Black Pearl

[fairnymph]

Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.

In the bottle: Colourless oil. Nutty, floral, glimmering and feminine. The iris is very clean and classically 'white floral' but not in an overbearing way. Sweet, creamy coconut and a little hint of toasty hazelnut. Intense white musk. It's much more floral and traditional in feel than I expected.

Wet: More iris, and...violet? Really smooth, velvety violet. Much less hazelnut on my skin, almost none, and this has lost almost all sweetness. The coconut isn't really foody anymore, just creamy and rich. Loads of white musk coming out.

Dry: Languid, summery, tropical - definitely. The violet is the violet from Faith, before the vanilla in that blend goes crazy. Also reminds me a bit of Melisande, and even more so of Shoggoth, with that floral/iris-coconut combo.

Later: This smells like so many other things...getting some Brown Jenkins and Dia deja-senti. With the white musk coming out so much in drydown, especially Dia. An older, sort of sophisticated scent.

Summary: Velvety violet-iris Dia. White, shining, creamy, soft, feminine. No hazelnut on drydown. Just a tad too powdery and nutty from the coconut for me, but quite lovely. Edited April 12, 2009 by Shollin
Fixed BPAL tags, added full description --Shollin

[magikalbrownies]

i like this -- very feminine and light.

 

i dont smell the coconut though but i do some other sort of floral...maybe its the iris.

 

 

very nice...really nice. reminds me of sunday's at church and all the ladies wearing charlie white.

[revinn]

Initial Sniff from Imp: I don't know how to describe it. Some kind of strong floral, a touch of coconut, and something sour and aquatic.

 

Wet: Smells like someone spilled sunscreen in a pool of salt water.

 

Dry: The funky floral is back with a vengeance; it's almost pungent. Someone through a bouquet into the pool of salt water. Not for me.

 

Out of 10: 5

[Kikkervisje]

Wet: Ok, I can’t describe this one. The musk gives it warmth, and the floral gives it a softness. …It’s a very intriguing scent, but I process it as an ethereal… combination of sensations rather than a given smell (aka warm, soft, etc.). A tiny bit of creaminess coming in from the hazelnut and coconut.

 

Dry: Doesn’t morph much.

 

Fits Description?: It does remind me of a black pearl. A very mysterious, very soft scent–even pale or ghostly. (It does *not* remind me of the Black Pearl, which I think is a good thing.)

 

Overall: I love this, but it’s so faint on me that I don’t plan to purchase a bottle. If it were stronger, it would be full speed ahead love.

[naeelah]

Wow, this is another one that perfectly realizes the concept. Sniffing it without knowing the notes, I got the sense of coconut and sea shells or damp pebbles. It is cool and shady.

 

A fresh, watery, waxy coconut is the strongest note start to finish. It is sweet but it isn't foody. This is countered by cool, sleek iris, primarily, which combines with the white musk to create the sense of shells or stone. White musk is sometimes like a singular bright light, but here it has a noisier, staticy quality. The iris is smooth and the musk is textured. I didn't recognize the hazelnut at all, so the nuttiness is very faint. If anything, it just serves as a foundation note, adding an earthy edge to the coconut's sweetness. The blend as a whole is lightly sweet, but certainly not food. I wouldn't really call it gourmand, either.

 

So, in short: fresh coconut juxtaposed with cool iris and white musk.

 

Try it if you like: Black Opal, Blood Pearl, Intrigue, Dia

[March]

This starts off as coconut with a high note (the florentine iris, if my nose remembers it correctly from Shoggoth) and quickly settles down to a perfumey coconut. The hazelnut is hardly present, only as the ghost of a scent, and the musk stays calm as well.

 

A little later, and it's morphed to tea? With milk? Odd. Ah, now it's back to the iris again!

 

Very nice, but I'm not sure if it's 'me.'

 

 

[Veronica]

Wow, I wonder if I'm wearing the same Black Pearl as everyone else here!

 

I get coconut--strong coconut. It's a sweet scent, a little floral, but not something I'd immediately put into that category. It's a "sugary" scent, I don't know how to better describe it, it smells like candied coconut and sugared violets. Pretty and cute, but not for me. Maybe something I'd give to my younger sister!

 

EDIT: On a second test, Black Pearl smells much the same, almost like some generic Bath and Body Works scent (Warm Vanilla Sugar?). Pretty, but nothing special.

Edited November 15, 2009 by delighted

[liquidtrance]

Very coconutty, but not at all in a cloying, fake way. The iris (?) soon comes through as well. The blend is very soft and mellow. Very wearable. Not foody, not floral, but nearly just right.

Let's see how full drydown goes, though… Seems to be getting softer and softer. Not a very strong scent. Not too faint, but not overwhelming like florals or incense can be.

Starts to go a little fake after awhile. Or at least just single note coconut. Maybe it's the hazelnut? Less appealing, though not by much. Scent gets VERY faint. Not an everyday wear, but not unloved.

In the full drydown, the scent is barely there. Mostly just a little musky... and that's about it. Very shortlived scent.

[buryheratsea]

Yes! First sniff from the bottle it smelled just like some kind of old fashioned candy, I can't quite put my finger on what though. On, it's gorgeous.. very floral with a little sweetness. Acutally, it smells a just like a bag of Floral Gums (my favorite) mmm...

Edited June 29, 2009 by buryheratsea

[crebbsgirl]

Coconut was REALLY predominant here. The iris didn't really come out for me, and the hazelnut was barely a hint. The musk was really nice, blending beautifully with the coconut to provide a little bit of depth. This was nice, but it wasn't overly interesting for me. This faded pretty fast on me too. It didn't even make it to lunch.

[BuxomM]

This smells light and powdery but good and sweet. As it dries the faintest bit of white coconut meat comes out. I don't normally like powdery scents but this is nice.

Edited July 1, 2009 by BuxomM

[mgrazulis]

Wet: Coconut, hazelnut---and soap??? Let's see how this goes in the dry stage...

 

Dry: a waxy mustiness, a buttery iris and sun tan lotion.

 

Now the iris just makes my nose twitch....off to the swaps!

 

 

 

[rayvn1]

This is so nice! Green coconut with a light musk undertone. There are some white flowers peeping through in the background. Very clean smelling. Good if you're into the coconut scents. Fresh without any aquatic if you want a beachy scent

[Balame]

In the Imp: Strong hazelnut, it reminds me of rum. Or maybe that’s just my PotC association with this. The OP mentioned frangelico and I think that’s perfect. Sort of induces a giddy and carefree feeling.

 

Wet: This has a darn good throw! I don’t have to stick my hand in front of my face to smell it. The coconut is indulgent and white musk is the other biggest wow factor at the moment. Gives it a soft, creamy feel. This reminds me of a sexy pirate lady that prefers the company of her ship to the rowdy party taking place on dry land. While her crew drinks the night away she quietly downs a bottle of something special she’s saved, when a shaggy head appears from below deck. It’s one of her newest crewmates, who’s been looking at her like he can barely refrain from pouncing for the past couple of weeks. He’s not at all unfortunate, and she could do with a bit of fun herself. The night will be longer and more luxurious than she first expected…

 

Dry: It’s doing quite well with staying power, which is impressive considering how delicate of a fragrance this is. It’s pretty funny but I'm still getting a drunken feel, though not in an “I’m a drooling lush” sort of way at all. More like, “I may be flushed but don’t think you can pull a fast one on me.” The iris is quite divine.

 

Verdict: I don’t know if it’s technically proper to call a smell beautiful, but to me this is. You know how there are moments when you look at someone you admire and wish you could be in their composed, confident state of mind? With this it immediately puts you there. It’s powerful but subtle, insistent but not forceful.

 

Rating: 5/5

[kerikeri]

This is a complex, pretty, feminine blend. Despite the name and description, I don't really get much of a marine feel from it, though. And I expected it to be more foody, with the coconut and hazelnut, but on me it's mostly floral musk with just a little added richness and warmth from the 'nut notes.

 

This is bordering on too traditionally perfumey for me-- I think the coconut and hazelnut saves it from old-lady-land, though. Sometimes the throw goes a little plastic on my skin, and starts reminding me in an odd-but-not-necessarily-bad way of... baby wipes? So I'm not rushing to buy a bottle, but I'll wear and enjoy it occasionally.

[Diva Urd]

Vial: Hazelnut, Coconut and floral freshness - weird, but interesting

On: Lots of nuttiness with a floral background. Still very interesting, similar to the way "Black Opal" is interesting, although they aren't even close to the same scent. I probably compare the two because of the mixture of foody and non-foody notes. If it lasts for a while, this might have to become another bottle list inhabitant.

Later: Still hazelnutty, with a swirl of coconut and floral in the back. Beautiful. Bottle list.

[redderz]

In the imp: Coconut and flowers, which I'm assuming is the iris!

 

Wet: The iris pushes forwards and this becomes very floral on me! I also get the white musk and the coconut and hazelnut are JUST there in the background.

 

Dry: Still floral, with a little more coconut now. It's nice, but not something I would wear all the time.

[SlySionnach]

Imp: I smell hazelnut. I am iffy about hazelnut.

 

Wet: Why, hello coconut! It flourishes, circling around the hazelnut. It’s a very nice mix.

 

Dry: Musk makes it a bit drier, but thankfully, the coconut is still there. It’s not a strong, pina colada mix coconut, but a more shaved coconut smell. The hazelnut is also there, but faint.

 

I never really smelt the flowers too strongly, which is kind of disappointing, but it's a very beautiful scent anyway. I wish I had gotten this mid-summer. It would be a nice beach scent.

 

[kunoichi]

In the vial, this is an oddly sharp and almost salty scent, with what may be a slightly sweet floral background. On my skin, it remains salty-savoury, but before too long a coconut scent appears and combines with the savoury element, slightly sweet but still rather salty. After a few hours, however, the salt disappears and it ends up a soft, sweetish musk. Quite nice by the end, but I'm not sure that this is a scent for me.

[bonny]

goodness, i wish this lasted longer on me.

in the bottle the best word i can think of is 'heady.' strong coconut and hazelnut, with a touch of booziness and salty sand. this makes me think of lying on the beach oiled up.

On my skin it lightens up quite a bit; the sweetness comes up strongly and the last hints (an hour or so in to wearing) are just a touch flowery, but the coconut lasts all the way through.

[animalcule]

This is a really interesting scent. Very subtle. On, it's nutty (I can just make out coconut) and gently floral at the same time, with an undertone that I guess is 'aquatic'. It stayed consistent over time for me.

 

It smells like a unique, expensive commercial perfume to me. I don't think I will get a bottle, but I will be using this imp.

[London]

In the Bottle: smells like coconut water with flowers floating around in it

 

Wet: Coconut shampoo..the sweet smelling kind. Or the bubble bath maybe...

 

Dry: Its a little 'heady' for me. The flowers came out really strong as it dried, with a sweet coconut musk smell in the background

[Sawasdee]

Really loving the coconut, not white meat, more like clear warm coconut juice drank straight from a young green coconut. The hazelnut adds a delicious warmth, and the iris remains lurking quietly in the background, adding a nice subtle floral dimension. I adore white musk. I think of this as a "clear" scent that does have a bit of an aquatic feel. This makes me want to be stranded on a desert island. Sexy, exotic, subtle...must have more.

5/5

Edited November 12, 2009 by Sawasdee

[Amoraexcena]

In the Imp: pretty heady iris, slightly sweetened.

 

Wet on skin: oh. oh wow. classy, a bit understated but definitely sexy. The iris really blossoms on my skin. The hazelnut is pretty faint, and the coconut's definitely held back by the musk. Thank god, not a foody scent! (I have too many of those already). Also not really aquatic yay. Reminds me a bit of a refreshing floral water toner though.

 

Dry on skin: the coconut steps up a little- or maybe the iris backs down a bit, so they're almost on par. The hazelnut also contributes a bit more of a sweet nutty-ness to this at this stage. The white musk loves me and I love it It really blends itself with the coconut, making this nothing like pina coladas or suntan lotion. It's a fluid, relaxing, yet high-class scent. I'm lounging around, doing homework in sweats and I don't feel worthy of Black Pearl at the moment It's warm, inviting but proper. I'd wear this drinking champagne in a cozy cashmere wrap with nice gold jewellery, hosting a small Christmas party.

 

Definitely going to get a bottle of this sometime.

[Amaroq]

I was really, really looking forward to this one. From the reviews, I was terrified that it was going to be way too feminine, but I was still very drawn to it, so I ordered an imp.

 

In the imp, it... wasn't too feminine. Not masculine by any means, but not TOO feminine.

 

Unfortunately, when I put it on, it all went to hell. Baby powder. Nothing but baby powder. No, wait, baby powder and Play-Doh. DAMNATION! I can't even bear to let it dry. I think it's the iris note that ended up screwing me over... I've never liked any floral besides rose, on me or anyone else.

 

*sighs* Oh well.