Eau de Narcisse Bleu by Hermès

Hey Posse. Yes, this is another arrival in the same package as Kenzo Jungle and Guerlain Ginger Piccante. It seems I decided to buy some super summer spritzes as we head into winter down here in Oz. Well, it was bargain discounter shopping (and a tester), I am now working again and damnit I love getting packages. This was a particularly good one too, I’ve been spending some time with each of the new purchases, getting to know them. Eau de Narcisse Bleu is from 2013 so it’s a Jean-Claude Ellena era Hermès perfume. I don’t know if that makes much difference to you but I really liked the way he produced a very streamlined and perfectly finished product. Especially since it wasn’t the way the market was going generally.

Eau de Narcisse Bleu by Hermès

Eau de Narcisse Bleu by Hermès

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Narcissus, Orange blossom, Galbanum, Woody notes

Let’s start with how gorgeous the bottle is. There’s something so extra luxe about the feel of the Hermès glass bottles. I also love the shape. It’s easy to grip and spritz. It’s simple but has the embossed brand and the colour is totally swoon worthy. The cap is a lovely heavy plastic, very bakelite-isa (it may even be). If any of you are looking for something to gift a non perfumista who may only have a few bottles, Eau de Narcisse Bleu will be one they can proudly display.

How does it smell? Galbanum and narcissus are the featured opening notes. It’s a clean narcissus with a lot of the feral sheared off but you still get hints. Galbanum smells like Hermès glass bottles feel to me. It’s a waxy, smooth, air conditioning in a florist smell backed by greenery and sappy stems. Eau de Narcisse Bleu is beautiful. A splendid riff on the cologne style of fragrance that is both interesting and uplifting.

I’m not going to lie. Eau de Narcisse Bleu is very expensive for a cologne if you buy it at an Hermès store. No matter who it’s by or how lavishly it’s produced. Look around at the discounters though, they have it for much more reasonable prices.

Lasting power is good for a cologne. Well over an hour of softly fragrant and a wash thereafter of cool nothings. Unisex but leaning ever so slightly towards traditional femme.

Do you have a favourite of the Hermès eaus? Does Eau de Narcisse Bleu sound like a good choice for summer?
Portia xx

  • Ingeborg says:

    Thank you for writing this, it gives me an idea what the cologne/scent is like. I have tried 2-3 times now Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate and Eau de Mandarine Dorée from samples I bought last month. Neither full bottle worthy to me right now. I still have some edt from L’Occitane which has the rhubarb note. I do however need an easy-to-wear scent, so I am thinking this eau may be just the right thing. Also, love the simple blue bottle.

  • Lee says:

    Eau de Pamplemousse Rose is my favorite! I used up a giant 200ml bottle and still have a 100ml of the Concentré version, which I like a lot but not quite as much. I’m dithering over a bottle of Le Jardin de Monsieur Li or Gentiane Blanche. I don’t really know what narcissus smell like, but I usually don’t do well with the traditional white florals.

    I love Jean Claude Ellena’s style, though so maybe I could handle it. I love colognes as I can be lavish with them and still smell subtle, though my most recent purchase of Guerlain EDC Imperiale is probably going to be used up within a couple of weeks at the rate I need to spray that one!

  • Kathleen says:

    Congratulations for being back at work Portia! I understand how good that must feel.
    I’m not a cologne wearer; however, the Hermes Eau bottles are beautiful, and now you have me intrigued!

    • Portia says:

      Hey Kathleen,
      Thanks. It’s a really good feeling.
      Is there an Hermès store or counter nearby so you can go have a spritz?
      Portia xx

  • Tara C says:

    I have a travel spray of this one, it’s lovely, and I’m not generally a cologne person. Hermès is so posh in a classy way.

    • Portia says:

      TaraC,
      100% They are classy posh. It’s like they are the last perfect old school bastion that has become multi national. Sure there are new things coming up and old things being bought and kept going by the big guys but Hermès seems to have floated above them all.
      Portia xx

  • March says:

    That bottle is stunnnnnning. Hermes is so, so chic. The scent itself doesn’t sound so much like me but hey, more for everyone else!

    • Musette says:

      I have a bottle of Pamp Rose and I can attest to the stunningnational bottle. It really is posh.
      xoxoxo

    • Portia says:

      Heya March,
      Yes, that embossed logo on the front takes the bottle next level and the colour. YUM! Even the lid is interesting and simple.
      They have a large selection in the eaus now and every one has a different colour.
      Portia xx

      • Musette says:

        and that is like catnip to my squirrely mind. I nearly bought the entire Romea d’Ameor line because of those goofy little tassels on the bottles, each in a different color.

        xoxo

  • Dina C. says:

    Gah! I love narcissus AND galbanum, and that bottle is so lux and lovely. Lalalalala, I’ll just sing and pretend I can’t hear the siren song of this scent lemming. Adding it to my Must Sample list right now. Thanks Portia!

    • Portia says:

      HA HA HA HA HA! DinaC, it is a really nice blend of both. Do you have an Hermès store or counter nearby?
      Portia xx

  • Cinnamon says:

    I certainly need a few more hot weather fragrances and this sounds beautiful and out of the ordinary. I love the Hermes bottles. They are, as you say, well designed and a pleasure to hold.

    • Portia says:

      Heya Cinnamon,
      Yes, a very pretty spritz and go beauty. Different enough for a perfumista, easy enough for day to day.
      Portia xx

  • Musette says:

    Heya, dollface! My favorite of this line is Pamplemousse Rose which, interestingly enough, I wore yesterday! I used to think I loved grapefruit but the pithy astringency of a lot of perfumes with that as the dominant note turned me off… until I met PRose. Elena hit this one completely the hell out of the park. I always make sure to spray it on in my bedroom so that after the day, there’s still a lingering whiff (it holds better on fabric than skin).

    xoxoxo

    • Musette says:

      and congrats on getting back to work – that must feel great! Work never stopped for me (construction never sleeps) but for the first few months of COVID it felt.. weird. Now we’re, at the very least, normal-adjacent.

      xoxoox

    • Portia says:

      OOOHHHH! I love Pamplemousse Rose too Musette. I think there’s a 15ml travel of it around here somewhere. So light and yet so effective in blowing the blues away.

      Yeah, I love my work and was feeling very useless as a human being while the clubs were closed. Getting back into it is a big relief.
      Portia xx

      • carole says:

        A note to say I’m sorry you ever felt useless. You always have such positive things to say to us, your readers 🙂 I’m glad you’re back to work, since your work makes you happy (and i can relate when I’m out of work too lol).

        A Canadian store had a magnificent error on their website a few years ago. I called to tell them and the person who answered the phone could not have cared less. So I bought one of each of the colognes, in the big 200 ml size for…about $20 CDN per. And I bought some for everyone for Christmas that year. I love the bottles, with their beautiful colours, and their bakelite top hats. Each scent is pretty wonderful. I love the Narcisse Blu. The narcissus note can go quite barnyard, or horse on me, if the temperature rises. I wish more people around me loved colognes and fragrances. I think it’s a fantastic cologne for anyone to wear in any weather.

        • Portia says:

          Carole, You are very sweet. Thank you. I love to work, my job is fun. Also LOVE to have money.

          OMG! What a bargain. That is the most fabulous find ever.
          Portia xx