I’ve always loved Hermes Eau de Merveilles (2004) perfume. It’s a sexy woodsy perfume, with mouth watering notes of citrus and a unique salty impression that leaves one thinking of hot sun, sand and the beach, without actually being a beachy or aquatic perfume. Its warm and sexy, and seems to glow on the skin. It has a mouthwatering ambergris impression that makes you want to get closer, a soft and sweet amber. It is gorgeous on a woman, as the woodsy notes are every so slightly masculine, or at least unisex, so it makes me think “confident” and “strong” when I smell it on a woman. The fun of this perfume is the upside down perfume triangle. As in, the top notes are more of what are traditionally base notes and base notes that are usually on the top. You get the resinous woods in the first part of the development, and in the deep dry down the sweet and slightly syrupy citrus notes are what linger.

This year, Hermes released a flanker, Hermes L’Ambre de Merveilles, which, obviously, amps up the amber notes. It is lush and sensual, but not overly sweet as can be the danger of some amber scents. It is warm and almost “dry”, like fire. The ambery aspect is maintained through the development of the perfume, and it just smells perfect for cooler weather. There is some delicious vanilla and the amber comes from the most gorgeous and ethereal labdanum. Labdanum is a resin derived from cistus shrubs, and has a rich, complex scent. It smells ambery, slightly animalic, sweet and musky. It is often used in perfume to approximate ambregris, which is mostly banned.

So, if you are looking for a warm hug of a perfume, that is sexy and cozy, like a cashmere wrap, look no further than Hermes L’Ambre de Merveilles. I guarantee you will feel gorgeous and sexy.

Hermes L’Ambre de Merveilles is available at most Hermes perfume counters and boutiques.