Midnight Shimmer

I waffled and wavered for what felt like forever on biting the bullet on blind-buying this one, but so many others have been singing its praises, and being the vanilla-lover that I am I finally gave in! I couldn't wait to get my nose on this, and I have to say, this is another love... BUT! ...to me this is an exact dupe of Cologne of the Missions Les Couvent des Minimes (and I already own two bottles of it!). It doesn't just remind me of it, it feels like IT. Now, I don't really see this as a bad thing, especially since LCdM is hard to find (at least in the U.S. these days), and although MS is still available online, it's no longer sold at Ulta as it's been replaced by it's fraternal sister, Twilight Shimmer (the praline version of MS's vanilla). I DID try on Twilight Shimmer in Ulta not too long ago. It was nice. Maybe at some point I'll get a 1 oz, but man it's expensive (so I'll wait for a 20% off coupon). Back to Midnight Shimmer. The vanilla in this is very much a Mexican vanilla extract, almost syrupy, but also has that "frosting cream" vibe. I actually really love this fact. It's a very smooth vanilla. Some other close relatives would be Laura Mercier Eau Gourmand Vanille Gourmand (another buttercream frosting vanilla) and Modern Muse Nuit (a much softer, subtler vanilla with not quite the same sillage, at least in my experience, but still most excellent). Midnight Shimmer is going strong after a good 9 hours of wear. HIp-hip-hooray! If you are vanilla crazy like I am, the answer is Yes. Get it. If you're trying to replace LCdM, well what are you waiting for???

This is such a beautiful creamy, milky vanilla with a completely addictive musky/woodsy dry down and I absolutely am in love with Midnight Shimmer... However, as other reviewers have mentioned, this doesn't really have any sillage or projection at all. This is a night time scent or a perfume for your lover (for their nose only!) and while the scent drives me wild, I just wish it was stronger and was more noticeable for other people. Then opening spray is a very strong nose-burning alcohol, but this moment is fleeting and is replaced with the sweetest, creamiest vanilla I've ever encountered in a perfume. I was madly in love! I mean, holy mother of moly, this is sex in a bottle! That slightly earthy woodsy notes mixed with the most luscious vanilla? Heaven! ... Then poof... It becomes a skin scent. A really beautiful skin scent, but a skin scent nonetheless. (How many times can I say skin scent in one sentence? A lot, apparently...) I personally love the bottle. I think the long, rectangular shape and the gold glitter is absolutely breathtaking and very unique. It feels heavy and expensive which is something I appreciate a lot. (I'm a sucker for a pretty bottle!) Overall, this perfume had a lot of potential to be in my favorite perfumes of all time list, but it's just so weak in comparison to say, Laura Mercier's Vanille Gourmande. I love the smell of Midnight Shimmer with all my heart but I wish there was an intense version. I'd pay a very pretty penny to smell like this and have it project and last.

This is an uncomplicated, sweet and slightly alcoholic 'vanilla extract' type of scent with some gentle woody notes and minor floral notes which help keep it fluffy and light rather than dark and boozy. As much as I love vanilla notes in perfumes, often they can turn dusty, plasticky, or piercing-sharp on my chemistry, but Midnight Shimmer stays realistic, and quite foody, which I very much enjoy!!! It makes me think of a cross between marshmallows and melted vanilla ice cream. I didn't detect much in the way of musky notes here, but that could be my chemistry. Sillage is low, but longevity is impressive, and it plays well with other scents. About four hours in, I became a little bored with how linear it was...it doesn't transform at all...so I layered a unisex amber scent over the top, and suddenly I was in heaven! This light, unassuming little kitchen vanilla fragrance can really hold its own!! It truly transformed my amber fragrance. Somehow, I don't feel that the bottle color or the name Midnight Shimmer matches the composition, but vanilla-based perfumes are known to turn brown over time, so this bottle might help to hide that!! EDIT: Okay, I do notice a tinge of plasticky sharpness in the top notes, but that disappears within 10 minutes or so, and afterward the scent is very smooth!

Without a doubt, Midnight Shimmer is one of my best-ever blind buys in terms of how it smells. It's sexy and unique enough to stand apart from other sweet vanillas. From the first spray I thought I smelled berries or plum, which made it like DKNY Delicious Night, but I guess it was the previously-unknown-to-me quince. Soon after this juicy blast came the wood notes, which here were not the least bit astringent, and then developed an ultra-warm vanilla, not sticky sweet, not overly boozy, but real vanilla. Soon, the balsam joined in and grounded the flowers and musk. After a couple of hours, I realized what makes Midnight Shimmer so appealing to me and it's that it smells so very much like Ghost Deep Night, which shares virtually all the same notes except the quince is exchanged for apricot. The one imperfection is Midnight Shimmer's lasting power, which without multiple sprays to the skin, hair, and clothes, is fleeting. On my next wearing I will be layering it over a vanilla-based lotion or cream or even an unscented body oil. This is so scrumptious and sensual it deserves a longer life.

Sooo good! Definetly a sexy, woodsy vanilla. Not overwhelming, really warm and attractive smell. So sad that i heard from sales assistants that it s discounted and they showed me Starlight Shimmer instead of Midnight Shimmer, but no, midnight Shimmer is definetly more attractive, cozy and balanced, and it doesnt smell as generic as others. This s definetly a very nice fall/winter or night perfume. It s the only MK smell i actually like. At first spray it smells Maybe nothing special But it just develops into a good vanilla perfume with a bit of powder and hint of wood. Longevity is not good as much as i expected but it s okay, sillage is okay too, it doesnt come across as a skin perfume on me. I have one perfume called Moattar Dahab by Syed Junaid Alam and those two really smell alike, i really love both of them but unfortunately i can not find neither one nor another anywhere. It s my to-go perfume espcially during winter; just a spray of it onto a fuzzy sweater and la la; i just enjoy this creamy, elegant vanilla all day.

For some reason, this little gem was hard to find. I didn’t buy this the first time I saw it when I was tossing between this and the other Michael Kors Exotic Blossom and ended up with the latter as I had decided I had too many sweet fragrances. Since then I started wishing I had bought Midnight Shimmer but it was by then really difficult to find. Finally after two months I scored and yet sadly it was the only one of the Michael Kors perfumes in the Pharmacy store that I found it in that wasn’t on sale. Nevertheless I happily took out my plastic card and paid it. And have not regretted it! The sweetness is beautiful with the woody notes so that it doesn’t make it cloying on me and the white floral notes actually stop this scent from being too sweet. I could probably wear this during warm weather but not when the heat is extreme. Projection is okay and longevity about 4-6 hours depending on the kind of activity I am doing. The flanker is so gorgeous and definitely one of my favourites in my collection. Love it!!

Yes, I had the love at first sniff moment when I first tested this. I always get excited over those because you love what you love and it's a simple joy to behold. I had to get it immediately with no expense spared, despite my nagging feeling that it was very similar to Dsquared Want, which I already have and love. It's a woody vanilla that explodes out creating a comforting halo with impressive lasting power. I get little hints of tart juicy quince and vague white flowers peeking out from the edges of the bombastic vanilla. Maybe that's what the "shimmer" is about. I get the overall impression of a girl's night out scent for someone that's confident, fun and a little flirty. It gathers compliments and people will notice you wearing this. For me, it lasts longer and projects better on clothes than on my skin. For some reason my skin seems to dull the scent down. I love finding new interpretations of vanilla, but If you find it too mainstream or genetic you might want to pass on this.

Thank God Marshalls takes opened products back. I tested MS at Macys a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. However, I was also testing a lot of other perfumes that day. I believe that I already had on Wonderlust by Michael Kors. This perfume alone by itself is nothing to get hyped about. If you look at the packaging and the bottle, you'd Believe that what is inside the bottle is possibly a spicy and deep, dark scent. That could not be further from the truth. This has absolutely no longevity, sillage is poor. What is on sale at Marshall's for $34.99/3.4 oz. I returned it and thankfully that was okay even though the package was opened. If I had to choose between this and Wonderlust, I would definitely choose wonderlust. Maybe the two of them later together. I believe that if you layered this with any other perfume, this would be swallowed up by anything else that you would use with it. It would not be able to stand on its own.

This is the only Michael Kors perfume that I love. It's also the only heavy-on-vanilla fragrance that I love. This perfume is so incredibly soft and sensuous, it's like a cashmere sweater on you. There are absolutely no hard edges and you don't need to be afraid of the wood/moss/musk accords, they are not sharp or heavy at all. The vanilla is perfect, not the edible kind, but the soft, soothing kind. I don't quite know which accord gets the final compliment, maybe the mysterious peru balsam, or simply the excellent combination of white woods and vanilla, but this is pure heaven for a scent! The fragrance has incredible longevity and projects just beautifully for hours. Even the bottle is gorgeous. Only one scary minus: If I have understood correctly, the production has been discontinued, so it won't be easy to find in the future... Why on earth (!) did they discontinue this masterpiece?!

Michael Kors Midnight Shimmer is an understated masterpiece that delivers exactly what its name promises: a soft, luminous glow cloaked in midnight elegance. The opening is a delicate interplay of quince and jasmine petals—just sweet enough to catch your attention without demanding it. As it moves into the heart, a creamy, refined musk emerges, adding a sophisticated warmth that feels effortlessly chic. But the real magic happens in the dry-down, where smooth vanilla and subtle woods create a finish that’s both comforting and alluring, the kind of scent that lingers just long enough to leave an impression. This is winter in a bottle—elegant, cozy, and quietly seductive. I love pairing it with Delina Exclusif by Parfums de Marly; the rich rose and oud elevate Midnight Shimmer to a new level of opulence, making it feel like you’ve just wrapped cashmere around velvet.

It was a blind buy because I saw too many videos on YouTube about vanilla perfumes and everyone was raving about this one... I don't know if I have a fake one because I bought it online but on me it just doesn't smell at all after less that an hour... I will have to reapply so that I can say it will stay at least for 2 hours and I'm always over spraying so I know I use too much to get too little in performance OK so I am coming back to say that after more than 2 weeks of spraying it has better performance on clothes than on my skin and it leaves a beautiful powdery vanilla but again very close to skin nothing "in your face" it is a safe perfume for vanilla lovers like me but I am used to stronger perfumes so I'm definitely keeping it but I don't think I will purchase it again.

Why would they discontinue this perfume?? I absolutely love this fragrance! It's a subtly sweet woody vanilla. I would not categorize this as syrupy or boozy at all. I smell similarities to The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods but replace the noticeable woody smokey note in that one with a woody moss note. Midnight shimmer is also a notch less sweet. I think this is a versatile fragrance. It is nighttime appropriate but can also be worn as a daytime fragrance. It is not beast mode which I personally prefer. It's beautiful! I recommend giving it a try if you love vanilla and if you can get your hands on it! I already got myself a back up since its discontinued. EDIT: I now have multiple back ups as I love it that much!

Smells so incredibly similar to Cheirosa 40, Mod Vanilla and 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods with only minor differences. Cheirosa 40 is fruitier, brighter and can suit warm weather better. Mod Vanilla is more musky and airy. While Vanilla Woods is less musky, slightly caramelized and more subtle on the woods. Overall, it smells the most similar to Vanilla Woods and Cheirosa 40 as they all share a certain smoothness and silkiness that's not as quite as present in the more airy, wispy and musky Mod Vanilla. This is a beautiful scent and I love any fragrance with this sort of scent profile (smooth, creamy, sensual, somewhat smoky, woody vanillas.) Ashame that it's been discontinued.

I'm not a fan of mk scents AT ALL and this is the only one I like from his line. I'm not into mk at all fashion wise eiter since two of his bags broke on me ater a year of having them. So i'm not naturally drawn to mk. This however is one of the best things I have smelt in a long time on the market and I'm glad they brought it back because it was limited edition. It is very warm and tonka bean vanilla based which is one of my favorites in fragrances I love TONKA BEAN. On me it stays on a long time and the bottle was kinda copied from jessica simpson fancy girl with the gold dust on the bottle so meh on the bottle but the scent itself is a winner for me .

Perplexed. Not by the fragrance... But by the fact that this has been discontinued. The fragrance is AMAZING! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH... SO, SO MUCH. Why do they do this?? This such a beautifully mature vanilla. It has depth while equally giving off fresh vibes. I always get compliments when wearing this beauty. It's also one, that while going for ridiculous prices secondhand, I don't mind paying for. 10/10 Surprisingly, to a degree, Arianna Grande's Mod Vanilla reminds me of this beauty. Don't ask me how... I just accepted it 💕. Mod just lacks some of the sweetness that Midnight Shimmer has... But that can be fixed 😉

This. Is. So. Good Admittedly, given the reviews I was actually expecting more of a syrupy sweet woody jasmine. But this has a powdery aspect that gives it a bit more sophistication. People say it doesn't last but here in Oz atm we're in the throws of an extremely hot summer, and its fairing extremely well in the heat and I sprayed it on last night at about 7.30 and could still smell it at 6am thismorning so I have no issues with longevity. I get not so much jasmine, but lots and lots of vanilla. Its a powdery vanilla not too sugary. I know I'm making it sound very basic but it is actually really beautiful

This was an unexpected love. I had been looking at MS for months, but it wasn't one that I felt I had to have. I was able to get a bottle in a swap recently and I absolutely love this! Oh, and I HAVE to add how much I love the bottle! It is one of my favorite bottle designs. MS is sexy as hell! If I could have chosen the name for it, I would have called it Midnight Vanilla, not midnight shimmer. It is a woody vanilla that is polished with a slight musk. I think of wearing a creamy vanilla scent while being out in the woods at midnight, sitting in front of a fire when I wear this.

Sweet, warmed woods. Reminds me of burning marshmallows on a campfire... Definitely more amber and wood notes to me than vanilla- especially for the first few hours, but there is a gentle sweetness even from the beginning. Strong but softly sweet woods up front, eventually drying down to a smoother and sweeter vanilla with peru balsam (which is one of my favorite notes ever), which is close to skin after a few hours. Awesome blind buy for me, but I tend to like those feminine resinous and incense type woods. A definite love, especially for cooler weather and nights.

I LOVE layering this perfume with other fragrances. I'm currently wearing Kayali Vanilla 28 (2 sprays) and this one (1 spray). It kind of adds a bit more depth to a vanilla fragrance, especially one that some might consider too sweet. It doesn't tone it down but it adds a nice, smooth woody aspect to it that almost always serves to complement the original fragrance. The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods is another one that layers amazingly well with Midnight Shimmer. I don't get why they would discontinue this one. The bottle is so pretty. The fragrance is so nice.

This might be my top among my favourites. For a tiny bottle, it is very expensive but I could not let it go because I do not often see them in perfume stores! I don't know if they simply run out of stock or the product is really limited. I bought it anyway and promised I will not buy much perfume anymore. :P I could not stop smelling the area where I first sprayed the sample from the store. People complimented me just wearing that sample scent! Not musky nor flowery. Smells like oil and powder together. Seriously, this is unique and I really love it.

Sugar rush wet. The vanilla is strong and the quince really lovely. I can't pick out the florals individually which is remarkable since jasmine is usually really obvious to my nose. It's really well blended. I find the final ultra sweet dry down very similar to those of newer fragrances Unmute (by Noyz) and Vanilla Vice (by Snif). Which is to say the openings of them all are different, but after an hour or two these are very similar to my nose if you're looking for a newer replacement for your old empty Midnight Shimmer bottle.

This scent is my winter fave! I hope it is not discontinued and will buy back up bottle as soon as I get a chance. It has gotten me through two winters so far and I am still in love. It is sweet warm and inviting however the musk and wood definitely shines through which sets it apart from other sweet vanilla fragrances. It projects well and lasts, this screams Christmas to me. LOVE LOVE LOVE! I wish Michael Kors would create more frags like this Update: I rate this 1000/10

I bought this because I couldn't resist it. Midnight shimmer is a lovely fragrance. It has a rich, thick, boozy vanilla which reminds me of cologne of the missions and rehab golden sand. It is stronger and sweeter than the cologne. It evolves nicely and it gets a bit floral in the middle notes. The jasmine is definitely dominant in the middle phase but it gradually dries down to a soft musky vanilla. Definitely delicious. Gourmand and vanilla lovers should try this.

This was one of my first perfumes that made me addicted to perfume collecting. I love the smoky, almost mossy vanilla. I'm so sad this MS is discontinued, as it's still my signature scent (from 2016). Luckily I found a 50 mL bottle last year on Ebay, but the price... I hope I can find another good smoky vanilla scent; hoping Black Opium Le Parfum can replace MS once I've used it up. I also own Eilish, which is a close contender and lasts forever too. Cheers!

I absolutely adore this perfume, it's one of my all time favourites and I'm beyond gutted that it's been discontinued. I don't understand why! It's a beautiful warm, boozey, chocolatey vanilla that smells so cosy. It's honestly absolutely everything I want in a scent. My only complaint is that it doesn't project or last long enough, though it does linger nicely on clothes. If anyone knows of a perfume that smells the same as this, I'm all ears!

I miss this perfume so badly! I love the pear-like fruitiness, the vanilla and a base of lovely wood. It’s really sexy, I always get people (also men) asking me what I’m wearing! I find the 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods to be an almost perfect dupe, missing just a bit of something. I feel like jasmine in the MK gives the fragrance a heavier, sensual quality and the rose in Vanilla Woods leans lighter, almost powdery.

I'm usually unimpressed by these high street fashion brands but this one just grabbed me by the soul and that's very rare for me! It's a warm woody vanilla, kind of a toasting marshmallows outside in the woods by the fire kind. And it just wafts so nicely from warm skin, woods and vanilla are just the best combo for a comfort scent. I do wish it was more of a beast but still love it.

I sprayed this and my initial thought was Eau des Missions! After letting it develop on my skin, it settles into a richer, more sensual version of EdM. Midnight shimmer is MUCH more present on the skin too, it’s boozy vanilla quality is divine! If I had to pick between Midnight Shimmer and Eau de Missions, MS would win hands down. It would be quite redundant to own both.

The most stunning vanilla fragrance I’ve ever smelled. This would have been in my top five for life, had Michael Kors not discontinued it. Usually people don’t comment on my perfume, but this one was a real crowd pleaser. It’s a tragedy that I am almost done with my bottle and I can never repurchase this. Taking such wonderful fragrances from us should be a crime.

This is one of my favorite perfumes but I have had trouble locating it in stores. It appears it may have been discontinued or a limited edition. On the bright side, I found a very similar scent at Bath and Body Works called Salted Caramel Apricot. It is in their fall line for 2017. I picked some up as a replacement. Smells both wonderful and is more affordable.

I agree with another review that stated this smells like VS Bare Vanilla, except it smells like Bare Vanilla Noir rather than the original Bare Vanilla. It smells very light on the skin but sometimes that is what I’m going for. The bottle is very gaudy. The cap reminds me of Super Mario Bro’s where you get the coins, mushrooms and fireballs from.

This is a really pretty vanilla, I get just a faint touch of Baccarat Rouge 540, except I can't smell it. :-( I sprayed multiple layers on and got just the faintest hint of a lovely vanilla. I am going to have to return this unfortunately because for the price I would like to be able to smell something. :-(

I had this in my collection for awhile barely used it, I was aware that it has a balsam note, and I thought it would be perfect for Christmas paired with Bare Vanilla Luxe which I’m completely over the moon for and I was right so I’ll wear it on Christmas paired with that always I got lots of compliments

This is great. However I went to go smell bare vanilla by Victoria’s Secret and they are VERY similar. Im usually one to roll my eyes at cheap dupes, but this is seriously unparalleled in similarity! It’ll save you lots of money and searching. It may not last as long, but still lasts very well

This is an incredibly warm and sensual fragrance,with excellent longevity and good sillage. Initially it smells almost masculine with a deep musky woodsy aroma (could be a unisex perfume, actually), later it develops a sweet boozy vanilla quality that is almost addictive.

I can smell hints of liquorice in there somewhere along with vanilla, however the woody scent isn’t too present. This fragrance is not overpowering at all, I’d love for them to bring this fragrance back because I’m on my last few drops of my 2nd bottle :(

Launches on the 3rd of July in Manchester perfume stores. Had a chance to smell tester. Amazing scent for those who like sweetness. Have bought Dior Poison girl though, but I'll def spend some money on midnight shimmer

I love this! I wear it to bed and it is a comforting warm vanilla. In the heat of the day it smells like a warm vanilla bean sticky and sweet. It is a delicious delicate happy smell. Longevity is best on the clothes.

this is the ONLY kors fragrance I love and it is limited edition!!!! why is it the fragrances I love always have to be limited edition! shame on you for giving us this and taking it away kors. It is wonderful!

Tt777...I couldn't agree with you more! Now I know it's not just me. I wanted to love it...but I can just vately smell it. It wiwed me 1st time I smelled it bit after that, it's like a water mist.

Flippin' gorgeous! Another one of those fragrances that I just can't stop smelling! Like @Kaejuntun I also get that smokey tone on my skin, this reminds me of my love for Black Opium... Divine!

This is the only michael kors fragrance i love! It is sooooo creamy and musky! Very simple but decadent. Just so expensive, just going to continue to wait 'til it gets online at a lower price.

When i was little i always wanted to wear vanilla extract as perfume. Then i grew up and found this and that dream has now been realized but in a far more advanced manner. Good stuff.

If you miss this scent as much as I do, go grab a bottle of evening sparkle by preferred fragrances. It is less strong but it is almost an exact dupe for cheap

I was lucky enough to recently get a 30ml bottle of this at a reasonable price. The smoky vanilla I was looking for! Great success with blind buy💕

This is a yummy warm vanilla. There is something about it that reminds me of Swiss Arabian Casablanca (without the apple).

This is a lovely classy femenine perfume which is enjoyable to wear one of the best hes done so far gets you compliments

This is my perfect Christmas scent I mix it with Bare Vanilla Luxe it’s the perfect Christmas scent

Just tried this one at Kohl's earlier...definitely a smoky vanilla on my skin. I think I like it!

Cedar. A little fruity, just enough sweetness and soft vanilla but mostly lovely lovely cedar.