Black Pearl

[shriekingviolet]

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

Initial Impression:
Mmm sweet, but a dark, rich sweetness. Like enjoying something decadent on a hot, balmy, moonless night.

After Wearing It:
This oil is pure, lazy decadence on me. It's sensual, but in the most languid way. The combination of the coconut and hazelnut was strong, making me think of tall, sweet alcoholic drinks (hazelnut ALWAYS makes me think frangelico) that are meant for sipping and savoring rather than for gulping down so you can get to the next drink. Sniffing this off my wrists, I thought of lounging on a great recliner outside in a dark tropical setting. The music is slow, your company is beautiful and welcoming, people are having the time of their lives around you, but you're too content to move. Each moment is gorgeous, and time feels like molasses, because rather than throwing yourself back into the frenzy around you, you linger on that perfect moment for hours. It's singular, it's selfish in its luxury, and you'll want to return to here again and again.

As I said in the beginning, it's the coconut and hazelnut that are the obvious pair in the beginning. It's very sweet, but not in a toothache inducing sort of way. It's more warm than just sugary, and the white musk makes a wonderful base for it: enriching the strengths of each while keeping everything soft around the edges, creating the nighttime feel. The iris isn't very obvious here, but I can catch glimpses of it here and there. It's like a hidden anchor for the entire scent, keeping it from floating off into oblivion. Just golden and gorgeous.

The lasting power for the scent is pretty good. I put it on maybe 7 hours ago, and I can still smell it and feel its effects on my mood. The throw of the scent wanes after a few hours, but it stays fairly strong close to the skin. Which is fine, because I've been leaning my head on my hand or arm all evening long....

Final Thoughts:
Beyond the hazelnut-frangelico association I can't rid myself of, this fragrance really does remind me of a state of drunkenness. Maybe it's the warmth and the fuzziness of the white musk, but it instills the sort of gentle heaviness of limbs. I feel lazy, drowsy, but thoroughly content, like it's a buzz I've slowly built up and fostered all night without going too far. I've been fighting the urge to take a nap all evening, which is odd, because I have no reason to feel tired and napping isn't something I usually feel compelled to do without reason. I just want to crawl into bed and wrap myself in blankets to reach that optimum state of comfort. As an insomniac, I find the idea of an oil making me feel drowsy very thrilling. I can only hope that it really is the oil making me feel this way and not something else. I don't normally wear scents to bed (I find them a little distracting), but this might be the one that changes my mind on that. Will have to wear this a few more times to see, but if this oil really does make me sleepy, I'll be buying this in huge quantities.

Wow that was long! I've been lazy about reviewing for months, so let this make up for it.

[lavinia]

Okay- Black Pearl...here we go:

 

In the bottle: I get a hit of something that smells like a cross between Tart-n-Tiny candies and that old-fashioned Violet candy. Crazy,,,cause I know there's no violets or anything tart in here.

 

On my wrist: Now I get the creaminess. This is quite voluptuous and round. The liquor and the hazelnuts give it an anchor. It is very soft and undulating by the minute.

* okay...quick sidebar: I just noticed that I used the words voluptuous and round to describe something called "black pearl"- wow...that Beth is good*

 

After an hour: This reminds me of Lush's Snowcake soap in a strange way...creamy, silky, nutty but instead of rose there is iris. There is a component that is coming into play that isn't quite agreeing with me though I think it is the coconut. I really haven't worn an oil that has this in it yet. I am confounded. I keep sniffing my arm- I like it yet I don't the longer I wear it. The coconut and the iris may not be working with my skin chemistry oh I am sad about this.

I may have to find another home for this little beauty...

I am stubborn and this is hard to admit but Black Pearl doesn't like me.

[moomin]

First sniff - this smells sweet but not overwhelming, if I concentrate I can make out the coconut and hazelnut but only for a moment. To me this is a very comforting smell, like a warm pudding on a cold winters day.

 

On me - It took me a while to work out why this scent was so familiar - then I realised that it smells exactly like palma violets. Nice, but not quite what I was hoping for. Strangely though, as I wore this the violets faded and I caught glimpses of the coconut and hazelnut again.

 

This lasted 4 hours on me, but was a very gentle scent for most of that. Overall it is lovely, and I will be gettting a big bottle.

 

xx

[hypothermya]

Black Pearl

 

Initial Impression

 

This is probably the *weirdest* scent association I've ever had, but this smells like nuts with mint jelly. Not strong mint jelly, mind you, but just the slightest hint of candied mint. Actually, it's more like candied fruit with a bit of mint. Weird. But mostly it's just sweet nuts.

 

Wearing It

 

Wet, the first thing I notice is the coconut. This isn't the sweetened coconut that you'd use for macaroons, but just plain coconut. Then the other scents start to pick up a bit, and you get this nutty smell that's a really pleasant combination of coconut and hazelnut -- the hazelnut reminds me of a flavored hot chocolate I used to drink, which is probably why I can differentiate the smell -- and this really elegant, smooth floral. I remember smelling the iris in Morella and thinking that I'd love to try some iris again in a less sweet/earthy blend. Apparently Beth was reading my mind, because this is just like the iris in Morella but without the sweetness. It's just rich, smooth elegance against this really savory smell of nuts. The nuts are actually so plain and unsweetened that they remind me of gentle wood notes. It's a bit like Intrigue, really, but without the chocolate and the fig notes...Instead of the really gritty island palm feeling, this has the feeling of a smooth bodied island lover. And the white musk of course is what grants the scent it's warmth and butteryness. This is so delicious!!!

 

Lasting Power

 

This stuff is *good*!!! Six hours after application and it's still there. By now it's faded a bit to a sweet smelling body warmth with nutty tones to it. It's really sexy.

 

Overall, I'm super, super glad that I decided that I'd love this without trying it out first -- cause I was right. This is basically everything that I love about King of Spades but without all of that candied sweetness. It's so smooth and elegant and mysterious smelling, and I just can't get enough of it.

Edited November 5, 2004 by hypothermya

[Red_Hot_Mama]

One think immediately comes to mind: a black silk nightie! I mean it. This "smells" like the finest black silk.

 

The fragrance is "fluid", clings to the skin, soft & most definitely, silky.

 

Black Pearl is also one of the most complex, morphing blends I've ever tried.

 

A classy, rich blend.

 

Brava, Elizabeth!

[Eris]

Nice. Very nice. A smooth blend that merges beautifully with my skin. The top note is a light floral, smoothed over a creamy, nutty base which must be the coconut and hazelnut. The mixture stays consistent for a few hours, and then the floral eventually dims, leaving just a residual vanilla-ish scent behind. The overall effect is very sexy and silky; this is one of the best BPAL oils I've found so far.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Oh, I don't know how to describe this. It is so light and sweet and rather like a drink. Coconut and hazelnut, how lovely. It has a definite dinner party feeling to it, perhaps with a piano playing in the background.

 

On me: This is super, super good. The white musk gives this such a warmth and the iris blends beautifully with the two 'nuts. This will definitely be one of my favorites. I thought this might be a bit foody when I read the description, but it isn't at all. It's very tropical and a very happy fragrance.

 

ETA: When I went out with my mum the afternoon I applied this she complained she smelled "dead coconut." Well, I still love it!

Edited November 6, 2004 by k00kaburra

[Spanglemaker]

Black Pearl

 

Wet: coconut with a fruity component

 

On: within 20 minutes, this completely disappears I actually reapplied because I thought I just did put enough on. But no, same thing.

 

This is the first BPAL I've tried that did that.

 

ETA: I decided I had to give Black Pearl another try in case my skin chemistry was wonky the day I initially tried it.

 

Well, apparently that was the case, because I put some on last night before bed and could still smell this morning. Woohoo!

 

It is a very soft coconutty scent with a light fruity component. Lovely.

Edited November 13, 2004 by Spanglemaker

[silverangel]

Sweet with a dark undertone. Coconut and Iris are the most prominent notes with musk behind it. I can't smell any hazelnut on me at all right now. It dries down to a kind of sweet fruit smell. not too fruity, kind of like sugared fruit kind of fruit. The hzelnut comes out a bit more once it's been dried down for a while.

 

It really is mostly coconut and musk on me and I adore it! And of course I adore hypothermya for giving me an imp of it!

 

Six hours later I still have a hint of it on my skin, but I'd normally reapply every two to three hours.

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Black Pearl just screams Florentine iris.

 

Second Impression: The creamy coconut undertones take awhile to appear as the iris just takes over the entire blend. I like iris in Morella, but otherwise I find it headachy and way too potent. I'm not getting any hazelnut or white musk.

 

Final Analysis: The iris fades off after a long while, leaving a soft coconut floral. I don't care for it on my skin.

[Nepthys]

I second the silk black nightie association. This is a very feminine, mysterious perfume, something a sea goddess would wear. On me it is black-violet and irridescent, with the iris dominating and the cocoanut faint in the background. It's not an aquatic scent to me as much as the way you might smell on a beach at night, a mixture of the leftover suntan lotion on your skin, the tropical drink in your hand, and the night breezes from the sea. Utterly gorgeous.

[isyche]

On me, Black Pearl is creamy coconut-hazelnut. It's definitely a smooth, rounded scent. The iris seems to add a note of fresh, shimmery coolness or iridescence on the surface, but it stays warm and sexy - I totally see the black silk association. Really like it.

[lorajc]

I haven't read all of the above reviews, so I don't know if this has already been said, but this is so dead on evocative of the name......Black Pearl. It is very lush, soft, creamy and coconutty. I'll probably get crucified for saying this, but this is sort of what I imagine Snow White to smell like ....only without the coconut and iris and with the snowy floralesque thing instead. I may be all wrong, but I've never had the opportunity to smell Snow White. This scent is soft and lovely. I can't make out the hazelnut in it but I detect iris and coconut, but the scent is much more complex than that.

[Falathwen]

I do not get a sense of the sea from this, but it is full of tropical languor. It is indeed a deceptively gently scent…the coconut tempted me to slather, but then I realized how intense this scent really is. The iris makes this almost too elegant for daily wear on me.

On my skin, this blend faded rather quickly to powdery sweetness, but it remained true on my clothing far longer.

[Caitfish]

Scent Name: Black Pearl

In the bottle:

Dominant notes: Coconut, Hazelnut, Musk… the iris is apparent too, actually.

Impressions: A beautiful blend. This smells creamy and warm (BUT NOT SPICY!) All of these notes belong together.

Initial On:

Dominant notes: Coconut and hazelnut are the two big winners here. Everything else is detectable, but well blended.

Impressions: Beautiful! Calming, with good throw.

After a while:

Persistent notes: This blend stays incredibly true to the smell in the bottle and when initially on, so the notes pretty much keep the order listed above.

Notes that fade: None

Staying power? Excellent. This is a surprisingly strong scent, though it's so mellow smelling, it really has a lot of throw and strength, thus, it sticks around.

Summary:These notes were all *meant* to be in this perfume. This is a fantastic mellow, balmy blend. That's exactly the way to put it - balmy! I wish that I had had this in the Bahamas, it would have been perfect for the warm tropical nights. This is not an aquatic scent, but rather - as the description states - evocative of the sea. Tropical, but smooth, not fruity, and very sultry. Big bottle!

Edited November 3, 2005 by Shollin

[pkwench]

Black Pearl

 

This is a smooth nutty coconut on me. It's lovely, creamy and comforting. Beautiful!

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: decadence!

 

WEARING IT: when first applied it reminded me a lot of morella as it wears the hazelnut becomes more apparent and mixes so well with the iris. the coconut really shows up to the party about ten minutes in and is really exotic and beautiful. this would be the ultimate summer scent!

 

VERDICT: so nice, it's a keeper!

[Dianella]

This is the first frangrance that I ordered a big bottle of as soon as I read the description. I was a little wary of the iris because florals have a tendancy to be really strong on me but this blend is fab.

 

The initial sniff from the bottle was coconut with depth, the hazelnut I'm guessing

 

On me the scent is initally strongly coconut (yum!) and the hazelnut adds a nice nutty warmth to the scent. The iris really hangs in the background (sigh of relief) rounding out the scent . Very evocative of both the sea and a black pearl. Very gorgeous.

[phoefromelsewhere]

I got this as a lab freebie but I also have an imp on the way (which means more to swap).

 

In the bottle: meaty, freshly opened coconut, sweet light florals

 

Wet: The coconut fades really fast and there is nothing sweet or light about the florals now. Smells like a combination of suntan oil and little girl sweet flower perfume, stuck in a hot car with no A/C. I am not getting ANY hazelnut. The musk is coming out awfully strong. Am really unsure on this one, it is awfully sweet.

 

Drydown: Oh no, this is just horrid on me. It’s all musk and iris and just a teeny smidge of coconut. It’s so sweet that it makes me feel a bit ill. Must wash it off. It started out lovely and coconutty but then it just went sweet and kept getting sweeter. Sadly not for me. Off to the swaps to someone who will love it.

[AnnetteL]

Ohhhhhh yes. This is everything I had hoped for. It's a little coconutty, but not obnoxiously so, a little hazelnutty, the base is smooth musk, and the iris it very light but provides just the right finishing touch. Overall, this is warm and creamy and exotic, yet mellow. It's jumped straight into my top 5.

 

Also, I got compliments on this from my SO twice today, and that's quite rare for him!

[Lorencita]

WOW, WOW, HOLY CRAP! This is the first scent that I have worn from BPAL, that has gotten soooo many compliments! I got 4 compliments in the matter of 2 hours. I love the way this is very sexy and smells so comforting. I get the coconut, but its not too strong. There is a fluid nature to the scent, its sooo smooth! I love it, and I will use this in a multitude of ways! Im going to make massage bars, lotion, and take many baths with this stuff. Just yummy! I'm in love all over again with BPAL!

[spark]

I am really glad I have an imp of Florentine Iris coming, so I can try to figure out this scent...!

 

I do get coconut and something else. Nothing I really identify as hazelnut or musk; I don't particularly like either one, so this is fine.

 

Black Pearl is really lovely. It IS round, as others have scent; sweet without being !! SWEET !!; definitely sexy. It doesn't seem to change much as the day passes. Unlike others, I'm not getting the impression that it's particularly waft-y. But I can smell it hours later close on my skin, and I love it.

[Gin]

In the vial, this made me think of shampoo. I don't know how or why, but I got a distinct shampooey smell. On my skin, Black pearl is sweet coconut with a floral note. I thought of white, tropical flowers, and maybe that's the shampoo connection? Actually, I think it reminds me of reflect.com's pina colada scent, which I got in a shampoo once.

 

In any case, as much as I want to adore this one, I can't help but think of shampoo when I smell it.

 

(I blame you, reflect.com! You ruined a perfectly lovely scent for me! )

[feline.by.design]

Ditto the shampoo remark, although when I reapplied I got moreso the feel of coconut bubble bath. I don't know what it is, but there is something bubbley/soapish about this fragrance which was unexpected, though not thoroughly unwelcome.

 

On me, once the fragrance began to dry the soap bubbles went away. I'd say the soapy/shampoo edge lasted on me only for about five minutes tops. I was left with a warm fragrance that was really good, but more masculine than I had expected. If you can picture a pirate coconut, this is sort of what brings the idea to mind. Not at all sweet, and probably a bit drunk. Like coconut rum, maybe, without the tang of alcohol. It smells really good, although oddly on me it only lasted for maybe three or four hours before fading away until near-oblivion.

 

I didn't dislike the fragrance, I was actually very fond of Black Pearl, however I felt that it would be something I ought to coerce my boyfriend to wear, as it seems more like a masculine scent. It's odd, since I normally like wearing "guy scents" but I really can't see myself wearing this one much. It's a very complex fragrance, and if Brent doesn't wear it I would definitely use it in some way, like as a home oil or perhaps wear it when I'm feeling a bit like a nutty pirate.

 

-doreen

[tart]

I like the coconut in Black Pearl. It has a smooth and warm feeling, overall. I'd like it better if the iris didn't come out so much. It layers nicely with Bliss. I'll use up my imp and maybe purchase more.