White Diamonds

I first got a decant of this about 4 years ago and didn't really care for it. It has sat amongst my vast collection of decants all this time and I decided I would wear it today so I can write a review on it and get rid of it. I have no idea what happened over that time (perhaps hormonal changes, perhaps maceration) and to my surprise I have enjoyed every moment of this fragrance on me today. I can still smell it projecting now some 10 hours after spraying, so longevity is impressive for such a cheap perfume. Now I need a full bottle of it! Thought I better add that I am wearing it during the middle of winter and it is absolutely shining. This fragrance has such a complex melange of notes that it reveals many different facets. On one hand you have the indolic white flowers with the aldehydes and a dash of citrus which give it that fresh "sparkle" in the opening, and then you get some dirty ylang ylang along with some spicy carnation and cinnamon to give it a subtle edge and jazz it up a bit. Additionally, the musky undertone helps keep it not quite so "pure" and "angelic." The musk here is a clean musk so doesn't go into animalic territory, but keeps in line with the darker edge given to the composition by the ylang and slight spiciness. The drydown really starts to bring in the powdery orris root with the musk. The patchouli and oakmoss are virtually undetecable to my nose and appear to play supporting roles in the fragrance. As a few other reviewers have pointed out, White Diamonds exudes beauty, glamour, maturity, elegance, and wealth. The woman who wears this scent is vivacious, likely quite altruistic at times, caring, and calls everyone "Darling." As refined as the woman who wears this may be, she suffers no fools. Cross her, and her razor-sharp tongue will remind you why. She won't hesitate to give you a good dressing down in front of an entire room full of people, so expect to be made an example of should you dare insult her. And that's on a good day! LOL Just like Aretha Franklin, this grande dame commands a lil 🎵R-E-S-P-E-C-T🎵

I got a vintage bottle for almost NOTHING and the old price sticker said it was from MACY*S ! LOL. White Diamonds has not been a featured "Macy*s" item for a few decades now!? (I mean - even with their inflated price tags - what - this must have been $40.00 ? ) So this is a review for a more vintage version . A big BRASSY aunt in 1989 walks thru the door. Big hair and all. Sweet and so bright. Yellow vibes . Over stuffed with notes to the point of BUSTING the corset. DREAMS of being a "Can Can Girl" in the old days ....... What more is there to say ? Elizabeth Taylor was the "Queen of all Cheapies". And my fond memories of 2013 when I was new to the perfume addiction/hobby. Memories: Going thru T.J. Marshalls looking for some cozy $24.00 blind buys. The only ones that remained with me were the E.T. collection . GRADE: A.

super duper floral, super duper sparkly, super duper strong! this is definitely not a subtle perfume - its a big, bright, glittery smell, kind of like the namesake, and definitely smells like a product of its time (and that's never a bad thing 😊). to me, it opens up SOAPY. extremely soapy. it's sharp and a little bit like hairspray or a laundry detergent. very much 80s-90s-white-floral smell. the sandalwood keeps it grounded. as it sits around, it gets woodier (though never to a large extent - i don't think you'd ever sniff this and think "oh, a woody perfume") and sweeter, and it doesn't so much FADE as just get softer and quieter. it lasted forever on my skin - all through a day out and about, and persisting after i got home, too. i had no complaints about white diamonds, and i'm glad i tried it despite it not being the scent family i normally go for!

I don’t outright hate it but, White Diamonds is not something I want to own, wear or smell often. It’s weird because I think of it as super dated even though it’s a 90s scent. I think that’s because I grew up in the 90s and I remember older women loving this scent. That being said, I do oddly find it comforting in a way. Maybe I had a teacher or something that wore this? It brings memories I can’t quite place and that’s a strange feeling. I know lots of people have an emotional reaction to this scent, I just wish I knew why I do?!?! lol

I have saved an original elizabeth taylor white diamond bottle that belonged to my late mother. she was very complicated, i feel conflicted about her often, and this perfume that she wore is so complicated in its notes. it smells different to me every time i take the cap off and i smell it. I can't remember my mothers voice anymore, and i have to focus to remember her face, but when i smell this classic sexy perfume i can perfectly picture her. I can remember her wedding photos when she was young and beautiful, i remember our shopping trips that i wish i appreciated more, and how she would fold laundry and watch young and the restless, and i remember how i felt when she was having one of her episodes. having this bottle on my shelf is a form of self flagellation, but its also deeply cathartic.

smells like sexy incense on me, i get the most compliments on this out of any other perfume. i don't really get the old lady vibe but maybe its because i wasnt around when this was popular with old ladies

Vintage EDT: aldehydes and spicy lily followed by ylang-ylang, narcissus, and tuberose. It smells like a lighter, more floral interpretation of the original Givenchy Ysatis. Modern EDT: a ton of emphasis on the neroli/orange flower, jasmine, and amber. Somewhat similar to the modern formula for Boucheron, but nowhere near as good. Upon researching the differences: "Parfums International" - the original 1991 formula that was developed by Carlos Benaim and sold in department stores. You can still find these bottles online for low prices. "Elizabeth Arden/EA Fragrances" - some of these bottles smell good, but oakmoss was heavily restricted in 2001, and Revlon purchased Elizabeth Arden... the formula went through alterations. "House of Taylor" - the most recent and worst formula, avoid these bottles.

Just a gentle suggestion to those whose bottle smells different from expectations: give it a few weeks to macerate. Let it sit a bit, it may improve greatly. Same for other Elizabeth Taylor perfumes.

Aldehydes, tuberose, citrus, orris, moss, and musk. Very sophisticated and hard to break down, but a very clean, soapy, smooth, white-floral, citrusy, and powdery scent. Mom's perfume at some point when I was a kid, but not nostalgic by any means. Smells ancient. That being said it has a good sillage and longitivity.

For me it's just too much. I bought a sample because I saw it Ethel Cain's perfume collection video. The white florals are so overpowering it smells like a toilet cleaner. I unfortunately can't stand it:(

There's something smelly about it? BO of some sort? I can't tell if its because of the old bottle or something..... Otherwise pretty nice.

Powerful powdery white floral. The ylang-ylang and aldehydes stand out most here for me along with heavy musk. Extreme vintage, dusty cinnamon candy at the bottom of an elderly woman's bag. I live for that but its obv not for everyone, definitely not my favorite of the Diamond flankers.

My mom's signature scent growing up. Probably my first perfume. Makes a statement and stands by it, will last allll day and night on you, and on your clothes. "Old lady" musk scent is an understandable descriptor at first, but that dry down into an elegant, floral, powdery scent is just so good, so classy. I honestly like it better when it's aged for years on my shelf, to get rid of some of that initial strong musk that seems more prevalent in the scent in recent years. I swear that ~6 years ago new bottles started smelling more musky and less powdery + floral. Idk

inherited this perfume from my grandmother. idk how old my bottle is but it smells great

Wow, I just love this, even though it has been changed quite a lot in recent years, Elizabeth Arden who now makes these, has a winner with this version of the classic White Diamonds. Mine is an EDT tester and made in 2024. So full, rich and warm, but can be worn in any season, with a lighter hand in summer of course. It lasts well for 2 hours or longer, then becomes a lovely soapy yellow floral on me. I am so impressed with this line, and have tried almost all of them, but my favourites are the OG of course, next is Diamonds and Emeralds, then Diamonds and Sapphires. For drugstore cheapies (In Canada anyway) these are worth collecting, and using frequently. I get asked often what I am wearing and where to buy, from all ages too. Classics never go out of style!

I was so on the fence about buying this one but I’m so glad I did! I’ve started collecting vintage bottles to get deeper into history and deepen my perfume knowledge and have to say that a few I could not stand (Red Door, I’m talking to you). But this one is so sexy and clean at the same time, what is really unusual to me. Bold by still soft because of the soapy feel.

she’s prim, she’s proper, she’s in her 50s, and she’d like to speak to your manager.

I used to LOVE the commercial for this perfume back in the day. So dramatic just like Elizabeth Taylor. Classic white, airy, bold citrusy floral that reminds me of rich older white ladies duking it out for the love of handsome debonair wealthy business men. This one projects really far and everyone knows you're wearing it. A little spray goes a long way. Just a great perfume if purely for nostalgia only.

My grandmother's signature. This bottle and the fragranced lotion were celebrities in their own right in our household growing up, I have many memories of waking up late for school and slathering a what could have been decade old bottle on my arms in the late 00s. VERY mature, a very comforting and classic floral, powdery scent. Mid 90s church lady.

I see the review below claiming that White Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds, and Sapphires "smell pretty much exactly like each other" and that this absolute masterpiece smells "identical to White Shoulders." Clearly, the fentanyl crisis is worse than I thought. Anyway, those of us who were in jr. high or high school in the late 1990s were likely traumatized by this stuff for several years. It seemed that every mom, aunt, teacher, and random woman on the street bathed in it. For that reason, I sort of put it out of my mind, though I've always loved it in small doses. But never in a million years did I ever think I'd wear it. And then I hit 40 and found that I had no more F's to give. Now I wear it constantly, and any silly peasant that doesn't like it is free to leave. While the EDP remains my favorite because of its more indolic opening, slightly softer, more rounded edge and its "friendlier" projection, the EDT is good for when you want a sweeter and less floral overall, more aldehydic opening and more projection/sillage. Oh, that PROJECTION/SILLAGE. Frankly it can hit bystanders like a pimp slap if you over-apply it. Two sprays of this are more than enough, and any more would be considered chemical warfare. The compliments I get when I wear this never cease to amaze me, since this is the last thing you'd expect a 6'1", 165-pound man to be wearing. It seems that most young people who didn't grow up around this have no idea what it is and compliment me the most. To quote a mid-20-something bartender, "You smell like hella horny flowers, and I'm low-key into it." Thanks, honey bun. Funny how times change, and how much marketing and word of mouth hide the things we really do like. Stop letting your memory and word-of-mouth from 30 years ago steer you away from this absolute masterpiece. FYI: If, on occasion, you enjoy dialing up the projection to a level that qualifies as an act of aggression as I do, get BOTH the body powder and the lotion. You can thank me later.

hell yeah honestly who wouldn’t wanna smell like a wealthy older woman, preying on the demise of her billionaire husband to cash-in on that fat check

It smells dated for sure. From everything I've read I thought this perfume was going to be hideous. It isn't. It's a lovely aldehyde. As a kid I hated aldehyde. I always wondered "why and what is this particular scent in every perfume, it's so awful" Then I got older and finally learned the word aldehyde and could pinpoint what I was smelling. Then in the 90s ALL kinds of perfumes appeared without a trace of aldehyde and I remember thinking "wow finally." But I guess I like aldehyde now because it always transports me to the past. The best way I can describe it is just a classic perfume. Very white, very aldehyde. I hate to say "generic" but I can't think of a nice word to swap that with. Classic, I guess, is the word.

My grandmother's signature. Some might think that makes White Diamonds an old lady scent, but what it really means is my grandma was more of a hoe than I realized. This one's a banger (bang-her)

Este es uno de los perfumes que en lo personal no me gustan para nada literal me causa náuseas estarlo oliendo al punto de tener que bañarme para quitármelo amo el frasco por los diamantitos se ve muy lujoso pero esa nota con aldehídos me asquea, a mí me encantan las fragancias vintage no me importa que huelan abuela pero está de white diamonds no la pude tolerar, prefiero mi hermoso shalimar de guerlain, mi coco mademoiselle Chanel, Chanel n° 5 y L'Air du temps de Nina ricci. Hay muchas fragancias vintage súper hermosas, pero esta no es lo mío y es una verdadera lástima porque es hermosa la botella.

I remember wanting this so bad back in the day. I had sampled, liked, & everyone was wearing it then. The story/memory of how I did come about getting WD is a hard one. So after I got it, I almost never wore it. The bottle was barely dented when I gave it away. It had NOTHING to do w this fragrance, this is a strong, vintage white floral. I understand that now. I associated WD w painful memories of a very hard time in my life. So I thought I would repurchase along with the rest of my old collection, not so sure I should. I know it isn’t expensive, but I know I will never touch. It would simply be ornamental. I did purchase WD Sapphire last week bc I got a reduced price at Ross for $5.49, a 1.7 oz. Well, upon my test strip test, umm no. Again not bc it smells bad, it’s quite nice. That is when I finally started researching why I am head deep into fragrances now & learning about olfactory memory. Most of my repurchases evoke the best memories & I still think they are great fragrances. Even my late Mom’s old signature that I could not tolerate then, it brings sheer comfort to me. I don’t nor will I wear, I just spray an object of Momma’s I keep in my bedroom every other week. I know this is supposed to be a review, but on this lil olfactory journey I am learning. I needed to understand why perfume is so satisfying, how it affects my emotions. I truly had no idea until I began repurchasing. I have done aromatherapy w my oils for years, but never got the gratification I get w perfume. My perfume can comfort, it can alter my mood or enhance it. All that goes into play when choosing my scent of the day. Thank you for reading my non-review if you got this far.

I bought this perfume when I first started my perfume collecting and it is a great scent just not for everyone. If you’re looking at buying it just know it is very vintage and quite heavily floral don’t expect to pick up anything else. But I would definitely wear this for a spring brunch at a fancy cafe or a beach date.

I have long wanted to try White Diamonds, if not the original celebrity fragrance, at least a hugely successful early example that endures. A huge vintage-style aldehydic floral, this is not Chanel No. 5, but nor does it purport to be. WD is a bold, glamorous, unapologetic scent that I would normally describe as a "blonde-with-a-brain" scent except for Liz Taylor's iconic brunette, violet-eyed beauty. WD is undeniably old-fashioned, but in the very best way. It isn't overly sweet - instead the enormous powdery bouquet is cleanly soapy up top, balanced by its animalic base. It is evocative of Elizabeth Taylor's old Hollywood glamour and is inspired by her love of jewels. Apparently she was closely involved in the creation of her perfume line and refused to wear anything else. The bottle is charmingly on-theme and instantly recognisable. WD opens with bold, bright, soapy aldehydes alongside a white floral accord, led by waxy, slightly funereal lily. The neroli follows, lifting it with its greenness and citric edge. As it develops, the soapiness of the opening gives way to a powdery texture. Tuberose adds body and some sweetness, while creamy ylang ylang adds a sweet, tropical quality. Clean, powdery jasmine is also evident, adding to the huge floral heart. I get some soft spice here too. It becomes musky as it dries down, animalic in a vintage manner, but not too inaccessible. Soft woody notes complement the musky florals here, and I get a hint of mossiness thanks to the patchouli. It becomes a musky skin scent that lingers for hours. It's a little thin here, but not a huge complaint, given the price. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting - apply sparingly! It is feminine for sure, a transeasonal day-to-night scent. A vintage-style modern classic, and a bargain gem to boot, WD is retro glamour in a bottle. I really enjoyed this. 4/5.

This smells very close to First Van Cleef & Arpels. I have both. I did the 2 wrist comparison. Which copied which?

smells like liver! disgusting.

Not my personal style to wear, but I bought a small bottle because my grandma wore this and I was feeling nostalgic. Sure it's an "old lady" perfume but it's still a clean classy floral fragrance. It feels classic like a black and white movie or a flapper dress, despite being released in the early 90s. It was definitely made for an era where perfume had to be compatible with cigarette smoke (notice how fruity sweet fragrances became popular when indoor smoking started going away?) so it has that sharp white flower and powdery soap combo, with an undercurrent of musk. Really though it smells like a hug from my grandma and I love it for that.