Blackout

I just love the yummy, unisex, herbal/floral spiciness of Blackout! I got a little travel spray but have just ordered a 3.4 oz. bottle because the longevity is not great and I keep having to spray to keep the party going. I'm also trying the method of layering it over the various Egyptian Musks that I've been wearing lately to see if it improves lasting power. Weirdly, when I sprayed it on this morning, it reminded me of the very mineral-ly, sweetly grassy/herbal, warmly spicy Aesop Eremia -- though that one is undoubtedly greener, more distinctive, and boasts way better lasting power. Nonetheless, I'm really enjoying Blackout and am happy to include it in my large collection. If you enjoy spicy stuff like Aesop Eremia, Guerlain L'Heure Bleue (cool/warm spicy-sweet), Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant, BDK Gris Charnel, or the more recent Zara Energetically New York or Creatively Shanghai, you may very well enjoy Blackout. Incidentally, I blind bought another Derek Lam fragrance, Something Wild, and really didn't like it -- much too sweet -- and so I decluttered it. Though in a way it's unfair to say this, since I haven't tried any others, I suspect jeannebelmondo is correct that Blackout is the best in the range...

This scent is a very interesting one in the best way possible. If I would have read the notes before Trying I probably wouldn’t have even given it a chance, but it happen to be at Sephora maybe 9-10 years ago when I first started getting into fragrances. I sampled all of the Derek Lam fragrances on the little test sheet and then set them down to settle. When I went through and smelled them all this was by far my favorite so I purchased it! I used up my bottle fairly quickly and back then it was more expensive so I didn’t replace it right away. Well just a couple years ago I remembered it and found a bottle on eBay for like $30! Since wearing it again, I have found a trick to elevate this fragrance to the next level! I layer it with the aromatic molecule called “Cetalox”! It’s the same exact thing as “not a perfume” by Juliet has a Gun, but you can get it for like $30-$50 a bottle without the brand name. It not only has a fantastic woody/musky scent of its own but it improves the sillage and longevity of whatever perfume you pair it with. It just does something to blackout that gets me so many complements! I highly recommend 😀

This is the best, most original, most classy, fragrance in the otherwise forgettable range of ten fragrances. While the majority of the range is not worth your time and ranges anywhere from rank portapotty smell and fermenting wine to cheap drugstore shampoos and infantile body mists, this is a shining standout, and what makes the hunt for discontinued cheapie lines worth it for me -- to find just that one in the range that is an incredible hidden gem. Blackout is a rich, hot, waxy, herbal, but ultimately very gentle and wearable tea scent -- if you're the type to like the idea of the tea trend in fragrances but find the green tea ones too clinical and white floral you have to try this one. It's sensual, warm, intimate -- exactly what I'd want from a tea scent. There's a touch of similarity to '80s orientals like Samsara or Coco, but only a whisper -- it's not a heavy fragrance at all. This is divine and a must try if you like a unisex, but very light tea scent that is as cozy and sensual as it is androgynous!

This is a beautiful fragrance that suffers from a terrible description. First of all, this is not chai tea. It doesn’t have any of the spiced warmth of chai. This is a strong cup of black tea, blended with a touch of herbal bergamot for that Earl Grey vibe. The floral element lifts the perfume beyond basic, strongly fortifying the tea concept with impressions of jasmine tea, or those floral notes that are always mentioned in the description of excellent teas. I have to laugh at Blackout being described as passionate and dangerous. It seems far more cool, calm and collected. Personally, I think this fragrance would raise an eyebrow at displays of passion, and save the drama for later.

This is one of my signature scents. Smelled it in a Sephora store several years ago, and would routinely get samples as I couldn't afford a bottle at the time. Then I noticed them being sold at discount stores, and that's how I purchase them. The scent reminds me of the early 90s. Idk what it is, but it's very early 90s. Barely sweet floral with a touch of powder and tea. I don't get a spicy chai, it's a sweet chai with light powdered sugar. The scent doesnt last long, but people seem to smell it on me even after a long day. When I sweat (lightly) on a hot day the scent "reactivates" so to speak. Almost like I just put it on. At that point I'm able to smell it again...Weird....

This has the smell of black tea for sure...not quite sure about when the Osmanthus will come through though I'm waiting on it and hope it will appear soon. I've had this on for 3 hrs now...still nothing but tea. I love the scent of teas in fragrances but as another poster commented, but even the longevity is lacking. I cannot see paying this hefty price tag for a singular tea scented perfume. I need it to linger and allow me to actually enjoy the investment and the other listed notes to appear.

Got this for my birthday a year ago....I love the smell ...it is very mysterious smelling a first....I smell hint of coffee, woods, patchouli, amber?? Reminds me of strong coffee house vibes, it is a spicey, comfortable smell.....cozy. like freezing winter....cozy.

A fall and winter scent for me. It's creamy (honeyed, milky and ambery) and lightly spicy (a black/mild chai tea with anise, licorice, and faint musk) hints of leather and cedar/woody notes). The dry down makes is nice and cozy. Approachable and interesting. Office appropriate, yet great for flannel and jeans. On me, the scent is similar (not a 100% dead-on dupe) to a mash-up of Tom Ford Black Orchid, Byredo "G Water" and Chanel Sycomore. It hangs out for about 6 hours before I wanted to touch up. Minimal, sleek packaging. Very nice mist sprayer.

I liked this scent pretty well (I have the travel spray collection) but wanted to note that, after a couple of years, it was the first one to sour. Maybe that's not unusual, but I have some scents in my collections that are pretty old now, and though they may change a bit with time, the good ones still smell wonderful. Not this--it became pretty unpleasant rather quickly by my estimation. So head's up if you are a fan, my advice is to be sure that you can use the whole bottle in a year or two at best.

It doesn't smell like chai or osmathus, but at least it's a nice light creamy floral with some black tea elements in it; it's also the least generic from the line (along with their Something Wild & 2am Kiss); would only purchase if it's heavily discounted (and they'd still have the bottle design to thank).

I like this one a lot. I didn't know the notes when I sniffed it, and to me it was smoky with a little sweetness. I didn't get floral, tea, or aquatic, but then I am only going by the tester strip. I'm definitely going back to get a sample to try out at home.

Evokes a typical "bad boy" scent. The opening note is almost spicy and very unusual. The dry-down has a bit of a sweeter note. I 100% would get this if you're looking for something incredibly unique and unisex that makes you feel confident.

Takes me back to the scent of walking through a hippie market in the 70s. Spices, leather sandals, essential oils, incense. Kind of nice.

It smells like one of those mid-90s head shops that sold Manic Panic hair dye and bootleg band stickers. Not that that's a bad thing.

I got a sample from Sephora. I think I like it, but I have to wear it a few more times.

I didn't understand this frag until just now. I tried spraying it in my hair instead of my skin and it's better, and the projection is improved. It doesn't have stellar performance, but it smells exclusively cool and lactic, though not like anything to swoon over. In the first 5 minutes I get a major chemical note that worried me the first time I sprayed it. (had it not disappeared I would've thrown out the whole sample). It wore off, to reveal something like a powdery citrus similar to the bizarre lactic scent of Yakult. There is a white floral or possibly white tea note, but no chai whatsoever. After about an hour, it nearly dissipates mostly into a vague skin scent that smells like musk with the lactonic aroma. Not bad, but unimpressive. Am I missing something, or is this just a failed attempt at clever/concept perfumery? The name "Blackout" couldn't be more incongruent, because it smells like skin and a little bit of processed lactic drink, not a dynamic concept or anything black or dark. I'm grateful I tried a sample but this is a conservative "like" at best. It's definitely weird and I'm not sure it's in the best way, but I don't hate it. It does better in cold air, another weird feature.

From the note description, I was expecting something floral, fruity and lactonic with the warm spice of masala chai. I wonder if what Fragratica is listing is correct as what I get is an astringent, sharp fizzy herbal opening. That soon settles into something woody and aromatic. Finally there is a soft slightly spicy almost cola-like experience in the dry down. At times, it reminds me of 4711 Acqua Colonia Wakening Woods of Scandinavia as they both have osmanthus, although I think WWoS is better. It also reminds me of an M&S own brand fragrance I purchased some time ago called Breathe. Personally, this was a blind buy and had I tried this in a store, I probably wouldn't have purchased it. Still, it's quite different from all the overly sweet gourmands on the market right now so I will wear it and enjoy it, but I won't be repurchasing. Update: So it gets more interesting. By late in the evening, this had become a rose fragrance and reminded me a bit of Perle de Lalique. Who knew...

There's something SO weird about the opening of this! Without looking at the notes, this smells to me like a dark wood (ebony/mahogany/teak?) + ...flowers...??!!! I feel like he was maybe trying to go for a "Beside the Fireplace" vibe, but not quite making it. Becomes almost lactic as it dries down, though still woody and floral. [Holy smokes, no WAY would I have guessed osmanthus + masala chai!!!!! I agree with the osmanthus, but there is zero chai or spice in this!] I am on the fence about whether this is an OK or a like. I am trying this in winter; perhaps it would be better in warmer weather? I will give my travel spray another good test sometime in the future (warmer weather), and update my review.

I wanted to like this because of the chai tea note but it is so incredibly subtle that you cannot even smell this perfume. If you like your perfume to be super faint and super soft then this might work for you. I suppose it is great for a work setting or any other place where heavy fragrance might be obtrusive. On my skin, I have to really, REALLY sniff to smell it and that is after ten sprays on one spot. The name should instead be Imperceptible.

I make and drink chai all the time, and this perfume does NOT smell like it at all. I'm not getting any of the warm spices or black tea. No cinnamom, no ginger, no cloves, no cardamom. Not even a caramelized skin of milk. This perfume is a vague, generic floral with musk and maybe a tiny hint of peach that I guess is supposed to be osmanthus, but I am not convinced. Very boring. Smells cheap.

Opening is interesting, some metallic note, for the first 7-10 min on my skin. I can smell black tea in this one, but the most I like is the dry down, so soft and powdery, reminding me of Tocca Colette, Byredo Gypsy Water. Overall is a nice perfume and mixes well with my body chemistry.

Tried it on my wrist at Sephora, having never heard of this line before: baffled by the notes listed here, all I smelled was laundry detergent once it dried down!

I read a review of this somewhere else - that it evoked sweaty body odor (in a good way) due to not being able to shower during a black out! I read that before I ever smelled Blackout and inow it's all I think about when wearing it. But it's what I really like about it - not sure which notes create that musky dirty sweet body odor smell but it's kind of irresistible. I'm really enjoying getting to know the whole Derek Lam collection. I received the 10 piece sample set as a bday gift and I don't know why, like, every other review of so many of the perfumes in the collection are negative. I also think that 10 nearly roller ball sized perfumes for $95 is a great deal! I've heard many say it's too expensive, but perhaps they are talking about a full bottle. As a fragrance beginner, I'm really enjoying learning about notes from this set. Can anyone recommend a similar way to sample (and enjoy for a while) 10 fragrances for under $100? These are not quite the size of rollerballs - they are 7.5 ml or .25 oz. each and there are 10 of them!

I read a review of this somewhere else - that it evoked sweaty body odor (in a good way) due to not being able to shower during a black out! I read that before I ever smelled Blackout and inow it's all I think about when wearing it. But it's what I really like about it - not sure which notes create that musky dirty sweet body odor smell but it's kind of irresistible. I'm really enjoying getting to know the whole Derek Lam collection. I received the 10 piece sample set as a bday gift and I don't know why, like, every other review of so many of the perfumes in the collection are negative. I also think that 10 nearly roller ball sized perfumes for $95 is a great deal! I've heard many say it's too expensive, but perhaps they are talking about a full bottle. As a fragrance beginner, I'm really enjoying learning about notes from this set. Can anyone recommend a similar way to sample (and enjoy for a while) 10 fragrances for under $100? These are not quite the size of rollerballs - they are 7.5 ml or .25 oz. each and there are 10 of them!

I like this one. One of my favorites from the 10 Crosby line. For a "black" women's perfume, I think it is appropriately named. I don't recognize any other scents I have personally tried that smell like this one, which is always a plus for me...The notes on this are hard to describe, but "cool" is a note that comes to my mind. I think the listed notes at Fragrantica are confusing--this doesn't come across to me as a warm spicy scent, and definitely not for that to be the first and primary note listed for Blackout. But, it is a nice overall scent! Not overpowering either, which I appreciate about it. Worth trying if you're considering... Update: I am bummed about the longevity on Blackout...it is definitely in my top 3 of favorites from the Crosby 10, but I just can't justify buying a larger bottle because this one only lasts a few hours on me, which I have determined after several uses :( Otherwise, by all other means--great scent!

I really like this but I agree with Timmyheather, the description is way off. No chai tea here,. There’s lots of floral, and a background tea scent but what I’m getting is more of a jasmine green tea. It’s light and refreshing but not sharp or citrus. I tried it in the store and thought it was nice but one spritz on the wrist didn’t really do it justice or let it shine. Once I got it home, and applied a few sprays on my arms and chest, it came into its own and enveloped me in its gentle, lovely cloud of scent. I have dry skin that tends to eat up scent and I seldom get much longevity but this scent although not super strong does linger around for a good length of time. I really wish that Derek Lam would stop playing games and listing just two notes for his perfumes there is so much more going on here and it’s kind of insulting that he dishes out just two misleading notes.

I like this! Got a sample and tried it blind, forgot I did, then thought "what is that sweet smelling TF Black Orchid-ish type fragrance I keep smelling?" LOL. It's a deep, floral, slightly smoky, sweet scent. Once it dries down it sort of takes on this smoky, dry, wood tobacco-ish scent with the sweetness in the back. Mhhhh. Pleasant. Pretty floored when I saw what the notes are. No way is this even remotely close to anything Masala Chai, much less any type of Chai. Osmanthus? Ehh. Seriously in my opinion, smells like if you took Black Orchid as a muse and tweaked it to be generic, mainstream, mass appeal, type of vibe, but still good. I'd buy this one if I could get it for half the price it is sold for, honestly not worth full price in my opinion.

I like tea perfumes, but this is one is not worth the price tag. Strong black tea scent. I don't get any chai components other than anise / licorice. I wish anise could have been more developed -- it's not very typical, and something nice could have been made with it. It could have been a nice traditionally masculine fragrance, but it's just so incomplete. It doesn't really last on me, and I don't even get to the osmanthus before it disappears on me. It does smell like Van Cleef and Arpel's Precious Oud, or its more intense cousin Black Orchid, due to the tea note. It differs more from Philtre Ceylan, which is another tea perfume I like. It has very limited sillage on me.

Yummy! I love warm sweet and spicy scents, and that's definitely what this is. I like it on myself quite a lot, but think I might like it even more if it were on my husband, easily unisex. Definitely cozy, sexy, a little unique, but I don't see it really being offensive to anyone, it's fairly soft on dry down. You get the osmanthus, the spicy chai, and I'm also getting a little leather and/or wood? Haven't had it on long enough to comment on performance. Have had a sample for awhile, just found it in a drawer. I had low expectations, because the only other I've sampled from this house is 2 AM Kiss, which I really didn't care for at all. This one is nice, though!

This opens with a blast of waxy osmanthus which is pleasant, but more floral than I expected. The dry down goes through a very light tea with some spice, but it's not as warm or spicy as a chai. As always with the Derek Lam fragrances, this has a lot of unlisted notes. There's some musk, some tonka, light vetiver and some bland woods. I can see why people compare it to Black Orchid. Blackout is okay - not more or less. I like it, but I won't rebuy it.

I do not "get" the notes described above....????? But....NO WORRIES here. I spritzed my sample ....and waited. Patience. At first sniff....I thought..hmmmm..interesting.....then the drydown....WOW! I don't care what the "notes" are in this....bottom line...to my nose...it smells darn good !!! (however, kinda expensive ,so I will wait and see if prices go down...ie..eBay... Give this one a sniff, you may get a surprise !!!

I picked up the set of all the mini fragrances at Marshall’s for 29.99. That was a deal to me. So no complaints on the pricing. I don’t get body odor or anything gross from this. I actually smell a lot of musk and what smells like patchouli even though neither of those notes are listed. I love osmanthus where others perceive it as stinky in a negative way I just love it so I’m really liking this fragrance.

No chai scent here. My first thought after I sprayed this on my skin was that it reminds me very much of the vintage Dana fragrances, Tabu and Ambush. Something in the spiciness had that "Dana-aude" that I remember in my mom's perfumes. On me, it melts down into a powdery fragrance much like Tabu does. Pleasingly nostalgic for me, but unfortunately, it doesn't last very long.

I don't think this is supposed to be a straight chai, but one with milk and honey. It smells mostly floral-ish sweet (which I feel like I've gotten when I put milk and honey in some chais, a teabag one in particular - might have been Allegro?) with only a vague hint of spice. It's pleasant, but definitely not worth the price tag.

Loving the fragrance, however, the siliage is short lived on me (anyone else experiencing this?). Could be that the change in weather has dried my skin.. But it does smell divine!! p.s. There is something about this fragrance that reminds me of T.F.'s Orchid Soleil.. Did anyone else notice this?

I smell an incense boutique where you can get all sorts of different things to burn. It's sweet, but definitely not akin to any Chai Tea I've had. Smells nice, but develops into a skin scent rather quickly, about an hour into wearing. More testing needed at this point.

This fragrance is very unique and I find it strange that it’s classified as fruity floral. I guess at first it is slightly floral and clean, but it quickly dries down to be an interesting but kind of plasticy warm spice. The best scent in this collection imo.

Dislike the opening, smells too liquoricey and bitter. The dry down is where it’s at. It smells like a spicy and sweet scent and it smells like some kind of tea (don’t think it’s chai tea). Recommend testing before buying.

Such an interesting scent! Truly haven’t found how to describe this scent. For me and on me the main accords pretty much match what I smell on me. I spray it over and over just to enjoy the intoxicating scent.

I successfully paired Blackout with the grapefruit note of Pomelos Paradis by Atelier Cologne; it livens up the bitter accords without being sweet and adds staying power in the winter.

Sweaty sour spices, and musk. Gross until it settles. Faint sweetness after a few hours.