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Bvlgari Jasmin Noir ~ perfume review, sort of

Posted by Robin on 7 July 2008 124 Comments

Bvlgari Jasmin Noir advert

Jasmin Noir is the latest feminine fragrance from Bvlgari, and it's positioned to attract a "new consumer looking for something more prestigious" — that is, it's more expensive than the other fragrances in the line. I would say I was cautiously looking forward to it; I adore jasmine, and a big, dark jasmine is always welcome, but the foody notes did not sound entirely appealing (the list: green sap, gardenia, sambac jasmine absolute, satin almond, precious woods, tonka bean and licorice).

As it turns out, Jasmin Noir is not a big, dark jasmine anyway, or at least, maybe it isn't. The opening is citrus-y green and rather sweet (think syrupy sap rather than bitter). There is a flash of gardenia in the early stages, almost but not quite heady, but it doesn't linger long. Then, just when I'm waiting for the heart notes to bloom, it seems to lose steam entirely. There is jasmine, yes, but it is faint, and likewise some dark wood, very faint (too faint to justify the noir in the title), and some milky almond. There is a very subtle hint of licorice, although like the gardenia, it doesn't hang around long. After an hour, it is just a bit of dry wood enlivened with a touch of vanilla and what's left of the milky almond, nothing more. It smells good, but it doesn't smell much, and the jasmine hardly seems to be the point. I had expected that I'd want to test it next to some of my favorite jasmine scents, but as it turned out, what it reminded me of more than anything was Estee Lauder's Sensuous — it has that same "modern woods for women" vibe, but with a drier, more austere finish.

Bvlgari Jasmin Noir flacon

The lasting power is tremendous; I wore it to bed last night and could still smell it when I woke up this morning. But overall, it wears almost incredibly close to the skin once the top notes have faded — even when applied lavishly, I cannot smell it at all unless I press my nose to my skin. By comparison, Bvlgari's Voile de Jasmin seems a virtual powerhouse of sillage (as does Sensuous, which I also think of as wearing rather close to the skin). This seems so unlikely that I'm wondering if I simply can't smell it, that is, that possibly I'm anosmic to one or more of the raw materials. There is only one other fragrance that I know of that I literally cannot smell, and that is Narciso Rodriguez For Her. With the Narciso Rodriguez, I can feel my throat and nasal passages constrict as soon as I inhale, so I know I'm having some sort of physical reaction. With the Jasmin Noir, that doesn't happen, but it seems so odd that Bvlgari's "luxury" debut would be such a paragon of minimalism. Please, do comment if you've tried it (or come back and comment after you try it) and tell me what you smell, I'm very interested to hear whether I'm completely off-base.

Bvlgari Jasmin Noir was developed by perfumers Carlos Benaïm and Sophie Labbé, and will be available in 50 and 100 ml Eau de Parfum and in matching body products; it can be pre-ordered now at Nordstrom stores, where you'll also find testers.

Possibly of interest

Quick Sniff / Cheap Thrill ~ Fragonard Bigarade Jasmin fragrance review
Blackbird Y06-S ~ fragrance review
Jason Wu & Ralph Lauren Woman ~ perfume reviews

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: bvlgari, carlos benaim, jasmine, sophie labbe

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124 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:21 pm

    Haven't tried it, but just wanted to point out I can't smell NR for Her either. No reaction, it just smells like vaguely sweet water to me. My husband read Perfume Posse over my shoulder one day and noticed the poster (March?) couldn't smell it either and basically accused me of using March as a screen name – it smells *very* strongly to him and he simply doesn't believe I can't smell it. Interesting. I'll have to smell this one and report back.

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  2. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:34 pm

    Funny, Bvlgari Omnia is just plain water to me, and the tea scents aren't much more noticeable. The recent Voile de Jasmine and the Rose Essentiel seemed much stronger, so I was hopeful for this one. Ah, well.

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  3. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:35 pm

    Interesting because many people can't smell Omnia — or say it is short-lived on them, but I can smell it quite clearly and it lasts very well.

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  4. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:36 pm

    Aha — we are a club of 3! Do smell the Jasmin Noir and tell me what you think.

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  5. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:43 pm

    I am looking forward to trying this scent, have to see if it's at my local Nordies!

    All the other Bulgari scents are so-so on me. :~)

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  6. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Bvlgari generally works well for me, I like quite a few of their fragrances. But do report back if you smell it! I want to know if someone else is getting a great huge burst of jasmine.

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  7. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:54 pm

    Ok, will do.

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  8. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:58 pm

    I tried this at the store and can honestly say that I feel the same! I had to put my nose directly on my skin to smell it BUT when into another store after spraying at Nordy's and the girl commented on it! I did like it though.

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  9. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 1:59 pm

    Well, darn. It will be some time before I am in a city big enough to have a Nordstrom (my one meager area dept. store doesn't expect Sensuous for another month or two, and the SA was surprised I'd heard of it when I called to inquire. *sigh*) I like almost all the Bulgari scents well enough to own several, and I had hopes for this one, but obviously I'll have to wait and test it for myself. (Jasmin Voile is nice, but light as air on me, whereas Omnia holds up for quite awhile, just by way of example in how different people react to the same scents.)

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  10. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:09 pm

    Aha, so I'm not the only one who can barely smell it, but sounds like there are other people who can. Thanks!

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  11. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:11 pm

    Funny, I think of Voile de Jasmine as light too…but it does have sillage, that is, I can smell it in the air around me when I wear it. Jasmin Noir, not at all.

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  12. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:13 pm

    I was disappointed with this fragrance. I love many of Bvlgari's fragrances. I wear Omnia frequently and my husband wears Aqva almost everyday. But to be a juice for a “prestigious” woman, this did not cut it. I could barely pick up on the Jasmin and was left with woodsy notes. I've grown jasmine for years and I am still looking for something that can convey a freshly blooming tree. I felt this fragrance faded quickly, which I thought the Rose one did too. It smells nice but isn't living up to the hype or price point in my opinion. I like their other lower price point fragrances just as well, actually better.
    I sniffed Estee Lauder Sensuous and this side by side in the store. Sensuous seemed stronger to me on the blotter card the next day than Jasmin Noir. And you're right about them being very similar; “modern woods” may be the new pink peppercorn or gourmand.

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  13. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:17 pm

    I went to Nordstrom to grab a gift this weekend and got to smell this one. I have a young nose so I am not well-versed in the notes, so bear w/ me. I did like it-it smelled good, but it was a lot softer and lighter than I expected. I did smell the jasmine (I sprayed a bit of Joy on one strip and this one on another to compare and I definitely got some jasmine). But you are right Robin, it is very minimalist.

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  14. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Interesting. If it had more sillage, I might like it as a woody scent — although even then, I can't see that it ought to be called “Jasmin Noir”. But as it is, it hardly seems worth wearing.

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  15. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 2:37 pm

    I smell jasmine too, but not much — certainly not even close to Joy levels!

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  16. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 3:20 pm

    Count me in, too. I figured it was allergies preventing me from smelling NR – never occured to me that I could be anosmic.

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  17. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 3:29 pm

    I will try it Robin as soon as I see it somewhere. I remember that you wrote that Prada Infusion d'Iris was very very sheer. And then to my nose it was pretty strong and present.

    You know it is very good to have a pause of about ten days and give the mind and nose a rest. After that when you smell perfumes again, you will enjoy them so much more.

    For some weeks I felt some sort of perfume fatigue so I did not use anything or try anything and now I am enjoying the fragrances again and feel like trying them 😉

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  18. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:11 pm

    That's fascinating. I wouldn't be much of a judge, since I can't smell Narciso either. 🙂 Those bottles are filled with water. And isn't it frustrating when you get the sense there's more than you're smelling?

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  19. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:21 pm

    Do you think some folks have a blind nose when it comes to certain notes?

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  20. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:25 pm

    I went to my local Nordies and they didn't have Bvlgari Jasmin Noir yet ..*sulk*

    I'll try next week.

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  21. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:28 pm

    Not surprised as I don't find any of the Bulgari fragrances particularly wonderful. Your nose is probably just fine! Lets blame it on the juice!

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  22. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:39 pm

    It is mostly musk, I think, and it is common to not be able to smell one or more musk aroma chemicals.

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  23. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Well, on the Prada at least, most people find it very sheer, and the description also implies something sheer, so on that one I am not worried that I can't smell whatever is there 🙂

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  24. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:41 pm

    March, do try it anyway — whatever aroma chemical is in NR literally seems to “block” everything else, and sounds like you have the same problem. With this, I can smell something. And it seems “normal” in the opening before it goes so oddly faint. I kept putting more on, LOL…to no avail.

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  25. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:42 pm

    Absolutely, you can be anosmic to specific materials, esp. synthetic musks.

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  26. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Ditto on NR AND Bulgari Omnia for me. I think we should blame it on the juice – I am generally regarded as having a nose for everything. But Bulgari Black is beautiful!

    Ida

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  27. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:45 pm

    No, it isn't a good thing! I avoid NR like the plague now. LOL at “petite stream of molten woods” — but Sensuous does have a softness that you could describe as “fluid”, this one doesn't strike me that way. So I'd say a “petite wood chip”, HA.

    Apres La Mousson is definitely finding fans, in fact, many people suggested it today in the “Monday Mail” article.

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  28. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:46 pm

    As I said above, that's a common reaction to Omnia. On me (or I should say, to my nose) Omnia is another powerhouse in comparison to Jasmin Noir! So agree on Bvlgari Black — great stuff.

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  29. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 4:53 pm

    Then there are two versions of Narciso Rodriquez For Her, one has a pink bottle and the other a black bottle.

    The pink bottle has some sort of spicy topnotes, at least that is what I smell and the black for her I have not smelled yet.

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  30. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 5:04 pm

    Huh. Yes, I find Omni *really* strong, and even Omnia Crystalline (my favorite) sticks around forever.

    I think you should spray on a ton of this new one, go to the mall, and see if people back away from you. Then you'll know if it has a smell. 🙂

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  31. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 6:45 pm

    LOL — that's the ticket!

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  32. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 8:35 pm

    The reaction that you have towards narciso rodrigues for her is the same that I have with L'eau d'Issey by Issey Miyake and those cool water fragrances…..it makes me really, really sick!

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  33. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 9:14 pm

    I haven't tried it yet, but I was really looking forward to a review of this, so I'm glad to read it ^_^
    It's too bad it wasn't what was expected, but it actually sounds like it still might be nice. I certainly can't wait to smell it.
    Also, it is good to hear the thing about “not being able to smell” certain fragrances. On a rare occasion, that has happened to me as well. It seems so strange, but It's nice hearing I'm not the only one :]

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  34. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 9:26 pm

    Oh dear, and there are so many of those watery scents, sorry!

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  35. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 9:34 pm

    It is nice, it's just too light to wear, at least for me. Maybe you'll love it!

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  36. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 10:37 pm

    I think the drydown of both Sensuous and Jasmine Noir are very similar but I can smell the green sap and licorice in the drydown. Jasmine Noir gets my vote over Sensuous, but I can smell it clearly in the drydown… Sensuous on me is too skinlike.

    Of all the new ones coming in for fall that I've tested, Notorious by RL is by far my favorite. I'm still waiting for my gratis bottle to come in. (sigh).

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  37. Anonymous says:
    7 July 2008 at 11:59 pm

    I would love to be anosmic to musks. Alas, it is the other way. They yell and wave their armpits at me, all of them, from white to dirty.

    I tried Sensuous (finally arrived at Nordy!) and got NOTHING except a very muscular musk. No molten woods at all. Just musk, loud and raspy.

    And I can't smell NR either, so it's got to be something else except the musk.

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    • ishtinkgute says:
      7 May 2010 at 12:47 pm

      I love this comment! Now whenever I smell such a scent, I’ll have this imagery! Hilarious!

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  38. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 12:07 am

    It just occurred to me that soft, modern woods might be a new trend that's cropping up, much like the pink pepper craze of 2007, although maybe not as ubiquitous. Any thoughts?

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  39. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:40 am

    I'm in the club, too, but more on your end, Robin. NR shuts down my whole respiratory system (and I blame it for my eye itch, though I know that's really corn dust:-). I get one little whiff of pale, watery flower…and wham! Sinuses slam shut!

    This Bvlgari JN sounds very 'meh' . With a bottle like that one would expect a more bombshell fragrance.

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  40. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:41 am

    Quite possibly it will be a new trend, too soon to tell!

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  41. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:42 am

    Interesting. I wonder which aroma chemical they're using? I have a feeling it is something I can tolerate in lower doses, otherwise, I'd have that reaction more often, right?

    Corn dust !?!

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  42. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:43 am

    If you can't smell NR, I'd still guess you are anosmic to at least one musk chemical — quite possible to not be able to smell one, but to be able to smell others.

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  43. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 11:27 am

    Another licorice scent, now discontinued is Simply, by Clinique. That was pretty nice….

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  44. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 6:34 pm

    I can only vaguely smell Omina for about the first two minutes and then it totally disappears. I love the bottle so I always find myself trying again, and hoping I just had a cold the last time, but it never shows up!

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  45. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 6:44 pm

    I'll email you when I get mine – I'd be happy to send you a decant. Keep in mind, I don't have the nose expertise that you have, and you may find it blah or unoriginal, but I really liked it. 🙂

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  46. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:18 pm

    That seems to be a common reaction. At least you've 2 other choices in the same bottle, and keep wondering if they'll do another Omnia flanker…

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  47. Anonymous says:
    8 July 2008 at 9:32 pm

    Gosh, I haven't any particular expertise! But we do seem to have different tastes — and nothing wrong with that.

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  48. Anonymous says:
    9 July 2008 at 12:13 am

    No there's nothing wrong with that 🙂 .. I work with a woman who has completely opposite tastes from me… what do you call that – evil fragrance twin? lol Although we both agreed on the MJ Fig. 🙂

    But there was something about Notorious that struck me – and I'm drawn to florals anyway ( a la Songes by AG, 1000 Patou, Quelque Fleurs Houbigant) so that worked for me more than Sensuous and Jasmine Noir, although I liked both.

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  49. Anonymous says:
    9 July 2008 at 9:51 am

    Yes, EFTs! But our tastes aren't *that* different — I love Songes, for instance, and lots of other florals.

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  50. Anonymous says:
    16 July 2008 at 4:24 pm

    I finally tried the juice. Although it's not as “dark” as I'd hoped, it was nice, and wore very close to the skin, elegant.

    Admittedly, my vision of dark is woody, and smoky with voluptuous, wet jasmine.

    Not in love with it enough to purchase it, which is probably good!

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  51. Anonymous says:
    16 July 2008 at 7:49 pm

    Thanks for posting — so far, not many people seem to be finding it “noir”. Actually, have seen surprisingly few mentions of it at all, on the forums & blogs & whatnot.

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  52. Anonymous says:
    29 July 2008 at 8:19 pm

    You know, I've only smelled “live” jasmine a handful of times, so I know it better from perfume than I do from the plant. Which soliflore jasmine scents have you tried & dismissed as not good enough?

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  53. Anonymous says:
    30 July 2008 at 2:27 pm

    Jasmine by Keiko Mecheri

    Jasmin de Nuit

    Chantecaile le Jasmin

    I have not tried Jazmin by Norma Kamali…not even sure who carries it

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  54. Anonymous says:
    30 July 2008 at 2:40 pm

    Beautyhabit should have the Norma Kamali, and I would certainly try Serge Lutens A La Nuit if you can find it. And Jasmin by Bruno Acampora (at luckyscent) is lovely too. Just not sure any of them will strike you as realistic.

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  55. Anonymous says:
    4 August 2008 at 1:56 pm

    I tried it, and to me it smells very similar to L'Instant pour Homme extreme version, especially in the dry down, so I do like it (I almost bought L'Instant pour Homme extreme for myself). I too smell very little of jasmine and it's very close to skin on me, too. But it smells very sexy for my taste, and yes, dark, although not very jasmine-ish.

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  56. Anonymous says:
    4 August 2008 at 4:11 pm

    Glad you found it sexy then! I'll have to try it next to the L'Instant, but offhand seems like I liked the L'Instant better.

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  57. Anonymous says:
    13 August 2008 at 9:25 am

    I'm experiencing sort of this same thing with Bulgari scents. They are very very light-smelling on application (to my nose), but last incredibly long and the same time. I could barely smell JN when I tried it, and sort of had the same thing happen with Black. I'm intrigued…

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  58. Anonymous says:
    13 August 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Interesting, I can smell Black perfectly well! And the rest of the line, for that matter — this is the first I have trouble with.

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  59. Anonymous says:
    27 August 2008 at 10:10 am

    hmmm, I had to get one today, after my gf smelled the tester I brought to her. She loved it instantly, imagined autumn and cozy moments filled with potential love making, while she was having that kind of a smile (self orignating sexiness). IMHO, the best effect ever on a scent! 🙂

    I know the comment reads a bit like a advert, but the effect was just like that 🙂

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    • ishtinkgute says:
      7 May 2010 at 12:49 pm

      I’m reading this review, because I had the exact same reaction. Instant sexy thoughts!

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  60. Anonymous says:
    27 August 2008 at 8:55 pm

    Sometimes it works that way, doesn't it? Hope she'll wear it in happiness 🙂

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  61. Anonymous says:
    8 September 2008 at 8:12 am

    I wanted to add that I went to a traiing last week and they showed us another new Bvlgari – due to launch in November. It's an Omnia green (called Jade, I think).

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  62. Anonymous says:
    8 September 2008 at 10:03 am

    Really? Is it a “green” floriental?

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  63. Anonymous says:
    8 September 2008 at 11:25 am

    Thanks, will keep an eye out!

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  64. Anonymous says:
    15 September 2008 at 7:54 am

    It is – I'm sorry they didn't give us a list of notes to refer to. I know there's a pistachio accord at the bottom, but I would never have guessed if they didn't tell us. It's not gourmand at all. There is also a tea note, but it's softer and there are florals as well.

    Did you know the Omnia series is listed as an EDT but is actually and EDP? This is because the Omnias were created for the Asian market at a lower price point. But Bvlgari customers (who travel) started looking for it in the US and Bvlgari decided to realease it here. In order to keep the price low, they decided to call it EDT. Or so I was told by a Bvlgari exec.

    Anyway, the Omnia Jade (I'm pretty sure that's the name) will be a good seller – it's a nice fragrance.

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  65. Anonymous says:
    15 September 2008 at 7:57 am

    Oh, just wanted to add that now that Notorious is in, I'm bored with it. It's a boring fragrance. Lovely packaging though.

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  66. Anonymous says:
    15 September 2008 at 8:25 pm

    I agree, it's a lovely bottle. Scent can't quite live up to it.

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  67. Anonymous says:
    15 September 2008 at 8:28 pm

    The EdT / EdP story sounds apocryphal — first of all, to my knowledge there is no “legal” definition of the concentrations to begin with — they can easily overlap — and there certainly isn't any widespread correlation between price & concentration. It's easy enough to find an EdP that's cheaper than an EdT.

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  68. Anonymous says:
    16 September 2008 at 10:32 am

    Wooh, I am agreeing with Lenika and Aphex about the smoochiness of this scent, though sadly my olfactorilly challenged S.O. will doubtless think this smells of craft shop again. I agree that it isn't really about the jasmine, but I struggle with true renditions of the note as in Jasmin de Nuit by TDC, as they go all indolic on me, so muted or “barely there” jasmine is okay by me. As is “vaguely dark” but not totally “scary vamp woman in red lipstick and a black veil”. Kate Moss is actually vaguely dark, in the sense of louche, come to think of it, and I mean that nicely. : – ) This has exactly the “drier, more austere finish” you mention, Robin, vs Sensuous and I prefer it greatly for that reason. This has the sexy vibe of Gucci by Gucci, but seems more restrained and gets to an elegant drydown more quickly and reliably. I can quite understand that if someone had specific expectations of how the notes should smell, or the image being projected, they could well be disappointed, but I am looking for a sultry yet subtle evening scent of any description. Top marks from me!

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  69. Anonymous says:
    17 September 2008 at 11:31 am

    Glad you love it! I'm really still not at all sure that I'm smelling it — have a feeling it has some musk I'm anosmic to.

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  70. Anonymous says:
    17 September 2008 at 11:47 am

    Well, it smells pretty indistinct to me to be honest – can't make out the gardenia or the jasmine – I get the woods and the almond and tonka maybe – but it is a very pleasant satiny woody indistinctness, not marred by sweetness like Sensuous. It is modern, I guess, but not synthetic, or not jarringly obviously so to my amateur nose. An SA made me try Ghost Cherish the other day, and that did smell like a synthetic, watery floral.

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  71. Anonymous says:
    25 September 2008 at 12:22 am

    Ooohhh it's here, it's here (in Australia)! Gotta sniff it for myself the next time I'm instore. Gorgeous GWP being run – black and gold Bvlgari compact mirror in matching suedette pouch.

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  72. Anonymous says:
    25 September 2008 at 5:49 am

    I'm emigrating!

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  73. Anonymous says:
    25 September 2008 at 12:24 pm

    I have seen some very nice reports. I am truly convinced I'm anosmic to something in there.

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  74. Anonymous says:
    25 September 2008 at 12:38 pm

    If they do prosthetic nasal receptors, it really would be something worth exploring so you could appreciate this one!

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  75. Anonymous says:
    25 September 2008 at 5:12 pm

    Yuckola, though! There are plenty of others to smell 🙂

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  76. Anonymous says:
    30 September 2008 at 9:25 am

    I am a new convert to Jasmin Noir fan but am also a huge Crystalline fan and am in fact wearing it today – a statistically unlikely event, given the humungousness of my perfume collection!

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  77. Anonymous says:
    30 September 2008 at 1:39 pm

    I am more and more convinced that I just can't smell JN.

    Mind is blanking on dark woody, LOL — there are literally too many of them — can you narrow down what sort of thing you're looking for? A floral w/ a dark woody base? More focus on the woods? etc.

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  78. Anonymous says:
    1 October 2008 at 6:25 am

    About woody, I like the cedar wood in Dolce Vita, it gives it something dry and bitter. More focus on that aspect would be good. I like Sandalwood too, but can't think of examples.

    Dark: Ange ou Demon impressed me as dark initially, in a good way. But now it no longer seems very dark.

    The less floral the better. Most scents have floral notes but they mustn't dominate.

    Sorry to be so vague, hope it's narrowed down a bit.

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  79. Anonymous says:
    1 October 2008 at 8:05 am

    How odd – I almost posted last night about Dolce Vita, which sprang to my mind immediately, but I wasn't sure I could differentiate between light and dark woods, so I hesitated – yet this one definitely feels quite substantial

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  80. Anonymous says:
    1 October 2008 at 2:34 pm

    Christian Lacroix Tumulte Homme, 10 Corso Como, Diptyque Tam Dao, Bvlgari Black, Comme des Garcons Palisander and/or Sequoia, Hermes Caleche Eau Delicate, Kenzo Flower Oriental, Givenchy Organza Indecence, Sonoma Scent Studio Fireside, Serge Lutens Chene.

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  81. Anonymous says:
    1 October 2008 at 3:57 pm

    Thank you!

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  82. Anonymous says:
    4 October 2008 at 9:01 am

    I just bought a 30ml bottle of this, after trying this on my skin about 6 times and loving it. I am so happy! (it is rather pricey though)

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  83. Anonymous says:
    4 October 2008 at 5:04 pm

    So glad you're loving your new bottle! Wish I could smell the darned thing.

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  84. Anonymous says:
    5 October 2008 at 4:33 am

    It is really nice, Robin, too bad you cannot smell it. It is rather soft, it doesn't project far. It is more of a personal fragrance, the notes really work together nicely.

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  85. Anonymous says:
    5 October 2008 at 12:37 pm

    I agree with Kim – it does stay close to the skin and has an elegant, low key sultry vibe.

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  86. Anonymous says:
    8 October 2008 at 11:51 pm

    I wanted to be all over this one; the idea sounded irresistible. But alas, I found the same thing may of us did; it's just not doing it.Very nicely done, but a little too quiet for me. I was hoping it would be stronger, sexier, deeper, jazzier. Some very attractive notes mesh beautifully with the jasmine, but they’re almost too smooth, and the jasmine too subdued, and the scent seems to have almost zero projection. My credit card breathed a sigh of relief. . .

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  87. Anonymous says:
    9 October 2008 at 10:00 am

    Congrats to your credit card 😉

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  88. Anonymous says:
    20 October 2008 at 1:45 am

    I found it not particularly jasmin-y, but dark, in a good way, and, as one of the posters said, very long lasting. Subtle, and very close to the skin. I didn't get any licorice, but I did get some intriguing incense on the finish, and I like it a whole lot…

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  89. Anonymous says:
    25 November 2008 at 3:52 am

    I bought Jasmin Noir just a month ago. I was on a lookout for new fragrance and Jasmin Noir really stood out to me. I agree, it is extremely long lasting. I couldn't really smell it myself after an hour or so but people around me kept complimenting my perfume even after a day.

    For me, Jasmin Noir, is very elegant. Perhaps because I am still in my teens, but I think this fragrance should be recommended to people looking for flowery fragrances for special occasions. 🙂

    Also..

    I'm out hunting for a flirty and young fragrance that wont cost me too much dollars. Any suggestions?

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  90. Anonymous says:
    25 November 2008 at 9:21 am

    Glad you're enjoying your Jasmin Noir 🙂

    There are so many flirty & young scents that I wouldn't know where to begin…

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  91. Anonymous says:
    2 January 2009 at 6:27 pm

    Robin do you recall this being ULTRA fem?

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  92. Anonymous says:
    2 January 2009 at 9:42 pm

    No, not at all, but as I said I can hardly smell the stuff. I'm pretty sure I'm missing lots of the picture.

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  93. Anonymous says:
    15 January 2009 at 4:02 am

    As far as jasmine goes i find Jewel by AlfredSung the strongest and long-lasting scent available on the market.

    Kinda hard to get the word around though as the name doesnt give itself readily to its heart of Jasmine.

    Maybe someone else can give it a try and let me know what you think!

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  94. Anonymous says:
    15 January 2009 at 4:50 am

    oh btw, i just realised there isnt a review on dior j'adore or the version j'adore l'absolu, i've been wavering over a bottle of l'absolu for ages, is it possible to do a review of them both in the coming months?

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  95. Anonymous says:
    15 January 2009 at 10:33 am

    We'll see…we've got a VERY long “to review” list. Thanks for the suggestion though!

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  96. scarlett_flesh says:
    8 April 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I just sniffed this at Boston store and it is Amazing with a capitol A!
    It`s soo on my want list.

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    • Robin says:
      9 April 2009 at 6:53 am

      Hope you’ll get a bottle then! Pretty sure you can find it at the discounters now.

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  97. RusticDove says:
    20 April 2009 at 7:59 am

    There’s a test strip of this in the current [May ’09] issue of InStyle magazine. I think it smells really good. This has added to my list of scents to sample on skin. The bottle’s not too shabby either.

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    • Robin says:
      20 April 2009 at 9:45 am

      I love that black bottle! Hope it will work for you on skin.

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  98. RusticDove says:
    31 July 2009 at 12:38 pm

    Well, it worked well enough that I purchased a bottle yesterday. 😉 It’s definitely noir-ish to me and I’ll be saving it for the Fall. The bottle is awesome – actually feels kind of heavy in the hand – I like that.

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    • Robin says:
      31 July 2009 at 3:02 pm

      Congrats! I like the bottle too.

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  99. _Sweet_Dreams says:
    16 November 2009 at 7:07 pm

    i just discovered this, and it might actually be the one i’ve been looking for- i’ve been trying to find a signature scent forever, this one is light enough to wear during the day, but has a depth that i really like, the tonka bean seems to blossom on me in a good way. I agree that it lays close to the skin, i don’t think i’m surrounded by a cloud of it but that’s kind of what i was looking for. I do smell the jasmine, it’s not particularly strong but the other notes compliment it well. Sephora now has it in travel sizes !! that’s the best part is that i can try it without being married to a $70 bottle..

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    • Robin says:
      16 November 2009 at 8:04 pm

      Plus the Bvlgari travel bottles are really cute…glad you found a favorite.

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  100. bittersweet says:
    27 November 2009 at 8:58 pm

    I was intrigued when I first read about the notes , but soon lost interest (obsessed over a few Serge Lutens scents for a while) and forgot all about it. I saw a tester at Sephora the other day, and decided to give it a sniff, and oh my god, it was beautiful. It’s true that the jasmine definitely isn’t super strong but it’s in there and it all comes together very nicely. On to the Christmas wishlist it goes 😉

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    • Robin says:
      29 November 2009 at 10:24 pm

      Oh, then do hope you get some for Christmas!

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  101. parfumliefhebber says:
    5 December 2009 at 4:25 pm

    I got a sample from the store. I like it, but it immediately gives me a headache. Such a shame, but good for my purse 🙂

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    • Robin says:
      5 December 2009 at 6:09 pm

      Oh, that is a shame.

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  102. _Sweet_Dreams says:
    7 May 2010 at 11:16 am

    It’s funny, I had posted to the monday mail and got suggestions last monday- thanks, Robin!
    and re-reading my lists of likes/dislikes made me give this one another try. Initially I loved it, then felt it dried a bit too ‘masculine’. However, that was in the winter weather. It is now warming up here in Pennsylvania, and I tried Jasmin Noir again, OMG, entirely different animal in the heat. The florals really come out, as does the green sap, now it smells like a dark green jasmine/gardenia instead of a dry patchouli. Perfume chemistry is so interesting! So- anyone that found this too dry might want to give it a re-try if the weather was cold…

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    • Robin says:
      7 May 2010 at 1:41 pm

      Great, glad you gave it another chance!

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  103. Sonam says:
    5 October 2010 at 10:55 pm

    Robin, I’ve got a quick question for you: Do you think FragranceNet sells totally authentic perfumes? Because I ended up buying a bottle of Jasmin Noir from them, and then when I compared the juice of that versus the one I got from a Sephora sample, they both smelled a little different……So I was just wondering, have you ever bought from them before? What was your experience?
    Thanks! 🙂

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    • Robin says:
      7 October 2010 at 8:20 am

      To be honest at the moment I can’t remember, but I’ve bought from most of the well-known discounters so I probably have. When you say “a little different”, hard to know what you mean. “A little different” could be from all sorts of things: spraying vs. dabbing, a decanted sample vs. a real bottle (most Sephora samples are decanted, so the top notes are going to smell different since they’ve been exposed to oxygen), different ages/storage conditions of 2 bottles, etc etc. This is why many people who buy decants end up unhappy when they buy a whole bottle. The only good way to test is to find a NEW tester in a store…one that hasn’t been sitting there for ages, and test together.

      The main thing to worry about w/ internet sales is getting a REALLY old bottle, but Jasmin Noir hasn’t been out long enough for that to happen.

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      • Sonam says:
        7 October 2010 at 8:20 pm

        Thank you, Robin! 🙂 Sorry I wasn’t specific enough when I said one smelled a little different, but after you explained it I think it may well be from the fact that it was a decant sample from Sephora, and maybe even from the storage conditions of the two….
        And as for worrying about getting a really old bottle, I’m glad I don’t have to worry about this one….I’ll save my worries for when I decide to order another bottle of Revlon’s Fire and Ice. Thanks again! 🙂

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  104. adina. says:
    9 December 2010 at 11:36 am

    The jasmine isn’t very obvious and that is my main dislike.Too bad it’s not a bold perfume.
    What other strong and persistent jasmine perfume (maybe with a hint of amber) would you recommend?

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    • Robin says:
      9 December 2010 at 4:29 pm

      You could try Serge Lutens A La Nuit. His Sarrasins also has lots of jasmine. And there’s Annick Goutal Le Jasmin, Estee Lauder Jasmine White Moss, Miller Harris Jasmin Vert, to name a few.

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  105. 72Amy says:
    15 January 2011 at 1:56 am

    It is a beautiful scent…..and my Christmas gift to myself. I’d been in Sephora a few times in the summer, and everytime I’d walk by the perfumes I’d always come back to this one. The scent lasts a long time and can be used sparingly.

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    • Robin says:
      15 January 2011 at 12:28 pm

      Glad it works for you 🙂

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  106. Krisiun says:
    21 May 2011 at 8:06 pm

    I adore this scent, but I have the same problem: I can’t smell it after a short period of time. My collegue, however, always comments on how elegant my perfume is, she even bought a bottle for herself (replacing her Pink Sugar with it, thank God.)

    I’m wondering if there’s any other perfume like this? Because I’d love to get at least whiffs of this kind of scent throughout the day. It did remind me of Dior Addict a little bit, but that didn’t last on me. And it’s kind of trashy.

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  107. Nix13 says:
    23 September 2011 at 7:23 am

    Absolutely my best fragrance ever. It is exceptionally classy and understated and smells expensive. I do think that it smells better in a warm climate, it is not a fragrance I wear in winter, but in the summer heat it creates a magical multifaceted scent.

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  108. ChocolatEyes613 says:
    4 December 2011 at 6:52 pm

    My father just bought me Jasmin Noir as an early Chanukah present. I am so happy to finally have a bottle. It is a love perfume and I have been getting many complements while wearing it.

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  109. sweetgrass says:
    23 May 2012 at 2:03 am

    I tried JN at Sephora, and my experience was pretty similar to the review but I think more food-y. I remember it being more vanillic/almondy than I expected, and nowhere near as jasmine-y. I don’t even remember it being particularly woody. That at least I would’ve liked. I was kind of disappointed in it, but I’ve found that I haven’t really liked many of the Bvlgaris that I’ve tried. Just Omnia Crystalline, and I just bought a sample vial of the original Omnia on ebay, so I’ll find out on that one pretty soon. I’m wondering if there are things going on there that I can’t smell, and interestingly enough, of all the things I’ve tried (not that I’m incredibly “well sniffed” or anything.. I’m working on it), Bvlgari is the only brand I’ve encountered so far that makes me feel that way, like I’m missing something. I keep seeing mentions of Iso E Super, so I’m halfway tempted to go to perfumersapprentice.com and order a little vial of the stuff just to see if I can smell it or not.

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  110. bluegardenia says:
    2 July 2012 at 5:46 pm

    I tested this without knowing the notes and I smelled a big, strong, salty, peppery, realistic gardenia note. Lasted for hours on my skin and dried down to a woody musky scent with the gardenia still very apparent. For a mainstream fragrance I thought it was pretty good! There can never be enough gardenia interpretations 🙂

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  111. bluegardenia says:
    3 July 2012 at 12:07 am

    Many hours later and it’s still all gardenia on me, plus the vanillic musks. This should be called Gardenia Noir. It’s like a grown up, darker version of Kai or Monyette. I’m surprised so few people seem to be getting white florals when they smell this!

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