30 community ratings

Black Gardenia

2011UnisexClassic

Votes lean feminine

6.9/ 10

Community score
30 ratings

Illuminum Black Gardenia is a discontinued unisex fragrance that pairs a floral, green character with a fruity, sweet texture.

Compare

Skunky's take: A floral hello, my nose just bloomed.

How does it perform?

From 33 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity

8.1 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage

7.8 /10

People close to you notice, nobody gets overwhelmed.

Bottle

6.6 /10

Looks good without trying too hard.

Blind buy risk

Medium risk

67% of votes are positive, the rest are more reserved.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Buchu Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant liqueur

Heart notesfirst few hours

Ylang-ylang

Indian gardenia

Jasmine

Base noteswhat stays into the evening

Musk

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

Floral
Green
Fruity
Sweet
Spicy
Powdery

What does Black Gardenia smell like?

Its longevity is rated strong and its sillage good. Voters spread it almost evenly across the four seasons, with fall and spring only slightly ahead. Leisure, evening and night out collect the most votes, while daily and business wear trail a little behind.

The top notes are buchu, blackcurrant and blackcurrant liqueur, which is where the fruity, sweet side begins. In the heart, ylang-ylang, Indian gardenia and jasmine carry the floral character, with spicy and powdery accords alongside. Musk in the base softens everything.