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Gabriella

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Hiya perfumed friends!

The other day when I was perusing my perfume collection I was thinking about how all the scents in my regular rotation have always been instant loves at first sniff. It’s not very often that I have to sample a scent for ages to work out whether it’s for me or not and even more rarely does a disliked perfume become a love after months or years of sampling as it does for some other perfumistas.

So I was really happy when I went to spritz something the other week that was instantly swoon worthy. That fragrance was:

Black Saffron by Ben Gorham for Byredo 2012

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Chinese grapefruit, juniper berries, saffron
Heart: Black violet, leather
Base: Cashmeran, vetiver, raspberry

The fact that I had an “Oh wow!” moment when I first sprayed on skin did shock me a bit because Black Saffron is a fruity-leather-violet combination and miles away from the big white florals and dirty roses that are usually the fragrance styles to capture my heart. And the name to me is a bit of a misnomer – there’s nothing really black or noir about it, I actually find it to be a joyful and uplifting scent.

Black Saffron unfolds on the skin like a sunset. At the outset you have the juicy vibe of the zesty grapefruit and tart raspberry. It makes me think of pillowy clouds all orange when the sun first starts to fade. The scent then becomes quite sweet and a little sugary as the citrus recedes and the raspberry becomes more prominent and the black violets join the fray. A touch of saffron tempers the sweetness and smoothes the scent out. Now the clouds have turned pink with the sun setting a little lower and the sky becoming more dark. Lastly, the violet amps up a bit more while the cashmeran and leather notes come to life. All this is decidedly giving a suede-like vibe. It’s here where Black Saffron is most cuddly and comforting. The sky has turned a blue violet as the sun finally recedes over the horizon.

PDI

Overall, Black Saffron is a lovely take on the berry leather genre and something that feels elegant, happy and comforting all at the same time. It would be equally at home paired with a little black dress and boots or with a jumper, sneaker and jeans. It’s definitely more of a cooler weather scent. I’m looking forward to wearing it when the temperatures start to dip here in Melbourne over the next couple of months.

Further reading: The Candy Perfume Boy
Mecca Cosmetica starts at $160/50ml
Surrender to Chance starts at $5.99/1ml

Have you tried Black Saffron? Do you go the love-at-first sniff way like me or do you take your time falling in love with a scent?

With much love till next time!
G x