Un Jardin sur la Lagune Hermès 2019

2019
My statement was: "Horribly synthetic. Nothing fresh, at best chemically floral fresh with a certain warmth and a chlorine accord. Overall regrettable."

I was genuinely appalled by Un Jardin sur la Lagune back then. It was Hermes, part of the Jardin line, and not worthy of a second test. I ignored it for 2 years.

2021
I recently found myself with my mother in a well-stocked Müller drugstore. We first tried a bit through the mainstream selection (Guerlain, Issey, Elie Saab, Chanel... everything you find at Müller) and ended up at the Hermes shelf.

Since my sister is a big fan of Un Jardin sur le Nil and I really like both en Mediterranee and après la Mousson, my mother wanted to test the remaining Jardin bottles.
Willingly and unsuspectingly, I sprayed the scents on test strips and gave her some background information about the gardens.
My mother's verdict was clear and distinct: La Lagune is, alongside Sur le Nil, the best scent from the Jardin line.

Wait, what!?

I took the scent strips from her somewhat incredulously. La Lagune wafted a salty, floral scent towards me. My nose searched for the negative impression from two years ago but found neither the chemical nor the slightly sweaty note from back then.
Now, La Lagune seemed more like a blend of Eau des Merveilles (salty, woody, noble Hermes DNA) and Frederic Malle Dans tes Bras (strange, intimate Cashmeran). Overall, however, it was more pleasant and floral. My scent impressions were:
- Warm, salty skin
- Magnolia and lily
- Driftwood
- Fresh and slightly aquatic sea accord
- Rather dense than airy
- Interesting.

We both sprayed the scent on and wanted to give it time on the skin. After 20 minutes, we moved towards the checkout with a bottle.

I can't say what is different this time compared to 2019. Maybe La Lagune simply stands out exceptionally compared to other perfumes from Müller (the boring over-sweetness of Mon Guerlain, the pandering of Coco Mademoiselle Intense, the umpteenth fresh scent à la A Drop d'Issey...). But even without comparison scents, the fragrance fills a rarely occupied scent gap.

Lagune is romantic but also a bit weird. Not sweet, but very unisex. It is a Hermes garden but feels "more perfumey" than its siblings. Not a typical summer freshie. It radiates a cozy seclusion.

Conclusion: Sometimes it’s worth testing fragrances again over time!