Herrera Aqua by Carolina Herrera

One of the best CH ever made. That golden era before VIP and The Boy. The scent is herbaceous; the most aquatic part is that bamboo which brings tranquility and builds its own world. Aromatic, fougère, woody, and slightly amber/musky notes. Back then, they used what they had on hand, and quality was all that mattered. Don’t expect something vintage or 80s-style; it has aged beautifully and suits any age.

Amazing fragrance, a super pleasant and versatile scent.

Herrera Aqua (2004), what nostalgia for its ‘suicide’ or rather, its murder. I’ll never understand why they eliminated this fragrance that was pure magic. It was all-terrain, one of the most versatile I’ve had in my collecting life. It gave me the sensation of icy water and an enviable trail. An example of subtlety in formulation; nothing was left over or missing. It taught me about the fig note; there’s one by Roger & Gallet that shares that DNA. A super lovely and transparent neroli, the best way to achieve freshness and that clear water feeling. In the drydown, the cleanest musk note you could ask for. I’m almost sure my Aqua from those years will one day return exactly as it was. It’s gone…!!!!

A true discontinued gem. It’s an atypical aquatic that moves away from the common denominator of fresh summer fragrances; it’s a fresh, slightly sweet, and characterful scent. Everyone loved it, it served for both casual and semi-formal occasions, ideal for the office or a night out with friends. It remains my favorite Carolina Herrera. I still keep the bottle with 2ml just to smell it, as it’s hard to find at a reasonable price and it became a true collector’s piece.

What a mistake to discontinue it. In its time, it was the best aquatic and long-lasting. I had the chance to own it once, back around 2006-2007, and the quality was incredible. I never saw it again.

This perfume was exquisite. I smelled it at a relative’s house, dared to try it, and loved it so much I wanted to own it, until I discovered it was no longer being manufactured.

I’ve never met a fragrance that confused me so much with its ‘Aqua’ label. Applause for Carolina Herrera’s attempt to break the mold of what we understand by aquatic; it was risky, almost suicidal, but the fragrance saves itself and transcends the concept. Now it’s a collector’s item with rising prices. At six seconds, it smells of citrus tonka bean, clean and sweet, with green and floral touches. Then, the citrus fades in intensity until landing at half an hour in a suede blended with a sweet vetiver and an amber that gives it an ozonic, mentholated touch. The tonka bean and amber frame it, creating a transparent and clean effect, almost synthetic, where the marine disappears. At four hours, it becomes slightly powdery, leaving a skin trail with sweet and clean notes, floral and acidic fruity ones, lasting until nine hours. Notes like the fig leaf are barely a whisper. It’s not mandatory, but it doesn’t go to waste. I use it day and night, semi-formal.

Another one of my favorites, very classy, very fresh, and with a ten-out-of-ten longevity. It’s used very little these days, but I don’t think it’s fully discontinued because they have it on Amazon, even selling the kit. You just have to look hard for it.

Very good fragrance, I tried the 40ml version. As Tankian says, it’s a pity they discontinued it; I never saw it in a physical store again and I don’t usually buy on eBay or Amazon, etc.

It’s a magnificent perfume that breaks away from classic aquatics with fresh notes that don’t add anything new, and that eventually become so boring due to their simplicity and poor evolution, focusing only on a summer scent that isn’t taken so seriously and eventually makes it hard to remember and feel a special attachment to that perfume. Herrera Aqua is NOT LIKE THAT. This excellent perfume starts with a very sparkling, refreshing note that pleasantly surprises you, and from the beginning you realize it stands apart from the other aquatics flooding the market. But that’s not all, the best is yet to come. Suddenly and without us realizing it, it begins to release a sweet aroma, but nothing heavy or intrusive; it’s a delicious sweetness, a note very similar to cinnamon that makes this perfume special and is usually to the liking of girls, without a doubt it has been one of my go-to perfumes. A tragedy that they discontinued it.