Elizabeth and James House of Nirvana Black Gift Set Review & Photos
Elizabeth & James House of Nirvana Black Gift Set ($180.00) is described as “sensual, edgy, mysterious” with notes of “violet, sandalwood, [and] vanilla.”
Long-time readers will know that when I wear fragrance, it’s typically something from Tom Ford’s range (there’s just something about the formulations that appeal to my preferences but wear exceptionally well on my skin), but I’ve really come to love Elizabeth & James’ Nirvana Black. Where the Tom Ford scents I wear are loud, heavy, powerhouse scents, Nirvana Black gives me a lot of the warmth and coziness that I tend to like in a more moderate version. It’s also a more linear, less complex scent that is simply done to me; it’s mostly a mix of warmer sandalwood paired with sweet vanilla that is neither strongly woodsy nor cloyingly sweet. There’s a violet note in it, which I mostly detect in the first half hour to hour but is soft and plays hide and seek.
It’s a very smooth, moderately creamy scent where none of the notes really stand out at any point. It smells much the same hours later as it did when first applied. I find it just as wearable in 110-degree heat as it is in cooler seasons. There’s low to moderate sillage (depending on what variation you’re wearing, and how much you apply), but it’s the type of scent that very much feels like something I can tell I’m wearing but know that it is unlikely to bother everyone I come into contact with.
I find the eau de parfum and body oil to have the best longevity (12 hours for the spray, 8 hours for the body oil), while the dry shampoo has greater sillage for the first hour but calms down after that and is detectable when I release my hair from a bun but less so otherwise. The dry shampoo has worked well for me at absorbing oil from the hair and getting another day or two out of my hair for when I’m too lazy to wash it (I’ve repurchased it several times, and I purchased five–yes, five!–during the recent sale).
The body oil is more of a skin scent, which I think works if you are applying it all over the legs or the arms. Though it has a very similar smell to the dry down of the Nirvana Black scent, the body oil lacks transformation and smells the same from start to finish with even less nuance. I liked it, but the eau de parfum is better. It’s actually the body oil (which I had as a press sample from its initial debut) that made me love the scent and want the actual eau de parfum.
The hand cream was decent to good as a hand moisturizer, but it’s less ideal for someone with very dry or cracked hands, while the scent is noticeable but not over-the-top; it’s non-greasy, dries down within a few minutes. If it was a gift with purchase, I wouldn’t say no, but I don’t think I’d purchase it on its own.
The candle has a burn time of 55 hours, according to the brand, and it comes in a black, glass holder that’s very simple. It’s incredibly low in throw; I could barely get a whiff of sweet vanilla just in the jar. I’ve burned it for a few hours at a time, and the scent is so subtle that I hardly notice that it’s burning. Of all the products in the set, this was the most disappointing.
There’s also a rollerball version (which isn’t included in this set, but I have, so I might as well mention it here!) has the least sillage and shortest wear on me (I can barely tell it’s there after six to eight hours), and I always get a little plastic scent from it in the first five minutes that isn’t apparent in the other variations to me (thankfully, that does go away). I have not tried the solid or perfume oil options.
I thought the presentation of the set was lovely; it was a well-made, cardboard box with raised, gold dots and gold edging that opened and lifted the first tray at an angle, and then the other products were in a drawer that pulled out. I don’t recommend the set, as I don’t think all of the accessory products are worth getting (hand cream, candle). If it’s the type of you might enjoy, I’d recommend checking out the eau de parfum, which you can get in a smaller 1 fl. oz. size for $65 (or 1.7 fl. oz. for $85, 3.4 fl. oz. for $110) or the body oil ($60).
The Nirvana Black family…
- Eau de Parfum ($65 to $110)
- Body Oil ($60)
- Dry Shampoo ($28)
- Candle ($60)
- Rollerball ($25)
- Pure Perfume Oil ($35)
The packaging is stunning! The black candle looks so luxe as well, sad that it doesn’t give a ton of throw but the jar will look great in your home even after it has burned. 🙂
I’m slowly accumulating a collection of fancy candles that look nice in the jar but do nothing for scent, LOL.
Vanilla, sandalwood, violet definitely sounds like it may be worth a whiff! Especially for a less overpowering, yet warm scent for winter. Because sometimes my Tom Ford Black Orchid may be a little much in a small, enclosed space.
I definitely feel like I can get away with Nirvana Black in tighter quarters!
this is a beautiful set! I love the Nirvana black more than the white, and I would love if somebody was to gift this to me 😛
The presentation was nice!
That packaging is BEAUTIFUL! I have yet to pick up the full size perfume, I might just pick this up! I prefer the white over the black, smells like a guy cologne.
Not surprising – I tend to like more masculine scents!
I really like this perfume line, too. The white one ended up being my favorite, impressive staying power. I didn’t know they made dry shampoo! Next time I buy one it will be from this line. I like a dry shampoo to smell perfumey.
They do! They make the dry shampoo in White, too 😉
I saw this when it popped up on Sephora and definitely plan to purchase. Like you, most of my usual scents are Tom Ford (and a few others like Guerlain Shalimar, Nossomatto Narcotic V, etc to indicate the general vibe) but I really love the Nirvana scents. Black is my favorite but I think they’re all very lovely and mix together exceptionally well. They remind me of Ford scents without as much brashness in certain ways (the moods evoked, certain shared notes, classic and warm but also modern, etc). I was very excited to see the candles as well but figured the scent might not translate there. Lately I’ve been using Nest’s Cashmere Suede and Moroccan Amber for something sort of Black-ish with much more power.
I’m not much for Nirvana White (personal preference – it doesn’t smell bad per se, just not what I want to smell like), but I can wear it if I layer with Nirvana Black!
Nirvana Black was a real surprise to me – I did not think it was going to be anything much, but I quite enjoy it for something softer but still warm and cozy. It is very much to me what it is to you, against heavier hitters like the Private Blends from TF.
Same for me. White on its own is too light for me but works very well for layering with Black. Black is a great alternative for those who can’t handle the sillage of TF scents.
Love this scent!!! We need a shower gel in this collection!!!
The fragrance is soft, but it has staying power. I like it better than the White.
Have you tried the new scent they released this year: Cognac and Rose? I’m curious about them.
Do you mean Nirvana Bourbon? If so, I’ve tried that one, but it makes me smell like an ashtray. I’ve only worn it once because it was insufferable, and I’m trying to gather up the courage to wear it again. 🙁
I think I have to give this another chance. I only took a whiff of it once when I was in Sephora, but I was smelling so many other scents that I think I must have overloaded my senses. Based on your description, this is exactly the type of fragrance that I would gravitate towards (I can’t do fresh and floral scents), but I don’t remember falling in love with this one. I have to admit, sometimes Sephora is not the best place to sample fragrances because that section of the store tends to be so cloying sweet from all the perfumes being tested. I will definitely check this one out again; I do, however, like the new bourbon and rose fragrances, much to my surprise. 🙂
Definitely not fresh or flora, LOL! Nirvana White is going to be more floral.
I’ve only worn Bourbon once, but it made me smell like cigarette smoke 🙁
I haven’t tried the bourbon on, though. LOL! Maybe I’ll stay away from that one. I do not want to smell like cigarette smoke! The rose, however, does smell nice on me, thank goodness!
It has good reviews on Sephora – definitely not everyone thinks it smells like cigarette smoke, LOL. There are some readers here that like Bourbon, too 😉
I do love the smell of sandalwood and vanilla, just sad my skin & nose can’t take perfume, and it seems to be getting worse as I get older. But my wallet is happy, and I guess more money for makeup!
There’s the silver lining 😉
It looks like a very nice set for someone who loves the scent 🙂
Indeed! 🙂
Love, love, love. I am a perfume junkie and I have never seen their products here in Melbourne. But now I am going looking. These perfumes sound, look and, no doubt, smell divine.
I like Tom Ford’s perfumes as well.
Hope you can find them!
Wow, this looks a gorgeous set to get! I love scent, I wish Nirvana was available in the UK, I’d love to try it. TF is too strong for me but I do love warm scents like Prada Ambree and Thierry Mugler’s Alien.
I wish it was, too! 🙁
I love Nirvana Black! I’ll have to try the dry shampoo, I have heard so many good things about it.
I also thought the Bourbon one smelled like smoke – when you said ashtray, I thought, yes! That’s what it was, exactly. It made me laugh because of that story about Mary-Kate Olsen’s wedding and how they had baskets of cigarettes on the table. Maybe that was the inspiration?
I do really love the Rose one, though – I was a diehard Stella wearer for a long time and this feels like a good update, it has more of a masculine, sharp edge with the vetiver.
It’s odd, because a lot of people like it but then some say all smoke… and it’s all smoke to me but the worst kind, lol!
Beautiful description Christine ! I must confess that I’ve never tried Nirvana Black (tried the Bourbon scent and on me, too, it smells like ashtray).
As a scent for winter, I’m currently using Trouble by Boucheron (I have a back-up as I heard a couple of years ago that it might be discontinued). It’s a very sensual and unique scent. I also love Midnight Poison by Dior, as an evening perfume (special occasions).
I will certainly check the Nirvana Black 🙂
Very curious to hear if you enjoy it, Nicole!
I will have to look into Trouble by Boucheron! 🙂
I have the dry shampoo of this fragrance and it’s nice. Kinda sexy musk, woods with vanilla notes. Gives my hair body and a light scent. I wear mostly vanilla scents so this goes smoothly with my perfumes.
That’s exactly why I love it, Denise! Tends to be complimentary to other scents!
Imagine receiving this as a gift! 😀
It would be impressive!
I blame you and only you for new Tom Ford addiction! 🙂
LOL!
I’ve come to appreciate more light scented candles sometimes I want just a whisper of scent but that does sound disappointing. My favorite light scent is from World Market, White Tea and Ginger.
I can definitely see some preferring something light! I just wish I could smell this one at all, lol!
Nice! I really respect your taste in fragrance ( along with all things beauty obviously) as I too have love Tom Ford fragrances over the past few years. I picked up the little mini set at the Rouge sale “Discover Your Nirvana”. This is the first time I veered from Tom in years! Oh, this set looks dreamy! It’s going on my wish list! 🙂
Aw, thank you Nicole! Let me know how you like the Nirvana scents!
This is not about today’s posting, its about yesterday post of bite beauty lipstick vault just released by Sephora. I took Christine’s advise and contacted customer service just now to order the vault and received 20% off without any problem as i told the customer that it was not available during the VIB ROUGE sale earlier.
Thanks Chistine as your advice saved me $50.85 ($45 plus tax in Canada). The vault is equal to 13 full size (amost) and with the 20% off, I paid for only 6 full size and get to try 38 of them. I ordered 3 full size and 2 duo during the sale and could have returned them, however, i already tried them so I will keep them.
Thanks again for your tip.
Woohoo! Happy to help 🙂