Guerlain Black Perfecto by La Petite Robe Noire went right by me, and I missed it? 2017? Oh, yeah, I was moving then, I remember.
I was never a huge fan of any of the LPRNs except the first one, and I was thinking it was a LE (was it?), and by the time they put out the next version, it was way less interesting, and I sorta forgot about it because you can’t mourn dead and discontinued perfumes, except the Gobin Daudes.
Leather, licorice, almond, smooshy rose accord. This is Thierry Wasser’s creation. Robin at Now Smell This quoted Monsieur Guerlain’s take on Guerlain Black Perfecto by La Petite Robe Noire, which is lucky because his website is down for maintenance.
“Guerlain fans, rejoice! This smells like a resurrection of Delphine Jelk’s greatly missed original version of La Petite Robe Noire from 2009, which was evidently more charismatic than the reworked 2012 version that followed: a gorgeously rich “Musquinade” blend of raspberry, amarena cherries, bitter almond, Bulgarian rose absolute, licorice, and burnt sugar, well worthy of the Guerlain name. Back then, Guerlain’s now former artistic director, Sylvaine Delacourte, explained that La Petite Robe Noire was inspired by the flavour and chewy texture of a raspberry macaron, and Black Perfecto makes us remember why….”
That should get your heart racing. I vaguely remember the original, and this is better, thicker, darker. This is only a slightly snotty sideways reference to the huge disapointment of all the “Noir” version of perfumes from big PerfumeBrands that are about as dark as High Noon at Legoland.
Spraying Guerlain Black Perfecto by La Petite Robe Noire on is an adventure – it is all dark licorice and roses and dark, dark sugar, some black cherries. It is that lovely dessert you get that isn’t that sweet, but makes your taste buds just crave more. And you mostly do because in an hour or so, all that stuff you really loved is harder to find and you just need another hit. But I solved it, I just spray more on! It’s a little like Tom Ford Lost Cherry – not that they are alike in smell – the opening is amazing and that drydown early on is just a softer, smoothening (is that a word? it is now) of the opening, and it starts to move more towards the LPRN with some very soft leather peeping out. It’s not a wet, drenched sweetness, it is dry, like a nut dust or something.
The rose I don’t really notice or mentally go, “oh, there’s some rose.” It’s there, but in this silky jammy way that is just holding all the other stuff in its little jellied petals.
What is really lovely about Guerlain Black Perfecto by La Petite Robe Noire, for all of those scary sounding notes, this thing isn’t going to annoy your neighbor, which is good, because if it projected, you might be able to clear a room or house of people who hated this fragrance. And I am certain some people already hate or will hate this fragrance as much as I love it. That is the most miraculous thing of all – it is one that was not meant to just behave well – though it behaves reasonably well considering all that licorice cherry surgared leather – it speaks with a clear fragrant voice. Love me? Hate me? Meh, doesn’t matter.
I, of course, love it. I keep thinking I’ve stumbled into my Old Lady Taste Period where I like/love gourmands, think Love Don’t Be Shy is a masterpiece, and Hypnotic Poison should be installed on every dresser.
Samples for sure! I’ll give way three samples of Guerlain Black Perfecto by La Petite Robe Noire to randomly drawn commenters.
Winners of last week’s drawing of Kilian Love Don’t be Shy samples (or something else we can figure out if you really are hating on that one) – Elderwen22 and Jo Ann! Click on the Drop Us a Note at the top, send me your mailing address and a reminder of what you won, and I’ll get it off to you!
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You’ll see in the top Tiffany & Co blue line a box that says Drop Us A Note. Hit that. It will take you to a simple message system.
I love Black Perfecto. Same with the bottle X
I think I’m entering that ‘phase’ of more leaning towards comfy / gourmand scents myself lol! This scent sounds different and very interesting for the colder months coming up…way too fast!
Do you think it’s just 2020 or getting older and wanting more comfort or the upcoming fall season? I think maybe all of the above. I’m going to smell like a vanilla cherry blow-pop all winter. 🙂
omg. that is both hysterical and terrifying, in equal measure! xoxoxo
LOL. For us both!
Cleveland in general, seems to be a dead zone for many things. Since I live in a rural area, it’s a good 45 minute drive to department stores or malls and the selection there isn’t the best. Would like to try this one.
I’m going to stick it in with your Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy since it’s already going to be headed your way. The Postman will think you are getting cupcakes delivered.
Oh, lord, Sous le Buis. And I managed to try Love Don’t Be Shy and found the top enchanting in an ‘I am witchy’ way. These sorts of Guerlain tend to pass me by as they don’t generally make it to small town department stores. Love liquorice as a note and happy to hear about something that lives up to the noire label.
LDBS is enchanting in the top, and then just pretty as it dries down. Still surprises me. Do you guys not get the fragrance discounters? I think we can pick this up for a song here, still. Not sure if it’s still in production. I should know because I’m going to need some backup bottles, and Guerlain likes to flood the market with a flanker, then one day, poof, they j ust disappear. I saw Trouble on eBay the other day, people wanted $300 for a bottle! What?!?! I had a bottle, I gave it to my niece because I couldn’t even sell samples of it. I may need to convince her to give it back. 🙂 I liked it too, just nobody agreed with me.
There are indeed discounters, but I’m not going to do that sort of stuff without sampling — and the samples I do buy are things I’m deeply curious about. Basically, I’m being sort of tetchy.
This sounds nice Patty! I’ve got Mademoiselle Guerlain, which is a reissue of LPRN 2 from 2011 which was the version with iris, marshmallow, galbanum, vanilla, leather, etc. It’s only a “cousin” because of the sweet marshmallow, doesn’t have any of the cherries, raspberries, or licorice. Love that dramatic black bottle!
so do you like that one? I swear I’ve smelled it, but can’t remember it. It sounds like it fits my new Old Lady Dessert Taste Phase, though! Do they still make it?
I bought this bottle of Mademoiselle Guerlain just last year when one of the Las Vegas Guerlain boutiques was closing, and everything was on sale. It was very unlike me to make an impulse purchase, but I’m so glad I did. It’s currently rocketed up into my top five. It was launched in 2014. There appear to be some bottles for sale on eBay.
CRIMINY I just looked on FragranceEx….. you can get a bottle for $25 and a travel spray for $17 I think? HERE TAKE MY MONEY
Exactly! And in a year, there will probably be NONE or only on EvilBay for $220 because I kinda think they aren’t making it currently and this is just the leftover flood of bottles department stores couldn’t sell. Should I get more?
WHOA this sounds delightful! And I love that bottle.
Oh Patty, LMAO! Old Lady Taste Period indeed. You should claim membership in this group with pride! I figure “Hey, I deserve to smell like a candy store if I want to…took a lot of work to be this old, and still ____ (fill in the blank: fabulous, breathing, married, sane). Thanks Patty, to you and all the P. Posse out there for making me smile. xo
I’m embracing it for sure and not apologetic anymore. I even got a bottle of Flowerbomb Midnight. Yes, it is exactly what you would expect, but apparently the smell of candied marshmallow flowers is comforting in the age of COVID and 60+. 🙂
The only perfume I ever bought for the bottle. Unsniffed, from Belgium, before it was launched. Hahahahahahah. Sometimes, rarely, I do lose my mind. I like it though and wear it during the winter, and because of it I bought the LPRN Parfum. ??
Oh, talk to me about the parfum. I read a reference to it and now I am thinking…. do I need that? I think I might, if I can find it.
Quite rich. Dark. Not too sweet. And absolutely gorgeous in ice cold weather. Don‘t hear much about it. Liking Black Perfecto guarantees loving this. And no one seems to wear it. Need? Of course not. Want? Of course. Go for it. xxx
now to find it, thank you!!!
YAY Patty! I’m so glad you like this. I do too.
No I don’t think it’s DCd. Still available here in Oz. Good prices on the discounters too.
Portia xx
I hope they don’t discontinue it, and if they do, I need to stock up, I think. It’s a happy little dark dessert.
How did I miss this one too?! I’m trying so hard not to buy a bottle of this after that incredible review. I hate/love you now for putting it on my radar. Fragrancenet has bottles for under $30.
Troy, you should get the Perfecto! Just go for it. Life is short.
Oh, $30, that’s almost free in perfume world. Do you like cherries, marshmallows rolled in darkness? But not sad? I dunno. I think even if you hate it, you can easily swap it or sell it on eBay. It’s apparently quite well loved by those who love it. If you hate it, I’ll buy it from you, how’s that? Then I’ll have a travel bottle. 🙂
DNEM, I have a bottle of this. I started with a decant, but eventually had to have that black bottle. I was never interested in LPRN, but was definitely swayed by this one.
Yeah, I remember LPRN as being okay, I liked it, thought it was nice, but just didn’t remember much about it. Black perfecto is so not that. Love it or hate it, you will remember it. I like that in a perfume!
I’m a little scared of licorice notes but you make this sound so scrumptious, Patty. “Old Lady Taste Period”–hahahaha! I’ve been there for a while now…I’d love to try this one.
It’s a dry licorice. 🙂 Isn’t that what they say about heat? If you don’t like licorice, you may very well be in the “hate it” camp. But unsniffed, just reading the notes, i would have put myself in a probable “hate it” camp, but nope, love it!
I missed this one as well! The minute I decided to buy, it was gone from our stores. Love the scent and the gorgeous black bottle.
Really? I think it is at all the discounters, if you have them available, and way cheap too!
Sign me up for the draw! That sounds yummy.
Yes, ma’am! It is!