I can not emphasize to perfume newbies enough just how important it is to try stuff on the skin before ever considering buying. There are so many fragrances that smell good on paper, smell good on your BFF or sound great in a review and smell awful on your skin. Creed Love in Black is one of those for me.
Love in Black has a weird opening. I get a caramelized cucumber and damp violets. And then I get hot asphalt. The vibe is very “CdG-ish” but it fails. It’s a synthetic smelling fragrance in the bad sense of the word. I like some scents because they smell synthetic. But, those are usually honest about how synthetic they are and how much they are “pushing the boundaries“. I feel like Love in Black is in denial about how synthetic it is. It tries to sell itself as some amazing luxury scent that some amazing person wore (in this case we’re supposed to believe that Jackie O wore this, puh-leaze) but in the end it smells like everything that is “off” and weird about Tom Ford Black Orchid but lacks that certain Black Orchid charm.
The first few times I wore Love in Black, it offended me. I felt too much was going on and was upset in that “why don’t I get this?” way. I thought it was too complex.With continued wear, it grew on me because I finally realized something about it. I realized that not much was going on and there was nothing wrong with my nose. I have smelled this on other people and it didn’t smell bad. It worked. On me it’s like synthetic rubber violet with cucumber sandwiches.
Notes listed include night-blooming flowers, Italian violet, Virginia cedar, iris from Florence, clove, tonkin musk, blackcurrant, and Bulgarian rose. Launched in 2008.
Give Love in Black a try if you want to try all of the violets in the world. Or if you like perfumes like Tom Ford Black Orchid, Tom Ford Black Violet, L’Artisan Parfumeur Verte Violette, CLEAN Outdoor Fresh, and/or CdG Incense Series. I really don’t know what to compare Love in Black too, it’s technically a violet fragrance. I suppose it’s unisex. I guess it’s a fragrance.
Love in Black has average projection and longevity.
The 2.5 oz. spray retails for $290 at Nordstrom. You can also find it at discounters like Fragrancenet and FragranceX.com.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Cucumber sandwiches, damp violet and hot asphalt. And not in some artsy-fartsy way. Really, really bad on my skin. But, not always really, really bad on everyone’s skin. So you try and decide.
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Oh no!!!! Love In Black has always been one of my favorites – but you are definitely right, it is way weird at the beginning. On my skin, there is a strange “Ritz Cracker” accord (that I find in a few Montales as well) mixing with the cucumber and hot asphalt. But my skin chemistry is so anal retentive, it simply compartmentalizes all the weirdness into a slightly floral, slightly rubberized, savory gourmand (all on a Ritz Cracker). If this IS suppose to be Jackie O, then its violet-perfumed Jackie O at an S&M party in a latex catsuit standing next to the Buffet table….and for some strange reason, that totally works for me. 😛
Totally dying! LOVE your input.
I wish violet scented S&M Jackie O putting on the Ritz…Cracker worked for me! I totally believe that it works on your skin too. What I find about this one (and many more) is try before buying! It’s like my perfume PSA of the week. Some of these bad boys will change on you. Some will work and some won’t.
And I love the matte black bottle. But, I won’t be adding this matte black bottle to my collection.
“Give Love in Black a try if you want to try all of the violets in the world … I guess it’s a fragrance.”
You are cracking me up lately.
Elisa recently posted..Vanity, continued
I’ve been working out and not eating carbs. I blame the crankiness on this.
Cranky kind of works for you.
Elisa recently posted..Vanity, continued
It’s so true, not all perfume/cologne agree with all skin types unfortunately. Its best to try it out at a department store before purchasing, especially such a costly brand, such as Creed.
Creed Love In Black
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