Aqua Solis

Alert to you folks out there who enjoy Aqua Solis! I visited the site of Le Couvent recently, and it seems that they have discontinued it. It was no longer among their Colognes Botaniques. Perfumery websites still offer it at normal prices, though, so it's still available. Grab it while you can! This morning I opened a small bottle of Aqua Solis for the summer, and I'm enjoying the scent so much right now I just wanted to share. I'm a huge fan of this house, after my taste in perfumes suddenly changed a few years ago. I became a lot more sensitive to smells in general, and many of my previous perfume favourites were suddenly overwhelming. Many of the scents from this brand, however, keep groing on me. For me, Aqua Solis is perfect for summer and early fall. As someone mentioned, it is perfectly wearable year-round, it's just that personally I crave a different palette of notes during winter. These are the notes listed in Marionnaud: Note de tête: Essence de Mandarine Essence de Cardamome Note de coeur: Essence de Romarin Note de fond: Essence de Racines de Vétiver The mandarin and cardamom in the opening creates a note that reminds me of tea. I get the herbs, that must be the rosemary. I see that the rosemary is not listed here in Fragrantica, but I sense her there in the background, and I believe she's part of the magic. The vetiver is reminiscent of woody whisky in the opening, then becomes just beautiful, woody, earthy. There is a "clean" or fresh note besides the listed ingredients that seems a little synthetic to me. It calms down and does not bother me, though I suspect I would have enjoyed the scent even more without it. Aqua Solis is uplifting, comforting, safe yet charming. To me, a delight. This is cologne, and the longevity and projection is ok for a cologne. It lasts about three hours on me. But I prefer that sometimes, especially in hot weather.

1. I swear I wrote a review when I bought this one last year! (2024) 2. Yes, it's discontinued, so you should stock up if you like it (there are plenty on Vinted!) I know because I had written that I was really disappointed with it. I own 12 Le Couvent fragrances and I love each one for a different reason, but this one let me down so much that I thought I had bought a bad batch. I had edited that review saying that I was going to keep using it to see how it evolved. I came back today to write that I really like it now, but my previous review IS GONE!!! I'm wondering why it was deleted. Are we allowed to disagree and express our opinions? Are there any guidelines on "how to write about a fragrance you don't like"? Because I thought my review was respectful. When reading complaints about deleted reviews, I thought it must have been "a mistake" or that the review might have contained insults for example. Mine didn't, it was not offensive, I had just written an honest opinion. Now I wish I had copied it somewhere, because mostly, I was curious to re-read it for myself and add an edit, saying how much I like it now. I got used to the cardamom and the spices, and the dry down is one of the best I've ever smelled! Also, my boyfriend has been using it and on a man's skin the chemistry is completely different. So it's not as unisex as one might expect, not in our case, it smells much better on him than on me. So there it is. A new review, I hope this one is not deleted.

While I do understand the comparisons to Hermes' mediterranee, they are different enough to be non-competing fragrances in my collection. Both made by Ellena, Aqua Solis is a spicy fruity-aromatic, where Mediterranee is a vegetal with green herbs. Also, there is a development in Mediterrannee that isn’t really present in Aqua Solis, in spite of the marketing description above. Aqua Solis is a much simpler, almost linear scent and it doesn’t strike me as a “summmer”-fragrance as such. It’s a warmer and darker scent than Mediterranee. Some complain about the longevity, but here it isn’t a problem. It lasts for about 3 or 4 hours, which is perfectly okay for a cologne. Dry downs are pretty similar and I genuinely love both. If you prefer a scent that is longer lasting and more complex, you should try Mediterranee. If you would like something warmer and don’t mind having to respray now and then, Aqua Solis is very enjoyable and reasonably priced as well.

JCEllena + orange centre accord = an insurance of the positive and life affirming side of this note, never in a trivial way. This time in a botanical cologne - which rather than herby is a bona fide juicy brew - JCE renders the sun in a subtle yet bright and delicious icetea-like perfume. Rightly watery (a cologne) but still sparkling with energy and glassy colorfulness, this citrusy cologne feels exactly like this: a blend of a cold-brew infusion of orange, rosemary and a hint of cardamom, together with the most organic and natural of the ice teas (lemon + maybe peach). A tiny burst of fresh and herby/spicy orange with all the easy juice of a freshly served, super summery iced tea. perfect for the spring as well. It will leave you wanting to spray more and more to brighten your spirit and quench your thirst. 7.9/10

I'm on my third bottle of this and I'm sad to see that it seems to become discontinued. This is such a warm, comfortable and refreshingly spiced citrus. It makes me feel awake and grounded. There is not much sweetness, it's more aromatic. I might have imagined spices and citrus together to smell like a pomander or a heavy christmas potpurri, but not at all. It's the slightly bitter and invigorating zest of the citrus, backed by a soft and smooth spice. I was very much in love with "Un jardin apres la mousson" from the same perfumer, but that scent did not last 5 minutes on my skin, so I never purchased it. Sadly also discontinued now, so my pleasure of smelling that in the shops is lost. Wish that this type of invigorating, unisex, unsweetened fragrance was more popular and that they did not need to disapper :..(

I am so thankful for these fellow frangrantica members, who send me exactly to the perfumes I adore! I love 78 vintage green, I love the garden series of Hermés, and this fits this “family “ spot on. Fresh spicy, citrus, green, it is a fantastic scent if you are into this notes. It is a hint more spicy than 78, a hint less green than Jardin Mediterranee, but I had to buy this lovely fresh and spicy perfume as well, because I have an unhealthy fear of perfumes going te be discontinued. So I blind bought a little bottle and immediately after receiving and testing ordered a 200ml bottle on sale so I am ensured to smell GREAT for a long time. I wear this all year long, I think it is that good. 9/10

This perfume has nothing to do with Un Jardin en Mèditerranèe. Absolutely nothing. The Hermes perfume is green, zingy, bright and uplifting. Aqua Soleil is supposed to be an allegory to summer days but to me this is perfect for autumn. Reminds me of a spiced citrus tea on a chill winter night. There’s something comforting, cozy and calm in the composition. This isn’t a bright, happy scent. The spices are the base of the perfume. If I have to compare it to a perfume that I own, I’ll say Mandarine Glaciale by Atelier Cologne.

Herbal fig orange tea, with ice! Like a lovely cocktail drink or a tropical fruity leafy bubbly soda, pretty linear but long lasting considering it's a citrus cologne type, if you like Hermes Mediterranean Garden or Banana Republic 78 Vintage Green, you'll love this one, it's cheaper yet deeper, and lasts longer, the 200 ml bottle looks like an art deco object as well, similar to Dior high end line bottles, its orange color is just divine! Big winner for long hot summer!

Right after spraying, this perfume smells very strange to me: unbalanced, with an overwhelming cardamom scent. My first thought upon smelling it was that I had made a mistake in blind buying it. After a while, however, it settled nicely on my skin and the cardamom mellowed out and blended much better with the other notes. I agree with those who have said that there is a hint of fig, and I also detect something that to my nose smells like rhubarb.

I smelled this and thought ‘huh, this reminds me a bit of Hermès Un Jardin En Meditterranée, that’s funny’ until I realised they’re created by the same perfumer! In comparison Aqua Solis is a little darker, richer, and more spicy, but they’re surprisingly similar in vibe. This is so lovely - citrus and spice but with some of the green of a citrus tree attached, conjuring a whole garden.

quite spicy but fresh. i absolutely love the cardamom note, and the orange note adds just the right amount of sweetness to it. very much a unisex scent which makes it very wearable for me, works for every occasion all year round. i finished my first bottle pretty quickly and i'm definitely gonna repurchase. prob my most worn perfume ever, maybe even my no 1 favourite

This reminds me of Hermes Un jardin en mediterranee (another one by Jean-Claude Ellena), I love both. It smells natural to me. It has warmth, I would use this in cooler seasons. Moderate longevity on my skin, but lasts quite long on clothes.

I love this! I totally agree with the review below. The spices and cardamom make this so cozy; a rare warm spicy and fresh citrus fragrance. Also, I don't know what others are smelling, but this is nothing like Hermes Jardin en Mediterranee!

Nice, elegant, natural. Citrus, cardamom and species well balance. Citrus, cardamom and well balanced spices. Fresh but deep. There are evocations and nostalgia in this aroma of my summers in Spain Do it, its worthy.

Amazing, spicy and light. It's cardamom done in a way I've never encountered before. Dry like cinammon sticks and dried fruit but somehow fresh and invigorating. Love!

Best of best... my top 3 perfumes. How can i live without this!

Aqua Solis is a lovely piece of perfumery by the brilliant Jean-Claude Ellena. Unfortunately, it looks to have fallen stillborn from a sales figures point of view as it has gone from Le Couvent Des Minimes's website. I managed to get my bottle from France for about half the retail price when I bought it a couple of years ago. For anyone who is keen on this, I'd suggest grabbing the remaining bits of stock at dirt cheap rates while they last. Not surprisingly, there are echoes of previous Ellena perfumes that can be detected here. Ellena's ongoing fascination with the orange has been the thematic thread that ties together his perfume work, so anyone thinking of his 2007 version of Hermes Eau d'Orange Verte or Frederic Malle's Bigarade Concentree has a valid point. His wonderful work at Hermes also took in the creation of the Jardins line, and so references to the Jardin Sur Le Nil and Mediteranee and Monsieur Li also have valid points of comparison. But is Aqua Solis a copy of his previous work? Emphatically not. What I pick up on here is a lovely opening of some kind of orange or tangerine along with cardamom and a spicy (green) background (but not as in spicy like Cartier's Declaration). The blurb on the box about sitting in the orchard garden taking a siesta in the shade does actually make sense. It really is a proper botanical cologne. It's fairly linear on the whole in that the orange-cardamom combination is the dominant scent throughout. The projection soon settles down to a nice gentle waft that follows you around and there's a surprising degree of longevity if you spray a reasonable amount. It's genuinely unisex. Le Couvent Des Minimes is a very impressive House and with Ellena at the creative helm it's worth checking out a couple. I also have Aqua Minimes from the Botanical Colognes range and will probably try the Aqua Millefolia next when I've got some space in the wardrobe for a new bottle.

A lovely little number that doesn't take much commitment to wear. Something about the spice notes prolongs the mandarin effect beyond the usual open time of citrus notes, and the impression is a very rounded citrus instead of a fizzy or ephemeral one. The word "jammy" comes to mind, in a good way because this wears so lightly. It does fade fairly quickly, but if you know it's there you can still detect it on clothing long after it's undetectable on the skin. I don't know if I'm the only one but these accords play in a way that I pick up as a hint of coconut, or maybe a very diluted frangipani? Definitely unisex but I expect a lot of men will nervously wonder about what impression they're giving. Great stuff, everything I've tried from this line of fragrances is a winner. Edit 1/18/23: I'm on my second bottle of this. I really enjoy Aqua Solis and wear it around the house on days when I'm working from home. I stand by the statement that this takes very little commitment to wear (and it plays well with other fragrances for layering), and it's affordable enough that I don't mind a reapplication spray or two every few hours as a pick me up (sometimes I'll give a spray or two to the linens before getting ready for bed). The spices make it great for cold weather, and the citrus feels right at home in summer. Versatile, relaxed, comforting, sunny... a useful complement to anyone's collection.

The main impression is a very spicy and cardamom-heavy citrus that is quite bitter on my skin (more like citrus peels than juicy citrus flesh). I too interpret this as a tea scent. The opening does bear a resemblance to Mediterranee, but Solis is more spicy and less sweet. The perfume this reminds me of the most is Ambar by Jesus del Pozo. I don't get much of the sweet fruity notes on my skin, mostly warm spices and slightly bitter citrus-peels. Cold weather and my low body temperature might play into how this develops. The cardamom note strong, which is awesome for cardamom lovers like myself Le Couvent is a brilliant brand. This might not be my favorite of their, but it is a very good one none the less. I read and see by the votes that some find it feminine, to me it's leaning slightly masculine and I'm curious to see how it smells on my boyfriend. It performs quite well, (even slightly overwhelming to me) but it doesn't seem to project much

Right this is very good, happy with blindbuy, but totally not as expected (based on the reviews or votes). Maybe my memories of Jardin En Mediterrane are lost but I thought it was lemony and mostly vegetal. Solis on me starts off with a blast of burning spices and alcohol and this state is retained for about 5-10 minutes. To me, this stage was totally unappealing and if the perfume stayed this way, I would probably have freaked out :) but then once 10-15 minutes passed, it slowly started warming up, showing, like a reverse sunset...the mandarin and cardamom getting more agreeable, fruitier and sweeter. At its peak it smells like mangoes or papayas (not too ripe), bit of ginger(?), spices in a vegetal background (celery?)., like stalks or leaves. It smells pretty natural , very well balanced and I'd also say it's a unique one, even in the universe of garden inspired scents. This is where this one is a fruit garden.