Black Pearl

[Schmoozy]

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

Coconut musk with wafts of iris. I don't really per se smell hazelnuts, but there is definitely a nutty undertone throughtout. Slightly tropical and very pretty. A great scent for the summer.

[katee]

Oh wow !

 

I didn't really expect to like this. I bought an imp on a whim (I really wanted Black Opal !), and my oh my, what a lovely surprise.

 

This a grown up, sophisticated, very expensive smelling scent. But, unlike other fragrances that might match that description, it is in no way cold or off putting. Rather, it is subtle and mysterious and my so says that it draws him in closer for a better, fuller smell. There's definitely a floral note, but somehow it works beautifully. When combined with the subtle coconut and the white musk, it dries to a velvet headiness that I love. Enough that I just ordered a full bottle

[HKB]

Every note blends perfectly, nothing overpowers or stands out on its own. It doesn't morph much. It's creamy and floral, sweet in a milky way, not in a sugary way. It suits its name/concept nicely. It might be my favorite bpal ever, definitely in the top five at least.

[doublehelix]

in the imp: sweet, light white musk

 

wet on skin: coconut and musk! This smells a little bit like tanning oils/lotion, but that's okay because I love the smell of them.

 

dry on skin: the flower notes came out a lot more stronger now. But I still like this! I can still smell the coconut and musk. This is a very light, beautiful scent, and would be perfect for summer time!

[Invidiana]

This is at once hazy and sexy but also has a dark side, kind of like a shadowy coconut. Thankfully I'm not getting much Iris--I really get mostly luscious coconut and sheer musk. Maybe the iris is adding to the shadowy aspect, but whatever it's doing it's behaving. I'm not really getting much hazelnut; it probably adds to the depth but this is predominantly coconut musk on me, just light enough for summer or those days you don't feel like something strong, but also just enough of that shadowy quality to make it sexy.

[Caerphilly]

In the imp: Heavy dark fruit (plum maybe) and coconut suntan lotion.

 

Wet: Cocoa butter. Or tanning oil, not lotion. And it has a slight soapy floral smell in the background.

 

Dry: Playdough and suntan lotion.

 

Overall: When I was little, and my family and I went to FL, my mom always used this tanning oil that I thought smells awful and she always made me use it because I'm pale and she thought I needed a tan, it was good for my skin, etc... I think the forcing part made me not like it more than anything (other than the smell and the fact that it was impossible to wash off and I was oily and sticky for days afterward). This scent reminds me of that. Even before the playdough phase. Not for me, alas.

[rachelandrade7]

OH MY WORD

 

Sweet, sexy, coconutty, hazelnutty deliciousness melting into a soft floral-tropical-skin scent. The coconut/hazelnut settled into the background along with this magical effervescent fizzy scent that tickles the back of your nose. Sex on the beach in a bottle (and I'm not talking about the drink!).

 

This is my "magic scent". You know, the one you're probably secretly hoping is in your next batch of imps. The one that everyone swears is Snake Oil or O, that will make men turn heads and women jealous. The one that will turn your bf/hubby/gf/sig-other into a total nympho for you. The one where, after Snake Oil turned to baby ass and O turned to sickly sweet corn syrup (try not to cry at the memories), you vowed to keep searching for.

 

I think it's important when trying these oils to remember that everyone's tastes/skin chemistry/circumstances are totally different. I pouted for a good hour when Snake Oil went bad on me. But then I realized that half the fun is the search for the perfect scent! This just happened to be mine

 

 

Final Verdict: Snake oil, Shmake oil. Black Pearl is wayyy better for me!

 

[acbombshell]

I'm ambivalent about this one. I love coconut, but don't smell it at all here. It's certainly not unpleasant, though. To me, it smells like Nutella exploded on some flowers. A very warm and sweet scent.

[shadowdoll]

Underrated and extraordinary. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this oil is that it manages to capture a rich tropical coconut scent without smelling like tanning lotion. In fact this coconut scent is complex, with dark overtones and the coconut woven through the scent as a skillfully balanced contrasting sweetness ... a testament to the complex balance of contrasting scents that set these blends apart from their competitors.

[girasol]

A really nice scent, but gone so quickly My skin eats teh BPALs. Coconut out in front - as others have said, not suntan lotion coconut, but fresh coconut meat, gentle and rich. The iris floats around in the background as a soft floral note, and the white musk occasionally lends a vaguely soapy, fresh linen feel to the mix. The hazelnut is not obvious, but does give it a nice rich undertone.

 

I have to say, I don't get anything menacing from this at all. It's a soft, dreamy tropical scent that makes me think of napping in a hammock on a warm-but-not-too-hot, perfect summer's day, with sweet scents drifting by on gentle warm breezes. I only wish it lasted longer!

[mrstkeller]

This is my first review and it is only because I ADORE this scent! On me it is a full coconut creamy goodness with a bit of floral smacked in there. When I have others smell it they all say they get more floral than coconut, but I, for some odd reason, really feel it is a more creamy coconut on. That being said, it is the first bottle I felt "I HAVE to have this!!" to and I can't wait to slather myself into oblivion!!!

 

To me . . it is the perfect combination of light floral and yummy coconut!

[SophieCedar]

Mmm. delicate, sweet, sexy. Love it. Need a bottle. This stays true from imp to drydown but it disappears a little quickly..

Edited June 23, 2010 by SophieCedar

[proserpine]

This is sweet coconut with a mix of light floral. It is very beautiful and feminine. It reminds of sitting beachside in Cancun. I definitely love this one for summer!

[Kiraze]

Black Pearl was my first BPAL love from many sniffs from my BPAL addicted friend and after finishing my inherited imp I was ready to get addiced too. Recently I have associated this scent or its name too much to one utterly annoying person with same name at my online game community so at first I wanted to give up this old love but then decided that one person cannot spoil anything i remembered to be so beautiful so i gave Black Pearl a new try

 

imp: spicy coconut

 

wet: hint of saltness under spices and dry coconut - this is not sunny beach coconut but more mysterious and sexy where i don't get any flowery notes

 

dry: stays surprisingly similar with wet stage but hazelnuts seems to make this bit woodier than earlier more coconutty stage. For some funny reason this gives me association of nicely spiced seafood laksa (which I love) though thank god this does not smell at all fishy but perhaps there is something marine in it like suits well with association of Pirates of Caribbean

 

this scent is pretty close to the skin but lasts long and gives overall lazy, sensual feeling like lingering in hammock at the deck of the old ship under the moonlight and coconut palms swaying gently in the horizon

 

I am glad i decided to love Black Pearl again as this is beautiful and as a coconut junkie I need different coconutty vibes for different days and this is perfect when i want to be luscious and lazy

[talula_fairie]

In the bottle, I smelled something sweet but yet slightly mysterious, and was intrigued.

 

Upon putting it on my skin, I was hit with a strong coconut scent -not suntan lotion, as others have said, but that gorgeous, dark BPAL coconut- with a sweet floral undertone. It almost gave me a headache at first, it was a little intense. But as soon as it dried, I was left with a luxurious, dynamic scent. Black Pearl is right.

 

I agree with the other reviews, the perfect scent for summer. I can see wearing this with a gorgeous sundress, long earrings and high heels.

[kniggit]

This is my very first bottle that I bought. It does tend to ease into the Play-doh smell for me if I leave it on over night, but it is very good for a while.

 

It smells like a coconut filled with musk on me. It's such a rich, warm, and lazy smell. I really like it.

[mxtine]

Interesting~an ethereal coconut blend. The iris reminds me of the orris in Blood Pearl, but it's not as harsh. I smell a little hazelnut and coconut but they are sitting behind the iris. After a few minutes, all I smell is iris and it smells soapy. I was hoping for more coconut.

[zagadka]

I thought I had reviewed this one, I got it a long time ago! Guess not...

 

This is one of my favorites, it reminds me a lot of Eden but without the sharpness and the in-your-face nuttiness. Its much creamier, the white musk on the dry down is amazing. I would say it is lightly sweet, but doesn't smell like candy or food so much.

 

In the bottle it is simultaneously creamy and nutty, lightly toasted nut.

 

After about 30 minutes you can smell the floral notes. I am really picky with florals as they can give me awful headaches but this is so light and airy that you hardly notice it. It blends so well.

 

On the dry down the white musk really comes out. I think this is a really long lasting scent that has a pretty decent through. Definitely wonderful for the long, bright, warm days of summer spent in the sun.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Not alot. Faintly sweet

 

On Application

White, pale musk perfume

 

Dry Down

Wow. Really disappointingly thin and pale. All I get is the musk and iris

 

Rating (0-5)

1

[DeltaCat]

Definitely get a little bit of coconut, but I wish it came out more on my skin. I mostly get the musk and iris. A nice scent (very grown-up if that makes any sense), just not bottle worthy with my skin.

[Tiada]

Man this one is GOOOOOOOOD!

 

Black Pearl is sweet, creamy and smoooooooooooth! Coconut and hazelnut without being "foody". Hazelnut is the strongest (which makes me happy as I luvs me some hazelnut!) with coconut just behind it providing sweetness. It's also got a bit of a high note, that reminds me of something glittery. I don't know how to describe that in scent form, it just makes my brain think of sparkle.

[ACVail24]

Black Pearl

 

In the Imp:

Evil Coconuts

 

On my Skin, Wet:

Slightly boozy/musky coconuts

I don't notice anything else in this stage. I don't know where the faint booziness is coming from, maybe the iris?

 

On my Skin, Dry:

Coconuts, a hint of sea water (I have no idea how Beth does it! but it's great!) and the musk makes a distinct appearance in this stage.

 

Verdict:

I will probably get a bottle in the next order or two.

I really like this for a summery blend that isn't all florals all the time - it's soft without being powdery or too sutble.

good work Labbies!

[Ella LaRose]

too much tobacco for me, I think I may amp that scent.

[angelamaria]

In imp: a musky, coconutty, and sharper Blood Pearl. It's a little boozy, and very nutty after a few sniffs--I suppose it's the hazelnut. I don't like this nutty smell, although I like hazelnut sandwich spread...uh.

 

Wet on skin: I'm getting a round, nutty scent. It's slightly foody, almost creamy, and generally keeping to the imp smell. I don't have a lot to say about it.

 

Dry: it's gone very foody on my skin now that it's dry. The coconut is out again. It's a foodier Blood Pearl--I am liking this a good bit better. At first, it's not as as grandmother-y as the latter, but as it stays longer on my skin, it continues to grow granny-er and granny-er.

 

Verdict: I'll have to pass. I didn't expect much, as I disliked Blood Pearl and most reviews do link the two together, so I was half expecting not to be wowed by this--and yep, not wowed.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: This is very soft and smooth; it's hard to pick out the individual notes. I think the iris is the prominent note here, because I'm getting a general bright, happy scent that I don't think is the coconut, hazelnut, or white musk - yet, it's not entirely floral, either. The more I sniff, the more I can pick out the coconut and hazelnut, and I think I get the white musk in the background... but it's all blended in so well together.

 

Wet: That bright, happy smell is getting brighter, and more distinctly floral, so yeah, I guess that's the iris. I can tell the white musk apart from everything else a little better now, too, but the coconut and hazelnut have melted into the background. This is very summery and pretty!

 

Dry: Hasn't changed much in the drydown, only to get a bit softer.

 

An Hour Later: It's already pretty faint - this is not a long-lasting blend. And it's lemony, somehow. It's a slightly sweet, lemony white musk. Any traces of coconut and hazelnut have disappeared (except for the sweetness, which I assume is coming from them).

 

Overall: Another case of a blend that I really liked in its pure form, but which doesn't work on my skin.