Mini Fragrance Set, 4 x 0.25 oz

Why it works as a gift

Four small bottles from one house make a better first Hermès fragrance gift than guessing at a single full bottle. The scents are far apart, so the set works as a map: the recipient learns whether they lean fresh, warm, floral or tart, and can buy the full size of the one they reach for.

Each mini has a distinct character. Un Jardin sur le Nil is the garden eau de toilette, with green mango, lotus and sycamore; Jean-Claude Ellena described it as green, vegetal freshness with the smell of water and sand. Eau des Merveilles is an eau de toilette with woody amber notes of benzoin, spicy elemi and bitter orange. Twilly d'Hermès, created by Christine Nagel in 2017, is a floral, spicy eau de parfum built on ginger, tuberose and sandalwood. Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate, also by Nagel, is a cologne of crisp rhubarb and tart lantana with musk.

At a similar budget you could buy one small bottle of a single Hermès scent, but that only works if you already know their taste. The set is the safer, more generous choice when you don't. The trade-off is size: 0.25 oz bottles are for trying and travelling, not a year of daily wear, and two of the four are lighter eaux de toilette or cologne.

Who it’s for

• A sister or friend who admires Hermès and would enjoy the orange box itself as part of the gift
• A partner who wears fragrance occasionally and hasn't found a signature scent yet
• A mother who likes fresh, green scents (Un Jardin sur le Nil and the rhubarb cologne are the natural fits)
• A frequent traveler who wants small bottles that fit in a toiletry bag

Skip it if

• They want one full-size bottle rather than four small ones
• They already wear one of these four daily; a mini of a scent they own adds little
• They prefer heavy, long-lasting fragrance; two of the four are eaux de toilette and one is a cologne
• They are sensitive to fragrance or prefer unscented products

Giving it

• Check the listing names all four scents; Hermès mini sets vary in which fragrances they include
• Add a note suggesting they try each for a few days and pick the one to buy in full later
• Opened fragrance often can't be returned, so check the retailer's return policy before you give it

The facts

Contents

Un Jardin sur le Nil eau de toilette, Eau des Merveilles eau de toilette, Twilly d'Hermès eau de parfum, Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate eau de cologne

Size

0.25 oz each (as listed by the retailer)

Un Jardin sur le Nil

Notes of green mango, lotus and sycamore

Eau des Merveilles

Woody amber notes: benzoin, elemi, bitter orange; by Ralf Schwieger and Nathalie Feisthauer

Twilly d'Hermès

Ginger, tuberose and sandalwood; created by Christine Nagel in 2017

Eau de Rhubarbe Écarlate

Rhubarb and lantana with musk; created by Christine Nagel in 2016

Consider instead

• Gucci Flora Gorgeous Mini Set — Another four-mini set, for someone who prefers fuller florals to Hermès's lighter style
• Maison Margiela Replica Mini Discovery Set — Minis built around memories and places, for someone who likes a story with each scent