Black Lace

[Aldercy]

The embodiment of Victorian funereal elegance. A delicate sugar-spun vanilla cream cotton, stained by tobacco and incense smoke, Indian musk, and drops of cognac.

12/2009 Version.

So far, it's vanilla and musk (a la Dorian). There's a dusty grit in the background that I take to be the incense/tobacco notes. No booze (but cognac is one of the few alcoholic notes that is very docile on my skin), and the cotton cream does not result in in a "laundry" effect. It's very subtle and grown-up feminine... but definitely funereal and old-fashioned. In fact, it almost makes me sad to wear it.

I can see why this is popular-- it's a classically lovely scent. But I do hope that some of the darker ingredients emerge more with time-- I like the smooth, intimate vanilla (I've been having a problem with it going plasticky on me lately, but Black Lace has not), I just think it would be particularly beautiful with a bit more of that tobacco.... Edited January 5, 2010 by Aldercy

[Amoraexcena]

ressurected version. I must say, I LOVE this label, the colours are even prettier than the original imo<3

 

Bottle: I'm getting patchouli, okou (Japanese funeral incense sticks!) and tobacco smoke. I believe patchouli is used in most(?) incense so that makes sense. This is going to age well. A touch of vanilla, a drop of cognac and musk grounding it all.

Wet on skin: It's getting smoother and creamier! Lots of throw at this stage. A dark but sweet, edgy but soft, complex and intriguing scent.

Drydown: Oh my god. It's quite possibly the One I've been looking for. A close, beautiful, comforting sweet bourbon vanilla and musk balanced with solemn okou, tobacco. It's not very alcohol-like, it's really very little cognac. The scent of a black-laced Victorian funeral dress. I was going to keep two bottles of this and sell a third but I have a feeling I'll be hoarding all three. It's WONDERFUL.

[thestrangeheart]

Resurrected version that I couldn't help but get!

 

In the bottle, it's . . . almost stiff, starched lace? I get that cologne smell that others have mentioned (maybe the cognac that's doing that?) Not much vanilla. Hmm.

 

Wet: Ah, there's the vanilla and tobacco. Not bad, but the cognac is still dominating over everything else. It's giving this a surprising bite that I wasn't expecting. But the vanilla musk here seems really similar to Antique Lace, which is what I was hoping for.

 

Dry: Ahh, this is what I was hoping for. Black Lace seems to be Antique Lace's sexier cousin . . . definitely that lovely vanilla musk, but the tobacco and the incense waft around in the air, curling around the vanilla. Cognac seems to have faded discreetly to the background. I'm curious to see what aging will do to this, if it'll smooth out some of the rough edges I'm getting in the earlier stages. But definitely a keeper.

[SpookyBunny]

This is for the '09 version.

In the bottle this is absolutely AMAZING, it is the "me" scent that I never thought I would find. I can smell all the notes to some degree.

Unfortunately upon wearing, it is not exactly the same. It is primarily vanilla and incense, which isn't actually so bad - I find myself sniffing my wrists a lot which is a good sign

The thing is, when I am not isolating the notes, wherever this is more heavily applied smells like SOAP! Fancy soap, sure - but thick with clean dryer sheet smell, and I am not really liking that so much. I must also note that this soapy massacre happens most when it is applied to clothing, I got some on my shirt by mistake and am sorry that I did - because now I am worried about Black Lace's all around value to me. I am going to keep my bottle (obviously) for how gorgeous it smells in the bottle - and also to let it age, because hopefully then it will perfect itself. I would say this is very comparable in ways to Black Temple Burlesque Troupe, which might not be the same for everyone - but it seems as though BTBT is the evil twin of BL lol. They are both dark in their own ways, but think about this being the femme fatale or adult victorian side and BTBT being the she-demon side that BL transforms into at strange hours of the night.

 

I REALLY wish I could try a little of an older batch - an aged sample, just to compare and to love on. This was my first bottle of BL and it is a shame I didn't get to try the original. Maybe I will go about searching for that soon.

 

[angelicdemise]

My new bottle of Black Lace is pretty much exactly how I remembered my decant smelling when I first got it (during the original release of Black Lace). The aged decants have AMAZING staying power- I put it on at the beginning of work one day and 9+ hours later when I got home it was still very much there!

[gypsyjolie]

The 2009 version:

 

This started out wet with a lot more sharp boozy cognac and an almost-floral linen scent. I hate linen scents, and the hint of dried flowers isn't helping either.

 

As it dried, more vanilla cream came out and the sharpness died away. Still a bit "old lady" floral - the scent sort of sticks at the back of my throat.

 

After 15 minutes, this warms up - hello tobacco! and blends with the vanilla cream. I don't get any incense, but the musk appears and the very strong throw is like a cloud of Egyptian musk and vanilla cream around me. It's perfumey - I can see why some have compared this to department store perfumes.

 

After 30 minutes - mostly the same as at 15 minutes, with a touch of incense if i sniff closer to my skin. the throw is still all vanilla musk.

 

 

This is nice, but not a lot different than Vanilla Musk blends from Attar Bazaar or Auric Blends. A bit too perfumey and linen-y for me. I'll see how it ages.

 

[strahlend]

Hm. Well. This is not what I was expecting.

In the bottle I'm getting a blast of nose burning alcohol that I'm assuming is the cognac paired with HELLO I'M VANILLA IN YOUR FACE.

Usually alcohol burns off me faster than I would like (rum, whiskey & wine notes) so I go ahead and give this a shot. Oddly enough the alcohol just stays right there and I'm sitting in a cloud of very generic vanilla perfumy booze.

After about half an hour or so things start to mellow out a little bit and something that smells a lot like Dorian starts to happen.

I'm happy to let this one sit around for a while and see if maybe it mellows with age. I get the feeling it's a really great blend but that it's just too high strung right now. Side note, I'm totally jealous of the folks who get incense and tobacco - neither of which am I able to detect.

[faifai]

I greatly prefer the previous formulation to the new one. The old one was a rich, sensual, creamy incensey vanilla that smelled like a classic, beautiful perfume and worked wonders on my skin.

 

The new formulation smells a bit too sharp and has more of the cognac and tobacco, which to my nose translates to a very Perversion like blend. Nice, I guess, but I already have an imp of Perversion and just don't like it enough to need a whole bottle of a scent that is so similar.

[Lyrical]

In the bottle: it's smack-you-in-the-face strong and I can smell all the notes distinctly, but mostly a boozy vanilla cologne.

 

Wet on skin: cognac and vanilla. This is a very rich, dark vanilla, not at all creamy, and gives me the feel of one of those sugary but not cream-based liqueurs - like Tia Maria only vanilla flavoured. Then, as it dries, tobacco pushes its way to the front and it becomes somewhat nauseating - not fresh, aromatic pipe tobacco, but stale, ugly tobacco, like an ash tray that hasn't been emptied for a week, combining with cognac, incense and musk. The sweet liqueur is gone and it's dark, rank and dirty.

 

Dry on skin: when I tried this fresh from the mailbox last week, there was more vanilla, more cotton, and a cool vanilla musk that reminded me briefly of Voyeurs Among the Cherry Blossoms. Today the vanilla is hiding behind the dark, smoky filthiness. However, the individual notes are already blending together better and smoothing out, so I won't give up on it without a few months of aging to see if it improves. At the moment the tobacco is way too strong for me. It's kind of compelling, though - I have to keep sniffing it! And it gets smoother and richer the longer I wear it. Fascinating! But every so often I wonder why I can smell smoke, just before I realise it's Black Lace!

 

(I put on some Antique Lace on the other arm for comparison, and they are quite unalike. I think they share the vanilla and cotton notes, but AL is clean cotton and BL is filthy, stained cotton worn by a heavy smoker.)

 

Not only is this scent very strong, so that only a tiny drop creates a haze around you, but it also lasts for ever.

 

 

ETA: layered with Black Heart, this really seems to bring out the best in both scents. The creamy, cottony vanilla of BL tones down the purple brightness of BH, which in turn smothers the more acrid, dirty aspects of BL. They blend seamlessly, like a creamy berry mousse with musk!

 

Dry: it's amazing how these two scents, each quite overpowering in its own way, tame and complement each other. It's mostly purple fruits and cream now, which is odd, because I don't get a distinct cream note in either scent alone (I always assumed "cream cotton" refers the fabric colour in BL) and this is definitely real cream. The tobacco is pushing and shoving a little and trying to get out, but the fruits, honey and sandalwood hold it back. This combination is probably not going to be something I wear a lot, but it's pretty, and very "BPAL".

Edited February 16, 2010 by Lyrical

[Venneh]

Got a half imp of this just to say I tried this. In the decant, this smells like the linen note from Dirty with incense and smoke. Hrm. On my skin, it's pretty much incense, smoke, tobacco, and linen. We'll see what happens. The creamy vanilla note comes out, but the smoke and incense buries it. Worth it just to say that I tried it.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Venneh

[Leopard403]

The 2009 version:

 

I'm so glad I was brave enough to skin test this. When sniffing the bottle, and while wet on my skin, this smells like cheap men's aftershave. I was immediately transported back to my childhood, when my family didn't have a lot of money and my father wore this gawd-awful face splash every day. Luckily, we grew and his tastes changed, and I was brave enough to put something that smells like that on my own skin.

 

This really embodies Victoriana, just as it is purported to. It's a creamy scent with something slighly spicy underneath; something sort of dusty that kicks you right in the back of the throat when you huff too hard. It's not boozy, but it's not notable as a vanilla either; and the tobacco, smoke, and musk are scary-sounding but turn out very subtle.

 

This manages to feel old-worldly and dainty at the same time it is deep, dark, and sexy. Quite nice.

[Geminirubyshoes]

I thought I had already done a review for this, but apparently not!

I was not obsessively into BPAL the first time this came around so I am doing this review for the 2009 version.

In bottle: smells like clean linens/freshly washed laundry.

Wet: clean laundry mixed with slightly musky vanilla.

Dry: This is very pretty. The vanilla is primarily what I smell although the cognac makes an appearance here and there which isnt bad. I reapply this often as the throw is not as strong as what I usually like but in any event, I am very glad I got some of the precious Black Lace!

[claudia6913]

I was not privvy to the original release of this scent, so this is for the 2009 version.

 

In the bottle: Something akin to an overly citrus-y dryer sheet. Not unpleasant, but not something I particularly like.

 

Wet on skin: There's still a hint of citrus, which I find odd, but it's not nearly as in-your-face as it was in the bottle. Slowly the vanilla comes to the fore. I hate to say it, but I think someone washed the Black Lace and tossed it in the dryer. Again, not unpleasant, just not at all what I was expecting.

 

Drydown: Hmm, it's hit a "new soft plastic" phase early into the drydown. Something like what Barbie dolls in the 90's smelled like new out of the box. I do smell the smoke and vanilla, but that's it, the rest is "new soft plastic".

 

*crosses fingers for full drydown awesomness*

*slowly uncrosses fingers*

*wipes single tear away*

*solemnly hands out verdict*

 

"To the Age Box with ye. Six months in tha hole should do somethin'."

 

 

Edit 5 months later: This is still new plastic. Though, the potential is now starting to shine through for a few minutes before it all goes horribly wrong. For a few minutes I get a lovely vanilla/cotton/musk scent that just promises to be wonderful. I'm still not sure what is turning to new plastic on my skin as I can still smell the vanilla under the plastic. The cognac maybe? Seems odd since usually "plastic" is used to describe vanilla going wrong. Unless there are two different kinds of vanilla in this blend and one agrees with me and the other doesn't ...

Edited July 7, 2010 by claudia6913

[topazphoenix]

I have the 09 version and just have to say I don't know what the fuss is all about. I like Black Lace better in the bottle because it kind of smells like a more vanilla-ish Lamb's Wool to me, but on my skin it goes to laundry and a bit of sharp cologne and a small whiff of vanilla. I could see how it could be pretty but it's not for my scent preference.

[veronicafranco]

hmmm.... some thoughts on trying this decant:

 

- this is the first cotton/linen scent i've tried, and i must say that the cotton note is amazingly true to life.

- this seems too new. the cognac, tobacco, spun/burnt sugar edge, and incense are almost acrid before it dries down all the way. i bet they'll behave better in a few months.

- those who say it's strong are not kidding! this is not one to slather.

- the "cool vanilla musk" lyrical describes is what i get also. like a bone-colored cousin of inez' richer, golden vanilla musk. that part of the scent, which wafts amazingly, is very nice!

- apparently there is also a lot of tobacco in the throw... i smell it blended into the rest; but having (sparingly!) applied some several hours before, i got into the car (aka small closed space) with hubby and he immediately said "do you smell tobacco in here?" (i said no.... )

 

overall, i can't say i love this yet, but as i said, i think it has a little mellowing to do... and how could i not try such a classic scent? glad it was re-released (and especially with the other 2 in the trio of scents, which are both great, as is the combination of the three together).

[CitizenBree]

This scent is just what I had hoped for. This is a BPAL replacement for my Pink Sugar. This is sugared vanilla. Wearing it, more of the muskiness comes out. Booze is the underlying scent both wet and dry. I will be buying a bottle.

[kerikeri]

Resurrected version: At first it's all strong tobacco, and then it fades down to faintly smoky baby powder. Some BPAL vanilla/cream notes work wonderfully on me, and some automatically turn to powder; this seems to contain the latter. I can smell some complexity to it if I sniff up close, but that baby-powder scent overwhelms everything else.

 

Over time, it morphs a bit. Still powdery, but darker and sweeter, and somehow intriguing-- I think the incense and cognac have shown up to the (funeral) party. I'm not sure how I feel about it now-- there's something I really like about it, but the powderiness hasn't disappeared, it's just had some more interesting notes layered over it. I think this might work for times when I needed a more traditional, mature, serious kind of scent, but it wouldn't be appropriate for everyday use.

Edited February 15, 2010 by kerikeri

[Wwindy]

I believe my decant is from the resurrected version.

 

I can see how this would really work for some people! I mostly get a deep, rich, creamy vanilla with hints of musk and just a trace of incense -- but not hippie incense, more upscale formal stuff. The cotton note provides a light, warm aspect in the background, while the cognac note doesn't seem to come out much on my skin. I don't get much sweetness out of this -- it's not overtly sugary. Overall, it's a very grown-up, sophisticated, sexy, smoky perfume.

 

The smokiness is both metaphorical and literal; unfortunately, on me this scent hovers right on the line between "what is that intriguing tobacco note" and "I was hanging out in a bar with smokers for way too long and now I smell kinda stale."

 

Probably not my thing, but a very interesting blend -- I'm happy to have had the chance to try it!

[MamaMoth]

2010 decant

 

Sugar notes are a little sour on me sometimes, and this starts off the same way. But luckily it fades back here. This is the same musk that's in Dorian, but instead of the intense soapiness I get there, here it's sweet and creamy.

 

A little bit boozy when wet, that fades away fairly quickly. It dries a little powdery, creamy and sweet, musky and incensey. Very rich. I like this, because it's pretty and feminine without being floral.

[reynardine]

2010 Vintage decant.

 

Getting the vanilla cotton at first, with a touch of tobacco. The musk and smoke comes in later. Not sure if I like this or not. It smells “dirty” to my nose—as in housecleaning, not sex. That’s probably the tobacco. As it dries, the “dirty” smell grows stronger and stronger, overwhelming everything else. It smells like cigarettes. Ew. Trade pile.

[captainecchi]

Just a few limited notes on this: fruity and boozy wet; as it dries, the vanilla warms up. After a few hours, it's all vanilla musk. Not unpleasant, but not terribly memorable. I'm eager to see how this layers with the other Blacks.

[vegasblueblood]

Resurrected Version:

 

I have both the original Black Lace and this new version and I'm how many others are noticing a pretty major difference between the two. It could be that my original bottle is aged but this new Black Lace is REALLY different than my original, imo. The original is deeper, darker and sweeter with more vanilla and slight masculinity whereas this new version seems to have a more prominent cotton note with some kind of fruit. I sniffed both of them 'side by side' and my original version doesn't have that odd little fruit note. Black Lace is a classic nevertheless!

[misscoldheart]

At first, I was afraid this was going to be too much for me and probably never would have tried it except I got a tester as a frimp in a swap a bit ago and finally got to it this morning.

Wet, it definitely scared me. I'm not into booze notes and was alarmed that this smelled so much like cologne. It also was a lot stronger than I was prepared for. I work with kids so I usually try to wear scents that are lighter or at least stay closer to the skin. I prefer this outside of work as well so I was pretty unsure how it would pan out.

On the way to work I was sure I was going to ne washing it off as soon as I got there, but now that it's had time to dry down a bit I'm sill finding it pretty strong, bit it has calmed down enough that it does not offend. The cognac is less prominent and I'm getting more of the vanilla and tobacco and musk. I think I like this but ill have to be careful not to overdo it!

[musichappens]

Expensive hotel soap. It's quite a sharp scent upon initial application and I'm not too sure I like it. That sharpness, however, does begin to calm down a bit as the oil begins to dry. Unfortunately, the soapiness that I initially picked up on doesn't seem to go away at all. I really wanted to love this, especially after all the excitement about its re-release, but I don't think it was meant to be.

Edited February 20, 2010 by musichappens

[wendyb1063]

I thought I was losing my mind when I opened my bottle of the resurrected version today and thought it smelled like... Lamb's Wool! Thank you, AmandaKay, for convincing me I am not crazy.

 

I have a decant of an older version of Black Lace that I adore. The resurrected version is nice, but very different. It's got a little fruitiness to it, which is nice, but not what I expected. I do get some tobacco, almost a cherry tobacco. I am liking it more and more the longer I wear it. We'll see how it ages!