Black Pearls

sort of strange. can't get into it. not bad but not something I like smelling on myself.

The opening is screechy and pungent. It burned my nose as soon as I went in for a sniff on my wrist. I would imagine for it being a cult classic, that it has probably changed since it's first release as most if not all fragrances go through the dreaded reformulation. I would say out of Elizabeths many fragrances, this would be my least favorite from her collection. Once the dry down has settled it remains screechy until it disappears. This is not to say it is a bad fragrance, it simply isn't favorable for me.

Have only picked this one up and tried it for a single day. For noses like mine - I need at least a few wears to even begin sorting through most fragrances. But on first impression - I think the review below mine by Ferra-Verto used adjectives that were accurate: “fuzzy” and “humming”. I knew exactly what she meant! I don’t get any “cola” scent from this, but I admit that as I get to peel this scent back more, I hope I do! I cannot imagine wearing this in hot or humid weather - this smells like how being wrapped up in a super fluffy and fuzzy blanket feels like!

Fuzzy dried peach at the opening with hints of spicy white florals, gets more ambery and powdery as it dries down, strangely enough smells like cola. The peach is still humming at the periphery and it's noticeably muskier too. Autumn and winter fruity-floriental, and maybe cooler-than-average spring days Projects very strongly off my skin and lasts all day.

So strange but polished. Powdery, peachy, gardenia, rose...a little stinky with the musk and/or amber notes. Recommended for cooler weather. In heat (on me) the rose is more prominent and the aquatic florals come forward more and it adds a very weird facet, but well worth sitting with. In cooler weather it is more beautiful. Another wild ride with a Sophia Grojsman*** creation. She's awesome. ***is this indeed a SG creation? I am finding conflicting info and it is not listed on here. Whose is it? UPDATE: The above review was for the VINTAGE. The newer formulation of this is so sour and much louder. My positive experience is from an old frosted shell mini bottle; that wears much smoother and powdery. The newer formulation I have is...kind of atrocious. It's a clear shell bottle like the one for this listing. I'm convinced it's the modern peach note that doesn't cooperate with me. This peach + musk are so sour and off key. Terrorizing.

This perfume really is one you can't judge until you wear it around for a minute.They're not kidding about the screechy openotes notes, and the boozy scent can really turn one away. I can definitely understand how it might not be for some. Once applied the scent softens out a *lot*, giving way to the flowery powdery scent. My only gripe is that I wish the peach came on stronger - I can't really smell it. Overall, the flowery and powdery notes are a little old ladyish - definitely not for every occasion. Mostly I just like the nice frosted glass bottle.

I do not have one of the old frosted glass bottles being mentioned as the best iteration of Black Pearls. Regardless, the top notes in my bottle are similar to what others describe. The citruses and alcoholic smell in the top combine with the powdery fruits and calone in such a way as to conjure the image of peach cognac (Deliberate? I don't drink...) This boozy peach effect is short-lived. Black Pearls rapidly veers into a very '90s direction. The heart of this perfume is a big, sweet rose note alongside aquatic florals and fuzzy fruit skin. The "gardenia" note is done in the same style as Gucci Rush, and to my nose it's always smelled closer to a creamy jasmine. The sweet amber is present but soft and subdued, the sandalwood is more diffused and powdery than truly woody. There's a gray, cosmetic iris/orris thing as well. A highly abstract, hazy, soapy, sunny, sweet, velvety, warm perfume. Imagine an alternate universe where Sophia Grojsman develops the original Far Away for Avon. That's my best approximation of what Liz Taylor Black Pearls smells like. A charming, picturesque, and sentimental walk down memory lane. Its '90s charm & scent memories aside, if you have curated a sizable collection of amber floral loves, this perfume probably won't stand out. However, the bottle is wonderful, it conjures the famous Botticelli painting.

I own a vintage bottle of Diamonds and Emeralds, which i love, and Black Pearls has been singing a siren song to me for a couple years after reading reviews for it. I am now awaiting the arrival of a vintage bottle of Black Pearls. Blind buy. What intrigues me is the idea of a complex gardenia with layers. I am also a big fan of peach notes. I am concerned by reviews that say it smells simply of baby powder, but i finally bit the bullet and am taking the chance because, what the hell… i collect vintage perfumes anyway. Might as well. Ive tolerated my curiosity long enough, and now i want it satisfied. Elizabeth Taylor loved the tropical scent of Gardenia, as do I. Thats the big thing she and i have in common, besides being born under the sign of Pisces. I will update after i get my hands on my little frosted seashell. UPDATE: Much better than i expected! Unlike others here, i really feel the gardenia powerfully which is exactly what i hoped for. It smells like a powdery peach and gardenia unburnt incense stick, in such a great way. Super sweet (almost too sweet for me!) Very beautiful… the darkest amber vanilla (sandalwood, actually) i have EVER smelled is now emerging, 20 minutes later (WOW FACTOR!) I had no idea this was gonna happen. Absolutely incredible evolution. Smells like dark vanilla powder saturating a pair of new suede shoes. The suede is incredible here. It literally feels like suede in your nostrils! This is fantastic! I wanted an “interesting” fragrance and thats exactly what i got. Very tropical, but not in a teeny bopper way. There is a more than slight similarity to Sand & Sable (one of my top favorite perfumes) … it could easily be the the “intense” flanker of Sand & Sable (a beachy peach, gardenia, & “sand” fragrance ). I like to wear this in a combo of “on skin” AND on my clothes… that way the delicious peach stays in the game, and contrasts deliciously with the dark amber sandalwood. The gardenia never goes away, keeping it smelling like tropical air with all of these deep undertones. BE WARNED: I cannot recommend this as a blind buy to those who are not adjusted to vintage perfumes. It will be way too strange and ancient smelling for such people, at least for the first 30 minutes. BUT…If you do get it, despite my advice, please give it TIME. You need to spray and simultaneously hold your breath for a few seconds while it dries a bit. After that just wear it for several hours to really get to know it and explore it. It changes A LOT as you wear it. More than any perfume i own. You may never love this, or maybe you will… but it’s EXACTLY what i hoped it would be, and more. I dont say this often, but this one could easily be a new niche fragrance. Its very daring, unusual, and exotic. I can also see wearing this in both winter and summer. I think especially in summer this would be utterly sexy intriguing. This is not a loud perfume or a powerful projector. People will smell your perfume for hours and hours, but its not all up in ones face. Its got soft projection, but all day. I like this much more than Diamonds & Emeralds. Falling quickly head over heels.

Vintage perfume of Black Pearls is the true fragrance and a much richer, oriental than the modern eau de Toilette. Absolutely beautiful reminiscent of Chanel Allure. Highly recommended.

There's something timeless and lovely about this fragrance. I have an old bottle that was my mother's, so perhaps that's why it registers a little differently to me than some other reviewers, or it could simply be skin chemistry. I don't get the "boozy" edge some mention, for example. It starts peachy and sweet, but never in a juvenile way. Not artificial in the least. The sandalwood is definitely there, especially after it's had a chance to dry down, but I don't actually feel like it's that powdery. At least, I wouldn't describe powdery as the main accord. It's floral in this classy, elegant way. Especially after it dries down a little, the gentle florals are what register the most to me. I think the powdery accord and musk note could scare some off, but it never feels aged. It's not "youthful," but it's also not "old." It feels just right. It gives the vibe of an experienced, successful woman. Someone established and confident. Especially once it dries down, it's very sexy. And to me, the sexiness is in the subtlety of it. I don't register the musk as much as others seem to (maybe due to my bottle, skin chemistry, or whatever else), though, so I could see that note making this aspect come acress as more overt depending on circumstances and that might change the overall effect. Someone else said it reminds them of being on the beach after a storm, and I can think of no better way to describe it. I'm not sure if it's thanks to the water lily alone, but there's something so very oceanic about the scent without anything that directly smells like the sea. I think this also makes it hard for me to classify it by season. It reminds me of taking a winter trip to see the ocean, of the air being just slightly cool at night, hearing the waves, sinking my toes in the sand, all of it. It doesn't truly feel wintery but it also doesn't feel bright and summery, even with the peach opening. It also lasts all day for me, slowly evolving and changing over time. There's no period when it smells bad, and this change also doesn't register as jarring. It feels like a natural progression. If you've never tried it, I do think it's worth it.

Weird that this is the only Elizabeth Taylor fragrance that is discontinued. Hopefully they bring it back one day..

Soapy and summery and spicy! I have a small vintage frosted bottle and wasn’t sure if it was still good or not. It does have an aged scent but the rest of the perfume is so good! I don’t usually enjoy spicy fragrances, however I’m enjoying this. Citrus and honey and sandalwood and oriental spices. One or two sprays is plenty. I’d swear there’s some violet in here. Maybe a tiny bit of vanilla. Not getting peach but the bottle is quite old. Something about this reminds me of summers at the local pool in the late 80’s. It’s a nice memory and a mature pleasant fragrance.

Wow. They don't make them like this anymore. I have a gift set which includes the spray perfume in the glass shell bottle as seen in this Fragrantica page, a small dab on miniature perfume, the body lotion and the shower gel. So I am basking in the full glory of this amazingly beautiful scent. The mini pure parfum is like an exotic peach and flower juice - peach scented body lotion, with accentuated notes of rose and lotus. The florals in the dab-on are louder, sweeter, stronger. The dry down comes along and it turns into a lovely sandalwood. I also sensed some dark vanilla or tonka bean but I could be wrong. The spray is much easier to figure out. The opening is aquatic. It's like fresh sea air or a sea breeze. Citrus notes of bergamot orange and maybe a lemon are also there at the opening. It smells like a sweet citrus forward perfumy perfume. But then all of a sudden, a juicy and almost photo realistic gourmand peach. It also has a melon vibe. Fruity fruity. But not sugary sweet fruit candy. A grown up fruit with peach vibes. Delicious. The water lily plus lotus is there soon enough. Aquatic florals. The one floral note that is the strongest is the gardenia. To my nose the rose note is very faint. The gardenia here is not like most creamy or lactonic gardenias but just a bright simple gardenia. The heart can best be described as white floral. The white flowers and the sweet citrus and peaches and later the sandalwood and amber create a tropical scene. It's a sunny warm day on a Hawaiian island beach, or Tahiti, the South Pacific or the Caribbean. I think the real reason it gives off this tropical vibe is the combination of fruit and gardenia. There is also an absolutely beautiful lotus flower note. I have smelled actual lotus and worn lotus oils and it really smells like that. This is a happy, warm, bright, tropical, beachy island perfume. Mood lifting and so very joyful. It seems to want you to wear her on a vacation. It is hyper feminine, mature but not old lady. Yes it is strong so only one at most two sprays is enough. But it is so captivating. It's like a party on the beach on an island with palm trees. The fragrance never gets too dark or even too musky despite there being musk in the dry down. The driest stage is more like a kind of gorgeous expensive sun tan lotion. It also may come off as powdery. But to me it is definitely a warm lotion. The powder seems to emerge as it is most dry and nearly gone. It's too relaxed to be formal and yet too beautifully composed for casual. I would say it's good for wearing it on a vacation, a cruise, a day time pool party. It does remind me of Elizabeth Taylor but it's also coming off as very Joan Collins. It's like Liz Taylor and Joan Collins having margaritas at the beach in Hawaii. This aroma is to die for. The sillage is great and can be detected by others and has lasting stay power lasting all day. I would also say this is a day time fragrance not evening and is best worn in spring summer and early fall. I love it so very much.

at first i get something that smells like honey, then a boozy peach. after being on the skin a few minutes, i get some sandalwood, water lily and gardenia. then later, it's like a creamy sandalwood/peach/gardenia. really cozy and gorgeous. so glad i finally got to try this!

A *dear* friend sent this along with scads of other fragrances for my upcoming birthday ... This one is indeed intriguing because of its powdery, skanky rose & lotus ... what a nasty baby *snicker snicker*... I'll see how this wears as the hours linger on ... Ok ... It's been three hours... WHAT just HAPPENED? Wow !!! This is *totally* different now ... It is sneakingly sultry, earthy, and bewitching ... The combo of the amber, musk & sandalwood are like a potion like no other ... This sorta reminds me of a better version or Tabu or Interlude -- in the best sort of way ! I'd say give it a whirl ! ♥

I like the bottle. Scent to me reminds me a scent of a beach after storm. I dont why but I like it

I used to wear this in the 90s and liked it until someone I was sitting next to said I smelled like bug spray.

There are four notes in Black Pearls - gardenia, aquatic, water lily, and lotus -any one of which by itself gives me pause, and all four together should make me run in the opposite direction. But I love this perfume, and I credit the artful blending for the subtlety of all of the notes. The incense, amber, and sweetness with the peach are so beautiful. I wear Black Pearls rarely because I find it is so special, and although I have a backup bottle, I don’t want to run out. I posted a review previously, but today about an hour after applying it, the most beautiful honey note emerged and just enveloped me in the lovely, powdery cloud that is Black Pearls. Truly a uniquely gorgeous creation that impresses me with every wearing.

I can't decide how I feel about this perfume. It is possible that the EdP in the 1 oz frosted bottle I received today has gone off. I detect a strong sour plastic scent straight after spraying on skin that might be spoiled bergamot. It dissipates fairly quickly, and sometimes the first few sprays are really off with an old bottle. However, others mention a plastic overtone with this fragrance, so I'm not sure if this is actually an off note. It does dry down to sort of peachy powder with a distinct vetiver note that I recognize from Tresor. Sprayed on clothing, the sort of sharp note that I disliked on my skin actually smells like rose oil. Another reviewer mentioned that this perfume smells of rose oil, not essence or a realistic rose accord (which is always created with synthetics because you can't get a realistic rose smell from the oils or waxes or what have you that you can distill or extract from an actual rose). I agree. I think there is Bulgarian rose oil here. It lends a spicy bite. There is a lot to like here, on clothing anyway. On my skin it's too hard to enjoy until it starts to fade. I am curious about trying another bottle in case this one with it's burnt plastic sugar smell is gone off. But it may be that unfortunately Sophia Grojsman is not a nose for me. I seem to struggle with her creations. I think I might prefer Tresor to this one. Despite what some reviews led me to believe, I do detect distinct aquatic notes in Black Pearls, and those are usually my nemesis. They just go right to my migraine center. There is definitely a water lily note, while Tresor stays powdery and rooty. My bottle is not as strong as Tresor, though, and has less sillage, where Tresor can be a bit cloying. I also agree with the previous reviewer who noted a similarity with Bain de Caron. There is that same lilac note sitting (somewhat uncomfortably to me) on the amber. This accord in BdC smells like gasoline to me! It's not as harsh here, but it's still there for a bit. Strange experience. I need to take some time with this one.

An aunt had this and I loved smelling it on her when I was little, I don't really remember exactly how it was but I loved it on her. Timeless and chic

Ok. This Isn't what I was expecting. I blind bought it based off the reviews. I purchased the original frosted bottle, and maybe because it's dated, I tried it several times, it smells very much like plastic barbie dolls. I was hoping I'd get the peachy booze so many commented on. Can you imagine? The plastic Barbies and synthetic hair oddly enough have a smell. I'm mean, its a soft, distinct scent that doesn't have much depth, and it's also pretty linear. It does have a "dusty" vibe to it. Maybe I'm wearing it in the wrong weather, as it's summertime here. I'll do myself a favor a purchase the reformulated version, maybe it was remade for a good reason. I wish I could be more specific but...please don't bash my review for not being necessarily positive, it could help others just as well as positive reviews do. ******UPDATE: OMG, A MIRACLE HAPPENED. I was patient, spent more time with it, and the plastic barbie doll smell literally disappeared. Now I get warm boozy florals with a backdrop of powdery vanilla. It's very intimate, elegant and mesmerizing. Did I say this is linear and doesn't have depth? Well! After about 6 hours it dries down to a luxurious vanilla baby wipe feel, similar to Shalimar! This is still coming from my vintage frosted bottle. I am assuming, because the bottle is very old, the alcohol content somewhat screwed up the notes because its been sitting for awhile. This is a lovely oriental floral fragrance! I'm glad I kept going back to spray and sniff, because I knew I was crazy, not being able to experience this in full!!

This definitely a unisex fragrance. I get more compliments on than most of my colognes . Its great for fall/ winter.

Smells chic, vintage, classic and classy. Mature lady in a twin set wearing golden costume jewelry. Lovely! Isn't plum listed? I thought I'd smelled plums💕

I bought a porcelain doll from a thrift store that smelled like this when I was 13, many of the things in that thrift store were from people who died. My mother tried to talk me out of buying it bc she felt a "dark energy" from the doll. I later, blind bought this perfume bc it was on sale and wanted something "mysterious" smelling at 18, imagine my shock when I was met with the ghostly scent of that doll's owner, long since passed. I've been complimented on this fragrance but I can't help but be reminded of mortality when I wear it. My mom says it smells like her grandma's house. Odd, since this only came out in the '90s, it feels so much more antique. Not necessarily a bad thing, it pairs well if you wish to have the vibe of a doll stuck in someone's attic. EDIT: After I recovered from covid and got my sense of smell back I somehow fell deeply in love with this fragrance. It used to be just sort of weird for me, but now I'm spraying it like an absolute monster. EVERYWHERE. I can't get enough. it lasts so long, which is good, but I probably smell a bit like an antique store, it still holds that vibe for me but that only adds to its charm. Apart from my older sister, nobody in my age group seems to like it, but people above 30 compliment it a lot. Have I grown up? maybe. This is a scent for a woman who truly knows herself. Sweet, yet sophisticated. Totally unlike anything I've ever smelled since. I've heard people compare it to Shalimar and I really ought to test it, but since I'm a broke college student I might go with Emeraude first. The only perfume in my collection that can be quite compared it it is Diamonds and Rubies, but even then, Diamonds and Rubies is ultra-sweet (almost sickening in the wrong weather) compared to this. The woodiness cuts into the sugar perfectly like the citric acid in sour candy, adding further depth but also a distraction from the sweetness. I'm so glad I got this at the time I did, because it's hard to find right now, and certainly not for 12 dollars as I paid.

I just received this beauty and I'm loving it. It is lovely, and possibly a new signature fragrance. It reminds me of a different decade, actually an earlier decade than it was created. I sense that older women would enjoy this, perhaps in a high end department store or gorgeous hotel. Rich, but from a different era. Update - I have the non-frosted bottle which is the newer one, and I don't smell any peach at all. Can someone who has both compare them? I'm still loving the one I have, funny because I can't stand any other Elizabeth Taylor fragrances. Now I'm curious about the peach note, though.

This is what Lancôme Trésor was like before reforumulation -- golden, dewy, lush, honeyed, rounded, smooth. Not the 2-dimensional, thin/weak, angular, scratchy, powdery worthlessness retailers are calling Trésor nowadays.

Exactly as the accords say- powdery, woody, amber. Black Pearls has a lovely comforting smell which still manages to express a brightness and lift. This perfume is much more timeless than the bottle design suggests. Very comforting in a Habanita kind of way. Not the same scent at all. Just the similar powdery, cloudy but present character. Especially lovely in cooler weather.

I love this! It just feels very sweet and relaxing! It dries down to a very comforting and enjoyable white rose-gardenia-peach something.

Finally got this in the mail today and I've been testing it. This starts off w/ a crisp bergamot that quickly settles into a melon/peach accord, w/ gardenia then white rose and lotus show up. I find white rose to be a lot fruitier than other rose scents and lotus is no different in tonality. There is an aquatic feel in the beginning of this perfume. This is an aquatic that I do not mind because it is pretty, sweet and not sharp. Like the shimmering water of a lake at sunset. After that settles to the background this perfume gets down to the business of seduction and becomes very powdery, woody, musky, boozy and a little dirty. I know leather isn't mentioned in the notes above but I am getting a lot of leather w/ this one in the dry down. And I am picky about leather but this leather accord is like a well worn leather jacket that has the patina of love. This also has a lot of sweet vanilla/amber in the base combining w/ the sandalwood, leather, florals, that is quite intoxicating. I find all of the earlier perfumes that Elizabeth Taylor put out in the world, Passion, White Diamonds, Diamonds and Emeralds, and Diamonds and Rubies are very old school, very seductive, rich, and opulent. They do not really fit in w/ post modern tastes. I have post modern perfumes that I do love but man I am really loving Elizabeth Taylor's older perfumes. They are all about decadence, they are all a bit to much and that suits me right down to a tee on most days. Larger than life perfumes for bold women! And this one is no different. If you like bold, powdery, woody, musky perfumes this is one you should seek. Can still be found on ebay. Oh and this review is for the clear glass reformulation.

This is a nice oriental amber pronounced scent. The base says sandalwood, but it's very ambery to my nose. This could easily be shalimar grand daughter. I prefer this one over shalimar ofcourse. A nice one to try!