24 Faubourg Eau Delicate

A happy update: I finally have this beauty, the whole 3.4 ounces of it! Acquired on eBay from a very lovely (and trustworthy) seller from Spain. The shipping to Canada took a long time, and I almost thought I have lost it to customs again, when it finally arrived. I was so relieved... and so happy! As many of you noted, this is a lovely, light fragrance that does not have the heavy "mature" scent of the original 24. I am totally fine with that as I could not wear the original 24 without getting a severe headache. I love the fresh lemon-y aura I get from Eau Delicate. I think, it is the combo of orange blossom, geranium and bay leaves but then again, my nose is completely untrained, and my detection range limited. To me, the fragrances are more about the feeling I get while wearing them - some make me feel happy and energized, while others not so much. Eau Delicate is that "happy and energized" kind to me. The staying power is quite weak though; after a liberal application, maybe an hour at a time for me. It seems to last longer when sprayed on clothing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have fallen in love with this fragrance... only to find out the (affordable) mini does not exist in this universe :( The full bottle goes on Amazon for $290 which, sadly, is far too rich for my blood and, to make things even more insufferable, they do not ship to Canada. I am now officially heartbroken...

How can a fragrance be so rich and delicate at the same time? I think I've found my perfect jasmine....After indolic and heady journeys, I feel an exhale of ecstasy and an inhale of serenity... 24 Faubourg Eau Delicate has all of the class and allure of the original, but none of the patchouli!-and being a completely different fragrance-it outshines the original, for me! This transparent "minimalist" fragrance is not difficult in any way-if you like the smell of white flowers-gentle, radiant, with their freshness and soft floral "sweetness" that isn't really sweet.... What victorious subtlety--a fragrance as warm as the skin it's meant for, just clean enough from the geranium and leaves to not smell like drying or crushed petals--baby-soft without powderiness, sensual without muskiness, intoxicating, without sweetness or spiciness. Eau Delicate is the rare joy of being tickled by the right person, in the cool spring air, with just a touch of sun warming the skin-it's such a rare sensation to experience while wearing a "floral" fragrance. That tickled tendresse makes me forget the typical aggressive nectar-whippings and sharp, soapy, sweet powerhouse affairs that elicit smiles for being floralesque-for a moment. Or for a few hours-the lasting power is not poor, I would say it lasts about 5 hours, if not more-but the sillage is...ohhhh...delicate!

I dislike 24 Faubourg a great deal. It's a headache-inducing potent aldehydic abstract floral with a heavy ambery base. It's not my thing at all. Similar to Caleche in some ways which is also a heavy aldehydic abstract floral. 24 Faubourg EAU DELICATE, however, is another story. It doesn't bear any resemblance to the regular 24 Faubourg. It's sunshiny and happy. It's a green orange blossom-neroli scent over summery white florals. There is maybe a smidgen of the 24 Faubourg DNA in the base that's barely detectable until it fully dries down but it's not enough to be too heavy, just enough to anchor it on your clothes for a while longer. This one is really nice for hot weather when you want something refreshing yet floral. On skin it doesn't last very long but if I spray my clothes it lasts maybe 4-5 hours. It reminds me of the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria types of scents but I think it lasts a bit longer than most of those. I was devastated when this disappeared but it seems to be on the Hermes site for about the past year. I haven't seen it in stores or anywhere else though. I bought a bottle last year when it appeared on the Hermes site and I will very happily wear this during the heat and humidity of summer.

I'm done with heavy and forever sillage scents. That's not to say I don't care for them, I do, some of them deeply. But today's environment of allergic to anything different whingers make me cringe. And quite honestly, I too get headaches from vanilla, gourmand, and the biggest culprit, Tonka Bean, whose wee tiny molecule can ruin an otherwise interesting scent. I'm down to a distant waving of my arm through a mist for the heavy hitters I have. All to say, Jean-Claude Ellena is a master, un parfumier et poet. The AI suggests 24 Faubourg Eau Delicate is linear. Sounds dismissive, as if a few ingredients perfectly presented can be tossed off in an afternoon. The fewer the ingredients the more room for error. For me, this floral is the right balance of each note, with the whole experience a pleasure. The dry down is somewhat intimate, but one can still discern something lovely and interesting in the room. Not quirky as many of today's more modern Hermes offerings, which I have and often use. A masterpiece nonetheless. So glad to have found it. It deserves to be brought back.

Fragrantica-istas, Eau Delicate is back for 2019! Hermes is carrying it at their boutiques for at least this year, and will decide by year's end if they will continue it beyond 2019. While usually a rather predictable fan of complex chypres, Eau Delicate fulfills my need for a delicate floral that isn't your mass market floral. For me, it opens with subtle white florals and a touch of green, followed quickly with a bit of fresh spice, the warmth of subtle musk, and enough complexity to keep me happy. It is both bright and warm at the same time - a truly beautiful, tasteful floral fragrance. The sillage is impressive for a delicate scent, and I'm able to smell it on myself throughout the day - even if just as a lovely skin scent by day's end.