Elixir des Merveilles Hermes for women

I bought it, loved it for 4 days (and I mean, "We need to be alone" love....addiction).

Then started I feeling sick when I wore it, as I could smell ground out cigarettes & old Rum...Huh?

I couldn't get it out of my nose or head, so I had to get it out of my house!

Sorry to all lovers...I once loved it too. Probably still would if I still smoked.

i found it georgous !! i love it ! but it is really spicy .. not too fruity as i thought .. but any way i love it ! ideal for winter :)

Great scent but on my skin it turn male-ish. I have problem with some parfum's that turn male-ish, I cant wear Light Blue or Knowing - gets uacky on my skin - and this one goes the same way. On paper this one is georgious.

Härlig doft men på mig slår den över till manligt. Jag har problem med flera dofter tex light blue och Knowing- de blir hemska när jag spreja på dem. När jag sprejar denna doften på papper så är det en helt underbar doft.

Elixir des Merveilles is a unique, well balanced, deep and heavenly oriental. Time after time Hermes produces fragrances that are so amazingly refined and sophisicated. There's a certain something that consistently keeps this perfume house in the upper echelon of cutting edge designers. Very good sillage and staying power. Thank you Sofii for the generous sample. This one is exquisite - a true beauty.

This is a Big One. I really enjoy that lucious smell of orange hard candies with sweet juicy filling on amazing patchouli-woody base. This may not be very complicated smell but it is definitely original and beautiful one. The lasting power is enormous, I can smell it for over 10 hours and the projection is extraordinary as well. I must admit that I have never worn as long-lasting perfume as this one. Bottle is something that I would put on my shelf with pride - I really love that orange piece of glass. This fragrance is worth recommendation for sure and I will purchase it sooner or later I hope.

One combination of traits that I find intoxicating is the blend of beauty with humility. Elixir des Merveilles displays these qualities, not just when it is in full bloom, but from the outset.

On application it flashed me the briefest of smiles, allowing me to sample the simple charms of those sweet opening notes. Thereafter, it demonstrated a delightful reticence, a slightly candied orange accord is present, but further notes are merely insinuated, and one is invited to dig ever deeper in pursuit of further subtleties. Caramel, incense, oak, cedar and patchouli all emerge, but it is all been created with an expert nose, nothing is obvious.

Stumbling upon this delightful fragrance was an extremely gratifying experience.

it is definetly the one for me.Its smells so expensive and sofisticated. For very special ocasions only. it is so balmy and calming but still lets you know its there and last and last. And this is my first review here

I just start learning about Hermes fragrances. All of them have such a distinctive note. I still did not get it. I tried this one in duty free in 2007 in extrelemy hot summer day and did not like it at all. Recently in Nordstrom SA offered me to try it again and I pretended that I am not familiar with this. I could not stop smelling my wrist. I fell in love. It's definetely winter fragrance.

ok, first i must say- i absolutelly adore nearly all the perfumes from Hermes. at least all of them by JC Ellena.

Des Mervilles is the best ( for me, i like it as much as poivre Samarcande). but there is a difference between Elexir and Eau des mervilles. Elexir is NOT a stronger version of Eau des mervilles. It is has a very severe sweet note that stands out. these 2 'reatives' are very close, but Elexir ticks all 'very' boxes. i always have 2 of them, but still prefer EAU D M, as it is more fresh and 'airy', while Elixir is sweet-heavy, overpowering in a way....

This is the only perfume of the Merveilles series that I like. It's very masculine, yet not in the spicy way of Eau des Merveilles. Elixir is sweeter and seems to contain woods dripping with gooey tree sap. At times I think this really just smells like men's cologne, but when I try to imagine a man wearing it, it seems somehow too feminine. I think it's just the women's fougere I'd always hoped I'd find. Lasting time seems long. I woke up in the morning, and when I smelled it I felt like I'd spent the night with a really sexy guy who left his scent on my bed sheets, haha.

Butter, butter, butter.
Would be a better, better, better fragrance without the penetrating butter accord. I never anticipated that a Hermes could succeed in causing me nausea.

Very "fougere", very classy. And I do not have an impression of spiciness, at least on my skin. This is a strong fragrance - full of character, on the luxurious side. Warm, too. To me though, it is too unisex, and does not make me feel too ...coquette (so, I thought it perfectly appropriate for business meetings, when you do want to make an impression).

I love this perfume. Best fragrance for winter time. And the smell stays for long time. Please those who loves masculine smells, but still wants to stay really feminine.
love it. have it. :)

Not a review.... well, I am looking for a big bottle.... if you have it and don't want to keep it, please contact me through pm and maybe we can arrange a swap. My bottle is almost finished and I miss it....

This is a nice treat. I found it very enchanting.
Woody notes mixed with orange- like sugared orange peel covered with chocolate, spices, a little bit too intense and a bit amber. it's definitely not average girly scent.
Others have described it as Christmassy, but for me, it is spring.
A high quality scent.

Elixir des Merveilles by house of Hermès

To be honest, this one is a bit of a challenge to describe, so I did the next best thing and read your reviews before typing in mine.

Cold Coke with a slice of orange... Smoky orange with a touch of dirt from under pine needles... Not so great smelling praline... Somewhat gourmand, not quite fougère... this composition is as complex as it is quite hard to explain.
I agree with many of you stating that it could easily be considered unisex.

As for why I got a big bottle of this juice? Well, mainly because I am a curious cat, and also because there seems to be a dire lack of minis of this fragrance.
I am sure, if I asked around, someone on Fragrantica would spare me a tester vial but, you know what? Sometimes you just have to give into temptation, and treat yourself. So I did. Blindly. Based solely on your reviews.

Am I sorry I spent a small fortune on a nicely sized bottle of Elixir des Merveilles? Not at all. It suits my 50+ Capricorn personality rather well.

I do agree this scent is not for everyone and, frankly, it was not exactly a love from first sniff for me, either. But I gave it time... and the romance just developed on its own.

I believe, Elixir des Merveilles is a cold(er) weather scent, spicy-sweet but not sugary, a bit smoky, a bit like a nice sniffer of orange brandy on a cold wintry evening, and a bit... sweaty? At least that is what I get at drydown and I am not crazy about that bit, but, thankfully, it is just a scintilla really, something that is somewhat familiar, yet not repulsive. Maybe that is the bitter note some of you mentioned. Maybe this is what patchouli and caramel mix smells like... Or maybe the oak... See? Not easily described. Perhaps that is why I am so strangely attracted to this scent, because it is so very different from the flowery compositions that fill fragrance counters this time of the year. Mind you, my other all-time favorites are Dior "Miss Dior" and Trussardi "Skin". So, there you have it, an impulse buy turned another hit, and that is all one can really hope for when purchasing a big bottle of an unknown fragrance, purely on instinct.

One thing for sure, it is not a "girly" fragrance, and not a typical feminine one, either. But I have always been a bit of a tomboy with penchant for power tools and home repairs...
If you are curious, a bit adventurous, and an oddball like me, you will find Elixir des Merveilles to your liking.

Lasting power - excellent.
Sillage - rather close to the skin, but it seems to come and go in gentle waves.

I tried this for the first time today, and love it.
Warm, spicy and perfect for my nose. The notes are hard to pinpoint but I get amber surrounded by orange, but not your typical citrus zest this is darker, like dark orange chocolate. It's cozy, smooth, decadent, and unique. TRY IT! Great Sillage, and lasts all day.

Very distinct and special. It is best for cold season to feel all the beauty of this fragrance. It has originality and character. Good longevity always is a plus too. Siam resin is very well blended here and the incense note doesn't annoy me as I'm not a huge lover of it but here everything is composed for a full comfort and satisfaction. Highly recommended for all (at least for testing purposes).

Powdery and old-fashioned, that's all I have to say about Merveilles right now. I appreciate the complexity and sillage but I think myself at least 15 years too young for this Elixir.

I just bought my 3rd Flacon. This perfume is heaven! so different, but it´s not for everyone . . .it´s a strong perfume with such personality!

I just love it!

I can't BELIEVE how different this is on paper compared to my skin. On paper, it smells like a very bright, sparkling citrus and not much else, with a hint of woods underneath. When I wear it, it turns much darker and earthier, even bitter, with just a few sparkles of orange zest. So my experience of this may be a bit different.

The first thing I get from it is orange zest and a zing of herbal, spicy resin over something deep, dark and a little smokey. It's dusty, dark and rich, a little like cocoa but not, it's a bit earthier than that, like the dirt under layers of pine needles.

The evergreen/resin scent is strong all the way through, as is the dusty/earthy quality, although more subtle. Towards the drydown I get a hint of dusty caramel sweetness that takes the edge off of the bitter resin, but does not smell very nice when it stands out on its own. There's also a note of incense, and together with the dark wood notes, it makes me think of something ancient, it seems like something that could have come out of the renaissance.

This is deep and special, but probably not for everyone, it definitely has a bitter, herbal side. It could really be unisex too. I could see this being really nice on a man. But at the same time, I didn't feel like I was wearing men's cologne when I wore it, so I think it would work well for women too.

On me, this is a dark and brooding kind of scent, despite its warmth. It's well suited to a cold winter night, it even has that tinge of smokiness like winter air. Actually, the first time I tried it, I was starting to really dislike it, but I left it on anyway. When I walked outside into the cold, rainy night, BOOM. It was perfect. There was almost a coziness to it, strangely, it made it feel like the holidays.

This is amazing on women. Men, and ladies...this smells believe it or not, well on guys as well. I bought this for my Mom on mothers day and I loved it on her. Its NOT grandmaish and it not floral nor rich bitch type. Its perfect. Keeps you wanting to whiff some more. Lasts all day and night. Even after you shower. How do I know? well I loved it on my mom so much that i sprayed it on my neck by the jaw line area (best location for fragrances since the pulse and heat activate it most and reach others noses when you walk by) the entire day and night, people kept asking me what cologne is that? Even at the gym, mall and went out with friends. I was of course a little embarrassed to mention it was considered a womans perfume...so I just said Hermes lol. Guys PH seem to enhance up the wood notes and makes this fragrance butch up. I got so many compliments by men & woman when I wear it.

I tested this perfume this weekend. I am in love! I tried Eau des Merveilles, I like it too. Because I am not wealthy, I put elixer on one arm and eau on the other. I am a cautious buyer, I left the store and told the SA that I wanted to wear them both for rest of day and then come back and make a decision. The Eau was great, but it wore off quicker. The Exlier appeared a little softer and lastest all night. I think I am going to get the Elixer because it will last all day. I love perfumes made by the older perfume houses. Acqua di Parma, Chanel, Givenchy, YSL, Dior and now Hermes.

I love Coco Mademoiselle. However, as I approach my 40's, I am thinking that I want something more womanly. Hermes Elixer des Merveilles seems to provide that.

For those that have it though, I do want you opinion on this. The only way I would buy Eau des Merveilles is because I live in the tropics for the time being. For me Eau des Merveilles did wear off me really quickly, so I think for my body chemistry, Elixer may be best. However, I would love to get the thoughts of others.

That said, I know that either Eau or Elixer are going to be my new signature scents.

Once upon a time I had this marvelous perfume called Versus V/S .. I accidentally stumbled upon it, and fell in love instantly! Of course, like with all great perfumes, it was discontinued .. why? Who knows..

I tried Elixir some days ago and was like .. WOW, it's like my V/S!! To me, they smell so much alike - don't want to diminish it in any way, but that's the smell of cold Coke with slice of orange! And I absolutely love it! Longevity on my skin is simply amazing.. aura wise - not a killer, but very very noticeable! Try it .. it is so special.

Elixir des Merveilles is an almost, almost, not-quite. How fun that Hermès, with its emphasis on luxury, taste and class distinction, the first step to which is clear identifiability to those who desire them, would make such a neither/nor fragrance. Orange peel, but not edible (almost gourmand.) Chewy, resinous woodiness (almost oriental.) A tonka basenote that takes the edge off the sweetness (not quite fougère.)

There is a density, a viscosity that suggests something highly caloric, but I think is more of an illusion of orange over a dense peru balsam, incense and a cedar-like sandlewood. (Assumedly Australian sandlewood. If so, a wonderful use of what has been considered the poor cousin to the depleted mysore sandlewood.)

The risk is that Elixir might read as indistinct. The upshot is that it suggests an ambiguity that can be very alluring, and as most men tend to steer clear of ambiguity in fragrance, perhaps Elixir would make a great men's fragrance.

I was actually looking at testing Kelly Caleche when the SA suggested I give this one a try and I am so glad that she did, I fell for this one hook line and sinker and could justify a full bottle as its so completely different to anything else in my collection.
This smells expensive and classy and is not for 20 somethings wanting to smell pink and girly.
This has so much depth to it and the dry down is to die for. The sparkling top notes also took my breath away, I did not expect to fall for a perfume that smelt of oranges and chocolate, yummy.
I regret that I was cautious and only bought the 50ml and did not go for the 100mls as I suspect that this will be purchased again.

Yum yum and more yum! Warm, bitter, spicy and fantastic. I love this! It reminds me of walking into a candy store with all the different candies like the cinnamon red hots, licorice, chocolate covered orange gummies etc. I would love to wear this during the fall/winter and over the holidays. FABULOUS! Thanks Jillzilla!

At the risk of seeming to parrot others' reviews, Elixir de Merveilles is truly a unique fragrance, and should be at least sniffed. I normally can't wear citrus in the least bit--it immediately turns to floor cleaner upon hitting my skin. Needless to say when my fave SA suggested I try this, I was leery.

My fears were for naught though, as the orange peel in EdM is less being hosed with orange juice but more taking a bite into a bittersweet chocolate-dipped orange confection. The orange is prominent and at first blast a little sweet, but it immediately scales back as the dark chocolate note melds with it. As the scent dries down the chocolate disappears and is replaced with salty caramel with a backdrop of bitter, dry woods. A dash of vanilla and tonka adds a hint of sweetness to what has become a nearly masculine fragrance. Intriguing.

All in all I find Elixir de Merveilles a bit mercurial, and borderline bipolar as it straddles the line between sweet-gourmand and austere-masculine. Being a stereotypical Gemini this is perfectly fine. I've received many compliments on EdM, and it will remain at the forefront of my scent rotation despite my heavy oriental leanings.

I don't really know how to describe this one because it's so unique.

All I can say is that Elixir des Merveilles is woody, resinous, sweet, and sappy (like pine sap) all at the same time. To me it's more of a sunny oriental because of the prominent orange note, but there's so much shit going on here that it's tough to classify. Elixir actually kinda reminds me of the smell of a Lush store (just not as annoyingly overbearing).

I prefer this to the original Eau des Merveilles (which is a decent fragrance in its own right). Definitely try this unsung wonder - it lasts ages and definitely has a lot in store.

This is a very unique fragrance........the best way to describe it is bittersweet, warm and zesty at the same time. A great touch to add mystery around yourself on a cold evening out. It has great sillage so you can be rather stingy with spraying it.

Whether you are male or female, you can wear this fragrance, and smell wonderfully doing so!

Unique, fresh yet warm, and sophisticated is this best way to explain this fragrance.

definetly perfect for winter. I just adore it.

I have tested the fragrance thanks to a VERY generous swap with The_Perfume_Diva! Thank you so much Sister! :-)
But getting to the point; unlike some of you, I smell no chocolate or caramel whatsoever. I am even more concerned about my olfactory bulbs as I can hardly detect any orange, just a hardly noticeable echo of a zesty lemon peel.
What I smell the most, however, is an old oak coffret hidden in the loft of a Victorian house, filled with incense. I can also smell powerful resin and balsam - like a chunk of not fully seasoned wood exposed to elements and filled with bits of thick, sticky, aromatic resin every here and there.
Elixir Des Merveilles makes my olfactory bulbs go mad, I have never smelled anything like this ever before. I deeply fell in love with it since I sprayed it for the first time yesterday.
I spent the whole day and night wearing it and felt so self-confident and so unique.
It has a potential to become my No.1 but I shall wait and wear it in different seasons and weather conditions before that happens.
I rate it 11/10 as it has exceeded my expectations and surprised me in the most unusual way and because silage and lasting power are better than I anticipated.

I have to be honest here, when I first smelt Elixir des Merveilles I thought it was the most offensive fragrance I have ever smelled in my life. A couple of years later I gave it another go and... WOW! I don't know what has changed these past couple of years, maybe I smelt a bad batch before or maybe my tastes have changed but I'm addicted to this fragrance and when I'm not wearing it I CRAVE it. This is one of the crown jewels in my collection and I can't believe I didn't give it another chance sooner. Who ever hasn't tried this wonderful fragrance is missing out. It really is magical. And the best part of it is that you literally only need two sprays to last you the whole day, so its really a good investment as its something that will last a very long time.

do i the only one that notice that its very similar to the known Fendi Theroma ? isnt it?

Not what I expected it to be.

On my skin I sense: Resins, Sweet Caramel, Incense, Tonka Bean, Woodsy Notes, Patchouli and Very little Orange Peel.

It starts Sweet from the Caramel with a strong Resin note and something that smells like Pine to me (no pine shown among the notes),Incense, Tonka Bean combined with Woodsy notes. On me it's sweet and charming. So not what I expected, I expected more Incense but instead I got a Sweet enchanting Balsamic scent.

Sniffing from the little vial I sense: Patchouli, Incense, Resins and a little Caramel. It smells rather masculine inside the vial, strong, spicy but also very alluring.

Elixir des Merveilles is sexy, alluring, elegant, different and beyond what I've expected. It's like Yin and Yang. Sweet and light with Caramel but dark and deep with Resins combined with little Woodsy notes and little Incense.

Special Fragrance with Gorgeous Bottle.

Good sillage and great lasting power.

A Big *Thank You* to Janudy for giving me the chance to try this Amazing Hermes.

For me this starts off with a nice citrus peel smell but dry, not juicy, perhaps a bit bitter. Something is modifying the citrus opening and I can't tell if it is something woody like cedar, oak, incense or something else. In the middle stages I get the cedar, resin, orange, amber and patchouli, all working together in a complex harmony. No one scent really comes to the front and yet they all work together so well...a symphony. As it dries down it feels more feminine to me, but the cedar makes it more masculine. I am a man and I will wear this. Below, Cathy said it as well as could be stated, "sophisticated and refined". Wish I had said that! Another Jean-Claude Ellena masterpiece.

And here I am a day later and I can still smell this in my wrist. That says quality.

Oh, the bottle is drop dead gorgeous too.

Revision: I have used my tester up and find this to be a nearly perfect scent for me. I love how this smells on me, even after dancing in the club for four hours. Finishes well and never went away. Not as powerful as my dancing partner's scent (Le Male) but it held it's own all evening. Love the woody/cedary ending, still with just a hint of orange and incense. Beautiful and masculine enough for a man yet sweet enough for a woman. More men should wear this...NO, WAIT! It's mine, you can't have it!

Revision 2: I can't live without this. I bought it today. In my top 5.

smelles like nutella mixed with fresh and orange zest yum 2 words in luv

What a good surprise this scent!!! I bought it today, and when it was sprayed upon myself, I thought immediately, for the 1st notes,that it could be also a male scent.

It´s a choco-vanilla scent very very modern, classy/elegant but at the same time wearable at any time of the day, due to the freshness of the orange notes. It´s not a overpowering, "screaming-nauseous" scent such as Angel and many others. Elixir is much more sophisticated and refined, very well structured such as a french classic.

If you want to smell very upper-class, sexy and rich at any time of the day, you have to try it.

Elixir de merveilles is definitely among my top 5 now. Today, I´m very glad, that we knew each other for ever.

Eau des Merveilles Elixir (Merveilles EDP).
This best seller EDP can be a challenge for non-incense lovers, must tell. This half oriental, half gourmand juicy scent is strong, creamy and well constructed. At first, you will be able to smell a bit of an orange accord (has clemenvilla and calabrian lemmon as well, not all of them listed ) with a dark, sensual sweetness (cocoa, vanilla, caramel), and in a few minutes, incense will hit you, while you are still wondering if it has pink pepper like the lighter (so-called by Hermes EDT of the line) Eau des Merveilles, and can tell you, has not... listed!
Then, slowly, tonka and sugar at core, merges with base accords: cedar, licoriece, resines and amber will grow trough hours without loosing the orange or incense (not for a moment), to reach patchouli (and oak tree wood, not easily perceptible) at the final dry down.
Unisex-like for most of people, I do not think so: is the fragrance of a daring, well aware of herself woman.
-Killer sillage, great longevity on any skin. To love or hate, but if you love it, you will never let it go...

mans opinion wow this is so nice very strongs the scent goes through walls. very nice a little soapy/shower gel vibe is there i smell oranges as well very classy and casual at the same time i reccomend girls over 21 and not any younger. this should be the womens ADG.

There's something disturbing, unsettling about Elixir des Merveilles.
All those woods, patchouli, balms and resins swirling unruly around the completely out of place foody elements - a creamy bitter-sweet orange dessert dumped unceremoniously into an ancient potion.

The scent develops from woody-balmy-vivid over orange-perfumy to ambery-vanilla.
Overall it feels too contradictory, strong and unnatural for my liking.
Just gotta love the distinct amber and oak though!
It lasts a little short of 11 hours on me.

---
Update:
I've found a certain appreciation for Elixir des Merveilles. It's different and fascinating even though it still isn't me. Owning a small amount for when a dramatic mood strikes can't hurt.

At first I smell a lot of incense and cloying sweet fruit, with the expected ambergris note appearing quickly. The gourmand opening side of the fragrance is odd, and not very appealing, sort of like a mashed up piece of maple-iced doughnut that’s been sitting around in a plastic bag, forgotten for a week.

However, before long, the bitter, aromatic orange peel takes over, along with the ambergris, making for a lovely, strong, sharp, very dry, almost fizzy, “perfumey” scent. It’s as if the scent of ambroxan had been whittled down to a needle-sharp point. Elixir is strong, so just a tiny dab is enough to produce mega-sillage for a few hours, but it’s thin and transparent, like a crinkly, golden net veil rather than a dip in the warm ocean. Once it reaches this point, it stays linear, gradually fading away over the course of 6-8 hours.

My favorite part of the evolution is the phase in which the orange peel and ambergris are both present, but I’m not crazy about what comes before or after.

Forgot to say this stuff has incredible staying power. Still detectable after washing. Absolutely will last all day. And night. Becomes more feminine towards the end of it's lifespan.

Bvlgari could learn a thing or two from this, given that their range evaporates into nothing after only a couple of hours.

Orange, Orange and more Orange, with a great patchouly linger that's light balmy (after dry-down) very much an incense sillage. Definitely Unisex...it reminds me of my father. Very nice.

@ caliking. I'm loving the fact that anyone over 21 is VERY MATURE :D

I struggle to tell the difference between this and Eau des Merveilles. They appear to be exactly the same. Smelt at the same time, I can perhaps detect that the Elixir is a little bit thicker and heavier, but it's not worth worrying about. Buy whichever. Both are very woody and distinctive. They are unisex as far as I'm concerned. Long-lasting.

Just sniffed wrist again. On balance, think Elixir drys down a little softer?

Oh they're the same. I don't know. I give up.

THIS IS STRAIGHT UP CLASS RIGHT HERE
SO BEAUTIFUL
VERY MATURE ONLY 21 AND UP MAYBE EVEN 25 AND UP
AND ONLY FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

I received this blind buy in the mail yesterday... sprayed some on before bed time and woke up this morning in love! My first impression was that it was a bit masculine for my taste...but then it slowly evolved into a delicious warm,creamy,orange,fresh balsam woody scent...did I say I was in Love!! This was my first foray into the house of Hermes...looking forward to knocking on its doors again!

One of my favourite perfumes. The scent is unique and attractive for others - very ofter I am asked what I'm wearing.
Elixir is not typical feminine scent, however, that makes it chic.

Just got back from buying this! Have doused myself in it...oh yes, oh yes! We need to be alone now.

I like it and very much. this perfume like an orange liquer..mmmmmm tasty....

Tigerlillian, your eloquence takes my breath away. You truly are a great writer.

Your eloquence also takes my money away!!!
I'm going to buy this at Holt's right now!

You should be a rep for a Fragrance line....they would make a killing!!

When I wear this I'm first transported to an antique bookstore:

Musty tomes lining the shelves; sweet sandalwood boxes polished with bitter orange wax; sachets of white cedar shavings to keep the moths from nibbling on the yellow tinted pages.

A gold embossed title winks at me from a corner shelf, illuminated with filtered sunlight--I take it down and sit cross legged on the floor. Engrossed in the adventures I'm reading of, I suddenly remember how thirsty I am and take a can out of my satchel.

Crack! A gentle fizz of cream soda floats through the air.

A parallel universe, Fantasia perhaps where wishes become reality with each page. I feel like I'm Bastian with a stolen volume from Carl Coriander's bookstore.

Magical, youthful, lively and rich. Unfolds like a Never Ending Story.

To be applied lightly - it is quite strong.

Mmmm, yummy and elegant, for dressed-up occasions.

I am getting a lot of orange peel and something chalky.

This would be a winter scent for me, whereas the Eau des Merveilles is for all seasons, and usable for non-dressy occasions also.

Orange dipped in chocolate... yum!
I get a bit of a boozy note now and then.
Very much a comfort fragrance!
Settles woodsy on my skin and I have not found it to have the lasting power that everyone seems to adore, 3hr maybe?

The bottle is enough to lure you in. Beautiful.
The composition only works in cold weather on my skin. Opens up very masculine and then turns into this bitter orange peel dipped in Christmas spices dark bitter chocolate and biscuits.The biscuit note is the strongest on me and stays till the drydown. Its rich and thick, without being too foody or gourmand.

O mama.
Here is a scent for the bold and the cozy all in one.
Never encountered a scent so contradictionary nor excentric.

Elixer des Merveilles feels like wearing lots of diamonds on the beach, eating only strawberries and chocolat for dinner and wearing a tuxedo while shopping late at night in a supermarket.

I love it, but it took some time to grow on me:
Rebellious and Chique!

Extremely masculine at first. As it mellows, it gets better: bittersweet oranges and a Christmas tree smell. Glad I only have a mini; I don’t see myself wearing this often. [2/5]

Very orangy and a tad spicy, and very VERY long-lasting. I might be inclined to categorise this as an autumn-winter perfume, but it's versatile enough to be worn all year long. Absolute favourite fragrance of the moment.

I weared Eau des Merveilles in 2004 on a NY party. That time i could not imagine another way to wear it. It was too complicated to me that time.
Half-a-year ago bought Elixir des Merveilles to remind that party and put it on shelf.
A month ago i've started to use it and till now i mad about it. Depending on weather i wear different scents, but this perfume i wear every day independently of temperature or humidity.
I love it anytime.

Elixir Des Merveilles is a drier sweeter version of the original Eau des Merveilles and with more depth as well. In the beginning. It’s medicine-like but without the herbal bitter medicine quality, it is dry, it is bitter, it has a quality that leaps off your skin and blooms in the air in an elegant woodsy way. Somewhat it gives me similar goose bumps as the beginning of the song ‘If Everyone Cared’ gives me several years ago.

Elixir Ds Merveilles is quite linear. It has the ‘quite’ but Hermes-ness you can find in many of the Hermes perfumes made after 2000, it’s not loud in any ‘normal’ floral way, but it is strong and full of personality; it is easy to wear due to the great quality of ingredient, it doesn’t yell out its name with any synthetic plastic feeling, instead, it seduces you into keep on sniffing it by its comforting high-quality orange soap clean feeling.

The dry down is to die for, to me, it is the perfect soap scent you can smell from the packaging of a great soap, plus a faint hint of bitter muted orange scent, and a very very tiny hint of soft, nice jasmine kinda white flower hint; it’s not really powdery, it’s just clean, round in an ivory-soap way.

I would highly recommend Elixir Des Merveilles to anyone for daily use.It’s seemingly quite but with personality.
Eventhough I find Elixir Des Merveilles is quite unisex,I would say it might be easier for a guy to pull this off, if the ‘normal’ this days for girls are more like those sweet florals; but I would definitely stop and compliment a girl if I smell her wearing Elixir, because it's such a lovely, and merveilles choice!

its very elegant sparkling orange note its dominated but in good vey very good fragrance

This smells like Christmas, trees and all. The orange is very apparent, then dries down to a very masculine note.

Ever one of my favorite fragrances. Long lasting, weird and such different from other fragrances. Surely I will repurchase it!!!

Hermes "Elixir des Merveilles" is strikingly similar to its older sister "Eau des Merveilles." They both have these strong citrus openings fluttering between bitter fruits and the forest greenery of oak, cedar, peru balsam and patchouli. It's really masculine and as it dries down it gets sweeter like its older sister, but not quite as sweet. I still smell a bit of burnt orange zests in this version's "Des Merveilles." I don't get alot of the sweet notes just an orangey, woodsy smell. IMO, it's one of the best perfumes with orange in it. I like "Elixir des Merveilles" but I love "Eau des Merveilles." Yes, they're quite similar but the older sister is a better match-up on my skin. A very modern scent, good for special moments and the winter season.

What I am completely sure of is that I like this one much better than Eau des Merveilles which reminded me a tiny bit of air freshnerer.
Elixir des Merveilles is something, on the other hand, I enjoy on my wrist very much. For me it opens with green and tiny bit sharp orange peel which balanses nicely together with sweetness of sandalwood.
When it slowly "adds" it's other notes I feel more and more amazed - for my skin the next comes chocolate, mostly something "praline" like. There still is the freshness of orange, but chocolate lingers now and then and gives unique sweetness/bitterness melody, at some point it's sweet, then it's bitter, then again sweet.
What's this? Incense? Yes, it lingers now and then, but it's so perfectly blended together with all the other notes that it's almost unnoticable and quietly shows her face in some moments when she wishes to. The same thing does patchouli. Now and then there is this medical feeling from patchouli, but never too much and never the way to say "ok, this smells medical".

In overall - on me it's mostly orange dipped in chocolate with all the other notes showing themsleves now and then. It is a tiny bit masculine, but only in the best way.
I was afraid that I would have the same experience as with Eau des Merveilles, but, no, no, no.

Elixir des Merveilles is potent, not foody, sparkling and very lovely fragrance for hot weather (yes, I said it, no christmas or warmness in this one for me) and way better choice for those who found eau des merveilles like something "nothing special". Because this is, ehm, special.

Love this. Warm and spicy and interesting ,lasted very well on my dry skin, I had one spray at the store I was testing it at and could still smell it in the morning. Waiting eagerly for payday to come so I can buy it.

This seems to be a very transformative fragrance... I've read here about members smelling oakmoss, chocolate, caramel, woods... I don't get any of these. To me this is just plain orange and spice, with the orange clearly gaining the upper hand. It's not that I dislike it, but as the reviewer below me said, there's something a bit disturbing about this composition - could be the harshness. It's also a bit too masculine, imo. I have a split relationship to all Hermes scents, so it did not surprise me that I didn't really heart this one either. I'll skip it.

Made a good impression at first, but I tired of it quickly. Not worth the price. And there is something unpleasant about it. A slightly irritatng scent. It does wake you up though.

I was hoping this would be an orangey-vanilla with a touch of woods. All I got was a heavy dose of patchouli and oak! I will say this, it sure does last!

WOW!!!!!!This is perfect. It is masculine, sweet, orange-like smell, I sense vetiver and musk and...I could go on and on!!! Do not try it!!!Please, do not waste your time buying samples or going to mall to sample it. BUY 100 ML of this unique fragrance!!!! And something else! Your man will definetly be noticed if you decide to share...But I doubt you will.

I have to agree with Sherapop: this has major wrist-sniffing potential...I just bought a small bottle of this to 'test drive' and as of yet, I'm not disappointed...I also agree with orangepoppy: it's not as gourmand as I thought it would be, but it IS impressive...I think it can be worn in cooler or warmer weather, tho...I live in a desert climate, and so far, this frag hasn't changed on me...I LOVE the siam resin in this!

Tried this out today... it is wonderful and very long lasting. Much stronger than Eau des Merveilles. It is a total "winter" scent though. Smells like Christmas to me. I love it, but I can't wear it NOW - it's august. But I guess that somewhere near November, this will turn into my new favourite.

100% delicious but by no means 'foodie'.

So impressive. The masculine undertone has me weak at the knees with its comforting shadow whilst the spicy orange has me giddy with optimism.

My new feel good scent: a seamless blend of smoke, sugar, resins and spice.

What a surprise, and what a treat! For some reason I was expecting something bright and orange along the lines of SONIA RYKIEL. Instead, Hermes ELIXIR DES MERVEILLES is a darkly scrumptious and luscious quasi-gourmand oriental perfume featuring a resinous richness redolent of heavily cocoa-laden bitter chocolate studded with bits of candied orange rind.

This is not a confectionary sweet, however, for several other non-foody notes, including incense, patchouli, cedar, sandalwood and oak, blend in to produce this serious elixir--literally! Longlasting, with good sillage and major wrist-sniffing potential.

On my wish list, now!

I agree. This scent certainly stands out. It's not for a man but -ish. I love the burnt sugar/orange staying for a long time. Special, different, classy. Better than eau the merveilles. Holds its own. :-) Daring. So nice with a modern scent that maks a statement. Love the bitter orange/orange marmalade

Elixir des Merveilles is like no other scent I've ever experienced. I love the beautiful opening notes. It's so well blended that it's difficult to pick out single notes, but the sugared (and slightly salty) orange and caramel are definitely the ones I get. Then it dries down to a slightly masculine woodsy scent. It is easily be worn by a female but the cedar gives it a masculine influence. Many people may not even notice the cedar, but to my nose even the slightest hint of cedar is masculine, so I don't think I could wear this except for very special occasions. There is no denying the exceptional quality of it, though. It is a masterpiece from beginning to end.

Pine woody notes - check
Cinnamon and spice - check
Orange marmalade - check

I can't believe they just went and bottled Christmas!

A very festive, magical and unique fragrance that really stands out.

is a beautyfull well blended fragrance i can smell something like sugareg orange that begins to be salty. is sweet and dry very wearable and pleasant.the top notes were kind of strong on me but the drydown get gorgeous.u should be patient with this one because the base notes are the best part for me.

it's a masculine but a woman can wear this i don't really agree with the note
cards what is the top fruit middle floral and bottem woods it's the other
way around. at first spray woods for the
few couple of seconds. then you get an
orange note and the drydown sweet Caramel with amber very unsual it has a amberish drydown a unique creation indeed i'm not going to debate this does not smell like chocolate it's amberish and caramel. and it's a bit heavy so wear it lightly.

I guess I'm the opposite of hollycat - I didn't expect to like this as much as I do. This starts out with more of a chocolate scent than orange, which surprised me because of the bottle. Very fine quality European chocolate – sweet, but not too sweet, creamy yet a little dry (dark chocolate?).

As the scent develops, the chocolate becomes more subdued and I get more woods and a soft candied (not tart) orange . Really nicely blended, unique orange chocolate scent. Would be great for special holiday scent, or pretty much any time.

Excellent strength and sillage. This goes on my wish list!

I was expecting more from this scent. It smellls so similar to Miss Cherie Dior to me. I guess because I get a lot of caramel and oak in the dry down. I do like it, but I dont think its as special as some other reviewers do.

Truly amazing! Thank you so much Malegria for swapping me a decant! I love this fragrance so much I can't even think straight to decipher individual notes. The best I can do is that it's a sweet woody incense concoction, and it's truly heaven for me!

This is my second review. The first one was done a couple of years ago and was not very favorable towards the scent. I don`t know what happened, but Elixir des Merveiiles, as a two faced god, showed me his other face and for that I am grateful.

First of all - I think it`s the weather. I tried it first in autumn, and it is not an autumn scent for me.
Spicy-sweet, sweet-spicy,astringent with a touch of a Xmas Miracle. The orange note, being so brutal to me 2 years ago, turned out to be a delicious, sugary-spiced sweet spiral candied peel hanging from a Christmas tree.No, wait. It also repeats a memory of a pine forest ,warmed by the sun...the stump of a magnificent pine with drops of resin melting away under the rays. And me, 5 years old, believing that there is a sprite living under the stump.
A true marvel of a scent. Where was my nose before?

Discerning the top notes is a little complex. There is a little balsam at first, but it blends so nicely with the vanilla, amber and sandalwood. I love all of these notes when together. The patchcouli is muted by the heart of caramel and woody smells. The orange keeps it light and not overly incensey. It wasn't love at first sniff, but it is interesting, and I don't think I will get bored with it.

Salty and sweet at the same time. Surprising. Elegant, classy but not in a boring way.

Ellena only did this one as good as oryginal masterpiece "eau des merveilles".
Or should i rather say - hey! he menaged to do "elixir" as good as "eau". Main difference i've noticed is this characteristic sweet carmel-orange note.

I was waiting for a very masculine first impression, but I actually smelled a lovely old-fashioned woman's perfume (can't think of which one it reminds me of). Then it very quickly fades and I smell a rather resinous, woodsy aroma mixed with something that smelled "herbal" to my nose. Somewhere amongst this, I smelled a quick hit of Midnight Poison, but without the slightly medicinal+sour-candy edge that I got from MP. A few minutes later, I get a softer degree of woodsy bliss, where I can now smell the beautiful amber...but still NO orange, caramel, or even vanilla to my dismay. It's not as incensy on me as it is woodsy. And though it's woodsy...it's very very smooth to the point that I consider it sexy but comforting. The funny thing is that as woodsy as it is, there is something beautifully perfume-like about it that doesn't make me think masculine or TREEs at all. Ah, now I get a sense of sweetness...but barely. I can't even tell what it is. Compared to other girly scents, it's definitely not your average vanilla/sugar/caramel drizzle. It's the try-and-find-the-sugar-grain variety.

I expected to smell more orange (bec. the bottle makes me THINK orange...), but I only get a deep woodsiness that makes me feel both calm AND excited. (Now how does THAT happen??) The sillage is excellent & so is the staying power (10-11 hours). Definitely NOT for the average woman. Strong, beautiful, mature, and refined.

It was a gift from one of my best friends,it is good for night.Mine is the purse size,it comes in class box,opens like a window,and there are three small bottles,each is 20 ml.smells sweet and fruity.

I seem to be drawn to woody orange fragrances this week :)

Very masculine, with a depthy, warm woodiness that holds down the sparkling zesty orange. It has that spicy, smoky, leatheriness of YSL Nu but with more refreshing orange peel (in fact, as I now sniff them side by side, they are quite similar).

Not to everyone's taste, but I like it because it cuts out a lot of the sugar frosting you get in (orangey) women's fragrances. Lasts forever & follows you everywhere.

Beautiful packing, wonderful bottle, magic elixir...

Intense, long lasting,it seems to me a perfect combination of orange, vanilla and wood notes.

Every time I wear Elixir de Merveilles I feel elegant, sophisticated and self-confident.

It's one of my favorite scents...

as much as I can't like eau des Merveilles,I like elixir des Merveilles.
it opens with very sweet caramel scent.it's more feminine than Eau D M and it's more playful,although you may find it TOO sweet.
as the time passes the woodsy notes appear and it gets better and better.it makes me feel like I'm in the middle of a forest and then I see a hut made by chocolate(like the story,lol)
I can describe the smelling in two words:Caramel + pine
definitely it's a kind of perfume with personality.it's not typical.it's really elixir in a bottle.

Oohh, I finally understand "sillage". I made the mistake of wearing this for the first time on a work day. A couple hours into the day, my boss tells me,"Jean, I can tell every room you've been in today from the scent you leave behind". Oops. Lasts all day, too. Love it.

Usually I find it hard to wear Hermes fragrances – they are too complicated and rather strange for my taste, although I am huge fan of the “nose” behind most of them (Jean-Claude Ellena). For a long time I avoided trying Elixir des Merveilles because I though it would be no exception. Recently I received a dozen of vials with Elixir. And what a surprise – I really like this one! In contrast with most of the reviews here, I cannot find any masculine note in it (and I hate any hint of masculinity in a woman’s fragrance). For me it is rich, warm, seductive scent of orange peels, chocolate and amber. The overall composition is quite unusual and original, unlike most of “bestsellers” recently. The top notes are probably a little bit too intense, but the middle notes and dry-down are just perfect. I cannot stop sniffing myself. And the lasting quality is very good. I will go for larger size for sure.

I agree with Miss_Nightingale about Elixir… It is intensely masculine perfume!
To be honest I had big expectations but somehow I am disappointed..
At the 1st spray they are like some citrus/woody perfume for men…
I sprayed them on myself hoping that it is just a start with masculine side.. but on my skin it has been from the start till now – masculine.
I expected: orange peel covered with chocolate mixed with some woody notes but instead I could feel only masculine part that had nothing to do with orange peel covered with chocolate…………
They are very strong… and when I was on my way to work I was wondering if it was me, smelling so masculine, or some man was walking just few minutes before.
Then at work my colleague said: Ohh it is your scent…it is strong..I though it was some other man’s scent not yours.. but it is you…it is so heavy masculine scent on me…
Now after wearing it for 6 hours they are more warm and maybe a little orange/vanilla – but very fainted…and still some masculine part is taking the main part…
Then I though that my male colleague will like it…(as it is really masculine one me!) but he said he didn’t like it at all…
Elixir is definitely NONO for me ( I am sorry everyone who loves Elixir).
Well.. I am happy that I have just tried sample and didn’t buy the whole bottle (and I was thinking to buy one..)

Love to read the comments on the perfumes but not some of the story books

How peculiarly this behaved on my skin; the first impression was intensely masculine - very pleasant all the same, but not what I expected at all! I couldn't detect any of the orange, either, perhaps an extremely faint tang. Mainly I got an extremely long-lasting spicy vanilla accord that had me repeatedly sniffing my wrist. I like it, but I'm not sure it's for me - perhaps because it was so different to what I imagined. Once again, a case of never judging a perfume by reading the list of notes!

The Hardy Boys hid in the old warehouse for what seemed like hours, waiting for the mysterious man from the luggage company to come back. "Maybe he won't come back at all." Frank said, shuffling his feet on the bottom of the crate. His shoes kicked up fragments of the wood; it was rough-hewn and easily released bits of fragrant sawdust. The crate also smelled of the spices it had contained at one time. It reminded Frank that it had been quite some time since they had last eaten. "Maybe we should just go home and try again tomorrow."

"We have to stay just a little longer." Said Joe. "We have to find out why he was digging out behind the old Merveilles house last week, and if it has any connection Sally's disappearance."

Joe had to admit that things had become rather uncomfortable. Huddled together inside the rough wooden shipping crates, the boys were getting tired, cold, and hungry. They dug through their pockets looking for something to tide them over. Joe had some hard candy, and Frank had a big, succulent orange he had saved from lunch.

"This will have to do for dinner." Said Joe, solemnly, and peeled the orange, releasing it's pungent oil into the dusty night air. He pulled up the collar of his borrowed jacket, which still faintly smelled of his father's favorite soap. "I wish Dad was here." he thought, but kept those thoughts to himself. He did not want to let his brother know that he was scared.

They ate the orange and the candy slowly, silently, as if even the sounds of their chewing would somehow give their location away, hidden as they were in the pile of old spice crates. Together, they waited. Darkness fell.

A high quality scent.Woody notes mixed with orange.I love it very much.

This is like nothing I have smelled before. It's orange sugary smell are dominant. This sparkles on my skin. I don't know how often I would reach for this though. Just have a sample and I do like it but don't think I have to have it. Orange pop maybe, this reminds me of something else..This is nice to wear to work

It is in general 'denser' sort of, and more smoky (incense, I guess), a bit sweeter. I am not sure if orange is stronger here, but it is definitely more sugary orange than in Eau version. In general they are very similar, the beginning just slightly different. I don't know any similar perfume like it.

what are the notes that are more pronounced in the elixir compared to eau de merveilles? Is there a perfume that you would compare this one to?

I got this and Eau de Merveilles today and I honestly can't smell the difference between them. So there is really nothing more I can say about this than I allready wrote in my review for Eau de Merveilles.

Hooray!!:)elixir des merveilles has became my husband's favorite perfume, he's starting to love it the most from all perfumes I have..I wouldn't foreseen it, ever, at least not from his sour facial expression when he first smelled it. He's shared these news just recently..ok.. now I will start wearing all perfumes he's not a fan of, maybe eventually he'll fall in love with them..:)) joking

This one is one of my biggest disappointments.I smelled it on other women and found it very enchanting - like sugared orange peel covered with chocolate and powdered with red chili pepper, very, very sexy! But on my skin it turned out to be nothing else but orange Tums, which of course was nothing what I expected! So I traded it for something else.If you are thinking of purchasing it, try it on your skin - Hermes perfumes, as some other brands as well, pick their mistresses.

It reminds me of Xmas :) This is the scent that is warm, full of evergreen notes that are sweeten by orange peel. The lasting power on me is good. The notes composition is quite unique as all Hermes perfumes. Definitely give it a try :)

I love this scent. Eau de Merveilles is too subtle for me. This one has an edge to it that I like very much and as the time passes, I never get tired of it. It's pretty long-lasting also.

This fragrance is wonderful. I like it very much. When I first smelt it, get shocked...

aaah.. but I still love so much more the bottle of Eau des Merveilles, which is just beyond amazing, pure magic. Elixir's bottle is beautiful as well, but I never thought I would ever love the bottle like Eau des Merveilles

The reason why I bought Elixir was that it was stronger and more pronounced than Eau des Merveilles, and I still can't get enough of it. The downside is taht it is not to my husband's taste, but at least he does not hate it

I love Eau des Merveilles and I love Elixir des Merveilles, too (even if a bit less).

This fragrance is a bit stronger and sparkling than Eau, especially in the orange note which i really like.