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Simply Elixir 2017

7.7 / 10 101 Ratings
A popular perfume by Jil Sander for women, released in 2017. The scent is leathery-woody. It was last marketed by Coty.
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Main accords

Leathery
Woody
Spicy
Floral
Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Red pepperRed pepper Red gingerRed ginger Blood orangeBlood orange
Heart Notes Heart Notes
VioletViolet CedarwoodCedarwood IrisIris RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
LeatherLeather PatchouliPatchouli VanillaVanilla

Perfumers

Ratings
Scent
7.7101 Ratings
Longevity
7.188 Ratings
Sillage
6.890 Ratings
Bottle
7.7107 Ratings
Value for money
8.128 Ratings
Submitted by OPomone · last update on 09/27/2025.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The face of the advertising campaign is German model Toni Garrn, photographed by Josh Olins.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Simply (Eau de Parfum) by Jil Sander
Simply Eau de Parfum
Fahrenheit (Eau de Toilette) by Dior
Fahrenheit Eau de Toilette
G I R L by Pharrell Williams by Comme des Garçons
G I R L by Pharrell Williams
U II - Sheer Scent by Ultima II
U II - Sheer Scent
Balenciaga by Balenciaga
Balenciaga
Bottega Veneta (Eau de Parfum) by Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum

Reviews

12 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Stanze

105 Reviews
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Stanze
Stanze
Top Review 37  
At the Station at Work
Once, when I had a late shift, there was a lady aged 60 to 70 in the reception area of the ambulance. I always run back and forth at work and was just running towards the doctor's rooms when I passed by the lady. I walked through her scent aura. Two steps behind her, I stopped and walked backward until I was back in her scent aura. Then I complimented her perfume because it smelled really good. She said it was Simply Elixir (at least that’s what I understood) and that she has always worn it (but it has only been around since 2017). I am a bit hard of hearing, so I'm not entirely sure if she really said "Simply Elixir." But the base of Simply Elixir roughly corresponds to the scent I think I remember.

Simply Elixir is therefore suitable for older ladies, and in my world, at 40 you are still young, but at 53 (my age) you are old. Someone kindly sent me a sample.

The top note greeted me with blood orange; I know nothing about pepper. Then the violet appeared, a bit of iris, but the rose stayed home today. Some wood? Yes, that could be. Slowly, the vanilla began to make its presence known, and finally, the patchouli entered the stage. The base is warm, spicy, and sweet. Maybe a bit oriental. I can only smell leather with imagination, so if I know that it is supposed to be leather.

I find Simply Elixir quite nice, but neither surprising nor new. I particularly liked the violet in the heart note and the patchouli in the base as well. I sometimes don’t like leather, but here it doesn’t bother me. Family tester Q does not like Simply Elixir. She claims once again that it smells like a perfume store. She probably means that different scents mix senselessly. But that is due to her olfactory deficiency. If a scent is floral, it always has a hard time with her. The letterless family tester thinks it smells good. You can’t get more out of him.

The beautiful base is definitely worth a test. I have a training session later. During that, I can expose my colleagues to the scent of Simply Elixir. In my free time, it can definitely be used and certainly for going out. I won’t mention sports today; I had muscle soreness yesterday. Currently, it’s wet and cold weather, which goes well with this scent without any problems. You could probably wear Simply Elixir year-round and possibly even daily if you wanted to. It is a ladylike scent on women, but perhaps a delightful one on men. What do I know?
17 Comments
Gold

726 Reviews
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Gold
Gold
Top Review 19  
Simply Chic Without Shock
"Simply Elixir" is not so simple at all, but rather quite cleverly made. A non-sweet, spicy-peppery opening, followed by a dry-floral accord already known from the first "Simply," with leather noticeable (or that which is used from the chemistry kit of the modern fragrance industry to imitate leather).
Coty also produces Bottega Veneta - I notice the parallels in the leather notes between Jil Sander and Bottega V. in general, which should not imply anything negative (on the contrary!)
Anyone looking for a fragrance that is not sweet, fruity, or overloaded should try "Simply Elixir," as it is, in my opinion, one of the best new releases on the mainstream market of 2017. However, for those who already know a lot and love leather notes in perfumes, they can certainly also look in the niche sector, where there are much more expressive representatives, or simply buy "Bandit" by Piguet, that prototype of a leather fragrance that appeared at a time when there were simply good perfumes - without the often annoying and almost class-dividing categorization into "mainstream" or "niche."
I will get "Simply Elixir," as I am always pleased with every solid relaunch that contains neither oud nor fruit and does not drown in ethyl maltol or cashmeran. The name "Jil Sander" still fortunately stands for a touch of Hamburg's "Clean Chic" without kitsch and frills. "Simply Elixir" is a beautiful proof of that.
8 Comments
Sun

47 Reviews
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Sun
Sun
Top Review 15  
Transformation Elixir by Jil Sander - from Woman to Man
Jil Sander Simply Elixir is, in my opinion, a good example of why perfumes should not be categorized and marketed as men's or women's fragrances, but rather by scent direction and character. If you set aside the packaging, the bottle, and the name, and focus solely on the scent, you might detect, perhaps due to the dominant leather, iris, ginger, and cedarwood notes, a fragrance that would otherwise be classified as a men's scent. Perhaps the perfumers also wanted to offer those women who enjoy wearing men's perfumes a new way to do so with a women's fragrance. It would have been bold, as seen with Calvin Klein, to market the new scent as unisex, but at Jil Sander it seems there can only be black and white, or they simply have little to no idea about good unisex advertising campaigns.

Regarding the scent itself, I can say that it lasts relatively long (about 6 hours) and its character changes little over time. An oriental-spicy medium-heavy scent for autumn, winter, and spring. In summer, I would rather not wear it, except perhaps in the evening, as it seems rather unsuitable for this season and the summer temperatures. It reminds me a bit of Dolce & Gabbana (the first version, the rectangular bottle with the red plastic cap of the same width that is unfortunately no longer produced), although that one is significantly sweeter, more intense, softer, and above all, much longer lasting (at least 24 hours) than this one from Jil Sander.

However, one can appreciate Jil Sander Simply Elixir for being unobtrusive, pleasantly fragrant, and always agreeable - which cannot often be said of many other perfumes with leather notes, as they often smell very harsh to piercing and are quite overpowering, making them unsuitable for work, leisure, or everyday life. The bottle is also very well designed, and the scent is very economical; 2 - 4 sprays are completely sufficient. For anyone who shies away from wearing very heavy (winter) fragrances now in the transitional seasons of autumn and spring, this is certainly a good choice due to its only slight heaviness.
5 Comments
FrannyGold

2 Reviews
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FrannyGold
FrannyGold
Top Review 15  
Ladies' Card? No, thank you!
This fragrance accompanies me to a restaurant, my choice falls on golden earrings and red lipstick.
I let my gaze wander through the rooms, enveloped in sweet leather, and decide on a peaty whiskey. What a beautiful warm summer evening!
Simply Elixir keeps all doors open for me with its spicy warmth. Should I move on? Should I go home and spend the evening comfortably on the sofa? Who knows... but one thing is for sure - my fragrant companion makes me confident and content.
0 Comments
FrauLohse

3 Reviews
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FrauLohse
FrauLohse
Top Review 15  
The Borrowed Leather Coat
Do you remember how it was when you wore your mother's clothes? When you rummaged through her wardrobe and tried everything on? How grown-up and graceful you felt in her festive gown? When you tried on her wonderfully soft leather coat, still carrying a hint of the sinfully expensive perfume she only wore when she went out?
That's exactly how I feel with this fragrance. Just like back then, but finally, finally grown into the leather coat and scent.

The leather coat is old, it has character and is buttery soft. A powdery floral perfume clings to it, discreet, elegant, feminine, perfect for going out, yet still reserved, tenderly embraced by a hint of vanilla.
The ingredients are so tightly woven here that you can't really say the scent starts with xy and ends with xy. I like it when everything is presented clearly and directly, showcasing what the store has to offer. The top note is intense; the word spicy feels too heavy. I don't perceive patchouli distinctly; it's busy elsewhere and probably bears the responsibility. If one note were to be particularly highlighted, it would likely be the violet leading the floral pack.

While my leather scent "Rogue" is equipped with a rebellious leather vibe and "Bitter Sweet" takes an hour to settle down before it becomes cute, I have found here a daily alternative of feminine grace, discreet restraint, and office chic. United in a snug leather. By the way, it's not red, maybe off-white or taupe.

The only thing I would criticize is the longevity and sillage, as the scent collapses too quickly and becomes just a memory of itself. Just like a fragrance in a leather jacket, initially incredibly tangible because it's not your scent, and later the hint is so close that you no longer really perceive it. Otherwise, it would have a great chance of becoming my everyday companion. But it can certainly come back for another test. :-)
7 Comments
More reviews

Statements

30 short views on the fragrance
15
5
Tough, warm, strong, feminine, soft and squishy leather, independent, empathetic, desirable, free, heartfelt, fearless, grounded.
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5 Comments
13
5
Wow, it's beautiful! Powdery sweet leather, balsamic, slightly peppery. Unisex. Unfortunately, like almost all Jil Sanders, it's a weak scent. *Crying*
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5 Comments
11
1
Unfortunately awesome: Soft, cuddly, and velvety suede scent with hints of violet. Intense, feminine, sexy & surprisingly different.
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1 Comment
10
1
A dry, only slightly floral, subtly leathery scent. One of the best mainstream releases of 2017 for me.
Such a shame it's been discontinued.
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1 Comment
10
3
Simply the best.....
I've found my leather scent.
Incredibly feminine.
Great balance between bitterness and sweetness!
Fantastic *clap*
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3 Comments
10
Classic leather-violet combo with a Fahrenheit vibe.
Expressive, long-lasting, and definitely unisex.
The most characterful of the three.
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0 Comments
8
3
Great feminine leather scent. Spicy, fruity, powdery. Still unisex. Niche quality. Why is this being discontinued :(
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3 Comments
3 years ago
9
3
Leather lady,
leather temptress,
woman or man.
Elegant or wicked.
Everything,
but not boring.
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3 Comments
8
3
The Simplys are all good, but this one is the prettiest. Fruity-leathery with sweet violets and fresh spice. Just my style. Come here, you!
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3 Comments
8
2
Great sweetness, somewhat balsamic.. I really like it! Quite unisex, in my opinion.
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2 Comments
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