HM by Hanae Mori is a fruity floral for men. There, I said it. The amusing part is that I'm quite fond of it. I bought the bottle for my husband six or seven years ago, before the long line of Lutens and Malle bottles on the top shelf of our perfume cabinet. I think I was trying to wean him off his Givenchy Pi and looked for something just a little less sweet, but full-bodied and more interesting than traditional men's cologne or Polo.
While I could never stand the original Hanae Mori for women in all its strawberry-vanilla glory, something in HM For Men won me over instantly. It was quite complex and I really liked that it was an EDP and not an eau de toilette. I never subscribed to the idea men's scents should be lighter or not as long lasting as women's. There was a neverending note list which the SA recited to me, most of them easily detectable on skin.
Other than the bracing lemon-lavender opening (which lasts on my own skin surprisingly well), nothing in HM is particularly masculine. There's an abstract ripe fruit in the heart that morphs into a unisex woody iris but not as gracefully as Daim Blond- HM tends to take some sharp turns. Jasmine, rose and lily of the valley aren't exactly pillars of masculinity, but they stay surprisingly close to the skin and blend with the rest of this extravaganza. Then come the part that identifies this fragrance as an Angel (the feminine classic, not A*Men) offspring- a chocolate-vanilla drydown of the yummy variety. However, HM is much better behaved than Angel. Maybe it's the lack of the infamous caramel note, or the fruit is better done. In any case, while Mugler's beast tends to turn my stomach, Hanae Mori feels pleasant and friendly.
I still have that bottle. The husband has moved on to bigger and better things, as did I. But once in a blue moon (and cooler weather) I like to wear a couple of sprays of it, just because. It's a fun little thing, not very demanding and has a cheery, uplifting quality.
HM by Hanae Mori EDP for men is available from most department stores for about $70 and about half this price from several online discounters. I bought the bottle at our local Bloomingdale's.
Photo of the Hanae Mori Barbie doll: wowdolls.com
Other than the bracing lemon-lavender opening (which lasts on my own skin surprisingly well), nothing in HM is particularly masculine. There's an abstract ripe fruit in the heart that morphs into a unisex woody iris but not as gracefully as Daim Blond- HM tends to take some sharp turns. Jasmine, rose and lily of the valley aren't exactly pillars of masculinity, but they stay surprisingly close to the skin and blend with the rest of this extravaganza. Then come the part that identifies this fragrance as an Angel (the feminine classic, not A*Men) offspring- a chocolate-vanilla drydown of the yummy variety. However, HM is much better behaved than Angel. Maybe it's the lack of the infamous caramel note, or the fruit is better done. In any case, while Mugler's beast tends to turn my stomach, Hanae Mori feels pleasant and friendly.
I still have that bottle. The husband has moved on to bigger and better things, as did I. But once in a blue moon (and cooler weather) I like to wear a couple of sprays of it, just because. It's a fun little thing, not very demanding and has a cheery, uplifting quality.
HM by Hanae Mori EDP for men is available from most department stores for about $70 and about half this price from several online discounters. I bought the bottle at our local Bloomingdale's.
Photo of the Hanae Mori Barbie doll: wowdolls.com
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