Carolina Herrera 2017 EDP

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212 VIP Black

by Carlos Benaïm

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Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Black is an Eau de Parfum launched in 2017, created by Carlos Benaïm. 212 VIP Black opens with Absinth and Anise, settles into a heart of Leather and Lavender, and dries down to a base of Musk and Vanilla. Carolina Herrera's 212 VIP Black carries a Favourite verdict, a sweet-led wear.

A sweet aromatic lavender built for after dark. 212 VIP Black swaps the vodka-and-passionfruit rush of 212 VIP Men for absinthe, black leather and vanilla, and lands close to a bolder, less sour Armani Code. Easy to like, but budget for a top-up.
What our verdicts mean →
  • Confident
  • Sweet
  • Playful
  • Sensual
  • Youthful
£62.40 at Amazon UK 100ml Check price on → Check prices ↓
212 VIP Black Eau de Parfum bottle

Scent Profile

Composition

Timeline

Showing: Overall Blend
Topas listed
Absinth68%
Anise32%
Heartas listed
Lavender56%
Leather44%
Baseas listed
Vanilla56%
Musk44%

Top, heart and base are the brand's own listing, not a timing claim - the industry classifies a note by its character as much as by how fast it fades. Each curve here is modelled from that material's own volatility, so groups can overlap when a house lists long-lasting materials in its heart.

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Performance & Mood

Performance

Longevity
Moderate (4-6h)
Projection
Moderate
Intensity
Moderate

Mood

Mood Energising
Calming
Character Playful
Serious
Sentiment Uplifting
Brooding

When To Wear

Best Seasons

Best For:
Fall Winter
Also Works:
Spring Summer

The absinthe and lavender keep it wearable in cooler spring weather, while the vanilla and musk base gives it enough warmth for autumn and winter. Full summer heat pushes the sweetness too far forward.

Best Occasions

Best For:
Date Casual
Also Works:
Office Formal

Carolina Herrera position it for dinners and after-dark plans, and wearers agree it is at its best on a date or a night out. It is polite enough for casual daytime wear, but the sweetness makes it a stretch for the office.

Declarable allergens

We derive these from the materials behind this fragrance's notes, not from the bottle. Each one is likely, not confirmed. The list is partial - the box can name others.

Declarable under EU Annex III

  • Lavender Lavandula Hybrida Oil from Lavender
  • Synthetic musk Hexamethylindanopyran from Musk
  • Vanillin from Vanilla

The large name is the everyday one. The small name is the INCI form on the box, so you can compare the two. Reactions differ between people. A patch-test panel is not a ranking of risk. How we derive this

About

Absinthe opens sharp, green and faintly bitter, more herbal liqueur than boozy hit, with anise sitting just underneath. Lavender takes over within minutes and carries most of the wear, rounded rather than sharpened by a black leather that reads as smooth suede rather than hide. The drydown is warm vanilla and clean musk, sweet without tipping into full gourmand. Wearers repeatedly compare it to Armani Code done bolder and less sour, and just as repeatedly flag that recent batches fade faster than the price suggests.

Similar

Compare & Pair

Layer

Wear two at once. See what layers well with 212 VIP Black Eau de Parfum - the blends worth trying, and how each one scores.

Complement

Round out the rotation. See what complements 212 VIP Black Eau de Parfum - fragrances that pair with it, worn side by side.

Where to buy

Prices for the United Kingdom · · checked 30 September

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Drawn from community reviews and editor-reviewed before publishing on . See our methodology and disclosure policy.