Hiya All,

While in London earlier this year Val CookieQueen, Hannah BlondesWunder, Michael & I were on our way to BLOOM and we stopped by a benefit store. One spritz was enough to sell me on Under My Spell Noelle (hereafter Noelle) and so I bought a bottle for my BFF Kath, which she adores. Then I started craving it myself, for my own……. recently I was in our Myer, just a suburban mall about to close up for the night, roller door down, and as we walked past the Benefit counter there it was!!!! On special! only $29

Under My Spell Noelle by Benefit 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lingonberry, black pepper, cardamom
Heart: Violet, wild orchid, jasmine, vanilla flower, rose
Base: Patchouli, oud, black amber, vanilla, benzoin, raspberry

So I basically ran it home and have worn Noelle part of two days in a row and I think I got a super bargain. I’m worried because it’s only a 30ml bottle, should I grab another? Being in a metal canister there will be no light penetrating and I keep my stuff in fairly moderate temperatures, it should last for decades. There doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of naturals in here but that is purely guesswork. I love the bottle and the box, they’re super fun and I can imagine having one in a few years time and bringing it out, everyone surprised because they remember Benefit but didn’t credit them with having a fragrant winner.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

If this was an oil it would be fairly eastern but the alcohol gives it a better throw and sillage. There are still plenty of references to North Africa or the Western Asias. Imagine, you are in the harem and this gorgeous amber/wood/oud/jam fragrance surrounds you all, the dry, dusty heat of desert countries and the tinkle of fountains over mosaic tiles and splashing into pools filled with fish, lilies and lotus. Not a breath of air and you wish you could take off your skin and lie around in your bones.

Photo Stolen Flickr

On first spritz I get a lovely amber and faux oud, it smells great. The berry, pepper and cardamom are not really noticeable for me though there is a jammy, sweet, rose-ish vibe behind the base, which really plays at full speed through the whole life of Noelle on my skin. Yes there is a little movement, more in the way of light and shade rather than featured notes appearing so Noelle is fairly linear. In this particular case that is a good thing in my books.

Really, the base line of the notes is all I get. Patchouli, oud, black amber, vanilla, benzoin, raspberry in a very delicious combination. The only thing I get that’s not mentioned in the notes is a dark chocolate note that sort of wraps up the raspberry/rose accord.Projection is good for the first 1-2 hours and then Noelle becomes a softer, more intimate fragrance. You are still fragrant for at least another 3 hours and sillage remains quite good till then too. After that 5 hour period there is still a gentle wash of something but nothing discernible as a note.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Further reading: The Plastic Diaries
Myer Australia has Noelle online for $29/30ml
Benefit USA has $36/30ml

What is a bargain fragrance you may have picked up lately? Is it performing well?
Portia xx