El Sireno

Perfectly balanced Mediterranean perfume. I've been searching for this balance for years. A marine that doesn't smell like sweet melon, enough salt, slightly green, slightly citrusy, mediterranean aromatics, and a sea scent that smells of seaweed (but where the seaweed doesn't reach dizzying levels)... And I wanted it supported by a white florals. I searched and couldn't find it, until I came across this one. So I'm really happy. This was another journey from sample to bottle... Anyway, I've already described the profile a bit. The scent is soft, it doesn't bite, doesn't smirk, it's like it's been polished from every angle. Perfectly unisex to me, but I think it could be perceived as masculine because of the aromatics. Writing that for those who care about perfume genders, it holds no value for me. I'd categorize this as marine-aromatic-floral. There's a green side too, not like crushing leaves, not a fresh green either, more like seaside plants, a saltwater-kissed greenery. The floral side is quite strong to me, both clean and slightly indolic. As someone who spends time by the Aegean sea in summers, I know and love both the salty sea breeze and those intensely fragrant indolic white florals at night, and this made me relive those moments. I couldn't single out the listed lavender like "there it is, that's the lavender!" I can only say it added to the overall aromatic quality. And there is no retro oakmossy feel for me. Without dragging this out further, I'll call this my perfect Mediterranean. I was blown away by the cap. I have other bottles too, but the colors on this one's cap wowed me. Tag(s): mediterranean, aromatic, salty green, balanced marine, floral, fresh

This sent opens slightly warm and sweet but airy and light, I imagine from the Tuberose and banana leaf. The drydown is soapy and somewhat floral on my skin, it's a nice smell. Imo, this fragrance is for the simple, chic, and minimalistic individual who doesn't want to draw much fragrant attention to themselves. Wearing El Sireno, you won't have to worry about too many compliments or choaking someone out, unless one is in your personal space...literally sniffing you, like cuddling with you. Overall it's a hefty price for something so light, but I will add that the scent is unique and there is not a lot of talk about the house of bō, yet. I feel it's a "wear around the home" or "wear during a hot summer day" kind of fragrance. (you may need to carry a decant to top up) this layered with their La Mar perfume might be a good combo, but it doesn't need help to smell good.

Heaven in a bottle. Excellent alone or layered with La Mar or Ave Maria. This has everything I love and nothing else. Every note hits, and I just want to bathe in it. Which is perfect because I can overspray this like mad and not bother a soul. I'm a 1-3 spray kinda gal normally, and while that is enough here, I am addicted to this scent and just want it all up in my nose-space. When I wear this and give hugs and go to work, I always get a "Ooo you smell good!" Fabric holds on to the scent so, so well. This is a forever scent for me, FB on hand. This is my house.

This is a beautiful and fun summer fragrance. For a day when you don't have time for anything but leisure. A little clean and powdery but flirty and not too mature. If Beach Walk is an every day bum around summer fragrance, El Sireno is the one for when you want to take it up a notch. I do wish the top notes stuck around a little longer.

This was a blind buy but I knew that I liked aquatic scents. To me this is dead center unisex I can wear this comfortably, very gender neutral. Not masculine leaning at all. This was also love at first sniff. It has some heft to it along with aquatic notes. Happy with my purchase!

This is very metallic, it smells like your skin after you’ve been at the beach all day. No sun-tan lotion going on here at all. This is probably the most perfect marine scent I could possibly imagine and extremely unique. I can’t wait to get my hands on a FB.

Genuinely reminds me of a siren emerging from the deep sea. The laminaria adds so much character to the fragrance, and brings it a step above the typical sunscreen scent. Obsessed, yet another banger from House of Bo.

I got this as a sample with my latest order from House of Bo! It is gorgeous! I immediately ordered a full bottle. I struggle with citrus and aquatic notes, but this changed everything! Must try!

This is stunning. I chose this as a sample with my Acapulco 76 order and regretted that purchase as soon as I smelled this. I guess that’s what I get for blind buying the FOMO seasonal release. 🥲

Out of my first three 10ml samples I tried from House of BO (Casa Blanca, Oro Verde) El Sireno was my favourite. I've been looking for an aquatic floral that isn't too tropical and leans more green and fresh. I wanted something that wasn't too white floral heavy and could be worn in the spring, instead of exclusively during the summer. I found that and more with this one; there is something quite sensual and magical about El Sireno which is why I feel like it is ideally named. It makes me feel like a sexy water nymph, yet I still find the smell to be airy, sophisticated and mature. I can't wait to wear it on a rainy spring day. All this being said... it isn't very long lasting and there are a lot of fresh designer scents that are at a much more affordable price point that smell very similar to this. I would say this is an elevated take on Womanity by Mugler. Salty, fresh and sweet. It lasts about 4 hours on my skin before I have to reapply, and it stays pretty close to the skin for the entire duration.

I've recently been testing this fragrance. As it opens up, I get a blast of kelp which I don't really mind, I like beachy smells. Then that fades and suddenly I'm hit with the stank of the tuberose ( white flowers smell terrible on me) along with the oakmoss, again not a fan. It smells really bad for a few minutes. Then all of that goes away and it's suddenly a very common but pretty aquatic scent, something you might smell from a designer fragrance. It lasts forever on the skin but has no projection at all. I've tried multiple fragrances from this House and I've liked them. But, they are criminally overpriced for the performance that you get and lack of projection. Still, I'll enjoy wearing this especially on beach days this summer

There's a burst of aromatic cologne just right at first spray, but after a bit on the skin it warms up into a fragrance I feel much more feminine and confident wearing. El Sireno is murky, sandy, and addictive-- beachy in a Mediterranean way rather than a Caribbean one: early evening and misty, hot weather but slightly overcast, salty and breezy! Really want to test this one alongside my sample of Clue's The Point, which has a similar although jasmine-forward profile. The older sister to House of Bo's La Mar in the best way

Metallic airy, citrus and soft floral, with piquant sour freshness, also subtle green moss facets. Very similar to Clive Christian Miami Poolside. I smell a strong sour lemon in this which probably contributes to the metallic vibe. This is a bit smoother but very close to my nose. Pleasant.

This is a really nice floral aquatic, but it has no longevity. For such an expensive perfume, I shouldn't have to respray every hour to just smell it. The bottle is beautiful. Honestly, all of the marine and aquatics should prob not be more than 100 bucks bc NONE of them last long at all.

This is a good fragrance. Good, nothing more, nothing less. I bought a 3x10ml decant set and this was my least favorite. Nice, pretty, smells like a nice body wash. I'll be happy with my 10 ml.

I liked this one more than I thought I would! Mature unisex scent that I don’t think I will reach for often but it reminds me of a spa near the beach.

This smells like ocean mist on a breezy, overcast day. I can practically hear the seagulls. Beautiful, fresh and aromatic, but not very special to me.

I have no quarrels about the name of the house.. in fact this smells quite clean and airy. Staying power is great and projection seems decent. Smells anything but linear but I prefer it most when it becomes a skin scent. It did not warrant a single compliment but that's not my complaint. There's a note- not sure if it's it's the oak moss or sandalwood that I'm sensitive to. I don't seem to fair well with particular sandalwood musks. I do best with palo santo which I wish this had instead. I want to love this so I will keep working with the scent. This probably works best in late spring/summer/ early fall and almost has an aquatic/aldehydic & woodsy/earth vibe on my skin. I can see this being super popular despite the hefty price tag. The bottle is gorgeous and that's what initially drew me to this line..

The first time I wore this i was not a fan. I like that it starts so light and airy. The florals are nice and not the usual obnoxious scent that florals usually give off to me. The kelp in the dry down however, was not pleasant to me. However the next two times I wore it, I didn't get such a strong kelp smell and instead picked up some slightly sweet notes. Not sure where the sweetness came from but it tipped this from a dislike to ok for me. I wouldn't spend the money on a full bottle, but I would consider a small decant of this.

The perfume is called El Sireno, not "el sinero", or "el sereno", as a misguided reviewer claimed below (two misnomers in one review?) and then mistranslated it as "the serene on". It actually translates as The Merman, which is odd as it is very much a unisex scent. There is something sharp and dangerous, yet familiar and airy-salty-green in this potion. Not your typical Summer scent. And don't listen to the people whining that it smells like Acqua di Gio...poppycock!