Rouge Hermes And Parfum d'Hermes- Who's Afraid of Powdery Scents?

Five or six years ago I got a mini of Rouge because the little red bottle was irresistible and I thought that an oriental was a safe bet. But I was so overwhelmed by the powderiness and less-than-contemporary feel (said the woman who wears Caleche and most of the classic Guerlains), and ended up giving it away. I stayed away from Rouge until a few months ago, when a quick sniff at my local Hermès boutique showed me why when it comes to perfume, never say never.

I started wearing it again, first from another mini and later a full bottle and all of a sudden it clicks. Yes, Rouge is still powdery and sweet in a non-gourmand way, it's a rose-amber scent with a spicy resinous core that smells like it belongs in another decade. It's one of those scents that some discounters site would say "recommended for evening wear", but I don't really care and wear it whenever I'm in the mood, just because. Then again, I'm not exactly the jeans and t-shirt type, even when going for groceries, so I guess Rouge goes with my shoes.

Rouge is actually an updated version of the 1986 Parfum d'Hermes, which is still available (but only in EDT). My bottle is of an older (though not the 80s original) parfum extrait, which is a bit darker and richer than the current version. It starts with a vicious and malicious burst of aldehydes which make me question my sanity in buying and wearing the thing, but quickly moves past it, into a thick, sweet, playdough-ish and very perfumy realms. I find Parfum d'Hermes to be less powdery than Rouge with quite a bit of sparkle. They both feel retro, like polka dot accessories and have a plastic doll note somewhere in the drydown, but I find them pleasant and pleasing.

Both Rouge and Parfum d'Hermes smell loud on top but settle rapidly into a very manageable respectable sillage. They rarely last more than 4-6 hours and don't project too much (I tested them while working out. Everyone survived). My guess is that with the wrong skin chemistry it can be disastrous, but lovers of proper florientals have a good chance of loving both PdH and Rouge with their lack of fresh or fruity notes. The bald guy running after you, muttering that this is "an embarrassing mess" and "heavy on the stomach" is Luca Turin. Just sniff your wrist and ignore him.

Both Rouge and Parfum d'Hermès are available from Hermès stores and online, $140 for 100 ml, but at least Rouge can be found found at discounters in the discontinued 1.7 oz bottle (not to mention the mini) for significantly less. I'm talking under $40, which raises the question of Hermès involvement in the gray market, but that's a whole separate discussion.