Perfume Diary: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Eau de Parfum

Friday, October 3, 2014

Good afternoon!

Earlier this year, Sephora offered Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black as a deluxe 100-point reward and I was very happy to add it to an order. I had sampled it previously along with Nirvana White and while I felt that this perfume lacked complexity, it wasn't a bad scent to wear.

Aside from being associated with MK&A's fashion brand, I don't think this this quite falls under the celebrity fragrance genre.

There are three notes to this perfume; sandalwood, vanilla and violet.

I can picture the perfect wearer for this scent (and unfortunately, it's not me). Waking up to a cold apartment because she (or he) left the window open last night, the sun does little to warm her room. She throws on thick woolen knits and black boots to tackle this fall day, she's entirely fueled by an astounding amount of caffeine. She needs no bright baubles nor intricate hairstyle, her personality is the focal point. She doesn't need a complex perfume with a dozen notes and all the nuances of their combinations because she does not want her perfume to speak for her.

I found Nirvana Black to be relatively linear. It's a triforce of scent, I experience sandalwood, vanilla and violet at the same intensity during the opening and much of the middle. Only when this scent is about to bow out (four hours into wear) does violet fade enough to let vanilla and sandalwood mingle for a warmer, more cozy scent. The violet is a bit green and cool enough to temper the balsamic vanilla from becoming too stifling.

Sidenote: major props to Morgan. Before, he pretty much couldn't identify any single note of a perfume, but he sniffed Nirvana Black on my wrist and correctly pronounced it to have violet! I'm impressed.

Longevity: So-so. I get about five to six hours of wear, total.
Sillage: Pretty good projection. This isn't assaulting to the noses of others, but it does carry a little bit.

I like this scent a lot, because it's very predictable. Not once have I taken in a deep sniff and discovered some new facet of its personality, it is exactly what it says it will be. Violet. Vanilla. Sandalwood. I also smelled Nirvana White but I really did not like it. Funny how polarizing this pair of perfumes are, right? It's literally black and white to me.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black EdP is available in three sizes, as well as a perfume oil.

Do you have a favorite scent that isn't very complex but still manages to smell pretty wonderful?