Which Hermès sample to try first

42 perfumes by Hermès are listed with us as samples. We picked 8 to show here and describe them strictly by their recorded data. The order is not a ranking; it is a way to choose where to begin.

The selection

Hermès Hermessence Ambre Narguile

Hermès Hermessence Ambre Narguile is on the list from Hermès. Its notes are not on record here, and we do not guess them. The opening is the loudest part and the shortest, so let it pass before deciding.

Hermès Jour D'hermes Absolu

Hermès also has Hermès Jour D'hermes Absolu. We have no pyramid on file for it. Give it time to settle before you judge it.

Hermès Hermessence Rose Ikebana

Hermès Hermessence Rose Ikebana by Hermès: no note list is on record with us, so the sample page sticks to name and house. Your own nose gets used to a scent quickly, so ask someone near you what they notice.

Hermès Hermessence Oud Alezan

Hermès also has Hermès Hermessence Oud Alezan. We have no pyramid on file for it. Pay attention to what is still there by the evening, since that is the part you live with longest.

Hermès Hermessence Iris Ukiyoé

Hermès also has Hermès Hermessence Iris Ukiyoé. We have no pyramid on file for it. A paper strip shows the outline, skin shows the detail.

Hermès Eau des Merveilles

For Hermès Eau des Merveilles from Hermès we hold no notes; wear it and judge. Warm skin and cool skin can bring out different sides, so try both if you can.

Hermès Terre d'Hermès

Hermès Terre d'Hermès by Hermès: no note list is on record with us, so the sample page sticks to name and house. Clothes hold a scent differently from skin, which makes a scarf or sleeve a useful second test.

Hermès Voyage D'hermes

No notes are on record for Hermès Voyage D'hermes from Hermès; the sample is the way to find out. One wearing shows a mood, several wearings show the perfume.

Also in this selection: Hermès H24, Hermès Un Jardin Apres la Mousson, Hermès Terre d'Hermès, Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit, Hermès Terre D'hermes Eau Intense Vetiver, Hermès Un Jardin En Mediterranee, Hermès Twilly d'Hermès, Hermès Hermessence Paprika Brasil, Hermès H24 Herbes Vives, Hermès Bel Ami Vetiver.

How to test them

Ask someone you trust what they notice, because your own nose adapts quickly. Wear it on at least three different days before you decide. Test it on skin and not only on paper. Use it the way you would use a full bottle, on a normal day.

Start with 2, 5 or 10 ml and give it a few days, so that the first impression is not the only one. Two or three samples at a time is plenty; more than that and the impressions blur. With 2, 5 or 10 ml in a glass spray vial you can find out how it behaves on your skin, at your own pace.

Where to go next

• Hermès samples
• all samples
• all brands
• find your scent
• frequently asked questions
• how to build a sample set
• how to store perfume samples
• decant, tester or sample

Questions

How were these samples chosen?

By the tags and note lists on record for each perfume. Nothing was added from memory, the order is not a ranking, and perfumes without recorded notes are described without notes.

Are these samples made by the brands?

No. They are decants: FragranceGems fills each one from the original bottle into a glass spray vial and labels it. They are not official brand samples.

Which sizes do the samples come in?

Every sample comes as 2, 5 or 10 ml in a glass spray vial. The smallest is enough for a first impression, the larger ones for many wearings.