When I tried Il Profvmo Black Dianthus, I expected a peppery carnation. I didn’t expect the sort of fragrance that is proficient in moon spells and has tinctures of deadly nightshade. Black Dianthus is a spicy “noir” floral amber that’s bewitching.
The overall feel of Black Dianthus is old-fashioned. It seems like a classic, something you already know, but you don’t. It’s weirder, a little more subversive than the classics. The best way for me to describe Black Dianthus is that it is a dark green. It has clove-like spices, forest flowers and a waxy, black licorice. It’s an odd one. It’s aromatic but smoky. The greens are bitter. But, then there’s a fruitiness. But, it’s not like fruit, it’s more like an elixir. The fruits aren’t really distinguishable but you can tell they’re there (it’s like they’re cool and musky). They’re also bitter, but in a tonic-like way. The weird thing about this perfume is that I pick up all these things that aren’t listed in the perfume. The heart is smoky, floral green-spicy (lots of carnation) but also an anesthetic smelling leather (that sort of comes across like a bandage). Being that it’s an aromatic spicy floral, there’s a powderiness to Black Dianthus. But, I don’t know if I’d call it “powdery”. There’s just something in it that reminds me of barbershops so then I think of talcum powder that just so happens to have a dandy man on the package. The dry-down is like dried herbs, musk and moss. This base is sort of “green animalic”. It also has something that reminds me of dead roses and dried patchouli leaves in burlap bags.
If you couldn’t tell from my description, Black Dianthus is a goth-y, witch-y fragrance. So many perfumes have “noir” or “black” in the title but that doesn’t actually mean anything. However, this one does smell “dark”. I wear Black Dianthus and I think of cauldrons and cupboards full of potions.
Notes listed include carnation, belladonna, red berries, cherry, licorice, rhubarb, thyme and vetiver. Launched in 2013. PERFUMER – Silvana Casoli
Give Black Dianthus a try if you like “old-fashioned” perfumes or carnations. Or perfumes like Lancôme Magie Noire, Hové Carnation, LUSH Flower Market, DSH Perfumes Fleuriste and/or Paloma Picasso. I could also see one liking this if they like perfumes from brands like Santa Maria Novella. Black Dianthus is unisex. In a way it smells classically masculine but then it brings to mind all those feminine perfumes of decades past (those that smell more masculine than masculine perfumes of today).
Projection and longevity are average.
The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $110 at Osswald. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Witch’s brew. It’s like an herbal elixir – a potion or a poison. Whatever it is, I want more of it.
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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from the brand. Kate Moss via Vogue Italia circa March 1996 from Vogue. I need that dress.
This sounds exactly like the kind of thing I want to wear during the misty, damp, darkening Seattle autumn. Thanks so much for the review!
When I wear it, I think of Seattle autumns! It’s go great with all that darkness and humidity 😉
I love green perfumes and I love carnation. This sounds really interesting. Thanks for the review.
It’s a really interesting fragrance.
Ooh, I’m very intrigued! I love both Magie Noire and Fleuriste, and almost every carnation fragrance.
You should try it! I think you’d like it or at least appreciate that it exists. It really is like a “noir carnation”!