L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake

sherapop

Talk about inter(perfume)textuality! L'EAU D'ISSEY reminds me in oscillating waves of nothing else in reality but two other perfumes: L'ACQUA DI GIO and Calvin Klein ESCAPE. This is definitely a member of the aquatic family of fragrances, as forever defined by ESCAPE, created one year before, in 1991.

L'EAU D'ISSEY opens with juicy synthetic melon and then proceeds swiftly to essentially turn into ESCAPE. In the drydown, I find no discernible difference between the two perfumes. Both are strong. Both have this weird "je ne sais quoi" never existed before 1991 synthetic-aquatic feeling.

Unfortunately, as I wear L'EAU D'ISSEY today, I realize that my fondness for ESCAPE is purely nostalgic. I cannot honestly say that I like this scent. It seems too sweet to be oceanlike, which would be salty instead. So this is not even quasi-aquatic; it's pseudo-aquatic. But on the rare occasion when I feel like walking down ESCAPE memory lane, I still have half a bottle of that left, more than enough to make it through several lifetimes, given the strength of the composition.

Needless to say, I won't be adding L'EAU D'ISSEY to my collection. But I can say that those who like this fragrance would like ESCAPE as well. And those who don't would not.

Now, on to ACQUA DI GIO, which I had forgotten that I even possessed until donning L'EAU D'ISSEY today!

MoietToi

This scent smells just a like a clean river full of lily pads.
It's indeed a very beautiful scent but it confuses me. Because it is indeed a very serene scent but at the same time it is extremely strong.
Anyways it's extremely fresh and prefectly inoffensive once it settles.

Perfumedsecrets

A clean skin scent. Which means it stays oh so close to your skin. It's the eiptomy of the 90's in a bottle. When people were offended by scent, and therefore didn't want to offend anyone. Safe is so boring though... I like it, but it's not something I'd want to wear all the time because I need something with personality. In the Summer I would prefer a sweeter grass scent, like the Summer version for example. It's much easier on the nose!

narcotic

Wow, what an oscillation between awful and lovely! Perhaps this is just an Issey thing, but most of his fragrances tend to do this on my skin.

For the first 1.5 hours of wearing l'eau d'issey it was Lysol-tastic! Why is it so difficult to make an unfussy, clean-smelling scent that ISN'T redolent of cleaning products and alcohol?

Eventually, however, my wrists ended up smelling quite understatedly clean, with the softest hint of... lily-of-the-valley, I guess? But what a bloody ordeal it took to get there in the first place.

Not recommended if you, like me, are one of those people who routinely ignore the "wait 30 minutes before exposure" label on sunscreen.

mandashell

Que Horror!!!!! o.0 WTF is that stank?! LOL!! XD This is, hands down, the worst perfume I have ever sniffed with my 28-yr-old nose. When smelling this, the words acrid, sharp, nauseating, putrid, artificial and toilet cleaner really do come to mind.

If someone wore this near me then I would have to flee many feet away as if my life depended on it. This was so bad that it burned my nose and made me recoil in disgust. My grandmother dared to test it and suffered the same fate as I.

This an oldie but not so goodie that I implore people to test before buying. The good thing( bad for me) about it, is that it has an incredible lasting power and strong projection. Don't find this scent to be fresh, clean, crisp or any other seemingly positive adjective others have used to describe it.

Bottomline: I abhor this and you have been warned!! o.0

eilismaireg

my best friend wore this in the 90's when everyone wanted to smell 'fresh', ie; like toilet cleaner rather thsn like women. Nasty stuff- funny, I always pulled in my cheap superdrug stuff while she was left out in the cold in this unsexy concoction.

belletresor

I agree with some of the other reviewers....has a strong melon note (honeydew to me), but I find this appealing and it gives the fragrance a FRESH, clean and very feminine air. Perfect for daytime wear, this is one I favor for the office. It is noticeable, but not in a distracting way. Just smells confident and airy - like a perfect summer day!

ivana

This is my favourite. It's the parfume that makes me feel better, it's almost like I'm addicted to it :)I'll never stop using it.

movs

I like aquatic scents, and this one is the queen among them. I must admit that it smells better on other persons than it does on me. On other people I smell the melon note (that I love) very clearly but on me this perfume develops into a more floral scent dominated by lily of the valley.

Mochagirl

It' one of my friend's signature scent. On her it is really nice. Anyway, you have to like (honeydew) melon to like this fragrance. Many people hate melon so maybe this is the main reason they detest this fragrance. I like melon so...

vanillapatch

I dont understand anybody not liking this perfume - I LOVE the smell!! - unlike some of the newer so-called 'fresh' smells around at the moment - this one DOESNT smell of citrusy toilet cleaner after a while.

www.brittxxx.nl

Never ever buy that smell,you can better throw your money away in the water,at least than you cvan see it fload for a while.Sutch a dirty smell.

yvashche

I understand that Japanese people are known for enjoying fresh perfumes, and this is definitely that. It does not smell cheap to me, only like a very simple cologne. The kind of smell you can find everywhere. Not so suitable for women.

Thaigirl

Nice, fresh, elegant, clean, flowery. Just a very good well blended perfume to me. Perfect for every occasion.

yuyulanta

oh god, its smell sour cheap, sharp not refreshing at all. just give me headache, i try several time at different stores to push mysef to like it, but i dun.how come this kind of smell ever existed

guest_lola

smells quite common if not cheap. plus, its price is too big for what it actually offers. just another cheap-boring fresh perfume.

alicektn

At first it is repulsive to my nose due to the generic melon note I guess (I don't like melon). But after a while it "melts" and becomes quite comforting. It gives me a sensation of floating on clouds..Still kinda generic,but not in a bad way.

The Perfume Critic

A beautiful fresh green floral fragrance that is ideal for spring/summer months. Highly recommnded :)

guest_jessica

this is a very happy scent. makes me happy all the time! just imagine slightly sweet water. that's how it smells like :)

i loved the blue limited edition one, but when i finally wanted to buy it, it was no longer on sale! =( so i decided to give the original a try. i tried the edp and it didn't smell good at all! many months later i tried the edt by chance, and gosh it smells GOOD! :)bought it immediately this time, hehe. i guess edt smells better than the edp...

oh and for a edt, the staying power is kinda good. i sprayed only once on my wrist and after 4 hrs i still smell it :)

recommended!

Dark Curls

I'll have to disagree with LadyJedi: this is not just best suited for ladies with light hair and fair complexions. (seriously??) I absolutely love this fragrance; it is so fresh yet seductive at the same time. I love layering it with the body lotion. I want to buy the men's version for my fiance as it smells utterly sexy!!!

Firewhite24

I like it, it lifts up my mood. The scent will make you think of when spring has arrived and the snow is melting, or spring rain. It smells fresh and not over powering (except in the beginning because of the alcohol)

vincy_gal

A gorgeous clean crisp smell. Reminds me of flowers after a spring rain. Just lovely.

thepicketywitch

This is becoming my most-used perfume for day. It's light, crisp, ethereal, and feminine. It smells like an early spring scent, but I've been wearing it all year-round. I've had complete strangers standing next to me asking what I'm wearing. A gorgeously crafted scent.

tee_vee09

rainydaze i think you may have tried the same one but a slightly different version in the same type of bottle but in orange and blue bottles i cant find these versions anywhere i got them in austria years ago and it was sooooo good this one is nice but its just not the same as the orange version!! SAD
I miss this version severely does any1 else remember the pleasant scent??

Nicole79

I had this years ago...very nice clean smell, particular, modern, very easy to Recognize. I don't like the aquatic fragrances, but this one is diffrent... it has a long lasting also, a bit expensive though...I think this one is not for everyone, i mean not everyone can wear it good !

arxsyn

My favourite part of the frag is definitely the midnote stage. Because when you first spray it on it's quite cool, distant, and frigid but then the carnation really "blooms", warming up the composition and it becomes a full-fledged floral [Once that awful melon is gone]. And yes, this bouquet remains sharp and ever fresh and clean. It's probably this sharpness that haters love to hate in the opening because of the synthetic chemicals in it.

Still I recommend the EdP, getting past the melon and waiting for the carnation is worth it, and it lasts forever. You can wear it anywhere/any time. It's never out of place. But I prefer wearing it on warm days, or when working in the office, doing job interviews, networking at events. Being an floral, the perfume is very feminine and ladylike but intense sharpness gives off that feeling of PERSISTENCE, unapologetic, no powder, no softness--which I suppose is a good thing in a business setting. But this fragrance, is inspired by water which is fluid and hopefully communicates that the wearer is open minded too. And if there's a classy function to go to after, it still does a fine job for the occasion.

The male version is wonderful too. I love the spiciness. I love men in it.

rainydaze

This may sound weird but...there was a time (about 10 years ago), when I would steal spritzes of this perfume from my mom's dressing table as a young teen. It smelled beautiful to me at that time and it smelled beautiful on my mom too. She has stopped wearing it, but recently I chanced upon a tester bottle at the dept store, and proceeded to take a few spritzes for the sake of nostalgia. But oh no, this time it smells awful! and sour! and sharp! And just odd and plastic-ky overall....Not the fresh and sweet watery scent I remembered it being...I wonder if the tester scent was from a bad batch or something?

LadyJedi

A really classy and elegant scent with very good lasting power. The opening notes are dominated by melon, then comes the aroma of honeyed milk which is the most distinctive and special thing about this frag. I believe it will best suit ladies with lighter complexion and fair hair and it is deffinitely a daytime and officewear perfume. The bottle is too simple to match the complexity of the juice.

Kittycat63

This is one of the nastiest, most horrible perfumes I've ever smelled. It smells cheap, artificial and nauseating. I really detest the smell of it. I can't believe it's so popular, but then some people just have incredibly bad taste! Ironically, the men's Issey Miyake cologne smells great so it's a shame the women's one is so vile.

CdnVixen

This is my most favorite perfume ever!! I remember when it came out,a friend of mine introduced me to it.At first it was hard to find ,could only find it downtown.even though I have enough perfumes to open my own store on my shelves lol,this is my main perfume.I love scents that are fresh and floral (but not rose-hate that)I find it lasts all day too which helps.

angelic disgrace

on first spraying it had an almost citrus smell to it,clean & crisp as if i'd just got out of the shower.the fragrance of lily of the valley creeps through after about half an hour then afterwards i feel like i'm walking through a forest after a heavy rainstorm.beautiful.
my boyfriend has the men's version of this & i can't get enough of the smell of him.

taydev

i sampled it again today and i hate the way it starts out. the florals are too strong and there is nothing aquatic about it for me until after 30 minutes. the aquatic scent comes into play after its completely dried down and it becomes a subtle watery clean smell. i decided not to get it tho because of the intensity of the rose in the top notes.

taydev

finally sampled this today and i like it as i can definitley smell the aquatic factor. its dewy on me and i can smell the bit of melon that gives it the watery note. i may purchase this after i sample it once more... great for summer

hotaru

even im a huge fan of anything non-oriental/woody/spicy frag, but this one give me instant headache right on the first sniff D:

i expected something light and refreshing,but absolutely not this one >.

Balrog

Loved this perfume but had a hangover/migraine every weekend for 2 years before I realised it was down to the perfume! I would not have believed a perfume could have such a devastating effect. I can't even be in the same room as someone wearing it or else the headache and sickness returns.

rosier

When you're wearing just a tiny spray, you can't smell it, but it's so strong that other people notice it from metres away. That said, I think it's a very attractive scent, but too distinctive for me to wear every day (and certainly too strong to wear at work). One really good thing is that unlike most scents it doesn't smell like toilet cleaner after ten minutes or so on my skin.

zvoncica

After applying this one on my hand I thought " I have to wash it off this will suffocate me", but I lived to tell you this:
thers nothing aquatic in it, only flowers, flowers, melon and more flowers, then melon again; sometimes shy green smell appeared.

Its actually pleasant after 30min, awakes fresh flowery feeling, moderately sweet, great lasting power.

Not my type of perfume, but all you flower lovers should give it a try!

swedeangel

Yes it can give u a headache. Yes its articifial. yes it heavy on the melon,and i should hate it.
But i dont.
Its clear like springwater,its a modern lilyofthevalley ,and its soo soothing on hot days!

Maugli

Must be the synthetic nature of the composition which puts people off (me included)... Melon rules here despite the big number of other notes. Reminds me of the glass cleaning liquid aroma.

mirror

I remember first hearing about this perfume. A very popular magazine nominanted the 10 worst smells in the world. L'eau d'Issey was on rank 2, just after the winner: rotten squid. (I am not joking!)

Well, I don't know if it was because of this but when I first tried it turned my stomach. Overripe fruit with flowers on the edge to turning bad mixed with that strong cleaner-like aquatic note. The powdery and heavy sweetness just did not fit with the overexaggerated aquatic...
A few day's later had a friend try it because I wanted to show her what an ugly fragrance I had found... Strangly the notes were still the same but on her skin the fragrance was quite pleasant! She loved it and even ended up buying it.

But one thing I still regret. It is a very strong fragrance in terms of being all around you. I can always tell if someone in the room (or in the next room) is wearing L'Eau d'Issey. So even if the fragrance smells good on some people it can be quite bothersome to the surroundings.

persefonex

At first, i loved. But later, it made me sick. I have that use it in drops, because other way, i will have a headache. i think that is for other kind of people.

Wristsniffer

I jumped on the bandwagon a little late with this one. It's my latest purchase and I couldn't be happier with it. It took testing out the eau de parfum version before I noticed the carnation note (I never noticed it in the EDT). After spraying and for the first half-hour or so, I smell A LOT of carnations - and not the artificial ones so commonly used in perfume that smell more like cloves than the flower itself; the carnation in Issey is a very real rendition of the beautiful flower in its natural form. It's light, just slightly spicy, creamy, and smooth.

The melon notes also stand out quite a bit, though they don't show up on my skin until about an hour or so after application. This perfume dances between powdery and green - but never quite feels like an aquatic because it's lacking any harsh artificiality.

I read that this perfume was inspired by water and I can see that - it's very pure, very fresh, very natural. It's what I'd expect to smell if I dipped my nose into a bowl of cool, pure mountain water that carnations and lilies had been soaking in, with a few melon slices at the bottom, smiling up at me. I also want to say it's almost lactonic, a rice milk perhaps, but it's not really that, exactly. There's something indefinable - that note that I can't quite figure out that guarantees I'll end up loving the scent because it offers something I can't express with words.

Despite the light tones of Issey, it's quite a thick fragrance with a lot to say and it sings at the top of its lungs to make sure those around it don't miss its beautiful song. Though it's strong, I'd say it's relatively inoffensive. The EDP lasts all day on my skin and through the night, as well.

I was looking for something fresh, yet natural, for the summer heat and I found it in L'eau D'Issey. Instead of something fruity or "fresh" that just smells clean, Issey blooms in the warmer weather and smells like a garden bathed in light. It makes me smile and puts me in a brighter mood! =)

sky76sky

I simply adore the male fragrance....but, try as I may, my chemistry just doesn't work with the women's one :(

I get the freshness, the melon, the crisp florals.....but then it develops into a sour affair....there is an 'off' smell to it, almost rotting leaves! I can't put my finger on it....but it's definitely not pleasant.

When I was at uni, all my friends wore this scent & it worked well on them. I think you really need to try this one on your skin, in case you are disappointed.

Matin

Really special, a perfume to get lost in. He reminds me to one day with rain in a small place and the soft smell of the wood.

christina~xoxo

wow! after reading all the reviews seems like people absolutley love it or absolutley despise this one! cant figure out why but i just love it..i used to wear this about 8 yrs ago and have been craving something clean and fresh smelling so i went back to issey :) i can understand why some say they can get a headache from it because a little goes a long way..it has a spicy-ness to it that definitely could result in burning of the sinuses if sprayed too much!
but i still love it!

tvu

This is my all time favorite perfume. This suits the younger age group.You can wear this perfume all year round. The long lasting floral aqua fragrance gives you that feeling of relaxed, joy and freshness of summer delight!

guest_evgenia

generally I don't like fresh and clean parfume...like White Linen and so on but this one!!!I like it!!!!and it's longlasting on me!.

Trinity

A co-worker of mine wears this and it remains me of old socks….. :-(

Although, it is considered an "aquatic" fragrance, there is something in the fragrance that smells old and rotten…..like something you forgot in the laundry basket…hmm….like old socks…..maybe it’s the melon….?..who knows…?!….

menaman

sometimes i feel it smells good...
but not for dating...the smells pricking your nose til you get flu..hahaha~

azuriiita

Its a sharp and common watery scent. Nothing special for me. A rare mediocre fragrance of the Issey Miyake 's stock

Perfumaniac

The presence of light, delicate flowers combined with rose and lotus notes reveals a fresh aquatic floral with a fragrant, woody aura.
A sharp, aquatic fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of fresh water florals including lily. Along with a touch of carnation.

guest_amarilla

erm... i guess it must be the melon, as i really hate it -thats what bothers me in hillfiger's true star and anna sui's fragrances :(

guest_amarilla

I like all the Miyake fragrances -except this one. I tried to like it but there is something very annoying in it. Dunno which note(s) but makes me feel sick and gives me a headache.

justine_gayle

at first, i hate it. It's too fresh and it just gave me a headache. But the scent grows on you. Now, I like it. Although I only have to spray it once a day because it lasts all day long. :)

Marianne

@ katyas: You're right - it seems to be based on the same "idea" as Ming Shu. BUT: In my opinion, Yves Rocher copied this structure and now produces a similar fragrance, just with cheaper (maybe more synthetic) ingredients. I wouldn't prefer Yves Rocher's perfume - Issey Miyake might be more expensive but it's worth that. I think that you can definitely "smell the quality".

tessture

White floral explosion. What I call a tea-party fragrance, because you can wear it anywhere, with anything short of evening-formal and offend no one. Last forever, too.

katyas

I tried this, and discovered that, on me, it smells EXACTLY the same as Ming Shu by Yves Rocher. I put a drop of one on one arm and the other on the other and neither my husband NOR I could tell the difference. Ming Shu lasted longer and had a more pleasant dry-down, which is the only difference I could tell. In future I will save myself money and just go with Ming Shu.

star10

it opens strangely,misterious,without leaving you the ability to guess the compositions,but you can just smell some fresh aquatic notes,which is not sweet,neither bitter.how can I describe it?it's all about lotus,mixed with some light notes of other flowers.I can hardly smell any fruity notes and that's strange,because I'm into fruity fragrances and yet I can't get enough of it.I love all of Issey perfumes and this one is unique.just smell and imagine you're swimming.

LizzieM

Love this. I started wearing this in 1992 when it first arrived on the scene, my mother in law started to wear it this year..so I stopped......

The lotion is divine, stunning. I would often use that and not the EDP/EDT

simonac

I try it a few times, but on my skin it's too fresh; on the others skin I like it (annoyng, don't you think?); definitely not for me

brickbird

I like this fragrance. It is very fresh and clean.

anca.ionescu

I like it very much.Feminine and fragile.

Trvevil

My mum loves it. But it always gives me headaches.
One perfume that I don't like to wear or smell.
On me this one's top notes are definite melon and it fades away very quickly. Leaving just a smell of honey and flowers. Long lasting and fresh, but not watery on me. It's like juice with honey.
Er!

amanda

its such a clean scent, people like it on me, but they say it has quite a strong lilyofthevalley smell, but i cant detect its so strong, for me its very harmonized

p_autumn6

it's too strong but the scent of it is very classic.

elaida_00

This perfume was the first designer perfume that i had.i still remember it; it is floral and fresh and long lasting

Althea

smells sour to me and it reminds me of Ralph Lauren Polo Sport woman. Also the bottle is very simple but not in a pretty way, looks cheap, smells cheap. No offence please.

gosienka

Years ago I used to like it a lot. Now all that I can smell is melon, melon and melon... and something strong and sharp. I also do not like the Lily of the Valley ingredient. It smells too ordinary and reminds me of soap. I look for something more sofisticated and unique in perfumes. Well, I am definitely not a fan of aquatic fragnances, at lest not this one.

hena a

the smell of rose and rose water are very dominating. the scent is fresh tho.

Luciana

buenisimo perfume, es excelente

Boggi

My best friend wears this, but I dont like it. Something sharp in here that I dont like. My boyfriend like it. How annoying!

Halvah

I'm looking for a feminine, fresh but unique summer fragrance for a very long time. OK, now it's September, I can wait for a while.... but could you help me? I have one favourite: Jesus del Pozo Duende (not Essentia Duende), and i'm looking for a similar styled scent.

Issey Miyake L'Eau Issey is definetely not for me, it's nothing classic in it, it's somehow sharp and annoying on my skin:(

liat

A uniquely bad mixture of whatever it is they put in there. Can't stand it.

chance25

This scent reminds me of EA Sunflowers and CK Escape. Very aquatic feeling and almost captures summer time for me. I know for many it's an HG scent anytime of the year. For me, the citrus I smell has such a cool heady tone that it's almost too much. I wish this were tweaked a little to bring in some interesting warmth. All the LE summer editions are all the same usually alcohol free.

tinuviel8

It's so over-rated. I honestly don't think it's that nice at all. Well to each its own I guess. Definitely not for me.

Passionflower

I used to love it and wear it all the time, but I so did everyone else at the time! I guess I got bored with it. When I smell it now, I still like the freshness of it, I'd recognise it anywere.

dianachif

I wear this scent as a jewelry. I Have no words to describe how wonderfull I feel myself wearing it! It is one of my favourites!

Sicily

I like this scent. It's fresh and light, but not teen, it's very classy and feminine. Staying power is great. I also like the bottle, it's simple & unique.

bartamy

I love how it wears on my skin - floral but crisp with the water notes nicely pronounced. I prefer the EDP; the EDT is noticeable lighter and doesn't last as long.

guest_Zoe M

It's very fresh and clean for me. So modern. But not for me. I didn't like it when I smell it.

pimpnazt

My mother wears this and it seems very safe and fresh.

elgab89

Very nice and fresh on my friend. Not for me, I preffer warmer perfumes.

sandrina_bambina

Brings lasting freshness with sweet flavuors, and explosions of joy.
One of my favoured for a good mood :)