I have always felt like something was wrong with me. I get no datura and absolutely no “noir” from Serge Lutens Datura Noir. I read the reviews and I often think that I’m sniffing the wrong perfume or that they are sniffing the wrong perfume. Or we’re all sniffing the wrong perfume! So, I have 2 reviews. One from a cool November and another from a warm July. I have a feeling that Datura Noir is one of those that smells differently in different climates, let’s see.
Rainy November Review: In the opening I get a heady fantasy floral. It’s like the cross of ylang-ylang and heliotrope but it is dried and chewy. It’s mixed with dried apricots and cherry-almond couramin. The rest of the wear is cherry pipe tobacco and coumarin.
Hot July Review: I get banana ylang-ylang and powdery heliotrope. There’s a bitter cherry-almond but this time it’s more tropical with banana and coconut cooking oil. This go around, this scent is much more heady and humid. It’s tropical cherry pipe tobacco.
More of the story…I prefer this scent much more in warmer weather. It does so much better with some heat. It’s more “sassy” in the summer. I would like a bottle. But, I still don’t find it “noir”. It’s too sassy and summery to be “noir”. It’s more like neon lights. It’s a little trashy but in a delightfully trashy way. It reminds me of “French” perfume and talcum powder mixed with cherry pipe tobacco and tropical drinks. I imagine retro night clubs smelling of this.
Notes listed include myrhh, bitter almond, tonka bean, musk, osmanthus, heliotrope, mandarin, lemon blossom, tuberose, vanilla, coconut oil, and apricot. PERFUMER: Christopher Sheldrake
Give Serge Lutens Datura Noir a try if you like powdery florals or florals like Oscar Esprit d’Ocscar, Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere, Nez a Nez Bouche Baie, Cartier Delices, and/or Lancôme Poême. I find Datura Noir to be feminine. However, the coumarin and cherry pipe tobacco make it work for some men.
Serge Lutens Datura Noir has average projection and above average longevity.
The 1.7 oz of Datura Noir retails for $135 at Beautyhabit and Saks. Samples are also available for purchase.. And sometimes you can find it on discount at Fragrancenet.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A sweet and powdery cherry floral that does best in the heat. I love wearing it in the summer.
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I agree, totally not noir! Coconut-almond fruity floral. (I like it, but don’t think it’s FBW at that price…I have a decant from a swap.)
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Yeah! I’m not the only finding this non-noir!
I really enjoy wearing it. But, these days (with a too large collection that I rarely wear), no full bottle is really what I need. Decants are great. And the ‘fume community is great for supplying us with them 🙂
I tried this perfume only once. It was cool but not cold. I didn’t like it at all. It doesn’t happen too often to me with SL’s perfumes, I either like or, at least, do not dislike them. But for whatever reason Datura Noir just didn’t smell right on my skin. If it ever gets warmer in here I might try it again – just to see if it smells any better.
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The first few times I tried this one, I didn’t like it. It wasn’t bad but it seemed “wrong”. For me, I really enjoy it more in the warmer weather.
I do find SL hit or miss. Trust me, there are many that I don’t like in that line.
Cherry tobacco, how funny! This thing is alllll tuberose & coconut on me. Really nice, probably one of the few Serges I’d actually wear.
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This one is so weird! I talk to people that say it wears like cherry on them too. I talk to others that get this warm tuberose and coconut! How does this one do it?
This one isn’t overly complex but I do find it fun to wear. And much easier to wear than most SLs.
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