Elizabeth and James launched the Nirvana Black and White Eau de Parfum as a Sephora Exclusive earlier this year. When the line launched, Sephora had adorable mini roll-ons available as 100 point perks for Beauty Insiders. They literally flew off out of stores but I was lucky to find them online via Sephora.com and I used up my points to redeem for both (and a couple backups of each). I fell head over heels in love with Nirvana Black and purchased the full size 1.0 fl oz ($55) version during the Summer Surge Event.
Nirvana Black is described as a “blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine.” I’m a fan of fragrances that have a hint of sandalwood which gives scents a sort of smoky, spicy, dark touch. On me it’s more of a date-night kind of fragrance but I love it during both day and night. It has really good lasting power in both the roll-on and spray, I like the mini roll-ons because they fit easily into a compact makeup bag or clutch and don’t take up much space.
I spritzed Nirvana White on me in store at Sephora when these first launched. I tend to prefer lighter scents and thought I would prefer the lighter version. By itself I found it too floral although my husband loves it on me. The Nirvana White is described as having “delicate peony, chic muguet, and tender musk for a feminine scent with dark sophistication.” I’m not a fan of wearing peony scents on the skin, as I find them too floral and powdery, although I love the actual flower scent just as flowers.
After posting several snapshots of the mini roll-ons, several readers have suggested I layer them both. It does create an interesting blend of floral and spice but I still lean more towards preferring the Nirvana Black. I love the simple design with the gold detail. When it comes to fragrance, the packaging design matters a lot to me. There are some fragrances I have not purchased that I love the scents of simply because the bottles are either too gaudy or just plain hideous. I like the textured grooves in the surface because it makes these more interesting without looking like spikes.
Nirvana Black is a bit too spicy for warm hot summer days but I still wear it. I personally think it will be perfect for fall. Bottom line love and I hope they extend the line to include home fragrance or oils.
Nirvana Black is available exclusively at Sephora in different sizes. $22 for the 0.34 oz rollerball, $55 for the 1.0 fl oz bottle, or $75 for the 1.7 fl oz bottle. Both minis are also available in the Sephora Favorites Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler $58 (you get a scent certificate to any US Sephora store to redeem for a full-size bottle at no extra cost, see website for details on how to redeem).
