A Creamsicle is a parfait with a vanilla ice cream heart and a fruit sorbet coating. The classic combination of flavours is orange and vanilla, although we can find many variations on this premise in stores. Frozen fruit juice bars have historically been popular in many cultures, combining frozen sweet juice with creamy vanilla ice cream long before the Creamsicle hit stores. The dessert tastes very creamy with a hint of crunch from the frozen juice coating.
Well, do you believe in coincidences? I finished reading a Mandarina Duck Black review the other day, which was very interesting and inviting. To be tested, I said to myself. So, in the late afternoon, I decided to take a tour of the DM store, known in Germany and now very popular also in Italy. I immediately headed to the perfume department, and it displayed Black to my great surprise, on the shelf of the offers of the month, a super discounted price, the 100ml cost only €19. I sprayed the fragrance on the blotter, and immediately a creamy, spicy, powdery cloud spread in the air; it's much better on the skin. The aroma looks like another perfume I've used in the past without being a copy. It sits in the same ballpark as
Le Mâle Eau de Toilette and
Gentlemen Only Absolute, to give you an idea, yet not too strong on lavender and orange blossom. It smells more expensive than it costs, and that is amazing.
For me, Black belongs to the oriental-gourmand family and turns out to be sweet, citrusy, powdery and spicy, with the sweetness of coumarin, the powdery tonka and the spiciness of citrus, just a touch. In the background, I receive a chewy, almost burnt note, perhaps from the roasted tonka beans. The black pepper I take is not too strong and balances the Hesperides cocktail well, a mix of sweet mandarin and bright bergamot. Not so sweet, not so floral, not so citrusy, not very vanilla. Each note performs a small role in this story. And the result is simply incredible.
I catch an excellent citrus opening that evolves into a very creamy tonka-vanilla combo, fragmented by zesty flashbacks. After about ten minutes, a creamy sweetness oozes from the heart, something akin to orange Creamsicle or rather butterscotch ice cream. Now the aroma is almost entirely gourmand, with a warm floral touch of tiarè and orange blossom. Tonka is the dominant note, the main protagonist, and here she plays a central role, leaving a space in the vanilla base.
Since the fragrance dries, the bergamot loses part of its initial strength, leaving the tangerine to guide the aroma, and this is the most apparent change from the opening to the dry down. I then double-checked after a few hours. The scent is very close to the skin and radiates a velvety face powder, rich in spiced vanilla, and it's not cloying like the one in cupcakes. It is no longer sweet or gourmand, somewhat powdery like a baby powder. The presence of two kinds of wood is justified as a support, although the base is neither too woody nor too dry. Sandalwood adds more creaminess to the already creamy blend, and cedar sets the scent on the skin. I don't smell the typical smell of wood shavings here.
Ultimately, Black is a cologne that everyone should check out at least once and have in the closet if they like the sweet gourmand genre. A powdery, round vanilla sugared almond, almost a biscuit. It reminds me of a childhood smell of a bath gel pouring into the bathtub. As for longevity, I would say not so great, less than half a day, and then you have to reapply. As I said above, projection places itself close to the skin soon after an hour on me. But, considering the low price, this is not a disadvantage for me. The genre and the arrangements make me prefer this colony during the colder months; autumn is ideal. The spiciness at the beginning gives it masculinity, and it is fresh just enough to be worn for daytime use. A pleasant discovery, I did not regret the purchase, instead. A 100 ml at € 19 is always good for us, especially if the fragrance in question is delicious. After a full day wearing, I could say it is true that it vaguely recalls
Allure Homme Sport Eau de Toilette, but Pure Black is more dense and vanilla.
I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since October 2021.
-Elysium
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
Elysium
RobbieX
ChicoRoch1
GreMuser
PedroCabral
