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.
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.
107 Comments
Read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
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.
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.
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.
Aha — we are a club of 3! Do smell the Jasmin Noir and tell me what you think.
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. :~)
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.
Ok, will do.
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.
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.)
Aha, so I'm not the only one who can barely smell it, but sounds like there are other people who can. Thanks!
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.
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.
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.
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.
I smell jasmine too, but not much — certainly not even close to Joy levels!
Count me in, too. I figured it was allergies preventing me from smelling NR – never occured to me that I could be anosmic.
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
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?
Do you think some folks have a blind nose when it comes to certain notes?
I went to my local Nordies and they didn't have Bvlgari Jasmin Noir yet ..*sulk*
I'll try next week.
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!
It is mostly musk, I think, and it is common to not be able to smell one or more musk aroma chemicals.
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
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.
Absolutely, you can be anosmic to specific materials, esp. synthetic musks.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
LOL — that's the ticket!
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!
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 :]
Oh dear, and there are so many of those watery scents, sorry!
It is nice, it's just too light to wear, at least for me. Maybe you'll love it!
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).
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.
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?
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.
Quite possibly it will be a new trend, too soon to tell!
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 !?!
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.
Another licorice scent, now discontinued is Simply, by Clinique. That was pretty nice….
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!
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.
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…
Gosh, I haven't any particular expertise! But we do seem to have different tastes — and nothing wrong with that.
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.
Yes, EFTs! But our tastes aren't *that* different — I love Songes, for instance, and lots of other florals.
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!
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.
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?
Jasmine by Keiko Mecheri
Jasmin de Nuit
Chantecaile le Jasmin
I have not tried Jazmin by Norma Kamali…not even sure who carries it
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.
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.
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.
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…
Interesting, I can smell Black perfectly well! And the rest of the line, for that matter — this is the first I have trouble with.
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
Sometimes it works that way, doesn't it? Hope she'll wear it in happiness
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).
Really? Is it a “green” floriental?
Thanks, will keep an eye out!
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.
Oh, just wanted to add that now that Notorious is in, I'm bored with it. It's a boring fragrance. Lovely packaging though.
I agree, it's a lovely bottle. Scent can't quite live up to it.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
I'm emigrating!
I have seen some very nice reports. I am truly convinced I'm anosmic to something in there.
If they do prosthetic nasal receptors, it really would be something worth exploring so you could appreciate this one!
Yuckola, though! There are plenty of others to smell
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
Thank you!
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)
So glad you're loving your new bottle! Wish I could smell the darned thing.
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.
I agree with Kim – it does stay close to the skin and has an elegant, low key sultry vibe.
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. . .
Congrats to your credit card
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…
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?
Glad you're enjoying your Jasmin Noir
There are so many flirty & young scents that I wouldn't know where to begin…
Robin do you recall this being ULTRA fem?
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.
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!
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?
We'll see…we've got a VERY long “to review” list. Thanks for the suggestion though!
I just sniffed this at Boston store and it is Amazing with a capitol A!
It`s soo on my want list.
Hope you’ll get a bottle then! Pretty sure you can find it at the discounters now.
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.
I love that black bottle! Hope it will work for you on skin.
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.
Congrats! I like the bottle too.
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..
Plus the Bvlgari travel bottles are really cute…glad you found a favorite.
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
Oh, then do hope you get some for Christmas!
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
Oh, that is a shame.