Black Pearl

[MtMoonKitty]

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

 

I disliked this one so much in the imp that I didn't try it for a long time. Wet it is strong floral iris and a little musk. I had a hard time with this phase as it was cloying. When it dried it mellowed out a lot. I get the iris but it fades behind a coconut/hazelnut combo that smells a lot like Tropical tanning oil only lighter. My skin eats this one too it seems. I haven't had it on long but it's pretty light. It would make a nice summer fragrance when you need to be subtle. I won't be buying a bottle but I might get a little use out of the imp.

[Erinofhere]

Call me crazy but I actually enjoy the smell of suntan lotion. It makes me think of (obviously) summer at the beach. This however did not smell like suntan lotion on me. I was a bit sad about that, because a lot of reviews said this was very suntan lotion-ish scent.

In the imp: All I can pick up on is floral and aquatics (maybe the white musk?)

wet: Again floral and chemical. It's sort of harsh at this stage and due to the strong chemical smell I almost wanted to go and wash it off

Dry: Much better. Black Pearl mellows out in the dry stage to a very wearable summer scent. It's not real strong and it faded pretty quickly on me. However if I am picking up on coconut it's subtle. I get whiffs of it now and then but mainly all I can smell consistently is floral. No hazelnut. I think my nose gets bombarded by certain floral and becomes overwhelmed so that I can't get my bearings..so it's hard to pick out any one scent on this.

It's pretty but not really what I was going after. I will keep the imp, but I won't be buying the big bottle.

[elinox]

First Sniff: Something unpleasant smacks me right in the face. Bottled up wilting iris maybe?

 

Initial Wet Application: Thankfully, this was different as soon as I applied it: it’s light and fresh and there’s some delicious coconut rounding this out. The iris and white musk are good buddies so far.

 

Dry Down (first 15 minutes): As it began to dry, the hazelnut is giving this a dry wood smell which I hope goes away. The coconut is faint but it seems to work well with the iris which is the dominant note so far. It’s light and pleasant, but as it completes the dry down not a lot of that lovely coconut remains.

 

My Reaction: The white musk and iris were pleasant, but too much like too many of my other BPAL scents. I had hoped that the coconut would come out more with warm hazelnut but that wasn’t the case. Although let’s be honest, I got this to try for only 2 reasons: 1. because I need to try all the pirate scents the lab offers, and 2. I love this movie!

 

Rating: 1.5

[Floria]

I can definitely see the "pearl" quality, since this does have a sort of creamy smooth shimmer to it. To me it smells like coconutty violets. Florentine iris must smell different from iris reticulata or the big bearded irises in my backyard. I don't get much hazelnut, but it may be enhancing the nuttiness of the coconut.

It's an interesting combination - reminds me of some of the candied violet scents I've tried, but the smooth nutty element sets it apart.

[Astarial]

This is creamy and pearly and I like it - buuuuut it's almost single-note coconut on me. Some of the other notes might be playing very quietly in the background to round it out a bit, but I can't actually pick them out. It's just... coconut. Coconut when wet, coconut when dry, coconut hours later. Good thing I like coconut!

[Teaker]

One of my favorites! Creamy coconut and lovely white musk. The hazelnut adds a roundness to the scent, without ever approaching "foody" territory. There is a sweetness that smells almost like violets, which must be the iris.

 

No suntan lotion here, but it definitely has a summery vibe to it, like most of the coconut perfumes I've tried. But on me it's such a warm scent that I think it's better suited to cool fall days than hot summer ones.

 

It's a simple, sweet, comforting, and lovely scent. Definitely my favorite coconut bpal, I much prefer it to Obatala. While I like Obatala, I find that it is a very one-note coconut, whereas Black Pearl has more depth to it, with the iris and hazelnut. It's definitely heavy on the white musk, so if you are a fan of that note (which I most definitely am) then this is a must-try.

[PumpkinGuts]

Not many GC scents have grabbed me, but sweet Odin's ravens, this one is delicious. Straight out of the imp I knew I would love it. I envision it as a violet-infused coconut pudding sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. Warm and smooth like a silk blanket.

 

Needless to say, I'll be snagging a bottle alongside my Weenie purchases this fall.

[Morsigne925]

Wet/Imp: OH this smells good. It really strongly reminds me of Lush's silky underwear powder - it's a definite coconut/baby powder thing going on. But I don't hate it this time. I love coconut. I think it must be musks that give me a strong "powder" vibe.

 

Drying: Powder-ness seems to start going down giving way to the toasted hazelnut smell, with the florals. This may very seriously be a bottle order in the near future. Smells light and delicately feminine to me.

[erijona]

In the imp: fizzy, bubbly coconut and hazelnut. Not sure if I'm able to pick out the iris at this point. The musk is very sparkly and bubbly and lends an effervescent quality. Smelling this in the imp immediately reminded me of a fizzy Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) drink! Maybe Frangelico and coconut and cream soda?

 

Wet on skin: The coconut and hazelnut really bloom on my skin. There is a slight sharpness at this stage that could be the iris, I'm not sure--but the musk in this is really pretty. The description says 'opalescent' and that's really how it smells - sparkling and opalescent like a pearl. The hazelnut doesn't get too foody, which I like. I detect an underlying saltiness to this blend. Tropical but not in a typical sweet way. Very pretty

 

Dry on skin: The drydown is yummy salty bubbly coconut. The hazelnut isn't as strong at this point. The musk leaves a slight soap note at the end but combined with the coconut it smells more like really high end sunscreen (in the best way) than soap. Again I'm not too good at picking out the iris (probably because I'm not too familiar with it) but it isn't overly floral as it dries down. This scent is more reminscent of a sultry night in the tropics than a day at the beach.

 

Later drydown: Lasts a good while on me--the musk and flowery coconut keeps going and going. I ran a bit through my hair and am enveloped in a really pretty scent cloud.

 

Thoughts: This one is a really different approach to a typical tropical. Living on an island, you get used to seeing the same notes in fragrances. Tiare, frangipani, pikake, white ginger--all beautiful flowers used in lei-making. Although pretty, they can get predictable. This one is still unmistakably tropical while managing to be a little more sultry and different. I will throw this on the next time I go on a nighttime beach bbq or a swanky Waikiki party.

[savage_rose]

On me, this is all white musk. It smells sweet and a little incensey, but I'm disappointed that there's no coconut or hazelnut (2 of my favorite things!)

[LizziesLuck]

This is so sweet. I get no coconut or hazelnut (which is what I had hoped for) and not even any musk, just overwhelmingly sweet floral. It almost smell like violets, which nauseate me and cause migraines, so I'm having to scrub it off. I don't know what iris smells like, but if this is it, I may have to add it to the "no" note list. Very disappointing! Coconut is a favourite and I had high hopes.

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Black Pearl is a generous frimp from the Lab, and the name makes me want to talk like a pirate. Arrrrrr, let's test it then, mateys!

 

In the imp: lightly hazelnutty, like a Ferrero Rocher candy

 

Wet: mmm, hazelnut and coconut, well-blended and a bit buttery...like a Samoa girl school cookie

 

Dry: the iris finally comes out, making this much less foody and more perfume-y

 

Verdict: a treasure for a mermaid rather than a pirate, as the white musk and iris make it delicate and pretty with a tropical touch

Edited February 21, 2016 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[joopjoop]

A very sophisticated blend.

 

Wet: at first it is strongly coconut with the hazelnut poking around the edges

After about 30 minutes, this settles down with the iris and the musk coming forward to blend with the coconut and hazelnut. It is evocative of the sea, but not in a fruity tropical way (I also like fruity tropical scents, this is just a different kind of scent). It smells quietly sexy if that makes sense - nothing flashy, but also unexpected - not a 'typical' perfume scent at all.

The overall effect is 'foody' but not in an overly sweet way that I associate with some of the other food scents I've tried.

 

It lasts a long time but stays close to the skin. I think it would be lovely in the summer, particularly in the evening, when I'm looking for something less 'refreshing' and more suited to going out.

 

A winner for me.

[Kay Torres]

I received this as a frimp from the Lab. I absolutely hated the way it smelled in the imp - like a bottle of suntan lotion that's been sitting for too long.

 

Wet: I distinctly get hazelnut AND the coconut. It's a little odd. But, within five minutes these sort of merge to my nose and just become a nuttier sort of coconut, if that makes sense... Think coconut on steroids... Ten minutes in is when this becomes ABSOLUTELY FREAKING BEAUTIFUL! I smell like a softly spiced, coconut cream pie right now, with a little something cool that keeps this from being overly foodie. This is a masterpiece in simplicity. The only drawback is that it doesn't last long, but I honestly don't think I'd mind rolling around in this. I'm in love and this is definitely full bottle worthy.

Edited April 5, 2016 by SunsetKay

[freyasfae]

When I first sniffed this, it was like pirate-y fun without the rum note that hates me! Then as it evolved, it became surprising - a pirate who bathes, huh. Overall, this was quite a morpher on me and was at times spicy, salty, soapy, and coconutty. I liked it best when it was coconutty, but it ended up being mostly soapy on me.

[littlesparrow]

First I get suntan-lotion coconut, then I get acrid hazelnut, and then suddenly the whole thing transforms into the most beautiful and well-blended perfume! What is this magic?! I can't even pick out the notes anymore it's just a gorgeous scent with a slightly tropical feel. I did not expect to like this, let alone love it. I'll definitely use up the imp this summer. So glad the lab saw fit to frimp me this!

[Casablanca]

At first, the Pearl is fresh coconut sweetened with iris. After a minute, a woody hazelnut appears, and this is nice -- and then the iris turns into soap.

 

I don't get much besides a creamy floral soap after that. It's light and gentle, but not for me.

[Cali]

I'm surprised by how sweet this actually is! Was expecting something piraty. Maybe this could be a really squeaky clean pirate with a great taste in perfume.

On my skin the coconut and iris start to amp. The first ten minutes I get some sort of a lotion/body butter note but that thankfully fades more into coconut later. Not a huge fan of coconut so it's kinda meh for me, but it is very well blended and the other notes are still there, in the background, complimenting it greatly. It's like a comforting warm bath with your favourite hair conditioner in. Or something.

[gloame]

I am so confused by this scent. At first, all I could smell was cheesy feet (I know, I know!!!) but that may just be how straightforward chocolate morphs on me. I want to give the Lab's chocolate notes another shot (I do love a few that have it in the background), but I don't think this is my chocolate blend.

[lizabelle]

I think this is the first time I've actually smelled hazelnut in a perfume, and I love it. It's sweet and nutty and blends with the creamy, milky coconut well. I barely get any iris here, but the musk is warm and soft in the background and rounds out the other notes well. Despite the notes it's not really a foodie blend. It almost verges on being aromatic/spicy with the richness of the hazelnut. I may have to get a bottle of this one--it's like nothing I have already and I'm really liking it.

[sisterbastard]

Note: This was part of my very first BPAL purchase EVER, in...2010 or something. (And then, of course, it took me seven years to get around to exploring more BPAL, because that is how I roll, apparently.) I absolutely adored it then, and I adore it now. It'll always have a very happy and nostalgic place in my own personal BPAL hall of fame.

 

First impression: Salty and breezy, grounded by a dignified amount of hazelnut and a dark-feeling coconut.

 

Wet: Fresh, bright salt, with coconut floating underneath. The hazelnut is just a suggestion, and I'm not really able to pick out the iris.

 

Dry: Coconut almost hollows out and is lightly spiced by the salt and musk. Remains difficult for me to pick out any florals, which is fine with me. Despite the brightness of the salt, this feels very much like a dusk scent to me - the beach right after the sun has completely dipped below the horizon.

[achildoftime]

I really like this one quite a bit. It's mostly coconut and iris with a suggestion of white musk. The coconut doesn't seem like the suntan lotion variety. It's more like a creamy coconut dessert, though I wouldn't say that it's a foodie perfume. The iris keeps it away from that. It feels like it wants to be super sweet and strong, but the white musk keeps it from being overbearing. And I never get and hazelnut at all. I really adore this scent.

[Lucchesa]

Another lovely scent that my stupid middle-aged skin just sucked into oblivion. And I was so looking forward to the hazelnut!

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: Mostly Florentine iris, with some coconut and warm hazelnut. Florentine iris is a note that likes to turn into Dr. Pepper on me, so I do not have high hopes for this.

 

Wet: The iris note reigns, with the white musk behind it making this a musky floral scent. Then, the Florentine iris note starts doing the Dr. Pepper thing on me, so I get that aspect of it, along with a baby product floral vibe.

 

Dry: Super sweet, musky Dr. Pepper-y floral.

 

Verdict: Florentine iris and I just cannot get along.

[Joyleaf_]

Like other reviewers, this is light and gentle and also full of coconuty-horror. I despise coconut unless it is in an adult beverage, and the note is very excruciatingly prominent in this blend. Not for me!