Angélique Noire

THE (NOT SO) DARK SHINING ANGEL I couldn't imagine this perfume being any other way. I knew that it wouldn't be a fruit salad like many others more conventional releases, but rather that it should have something special as many people have selected it as their signature scent. Then I thought, 'Why black angelica'? It could well be that its refers to the aftertaste of the angelica root, which gives the fragrance its special and singular style. Angelica root grows wild, but it is also cultivated for medicine use. Its essential oils are used in perfumery as well. The scent is sweet-bitter, slightly herbal, and gives wormwood its special smelly twist. This is a fragrance that appeals to my instincts, a perfume that finds its way to my innermost being and reaches my subconscious. I am fascinated by the perceptible antagonism in its olfactory progression. The eternal struggle between good ("Angèlique" = angelic) and evil ("Noire" = black) melts into an irrepressible liqueur that draws its strength from both and dissolves in perfect harmony for my olfactory pleasure. The angelic facet of the fragrance lies in the herbaceous opening and the lingering herbaceous undertone. Angelica smells as if it promises healing, recovery, comfort and hope. It smells slightly ethereal and medicinal, yet natural without being chemically oppressive. It smells of green plants, sap and plant parts. It is very strange yet beautiful, unfamiliar yet familiar, and unique yet inviting. Whenever this angel opens the gates of heaven for me, I imediately enter, usual very curious and always trusting. A little time after opening, an opulence spreads with a mixture of sweetness and a sparse fruitiness. The fruitiness is minimal, as if I were smelling sliced kiwi or apricot. The caraway note is somewhat minimalistic. Whereas in other perfumes caraway often smells of sweat or goat's cheese, here it is a round, essential flavour, like salt and pepper in cooking. This caraway note doesn't smell like ordinary caraway, but more like cumin, which has a green-greyish colour, a much more refined and subtle scent, and often adds a delicious touch to some dishes. It doesn't take long for the scent on my skin to become increasingly sweet and vanilla-like. Vanilla upon vanilla like any Guerlain should be. Beguilingly beautiful and lush vanilla. Seductive, indecent, animalistic vanilla that captivates me. When the top notes, with their slightly fruity and spicy aftertaste, eventually fade away, a very rich jasmine os revealed. Everything is spicy, warm, and deep. I felt like going to the kitchen solely to smell the caraway. The caraway contained in the perfume doesn't overpower the overall fragrance, but it rounds things off and ensures that the spicy thread remains and that the overall scent never drifts into sweetness. In the base, we have the wormy, sweet, herbal angelica note, which really defines the entire fragrance. My OPINION: And extrardinary perfume and certainly One of Guerlain's best. It's not cheap but worthy every cent. As it is usual with costy perfume you should try it before easing up your credit card. MUSIC: "There Must Be an Angel" (Playing with My Heart) - Eurythmics (published in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/733041855168347)

I am very frustrated with the House of Guerlain. Yes we can all agree the fragrances smell very good. However, I think we can also agree the longevity of almost every fragrance is atrocious. I use this word consciously because, for the price, these fragrances should last a hell of a lot longer than they do. Just as an example, I sprayed on Angelique Noire at 8:25 AM this morning. I am now writing this at 9:41 AM and I can barely smell it! This is a $395 fragrance. I don't want to hear any excuses. I am aware of all of the reasons. I am aware changing the concentration changes how it smells. I am aware of it all. I don't care. Change the composition. Change the concentration. Change it all. Because most of the people out there consider $400 a luxury gift. And for it to putput after about an hour is embarrassing and a little bit pathetic. It's like your lover finishing after two minutes. It really is. Obviously the company is aware of everything they do, so it is intentional that they leave their fragrances the way they are. Even in today's market where people are demanding more. Let's be real. When you are out in public, no one compliments you on a Guerlain you sprayed on four hours earlier. There is too much competition and they are dunking over Guerlain right now. This is my address to the brand: make your fragrances last longer. You are losing. Make your process more transparent and create your value to be equal to that of amouage or Xerjoff. Your $700 extracts are too expensive and your $400 fragrances are not worth the price either. I love Angelique, but I'm not going to buy it for one reason alone. Please change it and you will Garner more clients than you thought.

I’ll be honest, I watched YouTube reviews and read some reviews and opinions of this fragrance on here before making my purchase (another blind buy). I was nervous! All I could see/hear anywhere was how green the opening was. Saying it’s overwhelming and in your face it was and how you have to give this fragrance a try (or 5 tries). I’m just thinking “what have I ordered?!” First of all I’d like to say that the so called “sour” “in your face” “overwhelming” green note (the Angelica) was actually very pleasant and soft to my nose. I didn’t hate it in the slightest, I actually really loved it. The Angelica opening is very fresh and light, I can even pick up a bit of the pink pepper. It adds a little spice to the green opening. Reminded me of a meadow on a spring day. Very refreshing. Then the dry down. Oh MAN! The dry down is beautiful. The Angelica note softly starts fading into the signature Guerlain vanilla. But the Angelica does not completely fade away, it gets mixed in with the vanilla and you get this heavenly green vanilla concoction. And let me tell you, it’s divine! I didn’t think anything would top Tonka Imperiale as my favorite L 'Art et la Matière fragrance, but I’m 100% sure this just did.. I’ve never smelt anything like it before. This fragrance is literally a heavenly, peaceful, spring meadow day in a bottle. The dry down really is as good as everyone says it is. This fragrance really is as good as everyone says it is. You guys have GOT to get on this fragrance. Its sophisticated, it’s sexy, it’s elegant. I might need to get myself a back up bottle because this just became my new signature fragrance!

Guerlain and I don't have the best relationship. I wish it was otherwise, but on my skin most of the fragrances don't last more than an hour. For the price, especially the high-end collection, I think it's ridiculously expensive. I would much rather have amouage simply because of the longevity. However, I wanted to discuss Angelique Noire even if I do think it is overly priced. The fragrance itself is outstanding and truly stand out from other fragrances in the collection. I am a fan of Angelica to begin with. It provides a freshness while still allowing the character of the plant to come through. It is green and a bit woody, but fresh and airy. Before I sampled the fragrance, I didn't think adding vanilla would really work because it would remove or damper that light and airy Quality I just mentioned. Somehow, Guerlain managed to maintain every aspect of the Angelica plant I love. The addition of the vanilla is minor, so it elevates the Angelica more than it overrides it. I believe that Jasmine plays a key role here as well because it coalesces with the vanilla and emerges from the combined notes a more vegetal sweet note as compared to simple vanilla. This sweet combination and the Angelica are what you get most. You almost always see pink pepper with Angelica. Is here as well, I'm sure to provide the crispiness I'm not exactly sure if that is the case or not. Either way, it works. This is Beautiful.

Well, here goes, my first review. I was seduced by this perfume last March. Was minding my own business walking thru the perfume department of a large store, when a charming woman from the Guerlain counter asked if I might like to smell some perfumes that were there for a 'trunk show'. It was love at first smell. From beginning to end, no fragrance had made me feel like this before. Once I found out the price, I had to walk away. The clever Guerlain rep sprayed a little of Angelique on my scarf. The following morning I woke up and could smell Angelique, coming from somewhere in my house. It was the scarf. Over the next few days, I kept going to my scarf to sniff. It was simply intoxicating. I became obsessed over how I would ever be able to afford and acquire this fragrance. Being part of a trunk show, Angelique had left the city. (The charming Guerlain rep got a bottle of my precious scent shipped out from Montreal.) I am not proficient at perfume speak so I cannot go on about notes. What I can say is that when I wear this fragrance, I feel like a strong, beautiful and elegant french woman. Most perfumes that I like - and there don't seem to be many - feel as if something is missing. Angelique Noire feels complete.