La Perla La Perla for women

LaPerla EdT opens up with a screechy accord of citrus, ylang ylang and oakmoss, which might scare people right off the start with its sharp strong smell... and it almost scared me as well. I am so glad I ever gave this beauty a chance!!

Once the beginning settles, the ylang ylang becomes soft, powdery and honeyed, and it becomes much more tame. It is very sexy, in the way Soir de lune is sexy.... It is still a little bit harsh because of the oak moss, dark and mysterious, a real punk rocker's fume. I am not gonna judge the quality of the oak moss here, as I never do when I review things that might have been reformulated, because I don't think I could tell the difference between real and fake, to be honest. It is satisfactory to me in this lovely potion.

The citrus from the opening slowly comes back to the surface for me after a few minutes and they are quite refreshing and clean... the patchouli is present as well, and deliciously earthy. It is the "dark side" of this fragrance, along with the pepper and incense.. and the woodsy, dry vetiver. This is quite the witch's brew, nice/naughty, good and evil.... the packaging is quite fitting to the scent I find. A shiny black cap and a soft frosted bottle. Bad and good! I love how the box hasn't been updated to a more modern look. It looks great in my room!

The newer offerings from La Perla are so far away from this, that one can wonder if they are even from the same house.... oh, the good old 80s.

Can I add, totally UNISEX in my opinion!!

Okay i am compelled to write another review on this perfume. I originally bought it because of the reviews I read here sometime ago. I knew I had to get it. This is a well refined classy perfume. It does not smell cheap. I think the price is very reasonable. It cost less than £40 for a 100ml. This is definitely a headturner. It embodies a woman (not a girl) that knows EXACTLY what she wants. Even though it reveals a bitter and a sweet scent, there is still something dark yet mysterious about this perfume which I find utterly sexy.

I have: Modern EDP restyle sample.

This is my 5th test out of this fragrance.

This is very nice. It's a soft, warm and sweet chypre. I get lots of honeyed incense on my skin, almost like nag champa. I also get cardamom tea, and lots of earthiness from vetiver, patchouli and corriander.

Now there is one reason why this has snuck from a love down on to my 'like' list. After about 20 minutes my skin turns this into johnsons baby powder. I'm really sad that the initial spicy deliciousness doesn't stick around longer on me but the powdery base does last forever.

If your skin makes a better combination with this scent it could be magical on you. Give it a try!

I used to wear this years ago, and it's still one of my favourites. It's a true classic; warm, sophisticated and elegant.

However, beware spraying it on your clothes - I found that after a while it left a faint musty odour. Ooops!

This is a heavy blast as you would expect an 80s scent to be. For me it's very harsh and loud. I wouldn't want to wear it.

Those nights at champagne parties, with bubble foam all over the floor, everyone enjoying themselves, celebrating, having fun. Not naughty fun, just fun. Golden stilettos. Class.

Fragrance is amazing. Very lush. Succulent. Thick. Round.

The best perfumes of all time Perfume for all times and all seasons perfume with personality notable was my signature for 11 years Every day with strangers ask me about my perfume Believed to be from the perfumes of life he chooses who will wear it as a signature We believe the nose behind the La Perla is the famous '' Russian witch '' Only she can play with so much variation Only this can make you be considered normal that the sun the moon and the stars to shine together in the same sky at the same time . This is the La Perla

It was summer 1990 and I was just 18.
I wanted a fragrance for the season and came across La Perla; it was love at first sniff.
Now am 40 and my olfactory system has developed into a very sophisticated radar, tuned onto the unique and most unusual chypre. I can't believe that I was only 18 and already so olfactorily mature.
La Perla on me smells mostly of oakmoss, patchouli, carnation, benzoin and just a little of incense and citrusy jasmine.
It seals on my skin like a second layer in a dry, warm and elegant aura of unattainability that drives mad every man around me when I wear it, and makes women beg to know the secret around the mysterious aura able to cast such spell on them.
It's Class. It's sensuality. It's wonders.

Works best on acidic/alkaline PH. 10/10

I love La Perla and think I've reviewed this before but today I put it on and got a surprise - it smelled of VIOLETS! Mmmm!
I can only think that it somehow mixed with the remnants of the Must de Cartier I had on the day before to make this strange but pleasant result..
Looking at the review below, I'm not sure if I've got the 'new' or 'old' one now, think it must be the 'old' one actually.
They'd better not have messed with this masterpiece and it's such a shame if they have!!
By the way - I LOVE Magie Noire and like Paloma P and I don't see the similarity with La Perla apart from maybe being relations and all beautiful masterpieces!

To all La perla lovers, a warning. Beware of the new packaging. New version of La Perla is very different from the old. It is more sour, sharper, woody leathery and without the honey note. Pepper, insence, coriadre, cardamon and lemon are prominent, while ylang ylang, carnation rose and honey as I mentioned, are toned down. Very far away from Paloma now....
I've just made a comparison (new and old on my wrists)
It is still a very nice fragrance, but don't expect to smell the same perfume again.

Indeed, if to take out honey from Paloma Picasso and reduce the volume of its' notes, you'll have a perfume very similar to La Perla. I'd say, La Perla is Un Aire de Paloma Picasso. It is airy, but warm and complex perfume. Beautiful, refined, wistful, smooth, with a delicate drydown.

Very similar to Lancome's "Magie Noire" but not as interesting.

For me...this is nostalgia in a bottle.

And....not because I think it smells "old" or because I knew anyone who wore it in my past. On the contrary, it is simply a gorgeous blend of notes that somehow have the ability to evoke a gazillion fond memories yet still manages to smell timeless.

La Perla is a thick, heady and even moist blend of Ylang Ylang,Honey,Carnation,Vanilla and Patchouli.Of course, there are many more notes listed but these are the particular ones that stand out for me. There's a heavenly sweetness to it but also a crisp soapiness that compliment each other so well that they keep things from being too much of one or the other. As it dries down it becomes even softer and more powdery and takes on a creamy, spice cake feel. When I wear this and close my eyes, I see myself outdoors at night, in the moonlight, either on a warm summer night or bundled up during the crispness of fall or winter.Gazing up at the stars, enveloped in fond memories and cocooned by a feeling of warmth and comfort.
It does,indeed,smell so similar to Paloma Picasso ( I'm doing a sniff comparison right now on each arm.) I think that the first phase is where all of the similarities lie because as they dry down, La Perla becomes softer, warmer and more powdery than PP, which becomes more "dry", soapy "uplifting" equally as beautiful but in a slightly different way. I also think that K de Krizia shares similarities with La Perla in it's powdery softness.

I'm so glad that I found this scent...thank you for all of your wonderful reviews!

If I were my grandma, I'd like this perfume. Powdery classic.

Very, very similar to Clinique's Aromatics Elixir. They share Oakmoss, Patchouli, and incense. Differ in that the Sweet Honey takes center stage in La Perla. This needs to be sprayed with a "light hand" or sprayed and walked through, as it is strong. This scent is classic, refined, and memorable.

Strange, that I hardly smell it on myself, it seems so clean, transparent and gentle, in a "second skin" way. But others do and I get compliments - especially men go after this perfect chypre like bees after the honey!

So many times in the past, being a little girl, i looked at the beautiful women who passed me by and many times felt this amazing wif....I was small to think to ask what was it.

This was my blind buy ( like 99% of all i owe).... i could not believe it. the same, gorgeous smell from my childhood. no wonder, it is still on the shelves since 90-ies....it is a gem.
BUT, having it now and almost finishing my 1st bottle of 100ml EDT, i can say- do not look at the date of when it was created. I can say that it is so elegant-modern-classic-alluring-unique, that it could be created 'yesterday'. i think that this perfume will never have age or will never age!!!!

I am not good at all with distinguishing the participating notes, - all i can say is that opens up gradually during @ 30-60 minutes. I put it on @ 30 min before i have to leave home, so only by then i know that the perfume almost settled and 'mutated' after interacting with my skin to this chic, elegant, expensive perfume 'ambrosia'.
I have EDT version, but it is so strong and long-lasting, that it can even beat my fav. 24 Fabourgh! I am really looking fw to stock up on EDP version.
It can be a very good signature, and i would recommend it to an age group after 30, as it requires some sort of confidence and strong personality to wear this perfume. otherwise it will wear you. It is not watery/greeny/fruity type of current trend perfume mainstream world.
Full, rich,projecting - simply outstanding! LOVE IT!

Fantastic mix of styles that harmonically bleds together. There is wood (cedar, sandalwood), bergamot, classic white soap, soft pepper and coriander, white powder, oakmoss and vetiver, jasmin, ylang and white rose. And honey. Its soft, clean, fresh, dry, natural, delightful scent. I have EDP and luckily, it doesn`t remind me of Paloma Picasso :D

I absolutely adore this perfume and it has became one of my favourite's, I would never have discovered this gem if it hadn't been for Fragrantica, Thank you!

OMG! This is what I was searching for and I didn't know it... Thanks to a member "Smelling_gr98" which kindly gifted me an edt 8ml, I had the chance to know this fragrant and now I'm already looking for a large bottle! It reminds me a bit of Paloma Picasso but la perla is a bit sweeter I think due to honey. Cardamon and coriander add fantastic nuances to the honeyed florals and incense/moss is to die for... It is very very elegant perfume. Yes! this is exactly what I wanted in a reasonable price too.

I try out as many chypres as I can get my greedy little hands on (it's my favorite category of perfume), so stumbling upon this one last year (thanks, Sherapop!) was a special moment. I am enamored of this scent, to put it simply. Such a beautifully complex, well blended fragrance. So well blended that I have a hard time picking out the individual notes.

The opening is only mildly citrusy to my nose; I pick out some sweet notes like orange blossom or jasmine almost immediately. Some spiciness from the cardomom and coriander adds a nice touch as well. The heart notes are sweet (rose, jasmine again, iris, lily of valley), but the peppercorns are also slightly noticable which seems to offset the sweetness of the florals. The honey doesn't seem to stand out as a distinct note, all accords flowing together in a soft way.

The basenotes are wonderfully earthy. A musky incense seems to be buried in there among the woody elements of vetiver, patchouli, and oakmoss.

Compared to many fragrances of this era, LP is soft and inviting; I never tire of it. Sillage is strong, use sparingly. Longevity is great as well, about 9 hours on me. I'd recommend this as a night time fragrance since it smells so sumptuous.

Fantastic cypre floral scent. Timeless femininity with very good projection and unbelievable staying power.
I can see that many of you guys compare it to Paloma Picasso. To my nose, Paloma is more earthy animalic in its heart and therefore a bit heavier scent than Perla, which is really bright floral. Beautiful fragrance, I really like it.

I already reviewed this some time ago, but thought I would tell you all a funny story.
I was shopping one evening in a clothing store. Browsing and not really planning on buying, I was suddenly smitten by a glorious scent as a women walked past me.
I am almost ashamed to say I followed (discreetly) around the shop, finally getting up the courage to stop her and ask her what perfume she was wearing.

'La Perla' was the reply, to which I confessed that this is one of my all time favourites.

Funny how when you are inside a scent, you smell it differently. However, if I smell like that woman did when I wear La Perla, I will be happy.

Gorgeous, ecstatic elixir.

::This review is for the EDP::

It was love at first sniff between me and La Perla years ago. It's like a luxurious cashmere sweater that fits perfectly and cuddles you. It's warm, soft, comfy yet sexy.

On my skin it opens up with a peppery-smoke of roses which, in itself sounds maybe a bit unusual and surprising, yet proves to be a soft and sexy combination. Than, a slight vanilla-honey mix appears and settles next to it adding extra warmth to the roses, and finally, a beautiful soft musk finishes the grand parade of pretty smells in the dry down. I know that far more notes are supporting this perfume in its evolvement from first spray to dry down, but they are so well blended that I can't discern them, I just know it smells rich and complex.

It's a favorite when I don't know what to wear because I adore it for day & night and in every season and I know that it always smells just right on me. And -just as important- I always enjoy smelling it too.
To me it's the perfect mix of character with a soft edge. All love and soft with an undertone of willpower that doesn't disappear in the dry down and lasts on me forever. It's a beauty!

On my skin La Perla starts like a nosepunch, strongsmelling. but after 10 minutes it softens down and goes into my skin and changes to a beautiful scent. Lots of clean soap - in a good way.I expected this one to be spicy and smokey (insence) but no - its not. A great every-day-scent.

På min hud startar La Perla som en knock. Riktigt stark, men efter 10 minuter så mjuknar den ner och går in i huden och blir riktigt härlig. Ren tvål-känsla över denna, på ett bra sätt. Jag förväntade mig en kryddig, kraftig doft med rökelse men det är den inte alls. Härlig varje-dag-doft.

This is an amazingly beautiful fragrance. At first I was disappointed because I didn´t realize how complex it was. You have to give it some time. It smells different on my skin from one day to another. Today I feel the ginger-bread scent someone here was talking about. I love the spiciness and the earthiness in this fragrance. It´s just perfect.
When I smell the drydown I feel pure bliss.

This is a review of the Edt version:
A very classy, grown up fragrance
This is a very classy and sophisticated fragrance that starts off very flowery. In the heart of the scent a warm spiciness accompanies the elegant blend of flowers.

The first hour and a half of wearing, the fragrance feels outdated and best suited for elder ladies. The dry down however is very lovely: soft, woody, a tiny sweet note, some smokiness. Really beautiful! It gives the scent an intimate and comforting character and in my opinion the lovely dry down makes the fragrance suitable for most ages (maybe not for young girls) and almost every occasion.

I don’t like the design of the bottle and the box, the plastic cap gives the bottle a cheap look.

Moderate sillage, good lasting power.

I wore La Perla several years ago and it is truly an elegant scent which is much better suited to colder weather.
Having worn the original Magie Noire, I wouldn't say that La Perla is as intense as it evolves into a muskier (and sometimes dirty) smelling concoction.
La Perla possesses a mysterious and deep chypre nature which is classic and enduring but one negative aspect is how it would sometimes linger on my clothing with a very musty almost nasty body odor. This one episodic drawback always deters me from purchasing this special perfume again.
It is definitely worth a try as it harkens back to the lovely fragrances that transmit sensuality and elegance all rolled up in one!

I ordered this online in edp version, but they called me and told me they have only the edt. When i first spray this, i feel something scatching my nose, but this sensation dissapears quicly, and i can feel the floral notes. I am not crazy about this part, but i love the oriental dry down. I also think this is more appropriate for warmer weather beacuse i feel it as a cold perfume...maybe because i dont feel sweet notes at all...The lasting power is good, more than 8 hours for the edt. Wish i'd have the edp....

I usually gravitate towards orientals but La Perla is an elegant, feminine and complex floral. It's an affordable 'all year rounder' too which makes it even more attractive. Very refined, sophisicated and all class!

Very classy grown up Chypre. I have only just started to appreciate the classics , chypres and aldehyde's in the past couple of years. In fact i thought i detested Aldehyde's until i discovered Vivienne Westwood "boudoir" ( must review that too!) My tastes are changing and expanding to include the whole range of frag genres , which is a good thing!

I chanced across La Perla in a dusty old box of samples at a local discount store ( My fave place for finding discontinued n unusual frag samples) . I new nothing of La Perla frags at all , but it looked quite expensive/classic/classy and worth trying out.

I'm so glad i did! Its a very well behaved Chypre IMO. It doesn't overpower or burn my nostrils with aldehyde's! ( That's the problem i have with some Classic perfumes. . Aldehyde overdose..eeek!) Its very well balanced and no particular note dominates.


If La Perla was a lady , she would be an Upper Class , well mannered lady = young or old , who wouldn't dream of swearing or smoking in company . You would find her having afternoon tea at the Ritz rather than drinking pints and ending up drunk with her knickers showing at the end of the night ..... But she is no prude and underneath her clothes , (Chanel tweed jacket n skirt , silk blouse ) she is wearing some Agent provocateur basque n stockings ;) . There's a sensual side to this perfume , certainly not "too respectable " or boring.

I really like it , and its yet another addition to my "must buy full bottle" list

It also lasts well. I got a few wearings out of my tester ,and when i sprayed some on before bed it was still there in the morn ...Lovely dry-down. Very cosy and soft as a scent to wear to bed too . Very good quality for the price.

Id recommend this to fledgling perfumistas who want to test scents out of there usual comfort zone , but who are scared off by heavy Musks , Civets and nose stinging Aldehyde bombs !! This perfume contains musk n aldehydes , but those parts are subtle. It doesn't smell "old lady" or stinky and I think its a good choice to ease yourself into the realm of Chypres

This is the kind of perfume id wear to a job interview , or to meet a new BFs parents for the first time...In the hope i will give off an aura of been more classy than i actually am ( Lol!)

Not what I was expecting, at all! It is lovely, but the chypre aspect is minimal to me. My skin is amplifying rose at first, then incense. Just as another reviewer said, Nag Champa. It even has that back-of-the-throat scratchiness that burned champa gives me. Not heavy, opaque incense, but cool spring, a stick of burning incense planted at the base of a massive, wet, bitter rose bush. Catch a waft of smoke as you work in the garden.
As it progresses, the rose becomes muted, to be overshadowed by a faint but sharp ambery vanilla.
I like it very much, but it has limited wearability for me.
Edited to add: I'm reviewing a boxed manufacturer's sample of "Body Silk eau de toilette"
Early next morning, after 12 hours, it's still there! Major longevity!

I'm so glad to have found it again! I loved it when i was a young woman.So sensual sweet and powdery. Please don't discontinue it!

I like the most of la Perla fragrances.Sexy, elegant,class.

I discovered La Perla through a great thread on Basenotes about underappreciated perfumes. This is a 1980s perfume that is in the same rose chypre vein as Paloma, Diva, Scherrer and Knowing. To my nose it’s closest to Ungaro’s Diva, which, of those I’ve just mentioned, is the one I like least. A bit too much sweet honey for me. La Perla differs from Diva in just the right places, though, and I really like it. The honey is toned down, the rose is a touch darker, the patchouli is amped up substantially and the spices seem more integrated. As the scent progresses, it gets drier and the honey fades. The rose and the patchouli come together; the patchouli makes the rose drier and the rose warms up the cool, earthy patchouli a bit. Long lasting drydown.

I know it's already become a cliche, but this perfume really feels like cashmere or angora on my skin. It's warm and enveloping. I also find it very luminous, athough the composition is definitely not light. It is soft indeed, but not in the sense that it fades easily or that it is transparent or watery. It's soft like quality wool. I imagine this one along with a refined angora blouse, sheer and discreetly luxurious, but with an off shoulder cut, giving the wearer a slightly neglige allure.

I feel the floral side is more prominent that the chypre, but that is not an issue. It wouldn't have been so enchanting if it were formulated otherwise. Like other reviewers said, complexity is a key characteristic, but it does not make it demure or difficult, just respectable as a perfume with a personality of its own.

Beautiful! Simply beautiful. Its femininity is radiant and, like it has been said before, embracing. And it's a "happy" scent, comforting, deep and softly sweet. It made a lasting impression on me from the very first time I tried it a few days ago. Love it!

Just received La Perla from a blind swap less then an hour ago. As soon the first blast was over, it seemed strangely familiar, yet nothing like anything else on my shelf.
Then I realised it reminds me a lot of the original Magie Noire that I got somtime around 1980! (I don't know its new formula at all)
I'm actually not very good at detecting specific perfumes by name, not even if I had them myself long ago, but this time - no doubt!
La Perla seems lighter and not as challenging as MN was (it wasn't wearable for everyone).
I'm happy I got La Perla - a trip down memory lane, and yet not... A confident, sophisticated true perl!

Eureka! I have at last found my sig scent. This one lasts and lasts. Received my bottle 2 days ago and am totally captivated by this fragrance! On first applying the initial thoughts are flowers, lots of them. Several hours later I have got soft, luxurious powdery scents, some part vanilla, some parts baby powder and freshly washed babies. I applied this at 10pm on the first evening and first thing the next morning I awoke surrounded by a very comforting woodiness, sweet but incredibly sensuous.
I reckon this frag will be fine in all seasons but am looking forward to using it in the cooler months ahead. Deffo a 'cuddles by the fireside'. What a find!
This one is a definite 'Pearler'!

I was about to buy magie noir when i stumbled upon La perla. After reading the reviews I bought a small bottle and I love it. It's just like magie only sweeter.

If you are a fan of big shypres like First and Diva, you will be in bliss wearing La Perla. But most of all it reminds me of Joy by Patou. A true Femme Fatale scent: bold, elegant, sexy. I have EDP and it lasts for hours. Love it!

is the perfume delal my youth ...
is still one of my favorites, even better than many niche scents that if they pull only.
he, humble and wonderful goes straight on his way.
Simply amazing.
I bought a bottle yesterday and I wear it willingly, but in small doses ....

I simple feel comfortable & cozy when I wear La Perla by La Perla for women.
It's not overly sweet, nor overly spicy on my skin, and thank heavens it doesn't smell
musky!
Dry so is so soft and pleasantly gently complexe,
that I'm elated.
3 words always come to me mind
Comfortable
Soft
Long Lasting
A true favorite of mine.

OMG! This is perfume! I tested this again after so many years and even if it seems a little watered-down (EdT) it still has that kicking vibration of... Femme!
I know that many compared La Perla to Magie Noire. I can see that, but IMO it is much softer and sweeter, especially after some time on my skin. Magie Noire never worked fine on my skin. Much harsher.
La Perla manages to be an important modern chypre with some gentleness. I think it's an extremely feminine fragrance, the kind of complex multi-layered scents you don't find around these days. That's why I compared it to Rochas Femme (another glory of perfumery!). That's even more mellow but also more complex.
It smells elegant and it smells like a lady but not like a frosted one! I find it very sexy in a refined and secret way. I'm not sure that everyone perceive this sensual aura. Coming from the '80s when women wanted to look like women and not like teenagers, I think it could be felt as "old" by some.
For me it says: "I'm here and I'm sensual, I'm a woman" but it doesn't scream "sex" on global broadcast! Go light hand anyway. The "lady" is powerful. And not so cheap where I live.

How have I missed this beautiful perfume all these years? La Perla is such an amazing scent. I love chypres and already have so many (and have so many more in my Want list), but I know I'll be buying this one when my little decant is used up. (Thanks, Ms. Mary O, for sharing this gem with me!)

I was a loyal Magie Noire (1980's version) and Paloma wearer for a number of years, and I do see some similarities to these scents. The soapiness of all three is similar. I find the older Magie and Paloma to be much darker (and slightly less wearable) scents than La Perla. I wore this one for an hour or so before I realized the lovely gingerbread-y smell was wafting up from my own cleavage, LOL! What sets La Perla apart from the others are the spices, the honey and the benzoin, which achieve a slightly sweet, almost foody aroma on me, tempered nicely by the flowers and patchouli.

It has amazing longevity in addition to that wonderful sillage. Such a great price, too. If you're a chypre fan and haven't tried this one yet, do not hesitate to do so.

Sexy saxophone playing in the background as a lady with a beautiful, gold and lace negligee enters the room. The smell of her perfume and the incense of Nag Champa lingering in the air...

Hmm, hmm, hmm...I love this fragrance so much. Just reading the notes makes me uncomfortable. It is remarkably delicious. I get a beautiful lemonade smell, sweetened by honey, and kicked up a notch by a dash of spices. What you get is heady sensation and that makes you want to get more, more and more. And then shiver, and fall into the comforting smell of smoke. I can't describe it, there is so much to this fragrance I don't know where to begin.

The only thing that could help you get what I see and understand why I love this fragrance is this: Careless Whisper by George Michael. Listen to that song with your eyes closed. Feel those words, listen to the notes, hear that saxophone snaking throughout. Then hear the end, that continues to linger in your head, long after the song is gone. Releeeease...

I don't know what I was expecting from La Perla LA PERLA, but this is fantastic! How they managed to create way back in 1987 a modern chypre that rivals the best of recent releases is beyond me. To my nose this is an oriental chypre with lots of patchouli and spices, incense and a very substantial base. The floral notes blend in perfectly with the oriental and chypre elements without asserting themselves individually. Yet it is the subtle florality which marks this as a truly feminine and exquisite perfume, leading me to suspect that Sophia G. may well have contributed her prodigious talents to this IFF launch.

IMNSHO LA PERLA rivals 24 Faubourg in its richness and perfect blending of a multitude of notes to create a veritable symphony of scents with big sillage which is a pleasure to be ensconced within! (Excellent longevity, too.) Thank you so much, BronxBeauty for introducing me to this beauty! On my wish list!!!

Very 80's, a warm scent, best worn in autumn. Long lasting on the skin.

And a good price tag.

I bought La Perla to try as an affordable alternative to Magie Noire. It is similar but not too much so. It starts out bright and fresh and after a few minutes it becomes this, creamy, spicy, carnation concoction. It is not however as spicy as some carnations. It is softer, more refined, more elegant,like cashmere verses wool. The heart is certainly floral, carnation followed by rose and jasmine, lovely. The dry down is perfection, a warm woody incense that lasts forever. I love wearing a perfume to bed and waking up the next morning and still able to catch a whiff of it. Magie Noire is more carnal, more of an evening fragrance. I would wear La Perla night and day, it is elegant enough for both. It certainly would work for day if the weather is cool and crisp, with low humidity. I have to admit it, I am smitten, La Perla is a soft refined floral chypre that is class with just a kick of sass. Some of the reviews said it is loud, but on my skin it is very soft and caressing. It can be bought for a very good price and the lasting power is one of the best, at least eight hours. So yes,I am certainly smitten with my latest EDP.

Wow! La Perla is definitely an 80's fragrance. It's loud and strong and vaguely reminds me of the old Halston Classic I wore back then. Not due to any of the notes, just it's general "loudness". Apply with a light hand, for sure. I spritzed a "tiny" amount on my wrist at about 5 pm yesterday and am still enjoying it this morning at almost 8:00, 15 hours later. THAT is some serious longevity, boys and girls.

La Perla opens with a big biting blast of citrus, something slightly herbal and spicy carnation. I get carnation almost from beginning to end with this. The heart warms up with smooth rose and jasmine. The first 2 hours are pretty strong, then it maintains that spicy carnation, rose, jasmine mix for about, well, just forEVER. And of course, everyone in the immediate vicinity is going to smell it on you, too. Sillage is killer for the first few hours. It eventually calms down to a nice spicy floral chypre dry down. It's a smooth (but definitely not a sweet) vanilla in the base.


La Perla is one seriously big classy perfume. I LOVE it!

It's BIG, I'm serious.

I'm with Nicole79 review 100%. This is late 80's....so what! I will add that this is very REFINED, it's absolutely a lovely change from all the overload of commercial fruity out there. I'm totally enjoying this warm woody, I don't find this at all sweet on my skin. I found myself appreciating how this is made. I'm putting this on my Christmas list:)

I bought this perfume today, a 30ml bottle costed 9,99£! Its a great fragrance, its sweet and warm, perfect to put before going to bed, to a romantic night! Its a true classic, not boring at all. It suits the ad perfectly, when I use it, I feel sexy because its a smell than say "come closer". Is not a fragrance for young girls, probrably for at least a 25 years old women. Imagine a very sexy women, a femme fatalle in its classic way, dressed in a silk lingerie, on a very warm bedroom, with cashmere sheets and candles. I think its this imaginary wich this perfume brings you to. Its great, I love it. Dont use it as a casual perfume so it will lost his magic.
Great, my favorite!

yes it is a great and standing fragvance its last all day and refresh your sensei beauthiful

I too have worn this on and off for a years. Need to use a light hand. I usually spray and walk into the mist. It is wonderfully complex and I love it from start to finish. I tried another perfume recently and my husband said I did not smell like 'me.'. This one ticks both of our boxes. Just bought a fresh bottle and it is surprisingly cheap, which is an added bonus.

Gorgeous perfume. You have to be a bit sparing with it as sillage is serious. It reminds me of the old 80s orientals like Opium or Samsara but it is much less anti-social in its presentation. A little lighter, fresher, younger, more modern but still delicious, spicy and sexy. It is sexier and spicier than Aromatics Elixir but similar in some ways.

Like every really good Chypre, this one is multi-faceted. It is a bit of a screamer when first it hits the skin, and the peppery jasmine mid notes are a bit on the heavy side for me.
But......when it settles down for a good long snooze, is it glorious. It is one of the scents that when I am wearing it, I find myself constantly lifting my wrist to my nose to enjoy it up close.
Since my mother stole Aromatics from me, this is one of my faves, very near the top of my list.
Elegant, not too sweet, not too flowery, perfectly balanced, and very long lasting.
I adore it.

i agree with halva - it is a perfect perfume - it is multi seasonal and so sophisticated, just polished, really special. Very ladylike. It seems all the perfumes from the 80's really float my boat and this is another hit from that era but is certainly not dated in any way.

a sophisticated chypre which dries down nicely to a cuddly vanilla incense. Discreet and lovely. cheap too!
After much wearing I can recommend this heartily. It's NOT sweet though - it's in the vein of aromatics elixir mixed with paloma.
As an aside, if you love magie noir but find the re-formulation too acrid, try La Perla, it's become one of my faves.

It's the same olfactive group as Paloma, and they have a lot in common, yes. Anyway, it's more than beautiful, it's bottleworthy but not the least cheap or simple or boring. It's vibrant, bright, feminine, dark and complex, one of the most perfect perfumes I've ever had! Longevity is perfect, too.

I think this is a coppy of Paloma Picasso, Paloma ...Not less interesting though and very good power of staying. Don't own it but i am planing to.

I think La Perla is so so similar with Magie Noire !!! In fact if u compare the notes, 90% are the same !
Very nice , feminine and sophisticated ;)))
Flowery and incensy, dark and sexy scent !
I gaved my sis a sample and when she used it , i loved it so much...i remember saying to her how beautiful she smelled !!!
At first i didn't recognized it, but when i asked her and told me it was La Perla, i was...wow..this smells soooo good !
A must try ladies !

I like "La Perla", a lot. One day I was in a department store in Madrid, and saw La Perla's tester and I tasted it. I love the fragrance. After this happened, I bought the Eau de toilette in Fragrancex, and is now one of my favorite perfumes. I feel very good with him.

I have worn this on and off for years - very feminine.

I got this because I think La Perla's Charme is so lovely. This fragrance is spicy and a more complex floral, full of warmth, mystery, and elegance. It reminds me of dark woods, rich brocades, and a warm fire.

Interesting perfume, but in the drydown I can smell predominantly vanilla, so it's a bit one-sided. Definitely sweet perfume to warm you up.