Black Vanilla Body Mist

Black Vanilla is the moodiest thing Coup de Coeur put in their mist line, and it borrows fairly openly from the dark-orchid style of gourmand that has been popular since the late 2000s. Blackcurrant and bergamot open it with a tart, slightly green sharpness that stops the vanilla arriving too early. Black orchid and vanilla make up the heart, and this is the part that carries the name: a deeper, less milky vanilla with a faintly boozy, floral edge rather than the bakery sweetness of the Vanilla & Caramel or Vanilla & Coco versions. The base is where the woods come in, with amberwood, sandalwood and patchouli giving an earthy, resinous finish that reads more expensive than the price. The catch is the format. A 200ml alcohol mist cannot deliver a dark oriental with any real weight, so what you get is the shape of one, worn close to the skin for an hour or so. That is fine if you understand what you are buying: it is a way to carry the idea of a dark vanilla through the day, or a layering base under something heavier in the same family. Best in autumn and winter, and the only mist here that works after dark. Vegan and not tested on animals, per the brand.