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kr109 – :
If like me you are looking for a sweet warm vanilla perfume,keep jogging because this one isn’t it ,my biggest disappointment,i was really hoping to love this one.
komar1 – :
Interesting perfume. I can clearly smell the licorice,,strange partner for the sweet vanilla. Bitter and sweet together reminds me of Douce Amère, another Lutens (discontinued?). I could not wear this every day and everywhere. When I am in the mood, I wear it with pleasure. The drydown is surprisingly fresh, after ± 6 hours.
Chernostepenniy – :
Crowd pleaser and easy every day scent. It is nice having a fragrance also that doesn’t need 20 minutes to calm down before you can socialize with people.
Vanilla, white musk, licorice, coconut but also a soapy clean smell in the dry down. It does have a lot of subtlety too it unless you overspray. THe drydown has a very nice warrm dry soapy powderyness.
Kashik – :
This fragrance is a huge vanilla.
Giant hug of sweetness. More than 1 spray is too much.
Beautiful longevity, lasts and lasts.
For me it is too strong. Vanilla and coconut gives huge impact on wearer’s mood. It overwhelmed me.
So its great but i will not wear it.
nortrom – :
This is a cozy, relazed fragrance perfect for fall and winter when flannel and apple picking are on the menu.
Many are referencing this as a gourmand fragrance, but to me, it is a beginner’s gourmand. I am not a huge gourmand fan and don’t appreciate smelling like food. This is still a safe choice if you’re anything like me.
To start, I get a milk and honey vibe first. This is short- lived as vanilla emerges – warm, creamy, and sweet. I don’t get coconut or caramel, but rather something that is a dry, dusty kind of sweet.
Stand 4 houses down from the home where leaves are being burned in the yard, and you get the sense of the drydown, which morphs into a smokey vanilla.
Projection: two sprays to the chest and the scent hovers close to the skin
Longevity: pretty quiet at 2.5 hours, so I expect needing to reapply at 6-8 hours
Impression: cozy, casual, unisex, natural
Aminozim – :
Initially trying this on, I thought I’d made a terrible mistake to apply more than one spritz. Top notes of licorice add a certain sweetness in the beginning that is just a little too sharp to my nose – however let it sit for a few minutes, and suddenly Un Bois Vanille becomes this not-quite-caramelised creamy vanilla.
Somehow this borders the line between gourmand and oriental. I don’t get the sickly sweetness that others seem to be talking about, though perhaps that’s my chemistry. I also read others talking about a beeswax smell and I would agree with that, there is a certain warm yet untouchable vibe to this fragrance. The waxiness is sophisticated, and even combined with the vanillla notes you could never mistake this for a MAC lipstick smell (thank god!).
Warm, cozy, easy to wear. Very winter.
I enjoy this just as much spritzed about my room as I do on myself.
risha – :
This is how cherubs would smell like. Green vanilla with a light honeyed coconut milkiness. An ethereal elixir… as you were surrounded by angels in paradise.
Kingere – :
Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille offers something special as far as a vanilla fragrance. Surely it’s sweet, but it’s a sweet, woody mix with nuances that keep it from being over-the-top. Vanilla, benzoin, beeswax, and the mix of sandalwood and guaiac wood create an easy-to-love, albeit all too familiar, vanillic/resinous/woody blend, but this blend is modified by the quirk of almond, tonka, and licorice, giving it some bite, some slight bitterness, and keeping it from being altogether too sweet for the enjoyment of many.
Rather, what results is a nuanced, interesting take on vanilla, well-performing and also modestly-enough priced (at $52 for a standard 50ml bottle size on FragranceNet). It’s an easy win and a slight deviation from most sweeter vanilla offerings that lean boozy, cake-like, or extract-like.
8 out of 10
fotoimperiya – :
I’m usually one of those boozy-sweet-vanilla types, the kind of consumer Guerlain seems to be chasing these days. The first time I tried this I regretted my blind buy immediately and covered it up with another Serge Lutens, Santal Majuscule. The layering effect worked nicely and I went on with my day, trying not to smell like a scented candle or car air freshener.
The “Black Licorice” note seems a misnomer to me, seeing as it’s licorice in its natural form that is shown, and that is a more woody/herbal scent. I used to purchase licorice twigs from a local herbalist and chew the sticks when I was in my 20’s. It’s an old remedy for cleaning teeth and freshening breath. The herbal fragrance is mild, unlike the intense Danish black licorice candies my dad used to give me when I was little just to see the look on my face.
Coconut Milk is an interesting note. I use it in cooking and baking, and coconut milk itself isn’t sweet. Beeswax isn’t either, but together they add a pleasant sweetness and creaminess. I can detect them both but neither is overwhelming on my skin.
Almonds I will eat by the handful. I love marzipan, too. Here the almond note blends nicely with the herbal/woody presentation, bringing a pleasing warmth and nuttiness.
Over time this fragrance has crept into my consciousness and periodically I crave it, especially on days when I need a little comfort but nothing too sweet (I’m looking at you, Guerlain SDV). Sometimes I layer it, sometimes I don’t.
This is a vanilla that can grow on you if you’re up for it, especially if you’d rather smell like Tarta di Santiago and a glass of Riesling than a frosted cupcake and a shot of rum.
ValeriyRU – :
A very strong woody-vanilla fragrance. Too strong if you ask me, I like my fragrances a bit softer. I get a lot of woods and sadly no coconut, almond or benzoin. To my nose this smells kind of unbalanced, but if yoy like heavier woody fragrances I can imagine that you’ll like this.
Sillage is moderate, longevity is about 6 hours.
Monsieur – :
I realized now that perhaps I just really don’t like licorice. It seems to me that whatever perfume I wear with the note ends up smelling like bug or hair spray on me. I had high expectations for this but it came up short in everything but longevity. Ok, it lasted about 5 hours. And it became more subtle as it went on but it had that pungent mosquito protectant vibe. I’m a big gourmand lover because I find they merge well with my natural skin scent and result often in that sweet baby smell on me. This didn’t end up that way. I am not impressed.
koman67 – :
Simply my all time fav Vanilla. Love Lutens, his being dark, intense, sometimes strange. Love him madly.
Lgosha1982 – :
The opening was amazing. Dry, smoky woods with a spicy ambers vanilla. The licorice and Guiana wood gave it an intriguing tang. It smelled almost of freshly lit matches. It screamed fall and I was ready to fall in love on the spot. Luckily I had wisdom to wait until the dry down. Benzoin, Tonka, vanilla are over represented as it became burnt marshmallows and memories of Prada Candy. Beeswax, almonds, and coconut are absent which are the notes I was most excited to encounter.
lxa970bedyWelty – :
A truly grown-up and up-market vanilla, undoubtedly classy and controlled and loaded with good stuff. Its undertow of deep, realistic wood also shades in some of the corners with even more adult darkness. This is definitely no boring suburban standard baking vanilla, or a jangling teeny treatment so sugary it sets your teeth on edge – it’s more like an extremely sophisticated Parisienne in haute couture with an unusually warm heart and friendliness to strangers. But it’s still, for my taste, way way WAY too sweet overall – which is logical enough it you look at the pyramid – liquorice AND sandalwood AND tonka AND benzoin AND a load of beeswax as well? that is a whole lot of layers of syrupy lacquer before you can get down to the wood beneath. I dislike most hyper-sweet gourmands intensely anyway, but there is the odd dark and spicy vanilla which can still do the business for me (Ambre Loup, Mona di Orio Vanille, Arquiste Anima Dulcis) without being as overwhelmingly sweet. This is absolutely worth a try for any stone vanilla-lovers but just a tad too cloying for me. Sillage initially really robust but shrinks hard after a couple of hours; longevity is respectable but not outstanding – and there’s a a rising swell of melted, even singed beeswax as it ages down, which I find oddly appealing but may be a slightly acrid note for those who like their vanilla-custard-mousse-sponge-cake without a snuffed-out candle on top.
Viergikidlirl – :
A dry, puffy blast of vanilla bean and black licorice. Like the inside of a cabinet in some charming Bavarian candy shop, Un Bois Vanille is pure comfort, bottled and sold. And while it undoubtedly has one foot in gourmandville, the scent remains soft and airy, unlike the thick, syrupy molasses that one might expect from a fragrance with licorice and coconut. In fact, there really isn’t anything too heavy here, and I love how they avoided a lot of the boozy notes that often accompany these kinds of perfumes. I’m an absolute black licorice fiend so it’s hard not to be excited about any fragrance with that note, but there’s nothing particularly unique enough about this to justify handing over my credit card. It’s comforting, it’s yummy, but a little too feminine and run of the mill for me.
Filarmon – :
This is a dry, dusty, smoky sweet vanilla. And I like that combination! It’s quite linear (I tend to like those types of fragrances) however it gets creamier and sweeter on the drydown. The smell reminds me of coconut wafers I used to buy in my middle school cafeteria, this to me is a gourmand even though classified as an oriental vanilla fragrance.
I also like that bit of smokiness and dryness which balances out the sweetness from the strong vanilla, coconut and honey. As a vanilla gourmand lover, I’m definitely planning on getting a bottle for fall!
boosaba – :
On skin: I don’t much like the initial mix of notes. I don’t like the vanilla note as much as I like others, and the other scents just… I dunno.
The scent wears into a pleasant vanilla skin scent. It’s nice, but I’m sure I could find the same elsewhere.
zlu795Bessinepome – :
شروعی نزدیک به ژو د پو کمی شیرین تر که به مرور با قدرت گرفتن وانیل راهش را جدا می کند
———–
Scent & Qualiy: 8/10
Longevity: 7/10
Sillage: 7/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 7/10
Affordability: 6/10
———–
Overall: 7/10
весна – :
Burning paper + [vanille such as in scent candles]. Very SWEET.
(Found later in tests some mild mint feature, too, but mostly it’s sweet burning paper.)
Paper burning with the small sulfur-dots of the small paper-roll, that was used in children’s popping guns, in 60’s. Yippie yi yay, Yippie yi oouuuuuh…
–> “An interesting vanille”… Find this funny and cute. 🙂
yandex18 – :
Just received this beauty in the mail 5 minutes ago and I quickly ripped the box opened to spritz a little bit of it on my wrists.
Amazing, just amazing. The scent makes me feel as if I’m hanging out in front of my fireplace at my cabin in the woods on a winter night.
Very charming and calming. I’d even say it is familiar, it invites you in and hugs your soul.
10/10
bunia07 – :
I have already reviewed.
But that was before we got to really know each other.
Vanilla Woods is exactly what this is.
Vanilla lost in the woods.
There is a Mosquitoes spray/green wood on the fire overlaying the burning mashmellow vanilla.
Such a great twist on vanilla! add smokey green notes.
10/10 winter beauty.
Ыувщмдфы_83 – :
A friend bought me a bottle of un Bois Vanille around 2004. Since then I’ve bought more Serge Lutens than any other brand, roughly 10 and counting.
When I’m in the mood for a vanilla dominant scent this is the one I want. The opening is sweet and strong with coconut and licorice in the mix. I’ve gotten many compliments in the first hour so sillage is good in that phase. Vanilla is turned down a few notches as it mellows into the woods: both sandalwood and guaiac are present in the base.
After three hours this becomes a skin scent, but that’s typical for me as i tend to absorb perfume.
I’ve never thought this vanilla was run of the mill or lacked depth. Guaiac wood is divine in this composition, and without it I might think otherwise. This is a multifaceted scent, one that I will always have in my collection.
ira44 – :
Just got it in the mail.
first impression on paper?
Oh no. car freshener vanilla.
(I should really of known better by now with SL. I had first dismissed Gris Clare as just lavender…)
SL needs to be sprayed on skin.
I tried it on myself and also on male chemistry.
On myself the vanilla goes from car freshener to burnt marshmallow
dropped in smoking ashes. very outdoors-y.
oN him it loses the a lot of the vanilla and smells tangy. Sweet tangy. A bit medicinal.
verdict? sweet n sexy and good for sharing.
vyd362elipseskism – :
If you like Vanilla, as in how it smells in its true form, then this is a must try.
Starts out sweet and creamy like a fresh vanilla bean then dries down to a woody, almost leathery vanilla; as if you left the vanilla bean out in the sun to dry for a week. The most interesting take I have sampled on vanilla thus far.
Yanoffsky – :
This scent was disappointing on me, just a sort of waxy vanilla candle. If I had to pick out notes, I’d say benzoin, tonka, vanilla and wax are present (though it doesn’t smell like beeswax to me). There’s a slightly burnt sugar note and something like toast. I was hoping for coconut and licorice.
sanders581 – :
Burnt sugar (Caramel), coffee and sweet licorice joyously present another excellent SL fragrance. I don’t get much coconut but maybe it is the coconut that adds a bit of levity to the composition. Otherwise BV would have been unbearably heavy. The drydown is a smooth vanilla – sandalwood theme that lingers for a long time. And yet i can’t force myself to love it.
****(*)
Wreliotmell – :
I very like this fragrance. It smells like a coconut cake. So calming and soft smelling. A lovely skin scent. The only problem with this fragrance is that is too weak and the sillage of it is also too small, even if I spray more than 6 sprays. But maybe on summer it is strong enough. 🙂
vke814Negeltzex – :
Thick, amber, milk-and-honey gorgeousness. Aphrodite would wash her hair in this stuff.
aicis333 – :
Omg this perfume evokes such wonderful memories of my late mommy. She used to make these wonderful freshly shredded coconut candies when I was a kid. She’d melt some sugar and add in the coconut shreddies and both ingredients would melt into each other. Just imagine sticky, chewy, dense and almost burnt balls of coconut. That’s exactly what this fragrance smells like to me. It’s a bit dark and absolutely delicious! I need a bottle of this ASAP!
Morfipoz – :
Lunia Czechowska by Amedeo Modigliani 1919 Museu de Arte de São Paulo
Irinaurievna5 – :
I ugh.. like it??? Yes I like it. I’m just disappointed because of so much hype about this fragrance only for it to smell like a cross between Lolita Lempicka L and vanilla fields-ish. Don’t get me wrong it’s wonderful and just my type of scent but I think something that costs less could be found that smells just as good. I shall give it another try tomorrow maybe it will grow into a love.
Edit; Yep grew into a love! The licorice mmmmm love the licorice gorgeous scent. Reminds me of LL “L”. Which is one of my very faves top 5 for sure.
alina4461 – :
Wearing this to work today, the students at school told me that I “smelt like Christmas”.
I know exactly what they mean.
TieteLetTuche – :
I don’t normally leave sad reviews… but this… that was disappointing. No character, nothing niche-y, just like a soft burned caramel/vanilla.
There is no identity for me. If you blindfolded me, and made me guess… this could be ANY of the random vanillas I own… And for that I’m disappointed.
This sounded perfect for a gourmie lover like me, and I like Chergui.
But where is the licorice? Beeswax? Coconut? Almond? (Granted a tiny bit of coconut/almond/vanilla reminded me of Hypnotic Poison)
And, I found sillage/potency to be depressing.
andrixx – :
Un Bois Vanille is “my” vanilla. I’ve always enjoyed vanilla as a supporting note and more front and center in darker scents like Hypnotic Poison EDP, but many times when it’s the star player it smells too much like baking vanilla or too plasticky or whatever. UBV gets it just right. The opening is smoky and anisic, slightly bitter, and I can see how it would be off-putting for some, but I love it. Then it dries down to a soft and woody “true” vanilla with a hint of coconut. Cozy perfection.
mmitrofanov – :
I get that not everyone enjoys black licorice. But I love the vibe it gives in this, combined with the vanilla. I was always the kid that went for black licorice over the strawberry twizzlers anyways.
(And later on in life it was Sambuca, I love anise;).
Ferrotwink – :
This is delightful! Smells like a baby bubble bath soap I used when I was little and a creme brulee. But not too sweet. I want to smell this adorable all the time.
gobasters2 – :
Coconut milk with honey vanilla milk and bitter licorice.
I just can’t believe this fragrance became a love at first sniff! That sweet milky coconut vanilla honey bee is just incredibly mesmerising and deliciously infatuation specially when the hint of bitterness from licorice hits the scene with joy! It has that hazy rubber note that swings a bit, it isn’t clearly shown but it does add some playful factor to this delicious juice!
This was beyond my imaginations, and way above my expectations
katolik – :
Dear lord how amazing it smells on the paper! Wow. Very outstanding. It really stands out in the crowd.
However, when I put it on my skin it turns into a slightly burned vanilla just like many before me have stated. And the sillage is a bit too much for that. So I washed it off after 1.5 hours, and when I did, it turned into much more enjoyable fragrance – not so heavy but still there.
I do love it and want it. Have to test this during the winter time aswell – maybe put it on my scarf or coat. I imagine it would smell divine!!! Unfortunately not so likeable on my skin. Too heavy.
igorslyvchuk – :
Don’t know if maybe I got a slightly old or off one but the first notes were slightly sour, bitter, and flat like when my Light Blue perfume turned bad after exposure to heat and light. Thankfully those yucky notes went away soon and were replaced by a very strong toasted coconut, vanilla, pastry smell, kind of slightly buttery and sweet. The one spray on my hand doesn’t seem to last that long and it sort of dissipates into a very soft warm, slightly woody smell. To me it would not be worth the retail price of over $100 USD so I am grateful that I got this half priced but even so, I’m not too impressed. The vanilla is very thin, I feel it only captured the shallower aspects and the coconut was very thick, synthetic, and over powering the vanilla. The wood aspects are so faint that I don’t even remember it, unless they were the yucky first notes, then they were gross, and not well done at all.
I also got the Feminite du Bois by Serge Lutens and that is much better by far.
crash 911 – :
A lot of licorice and vanilla. For me too heavy not wearable, very strong and sharp. But the worst is the licorice, because I don´t like it and for me it is the strongest note of this fragrance. I realized that Serge fragrances don’t work on me at all. I would never pay so much money for that. I am really happy that I´ve tried samples at first.
Oblighblothfx – :
I like this, but not as a perfume. The strong, spicy, full bodied vanilla is nice, but I don’t get the smoky woods that I was hoping for. Instead, there’s an aerosol chemical sharpness to it- as if I’m wearing a vanilla scented hairspray. Bit weird.
Robertog – :
on my skin, it’s all about coconuts! watery sugary sweet coconut. I expected dry vanilla and sandalwood scent, instead I received sticky tropical coconut candy. the sweetness is enjoyable, though.
alextmb3 – :
Smoky vanilla, like a vanilla stock, got burnt. Noticeable creamy coconut milk almost makes me feel sick, but whenever it gets to the point of too sweet, that smoky taste comes out and make you cannot resist to smell it more.
sharppoint – :
This one is kind of challenging for me, even though it’s a crowd pleaser. It’s a TOTAL comfort scent, very sweet and high quality vanilla but I do get that burnt note and it sometimes smells like vanilla candles to me. However, I always get compliments on this one and it’s addictive in a weird way, because it’s such a unique vanilla. I sold my bottle but am regretting it and want another bottle or at least a decant.
tank54 – :
The first spray of this hits you with a delicious almost Burnt Vanilla mixed with coconut, licorice, and honey. It also hits you with a HUGEEEE SMILE if you’re a vanilla lover like me!This is truly a gourmand scent, meaning I would very much like to eat this. If this was a desert, It would be a very creamy vanilla coconut ice cream drizzled with honey and decorated with lots of almond.
The best time for this to be worn is the fall and early spring. Imagine a romantic rainy night with this scent! OMG… Just magical.
The projection is a tad more than moderate and the longevity is very good.
Beware that there is a lot of vanilla and tonka and licorice in this, making it on top of the list of diabetes inducing fragrances! LOL! Definitely, test before buying. It’s almost too much sweetness for my taste, but I love this smoked vanilla so much that I don’t see myself letting this one go anytime soon!
Quick tip: If it’s too sweet for you too, just layer it with a light unsweetened fruity scent. I recommend Orange Sanguine Atelier Cologne; I just did and it’s heavenly.
icccp – :
This was ‘too much’ for me at the very beginning of my perfume collecting. My nose has developed over the past 18 months and I now know that this is a stunning burnt vanilla fragrance which is not a boring flat vanilla but a rich, woody (I could’ve sworn it had tobacco) cozy perfume that I think is full bottle worthy.
I only wish I got mine sooner!
Another great frag from S.L
tadas888 – :
Un Bois Vanille .Very sweet vanilla fragrance that could be a body perfume from Victorias secret. the dry down and longevity are up to par for SL though..
Solotramp – :
Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla hair products. Spot on.
vm-pr – :
When I sprayed this fragrance a blast of sweet liquorice hit me. Vanilla, Coconut…popcorn…Sugar..this literally smells like a candy shop. It is SWEET! Sadly this perfume triggered nausea and I had to scrub it off my hands. The scent is quite lovely and unique though, I’m just very sensitive when it comes to liquorice and over the top sweetness in perfumes. I would say definitely test before you buy.
vening666 – :
Just smelt like vanilla body butter to me
dimamel – :
I bought this because many have stated that this is in fact, a ~true vanilla~, and I am definitely lucky to find out that Selfridges stocks this!
The initial spray smelt a lot like amaretto, and almost liqourice-like, and this scent literally stayed the same in the paper. However, when it is combined with my body’s chemistry (depending on the temperature), it could smell very sophisticated (like many have said here already). Think dior hypnotic poison without the powdery aspect of it, combined with a hint of balsamic-ness to it.
I went clubbing with this one time, and oh boy the longevity is too… potent! I remember on my way home in the morning (lol), I can smell this cloying, almost creme-brulee scent and it was coming from me! The only problem is that it could get TOO overbearing and could smell a little too balsamic and like puke. Tragic, I know.
Unfortunately, my search for a nice vanille frag is still underway. I’m very goldilocksy about this haha! Beautiful frag, but MAY be too sweet for me at times. 6/10
safo21 – :
Blind buy bleck. Coumarin and herbs with a dry vanilla that you can hardly smell once you’ve sprayed it.
sserhios – :
A fairy tale woodland where the trees smell like vanilla, the campfires smell like burned sugar and honey, and the books and candles smell like beeswax. I like the world this vanilla-but-different scent conjures for me, like a room in the castle with guaiac wood, licorice wood, and sandalwood in the fireplace, smoking with a sprinkling with black vanilla absolut. Smells expensive and lasts for hours. There’s nothing “I picked up a bottle at TJ Maxx” about this fragrance.
ToRum91 – :
Un Bois Vanille is a very strong, sweet, woody burnt vanilla. I do not own any other scent quite like this..
The first time i sprayed it I was a bit too liberal. It resulted in me getting a headache and I could not really enjoy the scent at all. It is a perfume that I have to apply very sparingly, one small spray on my wrists is enough to last all day.
The scent is something that vanilla lovers should try at least once. It is what I would call a “grown up” vanilla with some interesting undertones of coconut, honey and licorice. I also smell the sandalwood and the benzoin quite a lot. Over all it gives me an impression of burnt sugar mixed with vanilla.
Longevity is fantastic, and I can not see myself running out of perfume before it goes bad since I need such a small amount each time I use it.
reensiple – :
I instantly recognized a particular burnt quality about this perfume, it felt instantly familiar to me. The soul of this is a very sweet vanilla, but it’s not the bland custard type, but more of a burnt crust of a creme brulee. The licorice is easily detectable as well, and if you’ve smelled Jeux de Peau, this is the same kind of licorice. This one is not dry or starchy though, like JdP! A tiny bit of smoke, yet the perfume remains in the very sugary territory. Then it hit me, this is like Pink Sugar with the burnt aspects and licorice, but toned down quite a bit and more refined. Un Bois Vanille will be a big favourite of mine.
StasH – :
Straight up vanilla, simple and done right, without all the overly sweet mess that ruins it in so many (you know who they are) candy scents. I love the smell of vanilla beans, and this is really what this smells like. It’s a little too simple for me to reach for all that often to wear because I prefer perfumes that are more complex and layered, but I will thoroughly enjoy my sample of this from time to time.
AlexPaladiy – :
THE BEST VANILLA SCENT I’VE EVER USED AND WILL USE. I CAN ADD IT TO ANY PERFUME AND IT ROCKS MY WORLD WITH AN AWESOME SCENT.
10/10 FOR EVERYTHING.
PAShAAA71 – :
I didn’t like it at first sniff, quite sweet. I’m not drawn to sweet perfume usually, but i told myself to wait as all reviewers on this site said it’s gonna be sweet at first. On me it smells really coconut-y, which wasn’t the effect i want on my skin. I buy this because i want vanilla scent, a very vanilla-centric scent, not a coconut-and-something-vanilla one. And the coconut lasts for about an hour with support of licorice. And then the burnt sugar, or burnt coffee or burnt woody-something appears and make me feel like opening an old book. But it’s really pretty, the same effect with Diptique Eau Duelle but less dry and more bitter perhaps. And drydown is nice vanilla with, yes, coconut again, and gaic wood. Definitely a very grown-up scent.
Overall it’s nice, it may not differ much from other sweet vanilla perfume but to me it has a perfect quality, nothing nauseating, nothing synthetic. And the longevity is insane, about 10 hours, sillage is also very good but it’s definitely not a “projection monster” that make someone standing at 1st floor can smell it when you have already been upstairs for few minutes :p
arradigerce – :
Same slightly burnt/synthetic plastic sugar note (that I don’t really like) as Aqualina Pink Sugar but not nearly as intense. More complex overall compared to PS but I still think they could be mistaken for eachother. Anyway, unlike PS Un Bois Vanille has a hint of licorice (running all the way through the life of fragrance) and some sweetened coconut (in the dry down.) Anyway, I’m just not very drawn to this one. It is a pleasant smell and has decent logevity (I’d say 6+ hours.) I don’t know, I don’t like feeling as though I’m wearing a $10 perfume when I actually spent $60, I’d be okay with the other way around, but since PS is so popular/common no one is going to assume your wearing the Serge Lutens. They are going to think, “hey, that smells like my sister-in-law” or whoever they know that wears PS.
When I want this same vibe and a super sugary scent I might go for Gold Sugar by Aqualina, Let them Eat Cake by Tokyomilk, I Love NY by Bond No (pink bottle), either NO4 or Hanae Mori by Hanae Mori, or maybe Ambre Vanille by Laura Mercier. As you can see my collection is not exactly lacking in sugary sweet and creamy vanilla’s…Un Bois Vanille has some serious competition for my attention.
(Jan 2017)
люда – :
Un Bois Vanille
Palais Bottle.
If you are looking for one vanilla scent for your collection, this is it.
Everything has been said about this Lutens classic. Sometimes it leans to a Pink Sugar note with the caramelized burnt sugar note to the Hypnotic Poison edp with the licorice and vanilla and then the almond coconut of Hypnotic edt and shades of Lutens other masterpice, Datura Noir.
Its a great buy for someone that wants a good vanilla fragrance to layer, and use without veering into teenybopper candy scents. There is a depth and heft to it so it will definitely add fullness back to the current Angel, Hypnotic Edt, and other thin reformulations. Layered with Lutens Fleur d’Oranger gives it a gourmand base to those wanting to explore a floral/gourmand genre. A la Nuit works as well, but it does cut through the vanilla presence, so its great if you found Vanille too much.
I always think most of Serge’s offerings as incomplete. Here we have the same. Some of his fragrances are wonderful top notes to a fragrance (A La Nuit & Fd’O) and Bases such as Ambre Sultan (amber resin) and Un Bois Vanille (gourmand). I think he excels at this idea, and a layer enthusiasts dream. When he tries to get into more complete structure like La Religiuse it falls into a :meh: category.
I personally find it hard on its own as I keep getting flashbacks of some film where the woman in the kitchen dabbs vanilla extract behind her ears and gets dressed for a evening out.
Great for:
Updated, classy vanilla scent
Layering (Angel, Hypnotic, Pure Poison, Lolita Lempica, Pink Sugar, etc)
adding body to other frags
gourmand lover : Vanilla, Caramel type
borman777 – :
I can definitely see how some people might hate this. I did an experiment and dunked the dabber vial onto one concentrated spot, then spread out a smaller amount of it in a thin layer in another place. The difference is astounding. The concentrated spot makes me vaguely nauseated, I think it is the beeswax, the spread out spot is a lovely, creamy, woody-vanillic potion that somehow reminds me a bit of toffee icecream frosting without being too sweet, childish or cloying. So yeah, if you find this one upsetting, try either spraying a cloud and walking through it or spread it out somehow, it might even work mixed with unscented body lotion.
naumann – :
I love this vanilla! I’ve gathered an army of vanillas, and I often layer them on some other fragrance. I love to layer Un Bois Vanille on YSL’s Opium! An amazing fall and winter scent.
Un Bois Vanille is smoky and sandalwoody vanilla but also honey sweet at the same time.
Long lasting and potent. Seems high quality even though the price is not that high. I’ve smelled a lot more expensive and a lot more boring vanillas than this one! Sillage I’d say is medium. The person next to you is definitely going to smell this scent on you 🙂
merab – :
This is one of those fragrances that is totally influenced by skin chemistry,it’s very different on different people’s skin
As a vanilla lover I couldn’t miss this one,so