BULGARI – MON JASMINE NOIR L’ ELIXIR EDP

This is yet another of my many samples of perfumes that I have collected. I think I could do a review a week and still not run out after a year. I have used this on couple of times an saved a bit for reviewing purposes.

~#~*~#~*~#*~ ABOUT BULGARI ~#~*~#~*~#*~

Bulgari are an Italian brand specialising in high end jewellery, watches and accessories. Rather strangely they also have a chain of luxury hotels as well. These are selected properties in major cosmopolitan cities and luxury resorts destinations which they say reflect the “ excitement of the Bulgari brand, its timeless glamour and its heritage of magnificent Roman jeweller.”

The only experience I have had with the brand has been the perfumes and that will probably stay that way I suspect.

~#~*~#~*~#*~ BULGARI SAY THIS IS ~#~*~#~*~#*~

“ A sophisticated luminous and sensual Eau de Parfum within the jasmine noir universe, reminiscent of the inimitable values of elegance and refinement at the heart of the Bulgari brand.”

~#~*~#~*~#*~ ALL WRAPPED UP ~#~*~#~*~#*~

Considering how luxurious this brand is supposedly I am a bit underwhelmed with the design of the outer box. It is a creamy very pale shimmery box with a black strip around the base. BULGARI is written in gold with the U looking like a V. There is a central gold spot and then the perfume name under that with the Mon is cursive text. I think they have gone with minimalist to look classy but it is a touch boring and ordinary to me.

The bottle is a nice shape , a sort of oval shaped bottle with lines going vertically up the bottle with is curvy and nice to hold but very hard to describe. It is pearly white in colour so you can see the contents and you will need to keep it somewhere out of the light and heat to keep it fresh.

A black ribbon is just below the gold lid which covers the spray dispenser and that does look kind of classy.

~#~*~#~*~#*~ TAKING NOTICE      ~#~*~#~*~#*~

The notes in this are quite unusual and it comes into the olfactory family of floral woody/musk.

The top notes are lily of the valley,and golden cedrat

The middle notes are angel      wing jasmine, sambac jasmine white tea.

The base notes are white musks, patchouli, Virginia Cedar and nougat.

         Lily of the Valley
~#~*~#~*~#*~ MY EXPERIENCE ~#~*~#~*~#*~

This perfume was launched in 2011 and the creators noses behind it are Olivier Polge and Sophie Labbe. I find it fascinating to see what other perfumes different creators have been involved with and how different some are. Olivier Polge has been involved with a number of Bugari perfumes as well as some for Burberr, Cacherel and Chanel to name just a few. Sophie Labbe has also created a number for Bulgari, Givenchy and single fragrances for a number of others like Penhaligan’s, Versace and Yves Rocher to name a few again.

Kirsten Dunst was the actress chosen to be the name behind this one. She was filmed with a lion in n Italian garden in Milan wearing very little except Bulgari jewellery !!

I really do like this EDP as it is lovely from first spray till the end. The initial spray is gently floral and sweet and not harsh at all. This combination with lily of the valley is very pleasant.

After an hour or so I can still smell this strongly on me and it is still pretty much floral and sweet but freshly sweet rather than heavy and sickly sweet.

Hours later I am still enjoying this one and the floral sweet notes are now warmer and more subtle as they blend with the musk and nougat. I cannot really detect the patchouli or cedar.

I am very pleasantly surprised by this one as sometimes florals can be a bit too much, too heady, specially jasmine. I love the subtle sweet notes which are lifted perfectly by the cedrat and the jasmine tea which give a herby, earthy depth to the floral notes.

This lasted well on me better than many EDPs I have tried and the next day I was still enjoying it on my shirt as I wore it a second day. It was lovely to put it on and smell the jasmine aroma second day.

This one of a few perfumes I would go and buy the full sized version of and will give some hints for my up coming birthday I think.

This is a lovely perfume that you could wear for day or night and in most seasons. I thin it would appeal to most ages too as it isn’t an old lady scent nor is it too sugary sweet like those that appeal to the very young.

~#~*~#~*~#*~ BUYING THIS ~#~*~#~*~#*~

This doesn’t seem to be readily available in the high end stores like John Lewis but there are several on amazon and other on line stores.

It appears to be only available in 25 ml, 50 ml, and 75 ml sizes . Prices do vary even on amazon and the but the 25 ml size costs £45, 50 ml costs around £30 to £40, the 75 ml size around £58.

They also have a body lotion 00 ml for around £20 and a shower gel for 100 ml for around £16.80 which despite being quite expensive these do tempt me. There is also a three piece gift set which contains Eau de Parfum 50 ml/Body Lotion 40 ml and Spray 15 ml and costs around £55 to £65.

#~*~#~*~#*~ TIPS FOR WEARING AND BUYING PERFUME ~#~*~#~*~#*~

I find that if I apply my perfumes to my pulse points and then allow they to dry naturally and not rub them in that way they last well and give off their aromas slowly and they last quite well. I find a spray in my hair means others can smell my hair as I walk past. A little spray down my cleavage means I can enjoy the aroma of my perfume during the day .

If you choose an EDP that will usually last longer as the percentage of the oils is greater but often EDTs can be just as lasting I found.

Remember that when you choose a new perfume you should test it on your skin and not just on a card strip. This is because your skin is the final ingredient of any perfume and scents react differently depending on your temperature, pH range, natural aroma and moisture.

#~*~#~*~#*~ RECOMMENDED ? ~#~*~#~*~#*~

Yes I think this is a lovely feminine fragrance with a subtle freshly, sweet floral scent with a warm rounded finish.

It isn’t the cheapest perfume ever but considering how well it lasts on my skin I think it isn’t bad value for money.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Floral Shock Eau de Parfum

~~~~~~ ABOUT YVES SAINT LAURENT ~~~~~~

I can’t honestly say I have ever bought a garment from this fashion house and their make up and scents are as close I will ever get to buying from YSL.

This is a French fashion House was started in 1961 by Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent known as Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, industrialist Pierre Bergé. Previously laurent had worked as a designer for Dior so he as known in the fashion industry already. He died in 2008 of cancer but the brand continues.

YSL have a large make up and perfume collection too and if you like high end expensive products then you will find plenty to be tempted by here. I like to look and try but buying is less likely to happen as I do find them expensive.

~~~~~~~ PACKAGING ~~~~~~~~

Yves Saint Laurent brought this new variation to the Black Opium collection out in 2017 so it is pretty new, hence the chance to grab samples.

The bottle is black glass and square looking from the front but kind of oval looking from the top so the edges are rounded. This is the same as the original Black Opium bottle in shape. It is black but transparent and covered with black glitter that thins towards the bottom of the bottle and then you can see the contents – the perfume which is pink in colour.

The box is an attractive grey pink colour with a sheen to it. There are imprinted lines across the box and the YSL letters on the front in large stylized letters. The perfume name is also on the front at the bottom in smaller text. I like the colour and style of the box, it looks classy and elegant.

The campaign adverts feature the model Edie Campbell. The perfume was created by perfumers Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc.

~~~~~~ THE NOTES IN THIS ~~~~~~

Top notes which are those that you smell on first spray: lemon, bergamot ,pear and freesia

Heart notes are those that develop as the perfume dries down a little: gardenia, orange blossom and a solar floral accord.

Base notes these are the notes that last the longest as the perfume settles on your skin and may last hours :iced coffee, white musk, mineral accord and woody amber

 

~~~~~~~ MY VIEWS ~~~~~

I cannot remember if I have tried others in the Black Opium range but this is said to be “
A fresh and invigorating interpretation of the iconic Black Opium coffee signature. Black Opium Floral Shock hits like that first jolt of espresso when you wake up in the morning. A shot of sensuality.”

Personally I am not mad on the bottle as I feel it is a bit tacky for the consumer this perfume is aimed at considering the price. It looks a bit teeny and glam rock to me and I would have thought the perfume might have been aimed at someone with a bit more sophistication but maybe I am being a bit judgemental!!

On first spray my nose picks out sweet floral so for me the freesia is the most dominant note and then the fresh pear starts to come through which when combined with the lemon and bergamot gives a fresh slightly citrus edge to the floral.

Around half an hour later the perfume has settled onto my skin and I can still smell floral, citrus which is not surprising as the heart notes have orange and gardenia and that floral not is slightly headier than the freesia, and the orange sweeter than bergamot.

After an hour or so and then the net day on my clothes I can enjoy the sweet vanilla and my favourite musk and amber with the other florals still evident. My nose doesn’t pick up the coffee much, maybe slightly sweet coffee just but not in my face at all.

I find that the sillage is good and others can smell my perfume when I wear it and have commented on how nice it is .

It lasts quite well on me too. If I apply it in the morning I can still detect it around six hours later on my pulse points but if I was going out somewhere I would apply a bit more to liven it up.

I really like this perfume, it is sweet and floral and quite heady and sensuous. I would be happy to wear this day or evening. I feel it would appeal to a wide age range too as it isn’t too young and also isn’t too heavy and cloying so a nice fresh floral with a good lasting heart.

This has been described by YSL as “ Between cool seduction and burning exhilaration, Black Opium Floral Shock Eau de Parfum is a deliciously irresistible shock of sensuality. The electrifying signature of Black Opium wrapped in shocking freshness: the warm sensuality of black coffee shaken with bold citrus notes and a cool, mysterious note of white musk. A biting freshness that blows the mind but leaves you wanting more.”

I like the freshness that goes with this floral perfume. It apparently is classified in the family of floral-florientals. Gardenia is one of the florals that I do really like it reminds me of tropical islands and some wonderful holidays.

I have no idea what a solar floral accord is so can’t say if that is noticeable at all, is it sunflower or is it the smell of flowers in the sun? Who knows ?

Anyway this is a nice fresh summery perfume that lasts pretty well and is uplifting and very feminine and the gardenia weighs in very strongly for me. I don’t find it cloying as some heavy florals can be so that is a big plus for me.

~~~~~~~ BUYING THIS ~~~~~~

The fragrance is available as a 30ml, 50ml and 90 ml Eau de Parfum. Prices as always do vary a lot so as I always say shop around to see where you can find it cheapest.

Escentual sell all three sizes and they range from £42.90, to £60.35 and the largest size is £77.35.

Boots sell all three again and the prices here go from £50.50 to £65.50 and the largest size is £81.00

Personally I feel these prices are quite high and although I do like the perfume I don’t feel it is exciting enough to pay those prices as I get just as much pleasure and lasting scent from perfume oils I buy on Ebay from Middle Eastern perfume shops which are a lot cheaper.

~~~~~~ RECOMMENDED ? ~~~~~

I liked the perfume and found it pleasant, fresh and floral and feminine. I am not sure I would pay the full price for this as it is quite expensive but so are many other high brand perfumes so it depends on how you feel abut spending money on perfumes. I love perfumes and do spend quite a lot on them but also get as many samples of these high end ones as I can. I have a total of five of this one collected through the mail and various shops around town.

If you like fresh florals then this will appeal but if you prefer the more unisex scents this may not be one for you. It isn’t a heavy, classic like Opium but rather lighter and maybe one that would appeal to younger ladies and for wearing in summer.