Eau d'Orange Verte
Very few fragrances made in 1979 are still bought in quantity, and Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte Eau de Cologne is one of the handful that is. The reason is that it does one thing extremely well. Orange is the lead and it is green rather than sweet, all peel and leaf and bitter oil, the smell of a fruit being cut rather than eaten. Mint runs straight through it, cool and sharp, and it is the material that makes the first spray feel like cold water on the face. Underneath, oakmoss provides the only shade in the composition, earthy and damp with an inky, slightly bitter green quality that is now rare in modern perfumery.
Three materials and a cologne concentration, which is the lightest way a fragrance is sold. That combination has consequences you should know about before buying. It is not long lasting by the standards of an eau de parfum and it was never meant to be. It is meant to be splashed on generously, enjoyed for a few hours and repeated.
What it offers in exchange is a kind of comfort that heavier fragrances cannot manage. It is cooling in genuine heat, it never feels inappropriate, and it is as acceptable at breakfast as it is at a desk in August. Men and women have worn it in equal numbers for decades. It also works well on anyone who finds most perfume too much: there is nothing sweet in it, nothing heavy and nothing that announces itself. Keep the bottle out of direct sunlight and it will hold its brightness for considerably longer than you expect.
The founder opened in Paris in 1837 with harness and saddlery. The Faubourg Saint-Honore address dates from 1880, the family holds the firm still, and the house has been making fragrance since 1951.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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