Hermes • Un Jardin sur le Nil • Fragrances

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vw1983 on 5/3/2013 1:59:00 PM more reviews by vw1983

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Got this as a free sample with an order i purchased online. Its a fresh, zingy citrus sort of smell, sits nicely on my skin. I only wish the smell would last longer!

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*TOP REVIEWER* lemonlye on 5/1/2013 5:06:00 PM more reviews by lemonlye

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

As with other Jean-Claude Ellena scents so far, this grows on me with each wearing. This one has the good aspects of fruit notes--fresh, juicy, tasty, summery--without the bad ones (cloying, over-ripe). And a definite thumbs-up for the spicy wood/frankincense base. I'm considering getting more.

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sarah4250 on 3/22/2013 12:23:00 PM more reviews by sarah4250

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

Very fresh and clean. The drydown is nice, and I prefer it to the top notes. I am enjoying my sample but this is not full bottle worthy to me.

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gmstrack on 2/2/2013 2:44:00 PM more reviews by gmstrack

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

So far I’ve tried two fragrances from the Hermes jardin line: un jardin sur le nil and un jardin en mediterranee. Both fragrances open with a blast of bright, clean citrus and immediately one can understand that these are sibling composition. The perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, has cleverly crafted beautiful outdoor scenery full of depth and hidden treasures.

Un jardin sur le nil begins by presenting a beautiful green mango (with grapefruit) that dominates the composition. After 5-30 minutes on the skin, other aspects of the garden politely appear; most notably a holographic carrot flickers in and out. As the plants in the garden start to fade out, the base of musky-incense takes over and the floral aspect gains power.

Un jardin en mediterranee opens with citrus and beautiful, sweet evergreen. The fig is noticeable, but not remarkable. What is remarkable is the ghost of a salty sundrenched tomato permeating the entire garden. Although it takes longer for this composition to fade down (almost 2 hours), the remaining base notes are very similar those of a jardin sur le nil.

There is no denying Ellena’s genius; I can close my eyes and feel the sun and the gentle breeze in the salty air. My main issue with both jardins is how the fragrance develops over time on the skin. In both cases, the garden falls apart in an hour or two and all we are left with is a generic musky-perfume base. The garden is in perfect harmony when tested on paper ($) and this is usually a good sign that development on the skin will be either linear or result in disjointed decomposition. Both fragrances display characteristics of the latter, making the experience a little disappointing. I prefer un jardin en mediterranee because I love evergreen notes and I wonder if the addition of the woody basenotes of cedar could extend the dry down.

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shanx on 1/31/2013 9:00:00 PM more reviews by shanx

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My search for a citrus scent has come to an end. I am in love.
I found that many of the citrus frags I tested reacted weirdly with my skin and the drydown was unpleasant. This is just divine from the opening to the end. My only small gripe would be the lack of longevity. Oh well good thing I just ordered a purse sized bottle to top up during the day;-)

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shellyec on 12/4/2012 12:02:00 PM more reviews by shellyec

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is my signature spring/summer scent. If you love citrus, you will love this! I love it. It's very fresh. I switch to Concentre de Pamplemousse Rose for fall/winter, which is just as nice.

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jetdelumiere on 11/25/2012 5:04:00 AM more reviews by jetdelumiere

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Oh my god...
I bought it in the duty free in my last trip, what a grea-great choice.
I wanted something different from what most girls would buy, i wanted elegant, mature perfume that is fresh and could fit the 25 years old girl i am.

it's very nice summer-y scent, i read somewhere it's like the smell of the air after a rain..well not, sorry. but it is a great one if you after a nice fresh-y scent, that is still girly(frutiy) and flowery, and like the sale-lady told me- "It's very sexy!!"
I think she's right ;)
sorry i can't describe it more clearly , it's very hard to get a clear notes from this kind of perfume, the only way i could describe this is a complex citrus smell- fresh, sharp-yet mellow, with a last accord of sweetness :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* viennah on 11/21/2012 7:19:00 PM more reviews by viennah

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this scent. Its not an everyday scent, its not sexy, but there is something I just can't get enough of. It has a great combination of unique scents unlike anything I've tried before. It's not too feminine either, so it makes an interesting and intriguing change from the normal. The name suits it well, it has an exotic, fresh, fruity, green garden flavour with a hint of spice. It's maybe a tad mature for me, but, I'll grow into it. I don't think just anyone can pull it off though, its realy not your average perfume

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*TOP REVIEWER* YoHarajuku on 11/17/2012 9:54:00 AM more reviews by YoHarajuku

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Gorgeous spring/summer fragrance. Fresh citrus with touch of mango. Its not too light that it fades quickly, just the right strength for hot summer weather.

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*TOP REVIEWER* soleil_kitty on 10/26/2012 4:58:00 AM more reviews by soleil_kitty

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this on a whim at the airport on my way to Rome when I realized I had forgotten to pack a perfume. I tried several Hermes perfumes while I was at it but this was the one that totally stuck out. It's so unique, fresh, green (literally) and reminds me of spring: first green grass after a long winter, clean and cold air, sunlight. It's more herbal than fruity, with mayhaps a little reminder of flowers underneath. Well, that's what it smells like to me, anyway. My mom and my best friend fell in love with the scent on me and for me, this is my turn-to scent for the spring and early summer. Totally worth the money (and we're talking more than average in this case). Will definitely repurchase!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Beauty4Ashes on 9/11/2012 3:42:00 PM more reviews by Beauty4Ashes

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brown, Relaxed, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Le Nil opens with a very sharp, strong green mango note. This note was so stong at first spray it was actually a little off-putting. It's like a citrus jolt. Thankfully, I waited until the dry down before rushing to judgement and I'm very glad I did. It dried down to a clean, dry, woody note that was still very fresh. I think most people would gravitate towards this scent in warmer months, but I would use it as a mood elevating, pick-me-up scent during the Winter. I recommend it for those who like citrus and woody, fresh scents.

You can check out the making of this fragrance in an article found in the New Yorker from a few years back (not affiliated)

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/03/14/050314fa_facth

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matildaCPH on 9/6/2012 7:45:00 AM more reviews by matildaCPH

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Unique, fresh, clean smell. Like a basket of fresh leafy greens mixed with grass and grapefruits :-)

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*TOP REVIEWER* saphiric on 4/19/2012 3:52:00 PM more reviews by saphiric

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red, Medium   Eyes: Other    

I'm a huge fan of Hermes Eau Des Merveilles so I was so excited to finally get to try Jean Claude's Un Jardin series. (I ordered a couple of sample vials from perfumedcourt because I didn't have a hermes store around nor do I want to purchase a full size blindly.)
Sadly, sur le Nil was the only acceptable one in the 3 (Mediterannee & Apre la Mousson) that I tried
The opening notes are a blast of fresh unripened green mangoes that instantly took me back to my childhood in SE Asia being surrounded by street vendors filled with all kinds of strange fascinating fruits.
Indeed a very nostalgic opening. However as it simmers down the magic is lost. I get a little spice with the fruit and some green lotus but that's all it is, a generic concoction of sweet aquatic notes. It's clean and fresh for sure but lasts only about 3 hours on my skin. Someone described this as basically Tide detergent. I would have to agree, the dry down is soft squeaky clean much like that of a laundry detergent.
Too disappointing to justify such an inflated price

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DiaryofaDyme on 4/17/2012 2:12:00 PM more reviews by DiaryofaDyme

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

If any of Hermes fragrances posseses a 'woodsy' note-it's this one.A green herbal note(probably green mango) comes off strong in the beginning. I then sense a fresh note(the tomatoes). By the time dry down occurs, a note of cinnamon mixed with incense dominates(the incense gives the creamy cinnamon a smoky 'edge'), and notes of lotus and hyacinth occasionally pop up. This is a complex fragrance, definitely unique, but unfortunately doesn't really appeal to me, as I'm not crazy about pure green notes or oriental ones.

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scs2dd on 3/19/2012 2:50:00 AM more reviews by scs2dd

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

I know it's hard to get an accurate read of a perfume through reviews without trying it on yourself, since scents can change drastically on the skin due to a person's unique chemical makeup, but this my go-to scent for the warm months; I've had a few strangers ask me what I'm wearing (not bragging, its a "BUT STILL" for how I'm going to describe the scent). It's just great-- not sweet, with a touch of green, slightly earthy (patchouli), a little more citrusy, but the notes that stand out to me the most remind me of rice or white tea infused with a little fruit. It sounds weird, but it's a very appropriate way to describe it. It's very refreshing after all the in-your-face fruity and flowery perfumes that cloud your head in the balmy July air... Instead, I think it cuts through it like a misting of cool water or the shade of a palm tree.

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*TOP REVIEWER* blueelm on 3/3/2012 4:45:00 PM more reviews by blueelm

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I spied this while waiting buying other things and decided to try a little on a fragrance card. Without wearing it myself I would have described it as a hesperidic aquatic with some vanilla thrown in. I liked it so much on the card that I had to try wearing it, despite knowing how hit or miss (mostly miss) citrus can be when I wear it. Well, on first spray all the worst things were there. This literally smells like my sweat. While some people's sweat apparently smells like MKK, mine instead smells like unripe mango, lemon peel, and salad greens that are just beginning to turn as they wilt in the sun. After feeling dirty in my "eau de compost" for a while and figuring I was glad I tried it on first I went on with my errands. The good news for me is that this opening note only lasted a short time. Within twenty minutes I was wondering what that difficult to pin down smell was, and what perfume I should have tried instead, and I realized that this perfume on my wrist had blossomed into the most tranquil and surreal aquatic. I will give this scent one thing, it is unique.

I think I am definitely going to buy a full bottle, because so long as you apply this early enough to have moved past the overbearing opening, this is a very clean and unobtrusive scent.

Now that I have thought about it, I don't have any non-soapy clean scents so this probably deserves a place in my collection just for being that.

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*TOP REVIEWER* cocorocha on 1/18/2012 8:30:00 AM more reviews by cocorocha

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

anyone familliar with Mr. Ellenas work- yes, the answer is-this is his child....it smells like a fantastic burst of citrus, green (not green like Chanel 19 ''green''...but green like green,wet fruit...)mango,lime,leather and the most amazing feeling of dosage the right components to make a swell perfume:))
simmilar to Kelly Caleche, but more fruity and mouthwatering, it seems to me that this one is a fatamorgana type of scent...it is succulent, fruity,harsh even....but so,so,so dry that you could die of thirst...
Nile (Nil)? oh c'mon master Ellena...you can do so much better with this name....
Kelly Caleche fraiche...maybe?....:))
love this scent...it is the most refreshing scent in the world!!!

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hannah0930 on 11/7/2011 8:18:00 AM more reviews by hannah0930

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

So ok i am in a fragrance mood these days so was walking down the perfume aisle at Ogilvy's and tried a couple of Hermes perfumes but Un jardin sur le nil is great. It's light yet it lasts forever and have been getting compliments on it the whole week end ! The bottle is classic Hermes and the smell is unique a bit flowery a bit musky ....

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MsMokum1 on 6/24/2011 2:39:00 PM more reviews by MsMokum1

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is truly delicious. I find it mood-elevating and refreshing. It's a great scent for hot weather (but I wear it all year round) and has excellent sillage. It starts off with a burst of grapefruit and then "glides" into a lovely floral aroma. I'm almost through my first bottle and will definitely be buying a second one. I tried some of the other Hermes Jardin fragrances and didn't like any of them. But this is a keeper!

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*TOP REVIEWER* isitfriday on 6/23/2011 12:49:00 PM more reviews by isitfriday

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I love the design of the bottle, so pretty. I like this scent, I just dont love it. I find that i do get whiffs of 'hamster cage' must be the cedar in this that seems to be the strongest note on my skin. Not an overly feminine scent, I could see this on a man. it isnt sweet or cloying which is nice in warm weather, just not full bottle worthy for me.

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