Piment et Chocolat (2003)
by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Yuck! Deeming from this scent, there's no difference between the "parfums des beaux art" and the cheaper DSH fragrances -- except the price! I thought it was on the sweet side but ok as a gourmandy comfort scent that didn't feel very sophisticated or expensive for about five minutes, then the chocolate note turned horrible and plasticky on my skin. I feel almost nothing of all the spices and stuff listed that would have made the scent a little darker and more interesting - perhaps a certain powderiness. Actually, I think the cheaper chocolate scents from DSH are better. At least they smell more like actual chocolate - at least almost, while this smells only like "artificial chocolate fragrance". It reminds me of my horrible experiences with chocolate scents from BPAL. The truest chocolate scent I've encountered, if that's what you're looking for, was the one from AvaLuxe, a very sweet milk chocolate type of scent but at least true to life.

This fragrance is a hot steaming mug of creamy dark chocolate with a dash of clove, nutmeg and red pepper. It's spicy and peppery while sweetly chocolate. Warms you up all over. I keep looking for a scoop of vanilla ice cream to cool it down a notch. A great gourmand scent - it's yummilicious!

This is a rich, delicious, wrist-sniffing fragrance. The blend of spices and dark chocolate is truly sensual and intoxicating--I dabbed this on more than 3 hours ago, and I am still firmly under its spell! While it is unquestionably a gourmand scent, it is not insufferably sweet, carrying--so far as I can tell--only the natural sweetness of the cinnamon and clove. My sample of Piment et Chocolat has prompted another DSH order, and I plan to use it quite regularly through the holiday season and beyond.

Top notes: black pepper, paprika, pimento berry (allspice), red chili
Heart notes: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg
Base notes: cocoa beans, dark chocolate