Nirvana White

I have a long relationship with the Nirvana line. I was in my twenties when this line launched and I was ready to buy my first “real adult” perfume (I’d worn Burberry Brit throughout high school but had since grown out of the sweetness of it). When I spotted this line at Sephora I instantly wanted to try it because I had always had a soft spot for anything Olsen twins (growing up watching them and reading related books, I felt a childish connection to them). I tried both Black and White but rejected White because I was in a “dark, edgy” phase whereupon I stayed away from anything that veered too feminine and girly. Not to mention I was not a fan of overtly floral perfumes as they often irritated my nose and triggered my asthma/allergies. I bought Black and wore it for years on its own and then layered with Bourbon when I saw that new scents had been released. I completely forgot about White and simply labeled it an “I didn’t like it” fragrance. Fast forward to about two months ago when I realized that the Nirvana line had been discontinued and that E&J had evaporated into thin air. I felt a sudden panic that my favorite scents would also disappear (Amethyst and Bourbon). Cue my instant “add to cart” while browsing through reseller sites. I saw that they still had full sized bottles of White, and I thought... should I buy it purely because it’s discontinued? I remembered I had given my niece a rollerball set with White, French Gray and Rose and decided to ask her if she still had some left, which she did. Upon first applying it, I was instantly reminded of that afternoon at Sephora where I had tried both on my skin. Except this time I was not as put off by it. Although it seems a bit strong at first (the alcohol in combination with the rollerball application), it quickly mellowed into a very soft, classy, feminine floral. When I got to the dry down, I felt a certain coziness to it I had not felt before. I had been looking for a “work appropriate” scent for a while now, something I could don on an every day basis that was inoffensive and clean but still “pretty” without being overtly girly. This was it to me! I immediately bought a 1.7 oz bottle and although in comparison with the other scents in the line it was a tad bit more expensive, it was well worth it to me. The first day I wore it I felt so fresh and pleasant and it lasted a great deal. I did an eight hour day and my mum (as well as me) could still smell it while riding with me in the car. It’s definitely not a scent that screams right as you walk into a room but that’s ok because I don’t like to smell that strongly either. It might not be the most interesting out of the line but it definitely has a place in it. Whereas Black to me smells like a chic woman in a LBD and red lips, White smells like an equally chic woman in a white linen dress, with understated but expensive jewelry that’s just purchased a bouquet of flowers for her best friend. I did wear this in colder weather but I think it could easily be worn year around. I am not surprised that my tastes changed so drastically (I can’t even smell Black anymore without getting a headache) but definitely wish I had given it a second chance sooner.

Uber-feminine, clean, classy, soapy, elegant, boss woman! Thank God my opinion has changed on this perfume because it turns out: I was wrong. So very wrong. Perfumites, I require forgiveness on this one because my earlier review I lamented at how *confused* I was. I wasn't confused - I just needed some quality time with "Nirvana White". I put off re-writing a review for this one because I was worried I would come across as inauthentic, and - whilst I do hope that's not the case - I feel I'd be doing this perfume an injustice if I didn't speak up about my love for it! The bottle is perfection. The retro, yet modern aesthetic is euphorically sublime! Seriously, even looking at this makes me so happy. It's clean-cut lines, opaque white box with mirrored gold sides, textural surface, palm-fitting shape, and satisfying clip-on lid makes this worthy of a front-row display. The longevity is decent. Not earth-shattering, but it's not disappointing either. The sillage is enchanting. I love my own trail on this. Yes, I continue to make those 90-degree turns to catch whiffs of it. You can't tell me I'm not cool. The scent of this is heavenly! H-E-A-V-E-N-L-Y. It's no secret that peony is one of my all-time favourite floral notes. It's beautiful, light, gentle, romantic, and undoubtedly feminine! It's amplified in this to a glorious degree. The lily-of-the-valley is the least prominent note here, but I firmly believe it is what elevates this from a shy, girlish, romantic scent to a Boss Woman CEO who is a kind, capable, efficient, elegant, highly-intelligent, approachable leader! The musk provides a wafting warmth - again - inviting people to approach, and be engulfed in the joy of this scent! The review below mentions "white leather" and - a lightbulb went off - Yes! It actually does smell a little of white leather/suede, but this is in no way a bad thing! If anything, it brings a quality of smoothness and class to the scent. The discontinuation of this line makes me angry. Hulk-level angry. I cannot really think of any other celebrity line that transcends "celebrity fragrance" and can holds it own with the designer crowd, but this does. Its discontinuation is a shame on the fragrance world. Regardless, I'm in olfactory love. Since the discontinuation, it's almost impossible to find (I'm actually certain I bought the last bottle in my city...it's not even on the store's website anymore), and - contrary to perhaps the US and maybe the UK - it's not cheap online here. I put off buying a 100ml bottle until last week where I bit the bullet and went for it. I'm half-way through my store-bought bottle, and I'm already having withdrawals. Truthfully, "Nirvana White" makes me feel like the kind of woman I want to become. I might not be there yet, but this perfume helps me believe I might become it one day. If a perfume can do that for you, it deserve top marks and an elevated place in your esteem. This one certainly does for me! *** Kitty rating: 10/10! (BOO YEAH!)

This one deserves a lot more love! It's not like any other musky floral I own, so I have a lot of appreciation for this. Feels quite sheer though it lasts a while on me (5+ hours) and has above average sillage --think it's the simplicity of this that makes it feel lighter and less "busy" or packed. It also gives off an aloof sort of vibe, it's not a warm happy welcoming scent, but very likable still. Just feels reserved, a little coy in its sweetness and a bit modest. Peony is not screechy or synthetic, very lovely! LOVE the bottles for both the Nirvana White and Black - they look awesome on my perfume shelf! Bottle shape has that vintage glamor ~thing~ but the scents are a combination of that new-new trendy composition with a unique and subtle edge that just sort of lingers, it doesn't shout or announce itself to the world. Not breaking any new ground here, but that's not exactly what I look for in every single fragrance I own. I love subtlety in fragrance and this to me is very understated but creative and has a well developed concept built around it. Reminds me a lot of the sheer but edgy and subtle approach Tom Ford's White Patchouli takes.. Just because this isn't niche or high end doesn't mean it's not gorgeous, people...

I should begin this review by saying that this was love at first sniff for me. From the nozzle of the manufacturer's sample, this smelled almost smoky, which made me hesitate to try it, but on the skin it translates to a beautiful musky rose. As far as I know, there are no roses in the notes, but peony does have a tendency to resemble roses, and this is a brilliant example of that! It is fairly linear, but beautiful all the way. Fresh and floral, with just a touch of sweetness, this just speaks of femininity that is both delicate and strong at the same time. It brings to mind a woman who can be girly and chair a board meeting AND be respected for it, all at once! And when she's done with that, she'll be able to hold her own in her relationships too. I hesitate to say that Nirvana White is a special fragrance simply because there are no tricks to be had, but it is beautiful. If you love peonies or roses or musky florals, this is worth a try. I really want a full bottle now (thank you so much to the Fragrantican who gave me a sample!) Longevity: 4-5 hours Sillage: Strong enough that I catch whiffs of it when I lift my hand.

I completely agree with those of you who say this smells exactly like Stella Nude. Which is a good thing, since Stella Nude was discontinued and I was on the lookout for a replacement. It's a soft, inoffensive musky floral reminiscent of a high-end linen spray (and I mean that in a good way). Initially I was not interested in the Nirvana Black at all since I'm not into sandalwood/vanilla combinations, but because some people are raving over the White & Black layer, I now want to get my hands on the Black. Too bad I don't live in the States (Sephora refuses to send perfume to where I live, plus I'm not too keen on purchasing fragrances on eBay) so I might have to ask a friend to send it to me. I don't think I've seen any reviews that have described precisely what they smell like layered - people just say how wonderful it is. If you've tried it, please give a detailed account of what it's like!

Musk and flowers and something synthetic, but wonderful. I really didn't think I'd like this when I read the notes. I also kind of wrote it off before I even tried it because it's a Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen creation, and I'm apparently a snob. It's great though. Peaceful and soft. Not sharp as most florals turn on me. The musk, I think may be Egyptian musk, but I'm not sure. It exceeded all my expectations, which probably wasn't too hard since they were somewhere down around the bottom of the Mariana Trench. About an hour into wearing it sillage becomes pretty close to the skin, but still smells like delicious musk overlaid with soft flowers. Three and a half hours in, I can still smell it. It is definitely a skin scent at this point, but it melts into my body heat quite nicely. There isn't too much of the flowers left now, but I'm okay with that. This musk is to die for.

Oh boy, I didn't want to add the Olsen twins' already bulging coffers, but I really do love this fragrance, as in I kind of wish I could drink it (oh come on, don't tell me you've never felt the same, lol). I got a free sample vial and within days went out to get a rollerball. Soon I will splurge on a full bottle, which is rare for me as I change up my perfumes daily (sometimes even more often, shhhh, don't judge, lol) and therefore prefer to spend my fragrance budget on tons of smaller sizes (.5 oz or less) rather than just a few big bottles. Nirvana White is so pretty and light; the delicious rose note comes through the strongest for me and I am recently learning to appreciate rose scents after years of rather disliking them. I think Nirvana Black is pretty good too, but White is by far more to my liking: a clean, feminine, fresh, light and happy scent.

The accords from Fragrantica say "Floral, fresh, musky, rose," but I would definitely replace "fresh" with "powdery"! This is one of my favorite scents for winter/early Spring. I certainly get the peony and musk, but I'm not sure where the LOTV comes in. It's more like a rose, powdery in a way similar to Stella (which I also love) but a bit more mature with the powderiness. Stella has the citrus keeping it more fresh and youthful. Nirvana white is the grown-up version! It's not a dynamic fragrance, so if you don't like it at first spray, I don't expect it will change your mind with time. It seems White is a very polarizing scent, people either love it or hate it. I personally find White and all the other Nirvana collection to be quite creative and intriguing. Give it a try!

I tried it in the store and I didn't expect to see the pyramid having only 3 notes in it - 2 of which, peony and LOTV, are among my least favored notes in perfumes. But I love the whole composition. It's clean, bright and sparkling smelling. It smells like white silk. The fragrance seems to be more complex than just 3 notes. While the fragrance is very light and airy it is not weak or lackluster like a lot of clean light scents seem to be. Very long-lasting on the clothes, lingers pleasantly for days. It's perfumes like this that make me interested in floral scents. Now I will look with less prejudice at lily-of-the-valley note. I used to really dislike it in most perfumes, but in Nirvana White it sings such a fine tune with only 2 other voices next to it. Love!

I got this scent when it launched and have been repurchasing it ever since. You can pretty much only get it online now but I bought it for a long time at Sephora. I got it because it reminded me of Stella by Stella McCartney (one of my all time favorites) which was soon to become increasingly harder to find not to mention expensive. For me, this scent is dewy rose almost exclusively. It dries down rosy floral/ green. It lasts, too, even on skin. I had spritzed it on a scarf I wore to a Christmas play in mid December and just went to wash the scarf and I could still smell it (today is January 12). Its notes would make you think headache but it’s actually soft and pleasant. Love the bottle too. I’ll keep buying it as long as they make it.

I have nothing but great things to say about Nirvana White ♥ • Easily layers with all the other Nirvana frags while still being wonderful all on it's own • Office appropriate • Moderate sillage • Longevity is good for me, I'll get a good 5 hours on skin with 4-5 sprays • An elegant & sophisticated sweet floral scent with a touch of clean aquatic nuance • Compliment getter! • Substantial, classic, timeless bottle design The only con is that it's discontinued. Get your bottle while there are still some available online. It's one of the very few that I have a backup bottle of!

I’ve tried all frags from this house, except the gray and amethyst. The white is by far my favorite. The peony & lily of the valley combo is so gorgeous. It’s delicate and graceful in the most beautiful way. It has ignited a bit of obsession with both notes, particularly peony. Every year I decide on new notes to explore, and I’ve already decided 2024 must include peony. Nirvana white is a simple but very well blended perfume. It starts citrusy sharp but softens quickly. I love layering it with Jovan white musk. The rollerball is great for discreet work touch ups.

I love this scent! I bought a small size at sephora a year or two ago. I thought it was alright but it was a bit strong on me in the warmer months. Here in Florida it has finally cooled down and I decided to wear it again. Wow! It warms on my skin so well and leaves the best clean musk dry down. It is warm but floral and powdery at the same time when initially put on. It is not old lday, but reminiscent of a more classic scent. ❤️ Also, my husband loved this one and he is pretty picky about scents. He usually just likes the clean, fruity scents. Just a tip!

A simple & fresh perfume - Peony, Musk, Lily of the Valley... nothing else. On one spray you can smell all 3 of them and it goes all the way with no other notes. Usually, I like my perfume with some twists and turns that come from the middle and end notes. However, this bottle of gem is so delightful and combines all 3 of my favorite scents beautifully in one! :) It is brisk and cheerful and I really like how it smells on my skin. A great daytime perfume. I got this as a sample but I'm definitely getting a bottle on my next perfume purchase :)

I received this as a Christmas gift and I absolutely adore it. I love the peony. I was not expecting to love the white musk as much as I was. Definitely a perfume I will be wearing more often in the spring. I'd say it's a better perfume for spring and autumn than summer or winter, but it works fairly well so far on mild winter days. I like the maturity of the fragrance, my mother even made a comment the first time she smelled the perfume that she thought it was far too mature of a perfume for a woman in her early 20s.

What a beautiful perfume. I ended up buying most of the Nirvana collection (got it for a steal of a price), and I would agree with the reviews below that this is the most light and feminine out of the bunch. The opening is a fresh white floral. I'm not usually a fan of florals, as they can be heavy and "old" smelling, but this is not. It smells like spring. The dry down, to me, smells reminiscent of Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, only a bit more floral. Just that same warm, clean and light smell. I really like this one!

This perfume is so underrated and overlooked in my personal opinion. It is such a beautiful, soft, feminine and subtle fragrance. The Elizabeth and James range has totally surprised me with its simple beauty and quality. These fragrances smell so much more sophisticated and expensive than many other sugary celebrity fragrances. The bottles are sleek and appealing and Nirvana White is a glorious, gentle musky floral, (with an almost lemon fresh opening that quickly becomes creamy), that I could wear every day.

I LOVE this! It's good, ya'll. The musk is light and not overwhelming. The peony is so pretty and fresh. I still struggle in general to pick out the LOTV note in any perfume! I know it's in here and I just know that I think this is a beautiful mix. I sprayed after a shower, dug it. Then a while later I stepped outside in the evening to take out the trash, 66F, I could smell it alllll around me! 😊 ❤️ The partial bottle I have was a bonus in a trade, I now want a big bottle and the body oil!

A well done uplifting floral. It’s sophisticated and very pure smelling if that makes sense. It doesn’t smell overly complex, smells like flowers and musk, like wearing a freshly cleaned white dress to a party in June. There’s something addictive about it too. I can’t stop smelling my wrist and reapplying even though it’s not necessary to reapply. It has perfect longevity and sillage; lasts for a full 8hrs, and those close to you can smell it without being suffocated by it.

Something about the Nirvana line always conjures a cool girl in a bar; drink in one hand, cigarette in the other. She's always dressed well and her perfume rises above the surrounding scents of alcohol and smoke...it's not too strong, but it is just enough to pull you in. Maybe there is an underlying boozy quality to these frags or maybe it's the flask-like bottle, but when I smell them I am in an upscale establishment with a hip woman and she smells amazing.