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.

Bulgari Omnia Crystalline EDP

Continuing my journey through my bag of perfume samples and I chose this one to review today.

This EDP is from the House of Bulgari and although the EDT of the same name was launched in 2005 this EDP wasn’t released until 2013 so is fairly recent.

The tagline description states ;

“ Crystalline illuminates, reflects and reveals a woman’s radiance, luminosity, gentle sensuality, and graceful femininity. A sparkling jewel of light.”

This, like all Bulgari Omnia perfumes and EDTs this was created by the perfumier Alberto Morillas of the house of Firmenich. He is quoted as saying this is his most feminine creation in the Omnia series and it is “extremely sexy but not vulgar.”

This perfume is different from the EDT of the same name, it is not just a stronger version of the EDT like some are.

WRAPPING IT UP
The box is a creamy colour with a paler square in the centre and the name Omnia Crystalline in the centre and BULGARI at the top of the box. It is all pretty minimilist and simple but quite classy.

The bottle is very unusual and like the others in the Omnia collection. It is a 3D circle at the bottom, the actual bottle but the lid or top is set at ninety degrees fitting into the circle as another circle. Hard to explain but it does look quite different and elegant.

 

ABOUT THE NOTES

In this perfume the notes are:

Top Notes: Mandarin and Lotus
Heart Notes: heliotrope and orris root
Base Notes: Sandalwood , Siam benzoin and musk

MY VIEWS AND EXPERIENCE
From the very first spray I liked this one. Initially it is quite sweet but fresh and fruity with a leafy sort of note.

The top notes are mandarin and lotus so that is what I can instantly smell mandarin fruity freshness and this combines with the lotus to give a fresh, sweet yet also floral. It isn’t heavy nor is it too sugary sweet.
As far as I know lotus blossom doesn’t have a scent that I have ever noticed but in perfume they are apparently the floral notes that have a slightly watery. It brings to mind tropical gardens in the mist. That must be the slightly leafy notes I can detect.
After about half an hour the creamy vanilla aroma that comes from the heliotrope begins to develop and the iris floral notes of orris root also and at this stage the perfume is very beautiful and warmly pretty.
Leaving this and the beautiful atmospheric sandalwood becomes more evident and while I can still detect the floral notes these headier warm notes of creamy vanillary benzoin combine with my favourite sandalwood and musk.

This is a very ladylike and feminine perfume that lingers beautifully in this elegant and classy perfume. It is a warm and quite sensual scent that to me shouts sexy and beautiful.

I found that this scent lasted well on me and could still smell it on my wrist three to hours later. It lasted on my clothes long after that as I could still smell it the next day.
The sillage wasn’t bad either as I could smell it in the room when I left and came back in when I sprayed this on my husband as a test. He is a willing conscript for my reviews so long as we are not going out!!

Sandalwood

WHERE TO BUY AND HOW MUCH
This EDP Is available in 40 ml and 65 ml bottles which are unusual sizes compared to most others which seem to come in 30 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml sizes. The prices range from around £50 for the 40 ml size and around £66 for the 65 ml size which I think is not bad value for a quality perfume that smells so great.

RECOMMENDED?
Yes I would happily wear this. It is a perfume that will be okay to wear day or night and would work in winter or summer as it is both fresh fruity floral initially and yet it is lovely, deep, creamy and woody warm. I would certainly be this one again as it is my kind of scent