter side of things. With a decent amount of sprays, you’ll get an airy scent trail for about 2 hours or so.

The projection is like 4-6 feet, at its peak. Don’t go into this thinking that you’re going to get a powerhouse, that’s not this scent.

The longevity is about 5-6.5 hours, also. The back half of that is going to be a skin scent, that you’ll catch whiffs of throughout that 3 hour or so span. Then, it’ll fade away.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer fragrance. I would want moderate temperatures at least to wear Mousson, but more of a warm weather fragrance for me.

This is indeed unisex. I don’t think that it strays too feminine, but it’d lean more that way than something traditionally masculine, in my opinion. But, it’s a safe one for anybody to use.

Casual to semi-formal wear during the daytime. It’s a fresh and invigorating sort of aroma. Not sexy. Not something built for the nightlife or romantic occasions. Just something that can be pleasant to put on for the right person.

Overall Impressions of Un Jardin Apres la Mousson

Overall, do I like Apres la Mousson? It’s fairly enjoyable, but not something I really want to wear often, nor is it my favorite from this series. I’m partial to the Monsieur Li fragrance, myself.

While I like ginger a lot as a note, it’s usually in more of a support role versus the main attraction.

I like the concept and like the other Jardin perfumes, I think that it nails a fairly naturalistic smelling impression of an Indian garden after a monsoon has ripped through. Not that I’ve encountered that personally, but on the level of imagination…this gives that impression.

The mix of water, spices, and vegetal aromas is intriguing. I think that it is worth a try. Personally, I like the opening act where the spices and watery aspect are most pronounced.

The performance is okay, in terms of longevity. However, this is more of a lighter and airy fragrance, so don’t expect much of a long lasting sillage.

If you like these Hermes scent, check Apres La Mousson out. It’s a good perfume, that may speak to you more than it did for me.

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil by Hermes

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Hermes’ Jardin series of fragrances has been pretty popular and one which I have enjoyed from time to time. I’m coming back to them, in order to give these perfumes proper full reviews. Today’s entry is Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, one of the favorites of the line. How does it smell? Does it last? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Un Jardin Sur Le Nil Smell Like?

Notes include: green mango, lotus, sycamore, tomato leaf, incense, hyacinth, musk, grapefruit, calamus, and more

Click here to try: Un Jardin Sur Le Nil

sur le nil review

My Full Review

Here’s how Hermes describes it: A perfume of life and light, sparkling and generous, where the scents of green mango, lotus, flowers and aromatic rushes mingle with incense and sycamore wood. For Men and women alike.

Un Jardin Sur Le Nil starts off sharp, fresh, yet with a greenish/vegetal aroma. The mango and grapefruit are dominant on first contact with the skin. Tropical and then a layer of citrus, which will reverse when the grapefruit takes over for the fading mango.

It’s interesting to have those fruit notes blended with a mix of earthy and aquatic smelling notes wafting from the heart and base. Tomato leaf is a big player here, along with the lotus, which is the strongest floral note at first.

‘A garden on the Nile’ is what the name translates to and like the others in this Hermes series, it does indeed capture what that might smell like.

As the mango takes a step back, this one gets earthier and more floral. It’s more of a cycle of the floral notes. Early lotus, then hyacinth giving it a slightly sweet green feeling, and then its a bit powdery in the dry down with iris.

It’s still clean and somewhat aquatic, but a lot of the green vegetal aroma will pass. Less tomato leaf, lotus, and the mango.

More of a citrus floral, musk, sycamore, and maybe a touch of incense. Not really something that I pick up a lot of.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one actually has some nice strength early on. The projection off of the skin will extend to maybe 7 feet after spraying. It has a good scent trail with its super fresh cleanliness.

After that, it moderates quite a bit. For much of the wear, I would expect about half of the distance of the peak.

On the skin, it will go for 6-7.5 hours. It’s pretty decent for me, just not amazing or anything that’s going to really shock you with the performance. Not terrible, though.

Seasonally, this is spring and summer all the way. This is one that begs to be worn in the daytime, particularly outdoors in the sunshine. The naturalistic notes ae a joy in the light breeze, which I got to experience coming back and testing this one.

This is a fresh and casual wear. Maybe semi-formal. Not a nightlife or sexy wear. It just smells good and may gather some complements, but won’t be a total attention grabber.

This is technically unisex, but this is definitely more feminine leaning with how it comes across. Though, not entirely so.

Overall Impressions of Un Jardin Sur Le Nil

Overall, do I like Un Jardin Sur Le Nil? Yes, it is one of my favorites from the series, and one of the better Hermes fragrances for women (even if it’s listed unisex).

I do like the green mango note. The complexity and how many different smells that you encounter throughout the duration. Hyper-fresh, yes. Powdery, sure. Vegetal, you bet. And on  it goes.

Personally, though, I prefer Le Jardin de Monsieur Li versus this one…but that just my preference.

This one can come across as quite sharp, clean, musky, and a lot of citrus (especially early on). For some, that may be something that turns them off completely from Sur Le Nil. For others, it will scream springtime and be something that they cannot do without.

It is an interesting fragrance for sure, with plenty going for it. I wouldn’t say that it is a must have for everyone, but it is a perfume that you should check out if the Jardin series is of interest to you.