Nirvana Amethyst

I first bought this in 2019 and have been wearing it since along with Bourbon. I think the two are closely related, sisters but not twins. I don’t get the smoke/tobacco note that some people describe getting from Bourbon, but I definitely get it here with Amethyst, although I am not sure I understand the “wet cigarette” smell some people describe either. At first spray there is a heavy smokiness to this, but for my nose this dissipates quickly. My dad wears TF Tobacco Vanille and that to me smells like cigarettes. Amethyst however has a much sweeter tobacco note that’s not quite as smoky or intense. After a while the prominence of this note diminishes and we’re left with a more woody, vanilla-like scent with hints of smokiness dancing in and out. I definitely get the wood, but perhaps that’s because I really love cedar in perfume and can distinguish it easily. I am not sure what the “spices” in the ingredients list refers to as my box doesn’t list any spices nor does my nose detect any either. There is no “spice” in this fragrance. I think this is a beautifully feminine fragrance, but the smokiness adds a bit of mystery. Whereas Bourbon might be described as “sexy,” Amethyst could very well be more “sultry.” However, I don’t envision this scent to be so sensual. To me it’s more like the young lady of the house, sitting in her father’s study reading mystery novels. The scent of his pipe lingers and mingles with the scent of the sweet flowers woven through her hair- the ones she picked on a gray, drizzly morning. She sits near the fireplace, her gown and hair still damp from her walk in the garden. That’s kind of what I see when I smell Amethyst. I find it an oddly comforting scent and I’ve never been told I smell like cigarettes, so there’s that. I have the bottle I bought in 2019 plus a backup as well as a few rollerballs. You do have to spray this liberally if you want the scent to get noticed, otherwise it sits very close to the skin. It does linger on clothing for much longer. I might get three hours out of this but I just remedy it by only wearing it to things where I don’t need to be there more than three hours lol. Dinners, some evening gatherings, etc. I don’t detect a difference between the rollerball and the spray in terms of how prominent the tobacco note is. Honestly, one of my favorite fragrances! If you’re interested in a sweet tobacco scent, check this out, especially now that the bottles are being sold so cheaply in some reseller sites.

I blind bought a mini rollerball bottle of this when I found one going for less than any samples I could find. I've seen this recommended a lot when people are looking for feminine tobacco scents, and the note listing sounded like it would feature it prominently, but if I didn't know there was supposed to be tobacco in this, I don't think I would have guessed it. I wouldn't have guessed the honeysuckle, either; it's sweet, but neither honeysuckle or tobacco really distinguishes itself to my nose. It does smell well blended, however- like there's more going on in there than I'm aware of, and there's -something- about it I do like, so maybe that's the tobacco and it's just very subtle. This is a very soft and delicate skin scent on me, sweet and powdery and gently spicy, and has kind of a vintage feel to it. It smells like some perfume I remember from a 1970s childhood- I want to say Heaven Sent, but this is a just little bit more spicy and mature smelling than that. A pretty, "perfumey"/cosmetic kind of scent with a slightly old-fashioned vibe. Not what I was expecting from this and not what I was looking for, but it's not bad by any means. I like it, but I'm looking for fragrances that are a little more tobacco-forward than this one. Maybe the tobacco comes out more if you use an atomizer rather than a rollerball? This is also such a very -quiet- perfume on me; it sits very close to the skin and I have trouble smelling it on myself after just a few minutes if I'm sitting still, although I can catch wafts of it when I move around. I can't stop -trying- to smell it, though. It's like chasing after a pretty ghost. UPDATE: 1/11/23: After wearing this a couple more times, I'm picking up the tobacco more. It really is subtle, and takes a little while to emerge on my skin, but it's there, adding warmth, spice, and a slightly savory quality to the sweet, powdery heart of this fragrance. I do think this is a really pretty scent; I just wish it was a little stronger. It's starting to grow on me in spite of that, though. An enthusiastic like! UPDATE 2: 2/8/23: Tried this again when my allergies weren't flaring up, and although I think it's probably -intended- to be a quiet perfume, I can smell it much more easily now! It's definitely growing on me. Very pretty, very feminine; familiar and unique at the same time. I'm thinking it could potentially be full bottle worthy!

I agree with others, this isn't a scent for everyone, but I love it! Cigarette smoke? Yes. Like Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille with less Vanille, much in the same way that Nirvana Bourbon was Tobacco Vanille without the Tobacco. This is sweet resinous pipe tobacco. And I mean, they NAILED IT! When I was a kid, we kept candy in these airtight glass pipe tobacco containers, that were just like the airtight candy jars you see so often. No matter how many times they were washed, the rubber seals always retained the smell of the pipe tobacco they originally housed. As soon as I smelled this, it instantly smelled familiar and it took me forever to realize where I'd smelled this before! This isn't a scent for the prude, this is a scent for those who partake. If tobacco offends you in real life, you might not want to wear this - but you will likely still appreciate it on others as it's still pleasant. Notes aside, something about this also reminds me of the smoky sweet part of Tuscan Leather. If you like Tuscan Leather or Tobacco Vanille, you WILL love this! The Elizabeth and James Nirvana series continues to amaze me with scent quality since Bourbon and Rose. (I own both) I keep finding resemblances with Tom Ford fragrances, and I'm personally not complaining about that at all. There's nothing wrong with finding inspiration in other scents, and I think their creativity will benefit from it - and I believe it has with both this, and Nirvana French Grey, but I'll need to sample French Grey a bit more before I can review that one. Overall, projection is moderate, possibly a tad discrete, but it performs just fine for me and lasts longer than I need it to. This is another E&J scent that's perfectly suited for both men and women and the scent quality is awesome! To future me: You want this. It's every bit as good as Nirvana Bourbon.

I got a small roll-on today and already kicking myself for not buying a bigger bottle that I just saw in TJMaxx a couple of days ago for $20. This fragrance turned out to be what positive reviews talk about - expensive smelling, natural well-blended notes, niche-vibe, pleasantly sweet, but not cloying at all, with very slight spiciness and bitterness that's barely there, lasting a decent amount of time but close to skin which for this type of scent is perfect, because if it was a power-house filling up a room it would take away from its exquisiteness and would make it seem more brash and in-your-face type of scent. The only reason I didn't want to buy a full bottle right away is somewhat polarizing reviews mentioning that it smelled like a wet ash-tray or casino cigarette smoke, or even nice reviews but still comparing it to sweet cigar smoke. Some reviewers who loved the scent were still worried that people around them may think that they started smoking)) I don't like anything cigar or cigarette oriented, especially as in old cigarette butts sitting in an ash-tray. I smoked several times in my younger days, and usually it went together with partying, other people around me smoking, alcohol, and of course, hang-over the next day while cleaning out ash-trays..Ugh...I was getting a hang-over headache all over again by just reading those types of reviews about this scent... Well, there is literally nothing in this beautiful fragrance that would even slightly remind me about "anything cigarette"...I guess it's absolutely a matter of personal skin chemistry. I wish I took a chance on a blind-buy and the largest bottle for an unbeatable price..Oh, well...

Not a review yet. I just ordered this and French Grey. I already have Black, White, and Rose. This line is now discontinued and all of them are available for almost giveaway prices on Ebay. If you are interested in trying or purchasing any of them, now is the time. I am considering them future collector's items! Not interested in purchasing Bourbon, but I may have to just to complete the set. Review to follow! 8/4/2020: Perfume arrived today, and it is my favorite Nirvana so far. It is deceptively simple, and very sophisticated, yet sexy. The pipe tobacco dominates. This isn't plain tobacco though. It's pipe tobacco with a touch of cherry vanilla. That note, along with the cedar, provides the composition with a depth that belies so few notes. The honeysuckle is there, but not overly floral. Instead it lends a sweetness that is far from cloying. I do not smell anything spicy yet, but it has not yet fully dried down. No doubt that the tobacco is the star here, but it isn't an overly masculine tobacco. It veers ever so slightly into feminine territory. That said, as is the case with the entire collection, it is absolutely unisex The perfumes in the collection are quite layerable, and they were all released as pairs that are meant to complement each other: Black and White; Amethyst and French Grey; and Rose and Bourbon. Despite the fact that the Olsen twins are celebrities, I do not consider any of them to be "celebrity" scents. They are the products of the two women's second act as designers of merit, not their younger, TV star selves. Very accomplished, and very chic. Ooh - the spices are coming out now! Gorgeous!

I... did not expect to like this at all. I bought it to complete my Nirvana collection and really for no other reason. I really dislike tobacco notes, and the idea of honeysuckle over top of it made my stomach turn a bit. It hearkened back to my childhood in the southern US, swimming through that sweet, heady scent of sun-baked honeysuckle on a day honestly too hot to be outside. I would have collapsed after a long day of exploring my great grandfather's old, defunct sawmill, sweating and swatting at mosquitos on my paw-paw's front porch while he chewed tobacco. There was no possible way I could like a scent like that, if not for olfactory reasons then certainly for thrusting me back in time to a humid, miserable childhood summer. But I do. I honestly love it. Whether it's pricking at that memory in a loving, nostalgic way (I will deny it), or it's simply a lovely perfume, I don't know. But no one note sticks out above the rest. There's no sickly sweet tobacco or honeysuckle standing alone, no cedar shaving hamster bedding. I smell nothing I would pin down as honeysuckle, though there is a sweetness to the scent that I'll attribute to that. The tobacco seems more dusty and ashy, as in incense rather than a burned cigarette, and the cedar reminds me of opening up an antique hope chest. The three are melded together beautifully, and I have done nothing but huff my wrist all afternoon. I can sense a little bit of the Nirvana Black DNA in there, certainly, but while Black has always been my favorite, this is quickly closing rank. Absolutely beautiful.

I wore samples of this for two weeks straight before deciding to buy a bottle (actually a roller ball because I just cannot justify any more big bottles of things :P). There is something so addictive about the sweet tobacco here and I just cannot explain it. Since tobacco notes generally repulse me, the fact that this one attracts me (A LOT) is a puzzle. It does away with the nauseating qualities of tobacco and yet retains its depth, smokiness, and allure. I am just smitten. It is sweet (much sweeter than the notes would suggest, but still not too sweet), smoky, and quite powerful. I find it lasts on my skin throughout an entire day of wear and a shower (I can still smell it faintly after that) and projects moderately for a majority of that time. At first, I thought Amethyst was too similar to Bourbon to warrant owning both, but after a good few wears, I started to find significant dissimilarities. Bourbon is notably more woody (in fact, I would put oak in that one as the most noticeable note) and the wood comes off a bit more masculine. Amethyst is significantly sweeter and less woody. And after about a week of wear, I decided that I preferred Amethyst to Bourbon. It will definitely be my go-to this season. Oh, I also love the purple bottle! Purple and gold are so pretty together! :P

My gateway fragrance to tobacco scents. Gorgeous. Smoky, sweet and comforting. A great everyday scent, I used this as my signature scent for well over a year back when it launched in 2017. It's pretty linear (not a bad thing) and lasts about 4-5 hours on my skin. Projection isn't beast mode unless you overspray, you have to be close to smell it. I wouldn't and didn't use this scent in the summer as it was a little to heavy, but definitely great for a fall and winter scent. In comparison to the other popular tobacco fragrances on the market, MAC's Velvet Teddy or Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille, this doesn't pull as vanilla sweet due to the honeysuckle. So if you don't like your fragrances to pull as sweet, but like that smoky tobacco smell, this would definitely a contender. Also as stated above, projection is not great especially compared to VT and TV. I love this scent so much that I purchased a backup of it when Sephora was clearing their stock. So sad that the Nirvana line is discontinued. If you are looking for this scent or want to introduce yourself to a quality tobacco scent without the hefty price tag, I know Groupon has the Nirvana line for a relatively cheap price.

Gorgeous, and more sweetly vanilla than I expected. I was actually confused at how so many people would love a tobacco fragrance, but this is not overwhelming at all. You don't smell like you're a smoker, but someone might wonder how you smell so good with a hint of tobacco there. The honeysuckle is so vanilla to me, and that makes this an absolute love. I really want this to expand my autumn/winter collection. If I have this + a coffee fragrance + alien which I already have, I will feel like I am complete in my favourite seasons. The cedar woodiness with tobacco gives it a slight leather scent. Maybe the spices do that a little bit too but I'm not entirely sure i get those. I have always hesitated to bother with fragrances that stay linear and don't have clear top-mid-base notes, but this is such a gorgeous mixture of notes that I don't want it to. I'm glad it's the way it is. And I'm actually sad that this seems to be the most slept-on E&J Nirvana fragrance. Also: I remember reading on tumblr that people thought this would be a fragrance Effy Stonem would wear, and I agree with that, if it only weren't for it being a more recent release. Oh I need this so much!

Initially I was browsing Sephora when I saw the intriguing shape of the roller-ball bottles. I hadn't intended to buy perfume on that trip but I couldn't resist sampling the amethyst and black versions of Nirvana by Elizabeth and James because of the almost minimalist design. I took two strips of paper and sprayed both versions on the paper. Took a sniff of the bourbon version but decided it was very much not for me. i went home and allowed the papers to sit for a while while I went about my life. Weeks later, I decided to go back and pick up both. There's just something so intriguing about the amethyst and black versions. I see them as almost a good/bad opposition. The amethyst is decidedly feminine to me with a sweet woody twinkle of honeysuckle. At the same time it is belying a spicy bed of tobacco and mystery. I feel like this is exactly the scent I would wear to a book store while reading Keats and Emily Bronte. It reminds me of sitting down with a cashmere sweater, reading glasses, and a cup of milky tea to spend the day with a good book. It's beautiful like the purple stone it takes its name from, with its natural facets.

Past me gave this scent a phenomenal review and now Current me is wondering why in the heck this is already available at discounters for only $30 for a 1.7oz bottle! To Future me: you're welcome, because Current me just bought you a bottle. Get it while it's cheap, folks. There's no reason this shouldn't be priced just as high as White, Black, Bourbon, and Rose. Also, French Grey is just as cheap right now, if that's more your cup of tea. They must have had an overrun of stock on these two for the first production run. Edit: I also found 3.4oz bottles for $40 after buying a 1.7 oz bottle... couldn't help but to grab one, but I wish I had seen these before buying a 1.7oz bottle. Such a ridiculous deal on a scent that's worth much more! Edit Edit: Looks like prices have gone back up now. Sorry if you missed 'em! For the record, I've been wearing this one quite often since I bought it, and I'm really quite surprised that so many say this is more feminine than Nirvana Bourbon, as I find this rather unisex, myself. Really, this is a scent that takes on the sex of the wearer.

Never did I expect to fall in love with this fragrance as fast and hard as I have. I came to it looking for a sweet, sexy, feminine tobacco perfume, and went from "I'm not sure I'm getting any tobacco from this" to "I need this in my life!" in just a few weeks. Yes, it's definitely a tobacco perfume- a subtle and delicate one, but maybe not as much as I'd first thought; I get the tobacco more-and better performance overall- now that I'm using an atomizer instead of a rollerball. To me, this smells considerably more expensive than it is, and ultra-feminine in a mature yet very sensuous way. Smells like it should be worn by an older woman who's an eccentric or a bohemian and who's aging so amazingly well you secretly think she might be a witch. She smokes a dainty little pipe and wears a lot of purple, and dusky crystal jewelry. I can't get enough of this fragrance right now. The fact it's apparently already been discontinued for a while convinced me to snap up a full bottle while I still can! Definitely a new love.

Not everyone would like this one but I love it. To my nose it's a boozey floral tobacco. Very feminine in a Tomboyish way. Starts out dusty them turns smooth. It's actually stronger as it dries. Very long lasting. 12+ Unisex if you love a feminine type scent. I may sound like I'm contacting myself but basically this is very sweet and some ladies may find it a bit to masculine because of the tobacco note. This is not a fresh green tobacco, it's a used ash tray type tobacco mixed with floral. Some men may find it to feminine because of the floral. I grew up when people would smoke like trains in the bars and clubs and well, basically this smells like The Black Rose piano bar did at 5am on a Sunday morning. Smoke, Grog, Sweat and perfume. Now that, could be very off putting for many people. Call me crazy, I just can't get enough. If you love super sweet and love ashtray tobacco, with boozy type nuisance, give it a try. It's not for everyone as I said but for me it's a A+

Very soft, very pretty, very feminine. Although the fragrance is not strong the tobacco note is definitely the main player here. The honeysuckle is very sweet against the tobacco and I barely get the cedarwood base but something is there to anchor it and it does have longevity on clothes. The bottle is, like the others, extremely simple and elegant and the perfume is the same. I really admire and appreciate the range and have Black, Rose and now this. This a dead classy scent, simple but not boring. I think it's suitable for the office as it is a subtle scent. I think it was a good choice as an entry level tobacco fragrance. It's ok priced at the moment(30 gbp for 30ml) but it's on the border of too expensive for what you get because it's a skin scent from the start. It's an off beat celebrity perfume and I have to give praise for that. For niche fans there is probably not a lot here but I'm in the first year of my fragrantica journey and I really like this.

I have gotten a sample of this at Sephora and I think I am in love. The tobacco and woodiness are definitely present here but there is a sweetness that lifts the whole thing up and keeps it from being too intense or too masculine. I don't find the tobacco to be smoky, it is more like a tobacco leaf that has just been dried, kind of similar to a hay smell with a little bit of that tomato leaf funk. Tobacco and tomato are in the same botanical family so they have some similar qualities especially in terms of smell. Again what I smell most of all is sweetness and woodiness, the sillage is not large but the longevity on clothing is impressive (3 weeks on my sweater). It's not very complex but it is just absolutely cozy. Totally signature scent worthy, I bet I'll end up buying a full bottle this fall.

This fragrance is the reason why I love tobacco notes. It was a blind buy and I’m so glad it worked out for me. I get warm tobacco mixed with cedar on my skin. It works wonderfully with my body chemistry! The honeysuckle adds a hint of sweetness but that is subtle on me. Picture a sexy person sitting at the bar in a dimly lit club with a vibe so mysterious you have to approach them. As the other reviewers say, the sillage and longevity aren’t great. I have to overspray. The scent lasts longer on my clothes. I could smell it on my dress days later. However despite the poor longevity, Amethyst is my go to for nights out no matter what the season is. Since I love the fragrance and the price, I’ll definitely be buying another bottle (or two).

This is a really good example of tobacco made feminine. It's got this absolutely lovely vanilla note to it which makes some aspect of it borderline gourmand. I'm honestly very surprised there's no vanilla listed here because it's actually quite prominent throughout the first initial spray as well as the dry down. Come to think of it, this would be a really good signature scent, especially if you're someone who's maybe a little introverted or even shy. It's a lovely comfortable scent and the only time where I wouldn't advise wearing it is on a hot day. That's pretty much it otherwise this is beautiful and unique. That vanilla really makes this a fragrance I just can't stop sniffing on my skin.

I really love this perfume. When I initially applied it I immediately smelled a creamy, powdery and woody sweetness. I actually assumed it had amber and sandalwood in it. But of course I was wrong as there is neither in this perfume. Once some time had passed I was actually able to detect the cedar in it. The spices aren't overwhelming and I have to say the notes are all blended really well. I loved this from first spray, to many hours later. I would say it doesn't have a high sillage. (With many perfumes my husband will comment about it being to strong, but that didn't happen with this one.) In summary,a great perfume but you have to like a certain amount of sweetness.

I got this perfume in a small roll on version. One of my many blind buys which surprisingly turned well. I will wait to wear it in the winter because it's definitely sweet and warm soft scent. I usually don't like sweet vanilla /amber scents too much. I am not going to lie, the only reason I bought this is because it was saying honeysuckle on the box. I expected something light and greenish. Definitely not, lol. It's dark, sweet, soft, warm, spicy, inviting mature scent that really makes me feel grown up pretty and nice lady with conference. Not surprised to see the high ratings. It's hard to find nowadays something that doesn't smell too artificially or irritating.

After using a few mini testers when this came out years ago I finally got a bottle lol The main notes I pick up on me while wearing this is the honeysuckle followed by hints of tobacco,spice and cedar...wich blend beautifully together! This makes a great cold weather months perfume but could be worn in the spring and summer too. My only issue with all of the James and Elizabeth perfumes is that the longevity is not the best in my opinion if they lasted longer they’d be perfect.....the sillage is really good though so that’s a plus. Still a excellent buy if you can find these for a great price at Tjmaxx or any other discount store or even on EBay or Amazon.