Elixir des Merveilles Hermes for women

well now... I figure I'm in a Grimm brothers tale, in a forrest with lots of oaks, near the witch's caramel cottage. Hansel and Gretel shouldn't be far...

For me the Hermes fragrance are very strange for my taste,I cannot find a fragrance from Hermes and say-This one is for me,I love it.This one first smells like something old,like a perfume who expired ,and then transforms in a masculine fragrance but no way!!!!!!!!!!I must go and wash my wrist.....

Some reviewers, in fragrantica and youtube, have stated that this fragrance is unisex. So I decided to try it for a couple of days as I love anything that has to do with Hermes. However, as much as I would have liked to have another Hermes fragrance in my repertoire, I had to pass on this one because it is way too sweetly feminine. It is a lovely composition for ladies. I would enjoy smelling it on them; but sorry, definitely not on heterosexual men in my opinion.

I sprayed it on a strip at Sephora and thought I had never smelled anything more beautiful or wonderful before. I got a sample and tried it out on my skin, the immediate note was orange cleaner, orange soda and the great tragedy was that none of the other wonderful notes ever emerged on my skin. Just the orange. A terrible disapointment.

I tried this one at sephora, didnt pay much attention but a few days later, I took my sweater and thought, what s that amazing scent coming from the sleeves. The perfume stayed there in such a marvellous way. I went back to sephora and bought it. Now it s my fav. And also became a fan of J.C. Ellena. I love orientals, patchouli, incense, but some scents with them are too strong or not dedícate. Elixir is perfect, very femenine, elegant and a bit exotic. You can be in a t shirt & jeans, a bit of EDM and you feel unique.

Orange being my favourite colour, you may call me biased. This is so far the best use of orange in a perfume I have come across. Let me explain. There is the type of citrussy acidic orange you get in colognes, fear not, it is not this. Elixir has a delicious candied orange jam note that powers through from start to finish. And yet I find it neither overbearing, sickly sweet nor artificial. As the fragrance develops, a perfect balance is built up. I find it hard to pinpoint specific notes as the whole composition is so perfectly balanced. A creamy but not too edible vanilla and salty caramel is rounded off by patchouli... I guess that is where the chocolate effect comes from. I accidentally got some Elixir on my bedlinen after a decant session and found with surprise that a day later or so I could sniff the chocolate note that I had never noticed when wearing Elixir (but some reviewers commented on). There is a very classy sexy undertone in this fragrance I thought it may be musk but I guess I am wrong here. This base is extremely longlasting but in a good way. Recommended season is winter and definitely Christmas, but any cold day really will be brightened up by this lovely scent. Do not be put off by those saying this is a masculine scent. It may be unisex but it is a powerful feminine scent for those who like bold and well balanced perfumes with class.

this flagrance is special,whith these flagrance you are special and unique:)

I had a really hard time with Elixir, fell in love with eau des merveilles but Elixir just seemed too much. Then a year or so later, I was buying a little bottle of eau when I decided to spray some Elixir on my wrist, all the way home on the train I could smell this most delicious creamy orange choc smell and then I fell in love, it was winter and maybe the cold weather just brings out the best in elixir!!!! Eau for spring summer and Elixir for Autumn winter ... lots of reviewers do mention christmas when elixir is mentioned, amazing, what took me so long!

A blind buy that I will never ever regret! :) Classy and enchanting. EdM is warm yet spells L-u-x-e. Men can definitely pull this one off! Opens with shreds of orange peels and caramel. Then the wave of woodiness and spices hits you and carries you into its warm, seductive heart. Once the notes settle down, there is a certain feeling of homeyness about this scent that will keep you at ease in its embrace despite the strong sillage. :)

Looked through my window this am and it was a rain/snow mix mess! I wanted a fragrance that would comfort me through the day and I automatically reached for my Elixir des Merveilles! This is on my list of top 5 favs!

This fragrance smells stronger than the original one. Warm amber and orange zest make an intensive great sillage. I love it, but on other people maybe. It doesn't open on me as well.

Wonderful!

CLASSY! Everytime I wear this parfum, people ask me "what are you wearing?." This parfum is not for everyone, though. It is very strong, woody, musky, and spicy.

For the first 20 minutes this is horrible..overpowering patchouli that smells cheap and old-fashioned.I almost ran to the bathroom to scrub it off.I'm glad I didn't because it soon turns into a sublime,divine( in the true sense of the word) powdery incensy masterpiece- a perfect olifactoral accompaniment to sitting by an open fire with a glass of red wine,listening to Tallin( choral hymns),which is exactly what I'm doing today.

It's listed as the dominant note but I get no citrus AT ALL from this( weird,when everyone else seems to smell it strongly) Nor any caramel.
For me the notes are;
OPENING; Patchouli,Woods
AFTER 20 MINS; Tonka,Incense,Vanilla,Powdery notes

Sillage-medium
Longevity-Very good.

I bought this blind, after reading all the amazing reviews here, and rushed to pick it up from the post office... and it's amazing! Such a wonderful scent. When wearing it, it feels like I know something that no one else does, a beautiful secret! It's just wonderful and so long lasting too!

it is the best from the line. strong orange note in this one. i think that this is the best fragrance ever from all perfumes i ever had. it is just...wow!!!

Wow! I'm glad I tested this a third time! This is really unique, and I like it a lot. I don't get much of a gourmand-ness, I just don't smell any sweet in there. Maybe a very dry and salty depth, but no sweetness. I mostly get the orange peel, patchouli, and cedar, with an occasional whiff of incense. Perhaps a glimmer of amber. I don't smell any vanilla, caramel, or sandalwood. Maybe it's just my skin. Or maybe I haven't had it on long enough - it's been about an hour and a half.

Is this a much stronger version of Eau Claire des Merveilles ? I'm not sure but I own both fragrances now :o)

This is radical!
Seriously, this fragrance really strong, and I don't even bother what would the composition of the notes be, what I know is I LOVE this fragrance very much! Orange, and more orange, from the initial blast till the drydown! A masterpiece indeed. A superb one!

A standout woody perfume. Not what I would associate with fireworks. I smell deep pine woods after a rainy day on first impression. The most immediately recognizable scent is resin. Resin is used for rubbing the bow of string instruments. When a musician works his or her magic, the resin powder goes all over him or her. I can imagine listening to a live orchestra up close performing a masterpiece. A great perfume for someone who plays a string instrument! (Gender is not an issue)

Best scent for compliments, ever!

Amazing... It smells like sex and cigarette. Adore it.

That's true: it's a sophisticate masterpiece. :) I received it by mistake for Xmas (my husband confused the flanks...). It has been the best mistake in my life! ;)

I have to admit it: it gives me a skin rush... This is such a pity :(

I absolutely adore Elixir des Merveilles. I found:

Within the first five minutes:
- Blast of orange peel
- Spicy sweetness
- Very strong, but WAIT! It mellows out...

The perfume evolves into:
- Delightful, warm amber
- Peppery hints
- Orange
- Very, very vague ocean brine

Throughout the day (up to 12 hours later) I get wafts and bursts of amber and orange and slight pepper. These bursts make me feel pretty, exotic, and comforted at the same time.

*10/10 rating
*1/10 headache factor - this does not give me a headache.

I was online looking for Hiris (on the rec. of a friend) and found this instead. Was prepared to buy the former blind and so opted to do the same for the latter. Even though I realized that they would be very different, this sounded interesting.

When I first smelt it, I was in heaven. Then I sprayed it on me and while early on it was great, it soon soured on my skin. Badly. My chemistry and this scent are like matter and anti-matter. However, I was able to get my mother to try it in an effort to avoid tossing it. On the woman who has been wearing Shalimar exclusively since it was gifted to her ~30 years ago at her baby shower for me, this scent is magical. It smells entirely different on her than me and leaves me pleased to have bought it.

I have tried 24 Faubourg and cannot wear it either, no matter how fantastic it smells before touching my skin. I will get my hands on Hiris yet, and if it is a third Hermes scent I love but cannot wear, I am going to give up on that house.

In just one word: Masterpiece

I agree with others who say Elixir des Merveilles is a complex, elegant, sophisticated fragrance...definitely not for the faint of heart. For a confident and strong woman or man (as the case may be).

That said, the one word that keeps coming to my head is seductive as opposed to overtly sexy in the Agent Provocateur way but like Renee Russo in the dance sequence with Pierce Brosnan in the Thomas Crown Affair.

Yes,in spite of, but maybe, because of its "dirty" bitter orange mixing with amber notes. I love how I feel wearing it regardless of time of day or season...One of my signature scents from the house of Hermes.

This is heaven for VIP. marvelous, chic, unique, feminine but strong, gourmand but sophisticated. It doesn't get any better than Hermes, trust me. I love it. Sillage: average - lasting power:9/10 (I am very demanding about lasting power...)

Does this remind anybody of a soda drink, or is it only me and my skin chemistry?
Very unusual indeed!

To me this has the rubber stamp of quality and definitely smells like a feminine classic. You wouldn't mistake this for anything else. Therefore it might not appeal to most teens or women in their twenties who might want something more simple, fashion conscious or less conventional

Despite the 'foodie' elements it doesn't smell like a gourmand. The orange note is bitter marmalade and the sweet notes of amber gently round this out, but it remains dry and elegant.

There seems to be a sexy musk there which is restrained by the orange note, perhaps it's also the hint of patchouli. I think it's really well balanced and refined, however, like a classic Chanel it's a bit too well-heeled for a slightly casual creative like myself. But if I smelled it on a well dressed woman from her late twenties onwards I'd think she had good taste!

Edit - It's extremely tenacious in the dry down - and very very very dry. I'd say this was a very dry chypre - will smell old fashioned to some, but chypres are making their way back apparently.

I absolutely love it. I longed for very good orange smell and I found it. It's ideal time to wear it, as Christmas brings us all the scents we almost all love: orange peel, mulled wine, cloves, cardamom, etc.

This perfume smells to me like perfect version of Clinique Happy for men. I like Happy for men, but not for women, and the drydown of Elixir is almost the same as settled Happy. But of course, lasting power is much better and the orange is yummiest ever.

I will definitely recommend it as a safe gift, no one could feel bad about this fragrance, is joyful, young and happy.

this perfume is magical i adore it

Elixir de Merveilles is one of those scents that deviates from my usual choice, and for that, I love it. I can't resist this creamy, woodsy blend of citrus peel and deep woods.

Elixir lasts for hours on my skin (a small miracle in itself) and stays true from first spray to last fade. This is a perfectly balanced blend of warm scents - amber, resin, incense, balsam, cedar and oak - all lifted to a creamy sweetness with the caramel, tonka bean, vanilla and orange peel notes. To my delight, the patchouli is just enough to make this delightful mixture feel a little "dirty".

I can understand why Hermes named this Merveilles, because it truly is marvelous! So different from the typical sweet women's scents out there without being masculine - this one is substantial and intoxicating.

Well, I like " Elixir" more than "Eau Claire des Merveilles—2010" which smells too floral and dry, however this Elixir version smells more pleasant a lil bit sweet. and it is very long-lasting.

I used to be a fan of Hermes, I even tried Terre D'Hermes for men.

But one of my male friend said Elixir smells like perfum for 50 yrs old women...then he gave me another brand of perfum which comes more soft and woody, that turns me to fan of that brand...

I think this version is nice but yet with somewhat sharp and dry scent(maybe that is a problem for all parfums of Hermes, IMO). When I feel down, I would like to use it, coz it is strong and I would be inspired.

For its scent, I think maybe adding more citrus or jasmine scent would be more soft, fresh, mellow and sophisticated...

it remains cremy on my skin.... it is that kind of perfume when you simply want to get lost in a crowd

This will be a first online blind buy for me, just ordered it at Hermes Canada website, Basing from other reviews it made me so interested that I wanted to have it plus the perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena is my favorite so how can I not like it... Well the waiting game starts today... Will post my first impression, opinion etc. once I have my hands on this perfume.

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. :)

I totally agree with Manevitt on that one. It does not smell masculine!! Somehow some women believe that the balmy oriental notes belong on men... Hmm. Why? Same thing with Cedar wood. So many girls think it smells manly!!?? Not on me!

I would describe this is warm, unisex, earth-spicy and uplifting. Warning: if you prefer the more feminine "pretty" scents, this is unlikely to be your cup of tea. It reminds me of a handful of essential oils named an "uplifting" mix thrown together with a dash of spice, honey and caramel for warmth. This is one that can create a warmth and honey glow aura around you, but again I reiterate - it's VERY unisex, if not borderline masculine. So at this point in time, I'm not sure I put it near the top of my shopping list. One day perhaps...

I am going to blame Vie Cafe with ALL my love & affection for sending me a wonderful sample from her private collection and making me fall in love with this! "ELIXER" indeed!

Everyone else has explained their idea of the notes on their skin. To me, this is balmy, amber-orange in the most ethereal way. I am now "wrist addicted".

Luca Turin calls this "bon chic bon genre" and I agree! He also says the process of the drydown is "affecting". Mmm... yes it is.

I was lucky enough to find & order a large 100ml bottle for half what its going for on the Hermes site. I bumped this immediately to the top of my "must have NOW" list (and it's long my friends!)....

I await the postman like a loyal dog awaits his beloved master.

I really like this caramel-orange smoothie. But while I truly do think it's divine, it is definately unisex and honestly, I think it would smell better on a guy.

The drydown has a masculine quality that I can imagine on my honey's neck while I snuggle up...wonderful stuff.

Was convinced I'd love Elixir des Merveilles, but in the end, it didn't impress me as much as Eau des Merveilles. Either because I was busy, Eau just fits me better than Elixir or my smelling capacity just plain bad (too much exposure to dairy when you're allergic to it, does this to me).
In a few months it will get another chance!

Many reviews keep referencing a chocolate note that I simply don't smell. Additionally, I can't find anything official that says there's chocolate in this composition.

Here's what I do smell: Whiffs of ozone and a salty-sweet orange accord over a dark, resinous chypre base. Despite the sweetness, I can't understand how anyone would call this gourmand. This doesn't smell like anything I would want to eat, but it is exactly how I want to smell.

Sillage: 12 feet, city blocks if applied liberally.
Longevity: 10 hours on my skin, days on a scarf.
Overall rating and feel: 10/10. A dark, chic, slightly soapy, refined, powdery chypre with an interesting cast of unexpected supporting notes. Be warned, strangers are going to ask you what perfume you're wearing.

Orange Chocolate (and I loooove chocolate)and a sense something sparkling (almost champagneish) and refreshing in this fragrance is what I get from it when I tried it; it also reminds me of Christmas! I feel luxurious and expensive as well as comfortable and cosy at the same time when I wore it and I love that about it. It's a gorgeous fragrance.

Ah, the notes seem so promising and enchanting, but alas, I cannot smell it! I have the same problem with all Elixirs. Am I the only one in this situation? I spray it on my wrist and I smell nothing. Nothing at all. And on paper, I sense something, but something non-descript so I can't know whether I like it or not.

Such a shame!

One more among my favorites.This is really an elixir for olfatory sense.Stunning and long lasting.

Relly nice, not my favorite but nice and works great in winter

Elixir des Merveilles is a genius creation by Jean Claude Ellena. It reminds me of Christmas Joy. The snow, gingerbread cookies, pine tree, pumpking pie.... I adore the smell and how it actually makes me feel I'm traveling back in time to those Xmas mornings when I was a kid but unfortunately it only lasts 2 to 3 hrs in my skin :(

wow, so many reviews!!! for what it's worth, this is nice, not my favorite, right now it's Roberto Cavalli's new one, but alone the same lines. would rather invest in Cavalli...just for the record, i get no "burning rubber" or old lady here... warm and spicy, slightly sweet, and good for cool evenings out.

I've never smelt anything like ExdM before. Well, at least not in the ladies department :) So enchanting, like taking a walk in a fairytale forest. Also it made me want to wear a leather jacket really bad - but i don't own one.

First time I tested it it seemed to last long, and even if it dried down to an 'older dude's aftershave' type of scent, I still desperately wanted it. So when I finally purchased it - to celebrate starting my cigarette-free life - I was extatic. Until I found out that I cannot really smell it throughout the day unless I let my hair down and spray it in that. Maybe I was lucky when I tested it.

Now I think I'm just anosmic to some major component of it, because it does last long on the skin otherwise. But what's the point if I can't smell it. Can't sit around sniffing my wrists or whatever all day, can I. That would look ridiculous. And it's too expensive for a compromise like this. Wah-wah. I'm jealous of everyone for whom this works it's magic.

I really like this but my mother says that she feels like she's hanging out with a fella when I wear this. Sigh. A little masculine, I guess...

Oh1 I forgot to say that I love the way it smells in all weathers! Wore it last summer and winter and I must say that it does smell fantastic, long-lasting, not too sweet in the summer! Just make sure you spray your clothes, not your skin! I found that on my clothes it has a very elegant smell and somehow restrains itself according to the weather!

I tested this the other day and left the store thinking "this is great, but I already have Eau, I don't really NEED both." I walked down the street to another store and on my way was stopped by a gentleman who wanted to know what perfume I was wearing. After telling him and directing him to the store I'd just come from, I continued down the block to another store. While shopping in that store I was asked by another customer, a sales assistant AND the cashier what perfume I was wearing and/or where they could buy it. I cannot tell you how dumbfounded I was by the positive reactions: 4 in the span of 45 minutes! I've been complimented on perfumes before but nothing like this. I wouldn't believe if it hadn't have happened to me. I'm clearly going to have to go back for this too.

I like the eau de merveilles very much, but the elixer smells like burning rubber. took me a full day to figure out what was that scent I didn't like. burning rubber.

Elixir des merveilles is much deeper and richer in it's opening than it's counterpart, Eau des merveilles. The amber notes resonate and add a wonderful warmth to the bright, salty notes. As it dries down, it begins to resemble Eau version. Both are very good fragrances; this one is simply warmer and deeper.

This one is an absolutely beautiful haunting classic kinda fragrance !I remember smelling this on a passer by a few years back and she was so startled when I pursued her to find out what it was. I have bought 3 bottles since. I love the freshness of it, it's not floral. I find it quite a sexy scent, and while it has a masculine kick to it, I absolutely love it. A real lingerer. Fantastic.

i love most of the HERMES products -except VOYAGE DE HERMES due to its poor longevity - and this is greta hwn it comes to my skin chemistry,,,so i wear it as often as i can.

Jean-Claude Ellena is a genius, especially in regards to composing his fragrances using a wide range of ingredients, some that you would never believe could go hand in hand.

Elixir des Merveilles is a lot bolder and richer than Eau des Merveilles, and in some ways, a touch more masculine. It opens with aromatic orange peel, foody caramel and chocolatey accords. Before jumping on the gourmand bandwagon, Elixir des Merveilles settles rapidly into a musky, and slightly soapy woods and orange blend.

This complex blend keeps me intrigued throughout Elixir des Merveilles' development. The soapiness that I'm referring to is not necessarily clean smelling, but more like the sharp scent of laundry powder. This is the point where I praise this fragrance to the high heavens, but admit that it does absolutely nothing for me when I wear it.

I've worn Elixir des Merveilles twice now, and I can honestly say that it's unique and beautiful, yet disturbing at the same time. It's that mish-mash of sugar meets masculine citrus, then along the way bumps into bitter dark chocolate and earthy woods. Confusing at best, but still an absolute masterpiece, but unfortunately one that isn't for me.

The drydown was a lot more powdery than I thought it would be, but I openly welcomed the slightly more feminine finish. Due to its heavy nature, I would personally wear it in the cooler months, but if applied with a light hand, I suppose it could wear well during Summer too.

Despite Elixir des Merveilles not turning out to be something that I personally considered bottle-worthy, I'm not at all disappointed. Sometimes it's the scents that don't quite work for you, that stay in your mind the longest.

Elixir des Merveilles is in my opinion a good fragrance where we have a creamy orange smell giving a sweet comforting scent, but it is unbalanced compared to Eau des Merveilles which in my opinion have much more versatility than this one. Anyway, a good fragrance leaned more towards the feminine side but does not stand a chance when compared to Eau.

Brilliant....a master piece definitely

Starts off smelling like oranges, amber, woody, and spicy. Over time you are left with a resinous and peppery smell.
I think it's great for the gals who miss their winter orientals in the summer because they're too cloying. I think this works well in the heat. The sun warms it up nicely and it's not too cloying you just have nice spicy skin that makes you feel exotic and sexy. I do wish the orange was more persistent because it was very nice.
Nice all year round perfume and very smooth

Hands down, this marvelous EDP definitely took me off guard and that's not an easy or often thing to happen with a guy who have more then 200 fragrances in his arsenal..!!
To be more specific this perfume climbed the whole way to become my signature scent.This fragrance opens with smell of orange peel, which will last throughout the duration of this fragrance, but after few minutes only the top orange feminine note disappears and you will smell siam resin that mixed with sandalwood and Oak .. The rest of the combination are surrounding those major four notes, which gives this perfume unique mind blowing smell. I fall in love with this perfume with the first whiff.

The only down side of this perfume is that Hermes House released it as a feminine perfume where Elixir des Merveilles is actually "Unisex" perfume without doubt!

Well done Hermes for making this Masterpiece.

The Elixir still has the clean, soapy scent of the Eau but with a different twist on the citrus accord. The Eau, to me, smells more zesty and a little more subtle. In the Elixir, it's more like a candied orange that sits right next to (if not on top) of the powdery soapy scent. To be more specific, the orange smells like one those sweet, buttery, creamy orange and cream swirled hard candies. I love both the Elixir and the Eau. I would consider them both unisex fragrances. As a woman, if the Eau was too masculine for you, than the Elixir may work out better. I consider the Elixir a more sultry and voluptuous version of the Merveilles fragrances. It's delicious.

I do have both - Elixir and Eau des Merveilles.
Elixir is really much more sweeter, balmy, less cologne, less masculine, less sharp.
Elixir is perfect for cold weather and winter holidays. Eau is good all year round.

I bought it, loved it for 4 days (and I mean, "We need to be alone" love....addiction). I would put it on over, and over, and over throughout the day...

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, heavenly oriental. I seem to sense a bit of pepper although it's not listed in the notes. 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 projection and staying power. It's absolutely divine - a real wrist sniffer. Thank you Sofiii for the generous sample.

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.

Rating 3/5 Good

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 'relatives' 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. :)

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. & 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 its 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.

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

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...

Review for o.v.

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 everyday-me. Perfect for when a dramatic mood strikes. It seems slightly less conflicting now that I've gotten used to the idea.

---
Note to self:
Keep it away from clothes for at least 5-10 minutes after spraying. It turns really harsh on fabric.

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, having 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.

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.

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.