How could something smell salty? It’s true that salt has its own rather mild scent, and depending on its processing and provenance, it ranges from bitter and iodine to flinty and flowery. However, perfumery is about creating an illusion, and many perfumers are masters at making us think that we smell salt. My teacher Sophia Grojsman used to play tricks on me by giving me accords to smell and then laugh seeing me lick my lips. Some of her combinations were so salty that I could almost taste the salt crystals. More typically, however, perfumers approach salty accords by relying on marine effects, as does perfumer Christine Nagel in Hermès Un Jardin sur la Lagune.
Of course, should one search for salt in perfume, one can do no better than to explore the whole Hermès collection. Eau des Merveilles is one of the best salted ambers. Un Jardin sur le Nil salts green mangoes. Voyage d’Hermès starts pickling bergamot and leaves a salt trail well into its drydown. Hermès Un Jardin sur la Lagune is very much in the same tradition. It’s a cologne based on citrusy flowers and finished with a briny accord. The place is Venice, the flowers are magnolia and Madonna lilies, the effect is salt and sunlight.
Unlike traditional colognes, however, Un Jardin sur la Lagune has a soft citrus note, and so the first impression is of orange blossoms (dark indoles includes) and green leaves. It reminds me of café blanc, a Lebanese drink of water mixed with orange flower distillate. While the floral accord in the composition has the spice of lilies and the lemony verve of magnolia, for me, the orange blossom impression is pronounced.
Later as the orange blossom melds into magnolia, the salty, briny notes appear. Some of you will say that it smells of melon, and those of you who will observe a similarity to L’Eau d’Issey will be likewise spot on. The marine notes in Un Jardin sur la Lagune are subtle enough, however, and they only serve to highlight the softness of petals and the delicacy of the composition.
With time, the flowers wear out and so does the sweetness. The salty impression lingers, along with the green wood shavings and musk. The finish is less thrilling than the opening, but it doesn’t distract from the overall appeal of the perfume. Simple, elegant, easy to wear. Yet, I’ll be frank–it may not be a good choice for those of you who dislike marine notes. Or who, unlike me, don’t have a soft spot for L’Eau d’Issey.
I also predict that it will appeal more to men than women, since the drydown veers towards the fresh “sports cologne.”
Hermès un Jardin sur la Lagune includes notes of magnolia, lily, samphire, and woods. Suitable for both men and women. As for sillage, it’s excellent, although because the character of the composition is delicate, its presence won’t overwhelm. The lasting power is likewise very good for a cologne, around 5-6 hours.
67 Comments
Austenfan: It’s always interesting to read a review of a scent that I didn’t like at all, and that you apparently did. I’ve tried it a few times now, and, no it isn’t for me. It’s not the briny note, but some woody material that I find almost offensive. For me, it also drowns out all of the floral notes that you describe. It may just be that that particular aspect of the scent gets almost all of my attention.
And I went through at least 4 bottles of L’eau d’Issey at the time 🙂 April 1, 2019 at 8:07am
Victoria: I liked the salty, almost savory aspect of the woody notes, but my favorite part is the orange blossom/magnolia start. On the other hand, I find this Jardin to be less overall successful and evocative than some others in the collection, because there is almost too much contrast. Eau de Citron Noir is not my top favorite either, I have to say. April 1, 2019 at 9:07am
Austenfan: Not a favourite of mine either, and that is putting it mildly ; I do like Rhubarbe Ecarlate though. April 1, 2019 at 9:36am
Victoria: Christine Nagel’s interpretations of colognes aren’t my favorites from her portfolio, I have to say. Rhubarbe Ecarlate, however, is fantastic. April 2, 2019 at 5:37am
Figuier: Austefan I too went through ca 4 bottles of L’Eau d’Issey as a teenager! So I’m v curious to try this. I still like ‘watery’ scents such as Jardin sur le Nil, so this might be to my taste. April 1, 2019 at 1:39pm
Victoria: It’s saltier and more marine than all of the other Jardins. April 2, 2019 at 5:41am
Noah Powell: What is the trick to making salt accords? April 1, 2019 at 9:05am
Victoria: Using a combination of dry, mineral or marine notes. April 1, 2019 at 9:09am
maja: I only tried the sample card but I loved it so I am looking forward to trying it on my skin. April 1, 2019 at 9:14am
Victoria: It has a nice sillage, by the way, and I like it even more on others. April 1, 2019 at 9:19am
cloudywings: finally a proper review ! i have been waiting to read something a little more indepth, based on real wear test. thanks for this ! i am also rather dreading the sour woody note – if that’s what it is – of the drydown, which is what made me very disappointed with eau de citron noir. EVERYTHING else about it was lovely, except the drydown, and this seems unfortunately similar, but regardless – will give it a sniff once it’s in stores… April 1, 2019 at 9:14am
Victoria: I think that you’ll find it here too. It’s not quite as prominent, but it appears late in the drydown. I don’t mind it, but I want to highlight it (along with the marine note) to set–or to reset–the expectations. April 1, 2019 at 9:18am
Neva: It’s so interesting to find out how differently we perceive scents. I didn’t feel anything salty in Jardin sur la Lagune. It only reminded me a lot of Cartier Declaration, the latest Parfum version. The notes are different and I didn’t test them side by side but to me they are so very similar. April 1, 2019 at 9:19am
Victoria: I need to test them side by side! April 2, 2019 at 5:37am
Matty: I must try to get a sniff of this as there are different reviews. April 1, 2019 at 10:23am
Victoria: Please do and let me know what you think. April 2, 2019 at 5:38am
Debby: Thanks for this review, I thought it sounded lovely when I first heard about it, but it’s getting some serious hate on Fragrantica! I think I will get a sample, it has a lot of notes I love in it.
Speaking of L’eau d’Issey, has it been reformulated, or has my taste changed? It was my signature when it first came out, but I tried it a couple of weeks ago and really wasn’t keen, too much melon. I didn’t get that olfactory time machine effect, so I’m thinking it must have changed, not me. April 1, 2019 at 11:07am
Austenfan: I think it has become a lot harsher over the years. April 1, 2019 at 2:46pm
Victoria: I agree, and yet, if you smell it next to the latest launches, it smells so lush! April 2, 2019 at 5:42am
Victoria: Perfume lovers have a thing about marine notes, and it always surprises me how many people dislike them. April 2, 2019 at 5:40am
Victoria: P.S. Yes, L’Eau d’Issey has been reformulated countless times. April 2, 2019 at 5:41am
Debby: I love marine notes, and have been very disappointed by the reformulations of some of my 90s marine favourites (Escape is particularly awful now). I got to try Un Jardin sur la Lagune today, didn’t expect to find it in my rather dire local department store, and I love it! It has such a beautiful lily note, and the saltiness is perfect, full bottle worthy for me, and a great replacement for some lost wonders. April 3, 2019 at 6:17pm
Victoria: I’m very glad to hear it, because for me it fit into the same spot that was vacated by the reformulated L’Eau d’Issey. It’s very easy to wear, at least for me. April 4, 2019 at 2:59am
Figuier: Austefan I too went through ca 4 bottles of L’Eau d’Issey as a teenager! So I’m v curious to try this. I still like ‘watery’ scents such as Jardin sur le Nil, so this might be to my taste. April 1, 2019 at 1:41pm
OtherWise: I think cumin sometimes leaves me with an impression of salt-scent, perhaps because of the association with sweat? In any case, I like this Hermes release and have a more general curiosity about the magic that goes into creating salty, ozonic, and marine vibes. My impression is that lots of folks have an aversion to them and I’m really grateful that I don’t…. April 1, 2019 at 6:42pm
Victoria: Perhaps, that’s it. In Cartier Declaration, cumin and a mineral-woody notes also create a salty impression. April 2, 2019 at 5:42am
Zoe: I have a question for the readers. What do you do with your beautiful empty perfume bottles? I can’t bear to throw them out. Thank you. April 1, 2019 at 7:45pm
Victoria: You can display them. It seems a pity to toss them, especially if you have a shelf where you can arrange them nicely. April 2, 2019 at 5:44am
cloudywings: i always keep the bottles, and there’s usually a drop of the scent left, so it’s lovely to have a sniff once in a while. furthermore, we are now living in an era where nothing is made to last, so the perfume-bottle combination we currently have may never be reproduced; i.e. reformulated scent / new bottle design / complete discontinuation… April 3, 2019 at 8:48am
Victoria: I do that too. Just a drop of some of the most special scents to remind myself what they smelled like. April 4, 2019 at 3:00am
Debby: I’ve seen some lovely display ideas on vintage cake stands on Pinterest. April 3, 2019 at 6:20pm
bregje: The way you described this sounds absolutely delicious!
So i’m definitely going to give it a try.
Interesting to read how subjective a scent is.
I think we have talked before about how much i love sur le toit on my skin, while it didn’t really work for others.
Sur le nil doesn’t work for me it’s ok but nothing special.I love l’eau d’issey but it hasn’t always smelled good on me(my mom and some of my friends wore it better) but it does now. April 1, 2019 at 9:11pm
Victoria: Scent, taste, art, books, etc. That’s part of the fun! April 2, 2019 at 5:45am
Clare Obsure: Ahh. Thanks for mentioning my favourite, Un Jardin sur le Toit. I love the names of all these gardens by Hermes but ‘sur le toit’ is the only one that works on my skin. September 18, 2019 at 3:38am
Mariann: Im a Hermes fan and adore the Eau de Merveilles series, Jardin apres la Mousson, Jardin au Bord du Nil and used to wear Eau de lIssey. But I tried this on skin and something is just off. I thinking it may be one of the woody notes or musk? April 1, 2019 at 10:01pm
Victoria: I think that it’s in particular the marine note paired with musk. April 2, 2019 at 5:45am
Mom: Do I have to buy jardin de la Maditerranee or Jardin Sur là Lagune? Which one is better???? May 12, 2019 at 5:54am
cloudywings: scent is not only personal it’s also chemical, so do get the one that you like smelling, that works with your skin chemistry and the climate you’re in. i love ALL the jardins created by JCE especially en méditerranée and mousson, and the reason i’m not a great fan of this latest lagune is that i find it slightly too complex, and further weighed down by the strong sour-woody notes once the beautiful opening notes fade. without the drydown coming on so strong, i would definitely like it much much more. that said, i’m in an extremely humid climate, and sour marine notes tend to intensify and that makes me nauseous unfortunately ! but no scent is ever better than another; it’s all about what you like 🙂 May 12, 2019 at 10:48am
Clare Obsure: I love this answer to the question, “Do I have to buy this?” & cloudy wings reply that fragrance is so personal that we only need to consult our own emotional response. As Marie Condo would say, “Does this fragrance spark joy?” September 18, 2019 at 3:45am
Victoria: I agree with the comment above. Try both and see which one you like best. I’ll confess that I’m not a fan of Un Jardin en Mediterranee, because it’s too one-dimensional for me. But you might prefer it to all others. May 13, 2019 at 2:00am
Klaas: I am a great fan of salty notes in fragrance, but I do have a problem with the Miyake/CK one/Aqua di Gio ‘mineral’ effect (is it calone?). Great things can be achieved with vetiver, licorice or crunchy woody touches. My favorite salty (or should I say savoury?) fragrances are Sel de Vetiver, Sycomore (extremely salty on my skin) and Brin de Reglisse, which is sweet and salty at the same time. Terre is also deliciously mineral! April 2, 2019 at 4:06am
Victoria: I like all of the fragrances you’ve identified as your salty favorites. And then Jean-Claude Ellena is a master of salty perfumes, and under his reign at Hermes, their whole collection became accented with this kind of effect. Even Osmanthe Yunnan, not an ostensibly salty perfume, has a touch of something briny to balance out the osmanthus and apricot notes. April 2, 2019 at 5:47am
Klaas: Yes, Ellena is my hero! He likes salt and bitterness, which I love as well. I find these ‘flavours’ so much more interesting then sweet. Campherous notes are also great, when handles with care…..one doesn’t want to end up smelling like glue. Or mothballs…… April 2, 2019 at 8:32am
Victoria: I also like the way he makes floral accords so luminous and airy–and unsweetened. April 3, 2019 at 1:29am
Klaas: Jour d’Hermes is incredible that way! April 3, 2019 at 9:04am
Andy: I happened to wear one of the other Jardins today (Monsieur Li, which I’ve warmed up to considerably), so this reads as a welcome addition to my list of releases to try. I love the way Ellena played with a spicy marine impression in Après la Mousson, and I’m curious to see how Nagel crafts a vignette of saltwater and flowers. April 2, 2019 at 1:44pm
Victoria: I was thinking of you as I was trying it, so I can’t wait to hear what you think. April 3, 2019 at 1:30am
Tara C: I tested this a couple of days ago, it was just okay on me. Some fruit, some wood, didn’t really notice the salt. The whole Jardin series is pretty much a bust for me, the only one I could wear even briefly was Sur le Nil. Oh well, more money saved! April 2, 2019 at 2:14pm
Victoria: Exactly! I’m sure this spring will bring something else to tempt you. April 4, 2019 at 2:56am
Lydia: Victoria, I think you just helped me understand why I found Elixir des Merveilles so odd. I was prepared for orange, patchouli, and a sort of chocolate effect, but not for salted chocolate!
I have to admit that this isn’t a combination I gravitate to (I always rub the salt flakes off my caramels), but now that I have a better idea what I’m smelling it definitely seems more interesting. April 3, 2019 at 2:28am
Victoria: I liked Eau des Merveilles the most from this collection, since all of its elements are so nicely balanced. Have you tried it? April 3, 2019 at 4:39am
Victoria: I, on the other hand, love to salt my chocolate. 🙂 April 3, 2019 at 6:16am
Lydia: Thanks for the suggestion. I think I tried it years ago and liked it. I know Sephora carries it in the store, so I’ll definitely stop by and try it again sometime.
I have a theory that I’m not so drawn to salty notes because I’m almost always thirsty and my instinct says salty perfume will make me thirstier.
I should notice next time if Hermes perfumes make me reach for my water bottle. 🙂 April 3, 2019 at 1:41pm
Victoria: Perhaps that’s why. Some of these notes can also be too sharp on skin. April 4, 2019 at 2:58am
Fazal: Polge’s work at Chanel and Nagel’s work at Hermes has not moved me so far. There is no doubt both are extremely talented perfumers but being good at ideas and being a good perfumer are two different things.
I think the true potential of some perfumers only emerge when they work with talented creative directors. I consider first version of Dior Homme to be the best perfume of the 21st century so far, men or women, mainstream or niche, and Polge created it but I don’t think we would have gotten Dior Homme were it not for the creative direction of Hedi Slimane, Dior’s designer at the time. April 4, 2019 at 6:07am
Laura: When I sampled Sur La Lagune for the first time, I felt outraged. Thin, cheap, lacking any complexity whatsoever. In a word, vile. Some fragrances in the Jardins collection grew on me in time, like Apres La Mousson (I love it now) so there’s hope, but somehow I fear that without Ellena, the magic is gone. I can’t even compare it to Mediterannee, a masterpiece of a fragrance. Dommage. May 12, 2019 at 3:37pm
Victoria: Un Jardin sur la Lagune is not cheap at all (on the contrary, the formula is quite special), it is nuanced and it wears well. But as I mentioned in my review, those who don’t like marine notes won’t enjoy it. Another thing that’s unconventional is the combination of swete and salty notes. I remember similar comments after un Jardin Apres La Mousson was launched, and those days many lists it among their top favorites. Perhaps, when something is new, it always generates a backlash and it needs time to become accepted. May 13, 2019 at 1:57am
Laura: You are right Victoria, regarding Un Jardin Apres La Mousson. I did not like it in the beginning, and then it grew on me. It may happen with this one as well, hard to say. I may also be anosmic to some of the ingredients. The result, unfortunately, is that this perfume does not agree with me at this point in time. I am not sure what you mean by “marine notes”, I love Eau de Merveilles for example, and consider it “marine”. But it’s not a sweet fragrance, thank God. May 14, 2019 at 12:46pm
Victoria: Eau de Merveilles is not considered a marine fragrance, though. When I talk about marine notes, I mean specifically the kind of ingredients that made Issey Miyake or Cool Water popular–briny, fresh, salty, with a hint of melon. May 15, 2019 at 1:58am
Laura: That solves it then. I detest Issey Miyake’s fragrance on me (although I like it on others). Cool Water is better, although not up my alley either. Can’t like them all. Thank you for clarifying, Victoria. PS For me, a dry fragrance with salty accents and driftwood is a marine fragrance, whatever the general opinion may be. I grew up by the sea and although melon was a daily threat, the sea itself definitely does not smell like melon. May 15, 2019 at 6:15am
Laura: Sorry, I meant to say melon was a daily TREAT 😀 May 15, 2019 at 6:16am
Victoria: For me as well! Eau des Merveilles is my perfect sea fragrance, by the way.
In perfumery, however, when one speaks of marine, one means a very specific group of notes. This ensures that we all know what we are talking about when we are discussing a fragrance. In reviews, I try to define such words whenever I remember, but I also have this list of terms:
https://boisdejasmin.com/2012/02/speaking-perfume-a-z-of-common-fragrance-descriptions.html May 15, 2019 at 6:24am
Lauren: I was surprised by the powder bomb I got when I sprayed this. I haven’t seen anyone else mention a powdery note, so I am wondering what my nose is interpreting as powder?? I love it whatever it is! July 4, 2019 at 9:20pm
Stefanie: Ups, I am late to the show here – the reason is, that I was terribly disappointed, when I first smelled UJSLL. The aquatic note I didn’t like at all. I tried seversal times over the months, and yesterday, after I felt, that I had to try again, I utterly fell in love. It happened just like this with Un jardin après la Mousson, just as you mentioned. I own a bottle now of UJSLL and am smitten with its clear structured elegance, it reminds me in fact more of the works of Henri Matisse than of Venice. Thanks for the review, Victoria, that was so helpful and supporting, cause all other reviews I read on parfumo were devastating. Merci Mme Nagel for this treasure! August 20, 2019 at 11:04am
Lindsey Klein: This was such an interesting read! I’ve been a Hermes eau des merveilles/bleue wearer for a long time but last week went into Sephora to request a sample size. The girl grabbed the wrong bottle (un jardin sur la lagune) so I ended up trying it for the first time. I sprayed it on and almost detested it. It was overwhelming with florals and I had a headache and nausea on the spot. Then….I got home an hour or two later and FELL IN LOVE. I’ve found my new soul mate….even though I’m not crazy about it at first spray 😉 October 25, 2019 at 8:47am
spe: Reminds me very much of Caleche Eau Delicate, not so much of L’Eau d’Issey. Giving it a full wear today for the first time and am enjoying this quite a bit. Dry, slightly spucy floral; not getting much marine in the drydown. December 16, 2019 at 3:49pm
Ramin: Where does the red color in this fragrance come from? July 27, 2021 at 1:33pm