I hope this pops up when it should.
I don’t own 24 Faubourg. My memory of it is buying a bottle for a friend at Duty Free on the way home from a work trip in Paris. The other memory from the flight back to Heathrow (to connect to the flight to NYC) was the huge number of rabbits running around on the grass and tarmac at Charles de Gaulle airport.
Anyway, back then (a bit past mid 1990s) I tried 24F when I bought her the bottle and it was not for me. I can’t recall why. But, since that first sampling it has remained in my conscious/subconscious and sometimes pops up.
It popped up recently when I was killing time in town before picking something up when I was wandering around our one remaining department store looking for stuff to sample.
So, why not.
I sprayed myself and a blotter, which I popped in my bag (along with a blotter of Youth Dew, but that’s another story) and went about my morning.
To my pleasure, retesting it (I’m sure I’ve tried it several times since 1995 or 1996) this time it actually worked nicely on my chemistry.
It opens very pretty not too sweet orange blossom and orange. Just pretty and smooth.
As things warm, I get really really pretty orange blossom, jasmine, ylang and amber. And it’s got a gentle, really pretty, pong going on. (Yeah, I know – enough with the ‘pretty’.)
In the drydown, it sort of sadly loses a bit of oomph. But, it’s still this really pretty amber-sandalwood white floral with a nice gentle pong.
On the blotter, it is a lot more citrus and a lot less pong and amber/sandalwood.
Released in 1995, the nose was Maurice Roucel and notes include hyacinth, orange, ylang, peach, bergamot, orange blossom, gardenia, jasmine, black elder, iris, amber, sandalwood, patchouli and vanilla.
Portia wrote about it here.
Does this go on the want list? I don’t know. I think it wants a decant first before I’d be willing to lay down the CC.
In any case, I’ve been thinking about this on and off for almost three decades. What’s a bit longer?
What about you? Is this in the collection?
Pics: Pexels and WikiParfums
I could have sworn, just from the description of it as an over-the-top floral, that 24 F would be very me. It should’ve been.
But. All that orange blossom pretty much morphs into straight-up Dove soap on me, so, oh well.
There are rumours that 24F is being wound down but it’s back on the Hermes UK website (as it Galop). Shame it isn’t available in the travel size.
I enjoy 24F but I enjoy many of this style of vintage fragrances. If it came in a travel size I would own it
This is one that my dear departed BFF wore a lot. “Pretty” seems to be an insult these days, but pretty it is. It was pretty on her and made her feel pretty.
I remember this one being like an orchestra of notes blending in great harmony. Very full and rich. Really perfumey. A bit over the top for everyday wear, but wow!
I wound up with my MIL’s bottle after her death. It’s very much not “me” but I like to pull it out and sniff it every now and again and think about that time in my life, which was a lot of fun in many ways.
I own this and it’s exquisite. On me it is an elegant powerhouse that has longevity and a certain warmth to it. I requested it last Christmas and ever since then my husband asks me to wear it… never has done that before! Also.. this bottle came etched and it is oh so elegant. Love, love, love.
I still have a full bottle of 24 Faubourg and I just sprayed myself with it. The bottle itself is beautiful and so is the fragrance.
Thanks for the reminder. I love Hermes 24 Faubourg and Maurice Roucel. I want a small vintage bottle. It is a perfume that on me needs a very light touch though.
LOVE 24 Faubourg Cinnamon,
I even have the deodorant. It’s as hefty as the regular and can be worn alone with as much ooomph.
Portia xx
It’s not, but you’re making me think I should sample it again too. Like you, I first tried it in the 90’s, like you, and it didn’t suit me, though I recognized it as an amazing creation. It certainly seems worth a re-sniff.