Seahorse Zoologist Perfumes for women and men

For Zoologist, this strikes me as pretty safe. It's synthetic and aquatic and masculine in a clean, maybe youngish way. Honestly, I was hoping it would be a bit weirder and more unisex.

My first thought: "What the hell am I smelling?"

My second, more coherent thought: "Wait, I smell like a water park." Upon closer sniff, though, it's NOT water park - the notes make themselves more obvious and distinct. There's tuberose (ugh, but it works in this) and vetiver (subtle), and a few things I absolutely cannot identify. A salty note (ambergris?), something vegetal (algae?). I smell like the beach, but like the platonic ideal of the beach rather than the reality.

(Also, this thing has beast-levels of sillage, holy crap.)

This doesn’t smell like anything I’ve encountered in the wild, but it very much reminds me of indoor maritime centers. The algae within the tanks, the salty sweetness that permeates the more humid areas, and something slightly chemical underlying it all. I don’t know if I like it, and I’m pretty sure I couldn’t pull it off in public, but it’s interesting!

For a photorealistic (cold) beachside experience, I’ve never found anything better than Untamed’s Salish Sea (leans masculine). That one rocked me on an emotional level.

Sweet and salty marine frag with some aromatics and a musk feel. Decent scent. I think personally, prefer Squid over Seahorse. However, I did get compliments with Seahorse more often than Squid. So this is a me choice. For me, if I want to wear something just for me, it would be Squid. Good scent. Longevity was only about 4 hours on skin.

smells like a refreshing shower after a swim, a beautiful take on aquatic scent. sometimes it comes off a little musty. that being said, the longevity is relatively lacking and the smell isn't very complex. 7/10

On paper, the initial opening is very unique- I get floral pandan vibes, and then neroli comes through. The mid to dry down is where this one really shines- creamy yet bright, clean yet a touch smokey. On my skin, I get a note of petrol. I would wear this on my clothes.

Very cool, long lasting, sweet, salty aquatic scent. Thats about it.

Fantastic fragrance, smells like a lagoon. Extremely unique take on an aromatic marine scent. Smells very different up close and from a distance. Love it!

A briny scent. Light but not without character. The ambergris, the algae/seaweed and even the salt-sour woody-ness of the vetiver (albeit much less of this last one) are not just in the base-notes and dry down but are prevalent from start to finish. I don't catch much of the floral notes, a hint of neroli at best. Unexpectedly, the tuberose mentioned is completely lost on me despite usually being such a large presence. Meanwhile, the cardamom is light and cold but very noticeable.

Conceptually successful and very on brand, though perhaps a bit less playful and more straight to the point than what I expected? Don't usually go for marine scents, so won't be needing more than my sample, but did enjoy trying it out.

This fragrance opens with a salty note, that sattles down to a more aquatic one. For me this one is really special because of the algea note wich you can smell all the time when you are wearing this scent. This one is beautifully blendet and also very round through the drydown. It's like diving in a reef in the Maldives, where you smell the algeas in the water while the bright sun is shining into the water.

Very well done, this fragrance is an artwork!

perfect summer scent and starts out strong but then dies out for an extrait it's kind of misleading it becomes a skin scent very quickly.

very much salty, briny, and watery. very impressive and feels true to name. not for me personally but super interesting!

I thought I was going crazy because I just kept smelling play-doh. Turns out it's just my skin. On paper I can smell the salty aquatic notes and they are lovely!!! But on me it just smells like plastic-y playdoh, maybe sunscreen if I reach really hard with my nose.

This is interesting (and lovely).
I really bridled at Zoologist Squid because the SALT (!!!) note was just oppressive... It was like face-planting in a pile of Morton's!
What's interesting is Seahorse has the very definite salt note on dry-down, but it is tempered with the fennel and the fruit (guys, where are the FRUIT notes?!) and the algae/vegetal.
The result is something like Nishane Ege with a dash of Zoologist Squid.

Bravo!

This smells like the vastness of the ocean and really encapsulates the serene, ethereal, and aquatic qualities associated with these fascinating marine creatures. It starts as a delicate and refreshing scent, evoking the tranquility of an underwater world, then manages to ensnare the quintessence of a finely blended ambergris and algae base. This is both abstract, yet wearable, with the uniqueness of a niche fragrance, yet the mass appeal of a designer. To associate this with a tangible association, this smells like walking along the cusp of the meditation, surrounded by a vibrant floral field, with slight undertones of dried-up seaweed along the shore, mixed with the feel of when you chew too many pieces of spearmint chewing gum, then swallow a plethora of water, made tolerable by the musky and powdery resonate. Uplifting, floral, musky, powdery, fresh, perfect for summer and spring, a bold choice for any fragrance enthusiast, willing to branch out from the confines of regular fresh scents.

this was a fun aquatic/marine scent! It’s salty, it’s sweet, it’s airy, watery, and fresh all at the same time. this isn’t a seahorse but it’s the seahorses home. you get fresh and soft spices from the cardamom and fennel, both adding onto the aromatic greenness of the whole scent. the algae is interesting here, it’s definitely salty…fishy even, but it doesn’t get animalic it just smells marine and fresh, like you’re swimming in the ocean through coral reefs, in between seaweed stalks. the florals add a sweet and airy depth which it keeps it from being too on the nose. this one is simple and forward but I think it works that way.

Seahorse gives me a sweet watermelon accord with a hint of cucumber. It is sweet and unoffensive. It is easy to wear and light. Lasts and projects decent but not beast mode by any means. I give it a 7/10. If it were not so expensive I would rate it higher but I think it is overpriced for what it is. A better value alternative would be Kennith Cole Reaction for men. It is the closest designer fragrance to seahorse and it is extremely cheap on discounters.

PS: Can we all please stop with the whimsical bs reviews like the one below about plastic snorkels and Disneyland? What is wrong with you people and your inability to actually listen to your noses and not the marketing associated with the fragrances?

Very unique. I smell a really awesome marine note, but I also smell hairspray.

Seahorse is such a fun piece of art. I’m amazed at how it manages to evoke impressions of translucent turquoise waters, rippling sunbeams, warmed skin, and even a plasticy snorkel. But in true Zoologist style it is more of a fantastical depiction of a seahorse’s habitat rather than photorealistic. The powdery dry-down adds an artificial edge that reminds me of a resort-side swimwear shop, or the Little Mermaid’s ocean cave at Disneyland. Another association, are those super-absorbent expandable polymer toy sea creatures that grow when you place them in water overnight. Overall, associations that are very well suited to our anthropomorphized, out-of-this-world looking friend, Mr Seahorse.

i got a sample of this for christmas and i was super excited to smell the aquatic notes! it reminds me of walk the sea by kerosene but much stronger. it instantly reminds me of mens cologne and it’s very masculine. unfortunately i can’t see myself wearing this and will probably be giving it away

I’m newer to the niche fragrance world and can’t quite pick out all the various notes mingling together here, but it emulates exactly what I would imagine a beachside resort decorated in swirling colors of bright turquoise and hot pink to smell like. Which is to say, it’s absolutely delightful. Some might consider it a companion piece to Zoologist’s Squid. However, I would describe Squid as New England during winter, whereas Seahorse is Florida or Charleston during the summer. Like a bucket of shellfish served straight up out of the turquoise ocean, it’s delicious.

I wholeheartedly disagree with some of the reviews below that say it’s unwearable – I think it’s a crowd-pleasing and incredibly wearable scent that’s very easygoing and quite unisex, although it perhaps leans a bit more feminine. The only drawback is that the longevity and sillage are a bit weak, as it only lasts a few hours on my skin.

It’s certainly more of a spring or summer scent, but it’s pleasant enough to be worn year-round. Full bottle worthy.

In five words or less: Sea foam in a bottle.

I never expected to fell in love as much with this scent as I did
If i hadn't recieved it in the discovery set, it would have probably never peaked my interest to smell it because the combination of the notes is just so weird
However this scent to me is very alluring and calming and i just can't stop smelling it
It is very fresh, salty or marine-like, and the predominant note is algae accompanied with some white floras or tuberose to be exact
The fennel is adding to the aromatic aspect and making it spiecier
In the base it is a hint ambery with animalic touch from the ambergris

Synthetic, amberous ambergris, fennel and algae. Definitely smells like where you might find seahorses. There is an artificial sweetener at work here that gives specifically the ambergris accord an effervescent and amberous vibe.

It's hard to say this smells bad but I don't like it, nor do I think anyone can pull this off. It is certainly artistic and experimental but it smells too "dark green" and of calone for my taste. I'd say it's good for exploring notes, but I don't think it's wearable. Needless to say not a blind buy.

i purchased Zoologist's full current array of samples (September 2023), I've been interested in them for years and decided to treat myself, and am planning to resell samples I did not care for (for anyone interested).

Very unspecial typical neroli beachy fragrance. It's nice and juicy and wearable but it smells like 20 other fragrances i've smelt before.

Now this is what I call beach gourmand funk⛱️😋🕺It's like delicious, but I think the algae and ambergris give that touch of "WTF....BUT IT WORKS!" This perfume is definitely more artsy and makes you stand out from the crowd💁♀️✨️I still am trying to wrap my head around the smell of saltwater taffy in this fragrance with all the notes🍬 I for some reason think that today's Hollywood stars who live in Malibu, smell like this. It's rich,long-lasting, and definitely one of a kind💫

Zodiac Trio
⬆️Aquarius☀️Leo🌜Pisces

I really wanted to like this, but all I get is calone. :( Like any men's eau de cologne. The calone is so overpowering, I can't even smell anything else. I will let the bottle sit, and hopefully something else will emerge. I'm still on the search for accurate marine perfumes. So far it seems like a lot of perfumes fall into the trap of - "marine? u mean calone-y cologne? Gotchu!!!!!"
Edit. I'm looking at the reviews and people being able to smell roses and honeysuckle and neroli and whatnot and I'm so jealous of you :( I'm like B*TCH WHERE

The opening is lovely and soft like soothing mastic chewing gum (cooling vibes from the fennel) but also spicy and slightly doughy (the cardamom). Underneath you feel the aromatics and the floral-ambrette sweetness, which are giving summer vibes and add some complexity to the otherwise minimalist perfume. The drydown is fresh - the algae feels marine-ozonic. To understand what I mean by “ozonic”, try Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea Cucumber for the cucumber note in it - it’s very close to the algae that keeps going through the drydown, where for body is added ambergris which gives some nice deep slightly animalic vibe and the vetiver keeps the whole thing from turning too briny.
All in all it’s like seawater-algae jello with mastics gum, neroli-ambrette sweetness on aromatic-ambergris base for animalic touch to balance the otherwise too light top. Something about the drydown also gives off Versace Vanitas edT vibes, despite these two are so different - this is entirely subjective reference, but still, imo if you used to like this kind of profile, Seahorse will feel right for you.
I’m not the biggest fan of aquatics, unless they are unusual. This one is. And I suspect that what keeps my attention is that it lacks tart juicy citrus (or other fruity) notes. The “salty cucumber” freshness from the algae keeps it fresh enough so that they didn’t have to resort to boring fresh accords. This alone is worth the purchase, but it’s rather pricy. Needs testing before you commit. This aquatic of the brand is different from the Squid. Getting along with one won’t guarantee you getting along with the other, so don’t blindbuy.
Seahorse is the shallow water aquamarine carefree next to the Squid of the silent dusky blue depths.

UPDATE: I’m asked how much it resembles Megamare. Megamare annoys me because it’s like an aquatic, musky, THOO What About Pop (don’t believe me? compare them!). Something’s not right about it. Almost every perfume inspired by it works better for me. And this one works best (Pazzaglia’s Blacks Sea and Aqva di Sale is more like Zoologist Squid than like Megamare). If I’m to say that Seahorse resembles Megamare - I can only vouch only for all its good parts. Try Seahorse if you wished that there were a less annoying and actually well made Megamare.

Seahorse may seem one of Zoologist's "easy" scents, but it is still a niche and nice scent.

The opening is fresh, spicy and green, and a bit salty. In the middle phase, clary sage combines with neroli and tuberose, creating a "creamy" sensation. The seaweed and the ambergris appear at the end but in a very subtle way, increasing the spiciness of the creamy accord.

Seahorse has great longevity on my skin, and good sillage for the first 2-3 hours. Great to be out and about on a hot weather day.

Been looking for a signature scent that reminds me of walking along the bay and smelling the honeysuckle and beach roses, so decided to try this for the algae and tuberose notes, but I also love cardamom, fennel, and clary sage so figured it would be a hit.

On the strip, sunscreen followed by pretty much only the musky dryness of the vetiver and musk mallow, a sort of musky, powdery “generic perfume” smell.

On the skin, also opened with sunscreen followed very quickly by the citrus orange smell of the neroli combined with something intriguingly…doughy? Kind of reminded me of pie crust dough or play dough and gave it an interestingly gourmand note - not sure which it’s from but I have the least experience with musk mallow so maybe that. If you’d asked me to smell this without knowing what it was, I wouldn’t think “beach” or “marine/ocean” at all. But I would think orange creamsicle on a hot summer day, sunscreen, or perhaps eating a pastry with a spritz or a cappuccino on a sunny sidewalk cafe under striped umbrellas.

Sadly no cardamom, fennel, or tea-like clary sage came through for me, but my skin sometimes has a tendency to eat up green aromatic notes. Citrus and that doughy note also very quickly disappeared after about 20 mins and I was left with only the warmer, more masculine notes of the musk mallow, vetiver, and powdery ambergris with a side of sunscreen which were a bit overwhelming for me. I waited a bit longer and maybe a little white floral from the tuberrose came through, but still way too powdery/musky for me overall and I decided to remove it (or tried, at least - micellar water, jojoba oil, rubbing alcohol, and a wash with soap and water in the sink didn't do the trick and I can still smell it on me strongly).

Definitely spring/summer, definitely sunshine, and unisex leaning masculine, but not for me!

TLDR: Sunscreen, orange creamsicle, “ocean breeze” type generic shower gel, man in a suit with a gold watch at sunny sidewalk cafe under an umbrella

smells so nostalgic to me- almost exactly the scent of the orange foamy sunscreen we had in the 2000s as kids

Smells great at first spray.. then turns into a motor oil smell.

The heat of the sun and the cool of the ocean- this is the ultimate beach experience in a bottle. What the fennel gives off is a rich and savory note that warms you in a buttery balminess that is cooled to perfection by aquatics. Seahorse evokes just as it intends- the shore of the ocean, not the depths of it. I get a blast of flavor and color in a whiff, which, in regard to its inspiration being from the shore, is where all the life is. Tropical sands, sea air and the florals from above and below the salty foam are all represented in Zoologist Seahorse, and it has instantly become a favorite summer fragrance of mine.

I detect a lot of Mayol (muguet aroma chemical that has a distinct grassiness to it) which along with the aquatic notes make it smell somewhat too synthetic. The note breakdown is quite accurate and you can smell all notes in somewhat equal proportions. Unfortunately, as someone might expect from such a note breakdown, the longevity is rather poor and it turns into a generic muguet/aquatic scent pretty quickly.

First 15 minutes of this were a lovely fresh aquatic. Once it dries down it becomes a familiar smell. It’s a pretty common dna and just has the special added notes of coral and fennel. Nice but not worth the price tag. Also beware that this seems unisex and almost feminine on paper, but pulls quite masculine on skin (in my experience at least)

On my skin, Seahorse is mostly vetiver and ambergris, with a bitter-smoky opening.

Pleasantly aromatic, but I passed it on as I was hoping for a more traditonal aquatic feel. Silly, I know.

In the bottle, all I could smell was screamy wood alcohol. On my skin, this is very like Squid plus the harsh wood note and some nutty nuances. It's less sweet and vanillic than Squif, while still having the feeling of both. A mix of watery, warm and woody that does work, though I don’t love that harsh wood edge. It’s not as bad as some, but it does get stronger as the scent dries and it is that tar-like burnt rubber alcoholic smell that I really can’t bear anymore. But for most people, this will be drying down to a nice dark wood, soft and gentle and quite pleasant. Without this burnt rubber note, I would like it. Squid will remain my favorite Zoologist for now.

This is funky.

It's sweet, aquatic, very dense, and weirdly doughy.

The dough vibe I get in the first 30 minutes must come from the musk mallow and tuberose combo.

This is very niche, not basic, not designer.

I'm a niche guy and I'm struggling with this one.

I may come around to loving it, as I do many frags, or it just may not be for me.

All that said, this is a piece of art and I get the seahorse with eggs and deep sea portrait beautifully.

Between the two sister marine scents form Zoologist; Squid and Seahorse, Seahorse suffers from being the more "everyday" of the two. Seeing as I'm someone who never fails to be left nauseous by aquatic scents; Seahorse is truly no different. With quite a light burst of spice and what seems like sea mist rather than water, a light hand is okay, but nothing to write home about. As soon as I go in with the sample, I'm caught in a net along with the algae and seafoam coated runoff, hitting eroding rocks. It's just nothing I want to smell like. Seahorse is a scent I felt suffocated by that dries down to a slightly melancholic day in a sunny seaside town, and yet it's nothing I want to find myself in. A neutral pass.

Unfortunately this is not unique at all like squid. Opens very briney but I'd gone within a few minutes then it becomes a generic shower gel scent.
This could very easily be lynx. Disappointing

Zoologist is a bit of a splurge for me, but I just had to have a full bottle of Seahorse (and I lucked out with the limited edition bottle). This is the most unique aquatic I’ve sampled. The fennel and sage dominate the immediate impression, and the salty vegetal funk begins to fade into cool water. There’s something sunny and tropical about this that contrasts with the dark depths of squid. A warm woody character emerges in the dry down. Absolutely beautiful composition, truly unisex.

Sea-foam, Marine flora, fresh seashell sweat, jellyfish dew, organic supercomputer coolant, bioluminescent algae, merfolk stained glass, and frozen carbonated crisp blueberry elixir mixed with Ridley Scott’s milky white android fuel-blood. This is a sweet, sea-punk futuristic D&G Light Blue.

This is the aesthetic of navigating the lagoons of the video game Myst: Riven on the deep backed, translucent aqua blue iMac in 2004. This is afternoons suspended in the deep pixelated oceans of Aquanauts Holiday. This is the lush electric cyan beaches of the Crystal Key. This is blue raspberry computer fan air, in the ice cold air conditioning of Micro Center. Liquid technology.

It is not bad, but not exceptional in anyway. Smells exactly like Davidoff Cool Water to me, the only difference is one is $20 and the other $200.

I bought a bottle last year after loving the sample I got so much. It's one of my favourite hot weather fragrances. I just had a vacation in Aruba last week, and when I got to the beach, all I thought wow, this beach smells like Seahorse.

Whoaaa on paper I completely understand the blue fragrance/Nishane Ege association. On my skin it started with that but very very quickly shifted to something very natural, like part of a plant cut a stem kind of natural. If you're from the Philippines, and you've been to UP, I'm reminded of the smell of the seeds & flowers scattered on the roads of the Sunken Garden during the rainy season. Then there's a very thick leathery mineral that sticks out accompanied by a very distinct white floral smell close to jasmine. There's material kind of rusty scent that i kiiiinda get the popcorn maybe.

It has some nuances that I expected I'd get from Elephant. Maybe i'll pick a travel size up someday. I haven't smelled Dragonfly, but if you packaged it as Dragonfly I'd believe you, because of how light & plant-like it smells for me. So far the best Zoologist I've smelled, surprisingly for a sample I just picked up on a whim to make my decant's shipping worthwhile!

(Edit a few minutes later) ok now it actually smells like the smell of coming out of the beach after a long swim, almost EXACTLY that smell. This may actually be the most realistic marine/aquatic scent I've experienced, not just a nauseating 'blue' scent. Isn't that poetic? That the last whiff you get of a smell that immerses you underwater, is the sensation of surfacing out of it? 💖

Smells like a light colored beach when I first sprayed it, it's warm and marine. Most marine scents I've smelled are light and generally unpleasant, but this is pretty enjoyable (although marine scents tend to give me headaches). This fragrance is on the sweeter side and has herbs with some citrus, very slightly bitter.
I cannot specifically place notes, as I have never smelled something like this, but expect this perfume to remind you of plants near the ocean. Once I searched up the different notes, Ambrette gives the best description of what I am smelling (musky, slightly animalistic, pear mixed with something else?) This is one of my favorite marine scents now, and I could still smell it well after rinsing my arm in water for several seconds.

I felt like when I tested this, the scent skipped right through all of the other notes and hit me with the base notes full blast + sage and some kind of bitter green notes!
I agree with another reviewer on here that it's definitely got a salty seaweed and sunscreen vibe. I also find it to be quite masculine. I had really been hoping for more of those herbal notes to come out, but once again I'm kind of disappointed by how overwhelmingly green and sharp this one is. I have got to learn my lesson with Zoologist and stick to only sampling their warmer/spicier offerings.
This definitely did not have the refreshing herbal and aquatic vibe I was looking for! Definitely too intense for me.

First whiff of this and its like jesus christ. This smells very good, blew me away. Like squid, the description of this is wrong. Seahorse is also gourmand marine. The amber notes are FAR MORE pronounced than the votes suggest which is what made me hesitant to get this but boy are they wrong. This scent is has the algae and the ambergris VERY pronounced throughout this scent's life.

Maybe its because of the climate im in which is equatorial, so one hot temperature year round. Maybe its because of my skin chemistry. Whatever it is, this scent is compatible with me. It is right there next to squid in the feelings in invokes, which aren't aquatic at all, it is a sort of murky marine feel. Totally in opposition to what the artwork suggests.

Definitely a day and summer scent tho so its not as versatile as squid but still very much more so than all the other scents from zoologists which cann be worn anywhere at any time in any season and get compliments, the trick with seahorse and squid is to use an amt based on the time of day/environment you will be in, less for hot weathers/environments without AC, more in cold weathers/night/cool environments.

This scent does the same thing and ticks the same boxes for me that squid does, the problem? Silage and longevity, its more subtle than squid. Seahorse is squid's younger, more flamboyant and showy yet fleeting brother. It tries to be as complex but it isnt, it tries to be as dark but cant but its still good. Its a favorite of mine now, only problem i have with it is wishing it was longer lasting, it isnt but it lasts long enough (<6hrs) for the type of scent it is. It more masculine of course.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I like this scent.

This one surprised me it's very different on skin than sniffing sample and what notes suggest. On my skin this is: Wafer, buiscuit, nutty, salty, edible, a little rubbery, (petrol?) quite a confusing scent, dries down somewhat leathery. Leans masculine...

Is it weird that I find this one mouth watering? Must be that fennel and green vegetal thing because this makes me crave salad. This seems a bit tropical, a warm tide pool on an island off the coast of South America. This would be a great soft musky aquatic for the hottest seasons of the year.

Introduction:
As many of you can guess, this turquoise beauty from Zoologist Perfumes carries the name of the adorable horse-like fish creature called Seahorse. They come in all kind of shapes and forms but none as handsome as our protagonist Julius Seahorse. A very cute Roman like figure that shines with wisdom. We follow him in steps throughout unknown shallow waters of corral reefs, seagrass beds, and estuaries where sweet water meets salty seas. Ah, a lifelong vacation. Seahorses are most often seen in the tropical areas where the sun shines bright and the waters are made salty crystal clear turquoise liquid.

How does it smell?:
Like a dream. Julien yet again does not know how to disappoint. A composition full of contrasts that he magically tied up together to compliment each other. And, of course, to resemble the habitat of this small horsy. The opening is the key, an instant teleportation to the shallow depths of tropical islands. A walk trough the sand next to the costal shore being struck by the sea breeze. But not the calon breeze. It does not feel that way. A very unique and odd note plays the centerpiece in the opening: fennel. It gives off a complex sea water vibe that's sweet and salty at the same time. Slightly vegetal and green. Spiced up with green fresh cardamom and wrapped in Ambrette seeds, giving it the airy, musky, cloud like feeling.
Now that he lured us in, it's time to meet his family, his surroundings, his lifestyle. White flowers play a key role in the hearth of the process. They represent the playful nature of all the life that goes on in these waters. They are not soapy, they are not pungent, nothing here strikes out. The flowers are soft, gentle, bright, smile inducing. Everything is abstracted with no sharp edges where not intended. Rather than that, I get the feeling that everything that has been used to create this composition is to prolong the initial experience and blast of freshness. The seams are vague, non-present. But the notes do interchange. The fennel opening gets carried on by vetiver and it's green, vegetal facets, the sea breeze airiness of the ambrette is swapped with cloudy salty ambergris. And then the composition is just deepened with sea algae accord that lets us know that we have arrived.

Performanse:
We here in the house have luck with it. Everyone loves to wear it. And once it's on the skin, we all are aware of it. It starts off strong, spreading through the room. After a few minutes it settles and creates an aura around you arms length. After 1-2h it gets much closer to the skin, where it stays for the next 8-10h. So the longevity is amazing for such a light, natural smelling scent.

Who is for?:
Anyone really. It does not have any boundaries, you just have to like it. It garnishes compliments. It's easy going. From the green aspect one might suggest is masculine leaning. But from my experience, on a woman's skin it transforms into more gentle floral type of scent. And occasions are also on your freedom of choice. As I said, you can only get positive reactions.

Final verdict:
One might say it's linear, one dimensional. But don't get fooled, those who seek will see the magic. A fantastic summertime scent that became my "dumb reach" over the scorching days. But now that the cold days arrived, I will keep using it because it takes a different cozy form that also works. So artistic, so realistic, so noteworthy, and yet so wearable. That right there is pure bliss. Give it a try and thank me later 😉.

Fennel. Ambroxan. Ambrette. All i can smell. For some reason the combination of the notes make my brain think: why does this smell like petrol?! Or burnt skin? However, despite my nose and brain playing tricks on me, I still love it. It makes me think of swimming in a tropical ocean and drying myself while sitting on a hot rock… gathering the courage to jump off the sea cliff again. But the question is: does this remind me of a seahorse? LOL no, what do seahorses even smell like?

From the reviews on here I can see I'm not the only person who's skin chemistry makes certain notes just dominate everything else. For me it's tuberose, and unfortunately I can't stand it.

I absolutely ADORED the opening of this, Zoologist openings are always transportative and this one took me to the coast. Not a beach but maybe an island, the air redolent with the scent of flowers carried on a fresh sea breeze.

But then the tuberose showed up and I couldn't smell anything else. For hours. Like all Zoologist the longevity is insane. It's like the perfume has been tattooed on.

I could have loved this if it had real ambergris, but it was just another migraine-inducing mix of ambroxan and too much Amber Xtreme (or something similar). I can't stand this trend! It's a hard pass for me.

I can smell the fennel mixed with aquatic notes. I never smelled fennel in a perfume before so that was surprising. Kind of strong for an aquatic and aromatic perfume. Not as fresh as I though it was. The fennel and cardamom spice differentiates that perfume from other aquatic perfumes I've smelled before for sure. Definitely mostly masculine. Longevity is amazing. So far it's a great perfume, very innovative in my opinion. It's just not something I would wear myself.

A fantastic disgrace this one. Elements I like and some I really don't but what I will say is that it's incredibly well made, and balanced, much more so than many Zoologists, not being bitchy there, I like many of them and the opportunities brand owner Victor gives to indy perfumers but as soon as I smelled this I figured it had been done by one of the IFF crew he's brought in for recent releases.
There's the signature ambroxan and woody amber as it's dried down something Rasquinet seems to be able to keep on doing without offending anyone. (Anyone being me)
Of course it has those melon faceted calone, or marine molecule effects to it as well, something which you'd very much expect in a perfume named seahorse but you also get that salty, algae bloom, seaweed with a sickening creamy neroli and vetiver. This is that combination often found in these sorts of sea evoking perfumes and it's the reason I disliked many fragrances including vetiver dance by Andy Tauer but then ended up being convinced by.
I can even smell the aromatic clary sage and a somewhat, 90's masculine lean to this perfume which is an aquatic with much more than meets the eye.
It's actually very pleasurable to wear and has some sweet, almost fruity facets at the start, giving almost pink hues in and among all that aquamarine and teal. Reminded me in a fleeting seaside way of Pacific rock moss by G&B.
Anyway, all in all I think it's accomplished what it sets out to do, evoke a seahorse. I can forgive the herbal, handcream/neroli/vetiver thing because it's me that needs to grow on that front and there's enough other stuff going on to keep me interested and actually enjoy this perfume.

It's okay.
A muted, clean floral aquatic.
A ton of musk and "ambergris" accord, with some seaweed and a generous dose of tuberose.
It doesn't smell bad, but reminds me very much of an "ocean breeze" candle or body wash.

This is my first Zoologist purchase and I couldn't be more pleased! I've always wanted an aquatic and musty scent because my skin does really well with musk. This shall be my summer scent and Mancera's Instant Crush in the fall & winter!

Beautiful packaging. The scent is definitely an acquired taste. Currently I’m in the algae and ambergris only phase. Very aquatic scent that surprisingly isn’t salty.

Edit. After using this for a few times, I decided that I’m not too fond of the algae note. But the aquatic notes in general are fine with me. Still like this.

Amateur reviewer with a bad sense of smell here.

Im getting a dark blue oceanic note. Definitely can smell the algae and ambergris! Im also picking up some white floral notes on the dry drown.

Its not a clean scent, but definitely not dirty at all. Just fresh.

This would be great for summer time for sure!

My dear Seahorse, how I long coming back to thee when the sun is shining and the air is light! It starts with a punch of familiar aquatic notes and algae –that may be off putting to some– to settle down in the softest, smoothest ambergris that lasts and lasts forever. It's like taking a plunge in the shallow waters and then letting yourself float away until the ocean beneath you becomes a cloud of pastels that carries you to the most comforting of places.

Wow, I sorely misjudged Seahorse! But rather than accepting my error and the painful self-reflection that might ensue, I point my finger squarely at the house of Zoologist, who set the bar way too high with their daring and original fragrances - what was I to make of this safe, realistically aquatic standby?

But now that the weather is turning warmer, and "Beast-Mode Summer Fragrance" recommendations are blooming across my YouTube feed, I tried Seahorse again and I’m blown away. A massively pleasing, extrait de parfum bomb of a summertime scent. I see reviewers below got poor performance, but on my forgiving skin it's as strong as any others from the house - many hours later I still couldn't wash it off if I tried.

A brilliant summer beast-mode oceanic aquatic. Rather than struggling to line this up with Squid and other Zoologists, this is better judged against other niche saltwater-aquatic scents, like Acqua di Sale or Sel Marin. And with the combination of summery floral notes, hint of spice and rich heart of ambergris, this is my fave among that company.

This is immediately added to the next set of travel sprays I'm ordering from the house, edging out Tyrannosaurus Rex. Sorry Killer, I'll have to smell like a BBQ grill some other time.

I write my reviews for my own future reference.

I really enjoy the scent. It's unique. I'm typically not a fan of sea, or ocean type fragrances, but the description and notes from Zoologist got me interested. If I lived closer to the water or had a boat or something, I could see this being a great summer fragrance every day... delicate, slightly floral, the fennel element keeps it fresh and slightly sweet. Reminds me of standing on the cliffs in Mendocino where you can stand and get a simultaneous whiff of the ocean air up against California wild flowers. I can't really fault it. I found the longevity to be long and sillage intimate.

(11/29/22 Edit)
Ended up pulling this blind out of the ScentXplore bag, not looking at it and found it more pillow/buttery, maybe amber with more of a hay and dried grass vibe as it dries down but still holding onto the fatty base. I didn't pick up on the sea notes or saltiness this time completely blind. Still liked it, but the anticipation of knowing the notes is a clear influence with any fragrance.

Revisiting this a year later (4/19/23) as the weather warms up it still brings a smile to me and one of my favorite fragrances to smell even if not wearing it. Makes me want to buy a boat only to eat oysters and drink champagne.

Unfortunately, this one does not work with my skin chemistry. Very heavy on the musk mallow and no fennel notes (which is really what I was after). I get the cardamom and sage as well along with the white flower notes.

Too musky for my tastes, however. Really wanted to like this one.

I love me anything with Clary Sage. I'm glad I tried this.

This is delightful. It is a somewhat stereotypical ocean fragrance, in the sense that it is an easy scent to identify. Like, "oh, that's floral" or "oh, that's vanilla" this is an oceany blue scent.

But this is more than a clean laundry aquatic smells. Growing up, my mom was very sensitive to fragrance, clean linens and light ocean breeze was the max she could handle. But this is a journey! The creaminess from the musk mallow and the warmth of the amber amber, the rich salt, the sweet herbs from the Clary Sage, the soapy musk.

I don't think it is groundbreaking, but it's very very very good at what it does. The Clary Sage was just a perfect touch.

This is a perfect scent for wanting to feel destressed and unattached to the world. I could see myself spraying this on my self after a shower, feeling clean and weightless as a seahorse loosely gripped on seaweed so I don't float away. I want my bed sheets to smell like this.

Worth a sample, at the very least. I really enjoyed it.

As a child I had this dried hippocampus (poor thing) that I bought at the souvenir shop inside an aquarium in Italy. It had this pungent salty smell and I cherished it like nothing else. I find a vague impression of that smell in Zoologist's Seahorse (the ambergis accord + algae, I imagine), I can definetely pick up the fennel note too and some floral note I would have never guessed it's tuberose. Unfortunately not only is that all my nose can detect, but in order to smell something I really need to push my nose in the back of my hand. As I'm writing I'm also waering 2 generous sprays of it around my neck, but no smell at all reaches my nose. This is the 3rd time I'm wearing Seahorse since I bought it and I'm beginning to fear that half a bottle will be used to do these experiment to see if someday I'll be able to actually smell even a faint trace of this perfume around me. I really hope the summer heat will help it lift off from my skin. It's oily trace is still visible on the back of my hand after 2 hours from application, so maybe it is just too concentrated to reach a satisfying degree of volatility at this room temperature. As a huge fan of Zoologist (-3 perfumes to complete the collection and I LOVE them all, except Hummingbird, which is a like) and one who litterally jumped off the chair when Seahorse was announced, writing this comment wasn't a decision I made lightly. And I'm really sorry that it's almost exclusively on performance, something I am generally not obsessed with. But I still hope that the warm season will do its magic, and I'll be the happiest man to have ever taken his words back.

Ps: on the bright side, Cow turned out to be a total success for me. It lives up to the suggestion and expectations generated by the house's description and it's totally in line with Zoologist's brave take on perfumery: I mean, a perfume named Cow that smells of grass, flowers and milk? You guys are are a bunch of crazy creative visionaires! ;-)

Immediate thoughts when applied: algea and fennel. It smells like a lovely mens body wash with an extra hint of bitter/plasticity algea. Very interesting for sure!

This was a bummer for me. I got a sample and the full bottle, which was a good call. Sprayed it on paper first and it lasted at least 5 days, really lovely aquatic, very beautiful. It came time to try it on skin and with several sprays of the sample it was gone within 90 minutes. Had to return it, but if this works with your skin chemistry, hurray for you!

Was worried this would be seaweedy, a note I don't like in things like Bvlgari Aqua and other like it. Thankfully this doesn't have any funky notes (which could be bad if you think Zoologist should always be challenging) but still manages to nail the interpretation of the habitat of a Seahorse.

Very easy to conjure up images as you smell it of warm tropical waters and colorful coral, with sand particles swirling round. You get a salty warm sandy feel from it.
Not sure exaclty what the notes are that give that feel, but it's certainly a nice and interesting blend.

A small negative I'd say is if you don't like Tuberose (and I am not fond of it) that does pop out a little more as it dries and for a period it can be quite oppressive, but overall I think this is a good entry in the Zoologist series.

After that seeing julien rasquinet will work with zoologist, one of my most favourite houses, on a marine theme perfume, i know this is definitely going to be a yes blind buy for me - and im not disappointed. This one definitely blew my mind with its simplicity yet uniqueness. It wont knock you off your foot with its complexity like the zoologist bee, but if you look closely to what the house and the perfumer are trying to achieve, this is a 100/10. Upon its opening, fennel is very prominent, and in the middle, some tuberose mix with seaweed (plus some ambergris) and sage give an incredible blend. It does sound weird, but with julien rasquinet's magic, it works!! Overall, its a very unique marine theme perfume with some creaminess, and is very easy to use. The performance is acceptable, with longevity a little over 8-9 hours, and it projects moderately for the first 2-3 hours (the rest is a skin scent). To me this is one of the best from the house and definitely my top three.

It definitely portray what its preamble says; "balmy sunlight trips across foamy turquoise waves, sending rippling haloes onto the coral below". I can imagine swimming through shallow water in an open ocean, observing corals and sea life while sunlight shine through the rippled waves. If the squid is a deep dark mysterious sea, seahorse is a happy memory snorkeling in australia. Absolutely terrific. Spray them on a different arm, close your eyes, smell them one by one, and let them take you to another dimension with their magic.

Charleston, SC - specifically The Market. If you’ve been there, you know. The horse stables (but not in a manure sense, more the horses and their bedding bedding), mixed with some Market spices and salty Charleston harbor air = Seahorse. Nostalgia in a bottle. Not a safe blind buy and it’s peculiar, strange, far more horse than seahorse but I LOVE it. I don’t even know why I’d want to smell like a stable by the sea but it’s intoxicating and I keep sticking my wrist up by my nose to get a bigger whiff.

Very nice gournandy marine scent.

Topnote freshness is not unlike that found in Andy Tauer's Swiss Alpine Air (L'air des Alpes Suisses).

Reviewers comment on the gournand quality, like a 'bakery next to the ocean'. I get this too, a certain grainy or wheatgerm quality, alongside the creaminess. In this respect it has a close cousin in Hermes' Epice Marine, which was conceived in collaboration with a restauranteur.

The fragrance, together with the appealing name and the limited edition bottle with sand-and-sea colouration, form an attractive whole. It can take its place alongside Zoologist Squid as a valuable addition to any maritime collection.

Unlike Squid, it is more of a sea fantasy than a true sea odour. Then again, the seahorse is a bit of a fantasy creature, a league away altogether from the squid.

The faux ambergris note overrides anything I would find appealing in this fragrance.

Like getting dunked by a wave on a stormy day. A marine aquatic that's a bit dirty like the sediment of old crab shells churning up in the tide. Something very real about scent made me love it a first whiff but alas just like the quickly retreating tide, it was gone. For this beach kid, it was basically a single thread of slightly morphing ocean scents. Can we talk about the color? The stunningly peaceful translucent green/blue completely belies the heady ambergris. For me falls into the category of love to look at, love to smell, meh about actually wearing it.

Super aquatic and fresh scent. Very unisex to my nose. Even some soapy and detergent aspects to the scent.

I almost felt that there was a citrus note like yuzu in the opening of this fragrance. This opened with a very very realistic, almost chewy (like eating an octopus) note. It's the weirdest feeling that I cannot describe. But I definitely felt that when I first sampled this. The lovely opening does down to a detergent-y, fresh aquatic scent. It has some musky qualities and it also has some floral spices. But it stays the same for most of the life of this fragrance. It’s quite a calming aquatic scent that I enjoy smelling

I was really curious on how Zoologist would convey a seahorse; let me say it right off the bat, they f*cking nailed it.
Opens up with an almost ambery gourmand green opening, Its really hard to describe but the more I smell it the more I love it. The dry down is by far my fav part of this awesome perfume; as a lover of vetiver this is pure heaven. I get the slightest touch of aquatic almost salty nuance thanks to the ambergris that just blends so well with the vetiver. It really is an awesome depiction of a sunken city in a bottle. Performance is really nice, nothing nuclear but nothing weak either; after an hour or two it turns into a strong skin scent but I do get wafts from it all throughout the day, after 7 hours or so it's basically gone on skin, haven't sprayed on clothes, guessing that's much better!

Wow this is interesting. Musky and Oceanic, really enjoy it a lot. Cant wait to try this in the warmer weather.

Opening: Gourmand Ocean

Seahorse is an odd one for sure, but I am on the love side this time. Opening notes remind me of a bakery next to the ocean. So weird, but it’s fun. I don’t pick up a popcorn note as others noted. Instead, it’s spicy and chewy, like sticky buns strutting on the boardwalk.

Dry down is earthy with a tinge of florals. The dominant note though, is ambergris. I know it’s likely synthetic but man, it’s the perfect ocean wave smell.

Zoologist is either a love it or hate it kind of brand for me. My two favorites are Civet, followed closely by Musk (Deer). I like Hummingbird, Bee, Squid, and Dragonfly. Bat was extremely interesting. And I disliked Elephant, Panda and a bunch more, I’m listing them in case there are others with similar taste that might find Seahorse a fun, different and enjoyable perfume.

I will need to test in summer weather, and from a spray as my sample is the dauber style that luckyscent sells. If performance is better, than I will be elated.

I really love this. I think most people who follow the brand (or even those who don't) know not to blind buy from Zoologist, but I did and I am glad because the presentation is beautiful. From start to finish on me, this fragrance is most linear... an aquatic floral with some soft creaminess from the ambrette. I adored this from first spray, and it lasts 12+ hours on my skin. I do not see the comparisons to Squid whatsoever, other than they are both sea life. While squid is exploring the depths of the ocean, seahorse is just chilling on the reef. Other reviewers are mentioning popcorn often enough that it drove me back to my bottle of La Fin du Monde to see if I have gone nose blind to the scent of popcorn - I don't know what you all are getting this from.

Crisp saltwater, I get a slight menthol and chlorophyll - a clean, astringent quality maybe from the fennel. Ambergris is the main attraction and it really roughs up the florals in a pleasant way.

Zoologist's newest is a surreal snorkeling jaunt that begins at the bottom of the reef with the weirdest lunch of buttered seaweed on rye toast, goes on to examine some herbal indolic anemones, then drifts ashore on pleasant low tide algae funk.

Seems a little gimmicky--a fun excursion, but I don't want to smell like it.
Lasts minutes on skin, but like sand, is impossible to get out of clothes.

Smells like popcorn

'Seahorse' is undoubtedly aquatic from the first spray. However, what sets it apart is the addition of fennel and algae. The fennel adds a unique spicy edge, combined with tuberose and neroli to give the scent an interesting creamy and plant-like texture. This genuinely reminds me of seaweed or underwater vegetation in crystal clear blue waters. 'Seahorse' is composed in a way that's just weird enough to stand out, but not overtly challenging. I can see myself wearing this a lot in warmer weather.

Sadly one of the most disappointing Zoologists to me. I can't help but compare Seahorse to those generic ocean breeze-smelling hand soaps. After a while the ambergris note comes out quite strong and I'm not a fan of that either.
If you're familiar with Zoologist, imagine layering Beaver and Squid; it's pretty much what you're going to get here!

First blast of musky sweet salty aquatic, cool on my skin, watery. I get images of shallow coral reefs and sun warmed sand, salt and flowers. Where Squid was cold, dark, and mysterious, Seahorse is cold, bright, and sweet. After a couple minutes, the richer greasy ambergris starts to warm on my skin, taking things to a slightly faint animalic place. Beautiful and balanced. Leans feminine and best for all weather, but I'd be wary of overspraying this sweetness in summer.

I will start by saying that I am a big fan of the Zoologist brand but also of the Perfumer, Julien Rasquinet. So when I heard that they will release a perfume I got very excited about it and wanted to test it right away.

Lucky for me, I got the chance to do it so I will share the opinion with you:

It has a harsh start, thanks to the fennel I think, this is strong spicy smell for me at least and I can feel it stronger than all the rest, after few minutes the cardamom and the ambrette seed are also noticed.
If you judge this perfume by the opening, it will not win you over .. the same happened with me, I was ready to give it a 7 and that is it, but luckily after 10 - 15 minutes it becomes very nice, marine and nicely balanced. The fennel gets in the background and the clary sage, neroli and seaweed start to come to life.

I feel in the later dry-down some notes of ambergris accord, because Zoologist do not use real animal products in their perfumes.

Overall this is a solid release and I like what Julien did here, it is a very pleasant, out of office in holiday type of smell which reminds you of the sea breeze and sun, exactly what it says on the tin.

The opening is so promising but it dies down really quickly and just fades out. Really surprised this lasts on anyone, I will try it on paper later to see how it preforms but on my skin as it is it becomes basically a memory in short order. Had the same exact experience as popcornman35, was wonderful and interesting and then gone almost completely. Really a disappointment. 4/10

This is such a beautiful uplifting fragrance, if just for the cardamom / tuberose combination alone. The tuberose in Snowy Owl was superb, and it's just as wonderful in here as well. The cardamom is so soft, and the florals are so perfectly blended with it to create a dreamy experience of weightlessness. The algae absolute in here is nowhere near as challenging as the note may suggest; it's just enough to be interesting without overwhelming. Like most Zoologist fragrances, repeated wears will result in noticing different nuances each time. It's complex without shouting it at you. Seahorse is incredibly easy and delightful to wear, and could very well be their best "Summer" release yet.

a banal, faint, greasy fresh scent that opens up like a smell of popcorn and fennel and then continues faintly with some vetiver and some indistinguishable grass. very balsamic but not very marine. disappointing performance. 4.5 / 10

a banal, faint, greasy fresh scent that opens up like a smell of popcorn and fennel and then continues faintly with some vetiver and some indistinguishable grass. very balsamic but not very marine. disappointing performance. 4.5 / 10

Strange! For the first 30 seconds the spray was exactly like the scent test I sprayed on paper, mineral and marine with bright fresh tropical florals. At the 00:31sec everything disappeared and there was a sudden smell of something like buttered popcorn and pale heartwoods. I'm guessing that's the amberette or fennel taking affect?

I thought I might have had nose blindness but an image appeared in my minds eye: The tiny rigid body of a seahorse with gentle spikes, curled tail, and rough texture. The scent slowly bloomed into the salty aquatics of a pale turquoise sea with bright sand. Then the smell of tropical blooms of bright orange and hot pink burst onto the scene and represented the vibrant colors of the coral reefs the seahorses live in. Although it felt like I was smelling a perfume in reverse, it was more like micro to macro, the tiny majestic seahorse and then it's surrounding environments. It really made me focus on the creature itself and not just it's habitat. Absolutely amazing!

This one made me angry. the fennel mixed with the neroli-vetiver-ambergris combo so well and it smelt amazing. the fennel made it smell a little dirty on my skin. This smelt like an amazing tropical scent. a little bit spicy and the aquatics in this smelt so realistic. i could almost feel the hot sun through the water. That opening 5 minutes made me want a 10ml almost immediately. then it disappeared. i don’t mean that it’s a skin scent for its entire life, i mean it literally was gone after 5 minutes. what a waste. i tried a couple sprays on a strip as well and it disappeared even quicker. how is this an extrait de parfum?

Aside from the lack of the ink accord, Seahorse is most different from Squid in the opening. To my nose, the ambrette and cardamom give the opening a creamy texture that you'll either love or hate. The cardamom here is in the vein of Cartier Decleration, as opposed to a YSL style cardamom. The floral aspects are fairly obscured to my nose, whereas the vetiver and ambergris are stars. It's a colder, more green fragrance compared to its cephalopodous sibling. For the person who has chosen Squid as their Fall/Winter signature scent, Seahorse would make a lovely Spring/Summer companion.

Visited Victor Wong's brand new store in Toronto today and had the pleasure of smelling this.

Seahorse shares little similarities with Squid. It's noticeably less oceanic and aquatic than Squid, and more multifaceted with a lovely creamy and nutty note that is attributed to the top notes.

The floral notes are easily detectable as the fragrance progresses to the mid stage. The neroli and tuberose are particularly prominent which give it a powdery and soapy texture in the early dry down.

The ambergris is the only aspect Seahorse shares with Squid, and in a smaller dose than the latter. It's nowhere near as "inky" as Squid.

The late stage of the dry down is predominantly green with light aquatic trails with the vetiver and algae.

In the context of Zoologist's lineup, if Squid invokes the depth and darkness of the deep sea, Seahorse is more transportive to the colorful and bright coral reefs. A worthy addition to the lineup.

As far as performance goes, I did a few sprays on my arm and it's still detectable 7 hours after application.

P.S. Everyone should visit the Zoologist boutique in Toronto once it is open to public. Victor is the sweetest man and the atmosphere of the boutique perfectly captures Zoologist's image as an innovative sweetheart in the worldwide fragrance community.