Jasmin Noir by Bulgari: Perfume Review / Fragrance Review

[irinashenkovska]

when i first got this, as a present, i thought i couldn't wear it. it was too dry, too woody, too spicy. and then when i felt the dry down... i melted. i love it now! although i do think it's a night time scent or for those who want the attention in brought day light! :)

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@irinashenkovska It lives on and on in a lovely soft way for a long time on the skin...

[terribithiajjls12]

I was hoping for a rich, intoxicating, feminine floral and got more a of dry, loose leaf jasmine tea scent. I get why some men might wear it.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@terribithiajjls12 No intoxication for you? It seems pretty rich from where I'm smelling...

[chblsm]

Katie,

I've been dying to try this perfume for weeks and after all that excitement when I finally tried it I was disappointed. Somehow it didn't work with my body chemistry. However, I liked the 'Mon Jasmine Noir'. I got a sample of it and I really liked it and somehow it was reminiscent of Lancome's 'Magic Noir'. Can you plz do a review of 'Mon Jasmine Noir'? Thanks.

[brianbarrtt]

Hey Katie!

I tried wearing this for one whole day and I must say it was a wonderful experience! This is definitely going on my wishlist!

The dark florals and woody base are elegant. It feels rich and solid, like a classically-built perfume. It's quite a sexy scent too.

I also love that it developed into a subtle scent that wasn't too loud or had massive sillage. Other people smelled it, and gave compliments, only if they got close.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@brianbarrtt A wonderful result!

[4evaWeezyFBabi]

Can you do Black code or Acqua Di Gio by Georgio Armani please by the way I agree 100% with you on the scent since I just sampled it today. I feel this fragrance should be advertised as unisex though (:

[belovedagave]

mmm......While I thought this perfume was an original take on Jasmin, there is a bitter undertone and a faint strange not-quite-but-almost echo of aniseed and milk....its not my cup of tea.:-(

[omd0]

this is for men i swear ?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@omd0 It's marketed to women, but because it has a woody, spicy depth to the sweetness, guys have found their way to it as well.

[ritsjoey]

I was wondering why I liked wearing this one whenever I went over to my friend's place. But in the end, when Katie says dat some men like to wear it too, I was so relieved!

It's really a very romantic fragrance... makes me feel sexy!

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@ritsjoey For me, the main benefit of wearing a fragrance I love is that it makes me feel good about myself. And that radiates to the world around you. Glad you found a match with Jasmin Noir.

[honeypie1207]

Hmmm.. I find this interesting. Why not try it. What do you think of Bulgari Omnia Amethyste. I find this sweet, sensual & mysterious. Im forty something and I want to know if this fragrance fits me? Can I use this as daytime and evening wear? Thanks, Katie : )

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@honeypie1207 I've not tried Omnia Amethyste, but I would describe Jasmin Noir as "sweet, sensual & mysterious". I think it would work for both day and night.

[myoosick]

Nice review! I love the part about the flowers being dumped on your head. Haha. Jasmin Noir is my favorite scent. It reminds me of those Europe-set films I used to watch as a kid. I'm currently in college and there are lots of times when I don't have enough time to put on makeup. This scent makes me feel all made-up- I never go to class without it on. :D

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@myoosick That's an interesting perspective, that wearing some perfume can make you feel "made-up". Love it!

[keely38]

This perfume is divine! I like all different types of smells. But I've always been fond of oriental/spicy perfumes. They seem to work well with my body chemistry. I was looking for something in that vein and came across this. It smells exotic and wild to me. I love it. I've owned Cinnabar, Hypnotic Poison and Coco by Chanel. Could you recommend any perfumes similar to those?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@keely38 Since you love those spicy/sweet orientals, I wonder if you might love Laura Mercier Minuit Enchanté parfum as much as I do? It's exclusive in the US to Nordstrom, and they'll make you a sample. You can read my review of it on my blog.

[keely38]

@KatiePuckrikSmells Thank you so much for writing back! Your description of Minuit Enchante has really piqued my interest. I'll be heading to their perfume counter the first chance I get. Thanks again Katie!

[WinsomeTulip]

Hi Katie. I just bought this today! Love it on paper....hopefully it smells as great on my skin!

[lush4makeup]

Hi Katie,

I purchased a small spray bottle of Bulgari II today from Sephora. It comes in the blue packaging...It's a really nice clean, fresh, scent but also glamorous and can easily go from day to night...have you tried it??

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@lush4makeup I've tried it a couple of times in passing, but can't remember it. Thanks for your take on it. I like hearing about what people are wearing and enjoying.

[wonderfulfuckyou]

This is definitely more of a prestigious scent from Bulgari. I'm a guy but I really enjoy wearing Omnia Crystalline when I'm not wearing Pour Homme Soir. I purchased a bottle of Jasmin Noir for my girlfriend and she loves it. Definitely a rich scent, something more clandestined and exotic. Not a school-yard piece, more of a glamor association enriched with dark fields for a Greta Garbo or Dietrich. I find it stimulating and empowering. The longevity on it is great too.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Agreed - this is a glamorous one. I've been wearing it a lot recently.

[bolod10]

thank you so so so much for turning me on to this. I would've never tried it and now its in one of my top 5 perfumes of the moment.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Oh, isn't it beautiful?!! I just answered your other question on perfumes that work for smokers, & now that I know you like jasmine, I wanted to tell you about a niche fume by Etat Libre d'Orange called Jasmin et Cigarette. It actually works. Once you get into the niche area of perfumes, there's no end to the delightful smoky/leather/woody lusciousness that might work for you. And if you love Jasmin Noir, I wonder if you also like Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur?

[bolod10]

ooh, if only I had a third job and less bills both of those would be mine in a second! hah. I must ask though, how does voile de fleur differ from the original black orchid?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

How they differ is that they're completely different, "Black Orchid" in the name aside. The original B.O. is the cucumbery-chocolate orchid thing, and Voile de Fleur is a more emphatically womanly perfume: a tuberose in the Fracas vein. It doesn't klonk you over the head the way Fracas does, though. VdF is greener, fresher.

[belovedagave]

I really dig this scent....but I worry that wearing it will make me seem older than I am. Can a woman in her mid-twenties wear it around and come out smelling like roses? Metaphorically?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Jasmin Noir is 100% perfect for young women - it's just so pretty and and full without being heavy, dense or thick. I think the slightly spicy wood in there keeps it youthful and modern - in other words, it's not just a thick wad of florals. Bulgari's just come out with an eau de toilette version of the orginal eau de parfum, which gives you a lighter, sheerer option. But my personal preference is for the edp.

[votejamie08]

i have the original jasmin buy bulgari,, i found in the store it was the only perfume that did not smel chemical to me. actually smelled like flowers... i wore it around my family and they asked if i got a new car... " you have that New Car smell" I still love the perfume though, just shows everyone's nose is different lol

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

It's true - everyone has their own associations with fragrances. Odd that your family register jasmine as a leather car interior!

[dabetha]

I love jasmin, gardinia, lavender and Avon's Night Magic Musk; any ideas?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Try Narciso Rodriguez For Her eau de toilette (jasmine-y orange flower & musk) and Estee Lauder Gardenia Tuberose. You might check out Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely - it's less overt on the white florals, but is a wonderful balance of flowers and musk.

[dabetha]

thanks I will!

[dazigg]

If I met a man who liked to wear headache-inducing floral perfumes I would smack him immediately.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Floral-wearing men, you have been warned!

[astroleila]

I found this perfume to be truly lovely on paper. But I can't wear it, it makes me nauseous. I also seem to get a slightly metallic dry-down on skin.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Perfumes are sneaky like that - you try to be their friend, then they turn on you!

[MzGreenEyes89]

I just smelt this perfum today.. somebody was wearing it and it basically stunk out the whole classroom.. in a good way lol

[joeltherambo4]

I am using bvlgari..........!!!!

[tranquilbluesky]

what do you think of regular Bulgari?

[Tadeusz598]

Is this a self-parody?

[beautyphantom]

I thought I would like this but I didn't. It is so overly strong and floral, nothing for me.

[XnegropleaseX]

honkity honk honk honk!!  honk honk!!

[TikvahS87]

I love all Bvlgari fragrances; men's, women's, unisex, they all have something magical to offer. Oddly enough though, Jasmine Noir is the only one that actually works on me. Like you said, it does what few other perfumes have managed, and that is to bring out the very best in jasmine and gardenia with a nice touch of sexy spiciness to jazz things up. Jasmin Noir is everything I want in a daily-wear scent... except for the price tag!

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Thanks for chiming in on this one. It's so helpful to get "road-tested" takes on fragrances.

[Mirabelle69]

When I remind myself about "Jasmin noir", I see a jasmin perfume that is ok. But too demure, and slightly too sinthetic for me.

There are a lot of jasmin over there.

"A la nuit" (lutens) emphasis the natural side.

"thé pour un été" (artisan parfumeur) is natural and demure

To Jasmin noir, I would prefer "Boucheron" (Boucheron), yet stronger synthetic and old, but with more personnality.

But I much prefer to deal with "L'heure bleue" (Guerlain).

And I quite love Sarrasins (Lutens)

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

What a great list! The only one I've not experienced is Lutens' Sarrasins - guessing that's one of the "France only" ones?

[Mirabelle69]

Yes. Too bad that Lutens don't have a corner to sell their "exclusive" in USA, they're far more interesting than the export line to my point of view.

Sarrasins is not a loud frangrance "à la Lutens". Less brighter than "A la nuit", Sarrasins greats you with a full melodius jasmine, wich then melts with an apricot-rosy akin to "nuit de cellophane" (osmanthus?), but in a much interesting way. Rather than leathery, I would say its roundness (in the base notes) is velvety.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Every year Lutens releases a non-export scent for distribution outside of France. I'm hoping Sarrasins will be chosen - it sounds irresistible!

[Mirabelle69]

This year, it's "un lys" that comes to the export line (?after chergui, borneo).

I wonder if Sarrasins, Iris silver mist, La myrrh, Tubéreuse criminelle, will do so one year. The 3 last are oddballs, and Sarrasins is a jasmin and there is already many jasmin in the export line : A la nuit, Santal blanc, Un lys

If I buy Sarrasins, I'll send you some, with the other exclusive from Lutens I already bought ;) On my next trip to Paris, I could also tell them to send you a wax perfume sample set

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Ooh, I've heard of the wax sample set. They make me think of those old-fashioned candies that are mini wax cola bottles with sugar syrup inside!

[Mirabelle69]

@KatiePuckrikSmells Actually "Sarrasins" is more the kind of fragrance that manages to smell good but never make you fall in love. Something between the so-so jasmine and the drop-dead one.

Exclusive are also a matter of margin, without a distributor they can manage to put a little more in the ingredient. They balance the price of exclusive with each-other (Iris silver mist is said to be costlier). I have suspicion they have to reduce the cost of the juice to make a exclusive an export line one

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

@Mirabelle69 It sounds like I'll just have to get on over to the Sergie Shop in Paris to get full perfume satisfaction.

[ooloi82]

Hm. I got a very unpleasant BO note when testing this one (I gave it two separate chances since I usually love Bvglari fragrances). The same sort of unpleasantness I experienced with Alexander McQueen's Kingdom.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

I wonder if you were responding to the jasmine, which in its raw form, has an indolic smell akin to vegetal decay - or urine. The "body" or "personal" odor that florals naturally exude actually adds to the sexiness and depth of perfumes, but a little goes a long way. If the line is crossed, you end up being hyper-aware of a "pissy" smell.

I believe the BO note in McQueen's Kingdom is provided by cumin, which mimics slightly-less-than-fresh sweat. So many expensive ways to stink!

[ooloi82]

Haha :) I think you're right, Katie. Cumin is highway to the danger zone. I wish these sort of heady florals worked on me (I'm looking at you parfums Del Rae!) or that I knew someone who wore them well so I could sniff them...secretly! I do have and love Voile de Jasmine (interestingly enough) - it's my 'going to a summer wedding' scent. But those voiles are so sheer that at that point the jasmine is an abstraction.

[Beatlesgirl1978]

i tried this one today. When I first sprayed it I thought it was lovely, but boy within minutes it turned so so ugly on me. Cursed skin chemistry! Have you tried Serge Lutens a la nuit? That one is of my jasmine favs, right up there with Patou's Joy which yes is quite rosy but I get TONS of jasmine in that concentration.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

I've not yet sniffed my way over to SL A La Nuit. Thanks for the pointer!

[letty3476]

I think I want to buy this perfum, it could be one of my favorites. thank you.

[ALPHADELTACAPPA]

I love the white flower-y scents but the green notes usually don't work for me. So your reviews are MOST helpful because I can steer clear of those that may appear to suit in the short term, but may disappoint in the long. At the end of the day, it is all about not being disappointed, wouldn't you agree?

Love your show, Babe!

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Ah...the quest to avoid long-term disappointment! Sometimes you gotta just plunge in - even for just a sample spritz at the store. A couple of white florals I enjoy: Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely (very pretty, and indeed, lovely) and Estee Lauder's gorgeous Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia. Ooh! You just reminded me about this. Thanks!

[MPoopC]

I smelled Jasmin Noir once in passing, on a card. I don't remember disliking it. If you don't mind my asking, how would you compare it to Robert Piguet's Fracas?

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Fracas? What a tasteful fellow you are, MPoopC.

OK, here goes: Fracas is a thick, rich, candied tuberose that's Foghorn Leghorn in the loudness dept. There's also a rotting flowers, almost pissy smell to it that somehow ends up erotic.

Jasmin Noir is a different ball game: softer, greener, woodsier. The gardenia note is pretty rather than voluptuous. As it dries down, the creamy woods become more prominent, and I think it would be interesting on a guy as well as a chickadee.

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Oh, and lest there be any confusion from my Fracas description, it's a well-deserved classic that I have a lot of time for.

[dmichael818]

fab can't wait to sniff these frags in real life!!!

[KatiePuckrikSmells]

Real life awaits - get your schnozz in there now!

Katie

x

[perfumeroom]

I absolutely love your descriptive reviews. Jasmin Noir is a little too flowery for me.