Mainstream Monday: Sniffing a Popular Perfume
Dahlia Noir – doesn’t that sound dark? I can’t help but to hear the name and think of the gruesome “Black Dahlia” murder. I saw the Unsolved Mysteries of that as a kid and it scarred me for life (as was the intention of the show). So, it’s very difficult for me to think of the name “Dahlia Noir” without getting the heebie jeebies. The name was my first warning sign.
Givenchy Dahlia Noir throws me off at the initial stage. I get something that reminds me of soapy watermelon wet wipes. It seems almost like something Johnson & Johnson would use to scent a shampoo geared towards toddlers. After about 5 minutes, the watermelon-soap mellows. It becomes a spicy-ish floral. I get a confusing mimosa with rose with “pink” citrus and pepper. It really smells like a 2004-era “pink” perfume at this stage. The heart is a mix of fantasy florals. I’m only confused because I’m searching for something. Don’t search. Don’t try to detect. It’s not the point of this fragrance. It’s all floral-y and stuff. Being all floral-y and stuff is the point. The dry-down is powdery but not in a way that I like or dislike. It’s just powdery. It’s that rose and musk that comes across as a product geared towards babies. Where is the “noir”?
You know how some brands (mainly thinking of Boyfriend here) market their fragrance as a mix of a man’s cologne and a women’s perfume? Well, Dahlia Noir is like the mix of a mother’s perfume and a baby’s diaper bag. It doesn’t smell bad at all. It’s inoffensive, managing to be both “clean” and “warm”. But, I don’t want to smell like this.
Notes listed include pink pepper, mandarin, mimosa, rose, iris, patchouli, sandalwood and tonka bean. Launch date 2011. PERFUMER – Francois Demachy
Give Dahlia Noir a try if you like powdery floral amber fragrances or if you like perfumes like Heidi Klum Shine, Halle Berry Reveal, Gucci II, and/or Bvlgari Pour Femme. I perceive Dahlia Noir as a feminine fragrance. And nothing about it is “noir”. Nothing.
Dahlia Noir has below average projection and longevity for an EDP.
The 1.7 oz retails for $90 at Sephora. You can also find it at discount sites like FragranceX.com.
EauMG’s Final EauPINION – Watermelon wet wipes over floral baby powder. This is not for me. It obviously has fans and I know many people that enjoy wearing this. This is just one of many “eaupinions”. Honestly, I mainly dislike this fragrance for its misuse and abuse of the word “noir”. I do want to say if I want a mimosa-rose-iris floral, I’ll go with Bvlgari Pour Femme.
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Fragrantica – Member reviews
I don’t care for this perfume, either. I was waiting for noir to show up but it never came. It’s been awhile since I sniffed it but I remember being so unimpressed by it that I haven’t felt the urge to try it again. Also that name! It does conjures up “Mysteries and Scandals” for me.
Really the name is my biggest beef. If it were called something like “Rose Poudre”, I think I would have had more sympathy for it. Not a bad composition but sure not a “me” perfume.
Oh my gosh, I had exactly the same reaction to the name. I never even gave it a chance really. It creeps me out.
That name is rather gruesome. I mean after that case, books and even a movie in ’06, it’s pretty embedded in our pop culture. I found it odd (and in bad taste) that Givenchy used it.
This one is just “meh”. Don’t get the watermelon wet wipes. That would have been fun. Or at least a diversion. This is noir in the same fashion as Coco Noir is noir. Meaning: NOT. I think the label has become a marketing gimmick. The Black Dahlia is really creepy. The movie was really creepy. But did like the part with k d lange in the nightclub. Would love to see her in a similar venue.
I have not tried the EDT and I have heard that they’re different. It seems that people actually prefer the EDT over the EDP. I have to wonder if the EDT has more structure.
I’m in the minority of perfume people. I actually like Coco Noir. And I do think patchouli can read as a “noir” note. But, I do admit the name is dumb. They threw “noir” on it to make it sound all mysterious and sultry.
I didn’t watch the movie. Mainly UM ruined me for life. But, I love k d lang, didn’t realize she was in the film.
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