Midnight in Paris vs. Bulgari Black

**MikeNY** · 16th October 2010, 03:01 PM

I love the new Midnight in Paris from Van Cleef and Arpels, but it reminds me a bit of Bulgari Black. Has anyone done a side by side? Are they different enough to own both? Thanks!

**SoGent** · 16th October 2010, 04:09 PM

Yes there has been a side x side. These were my observations from an ealier post :

I broke down & bought it the other day and am finally getting around to a side by side with Bvlgari Black.
Granted - they are slightly similar in the mid-notes but BBlack just can't keep up in the drydown.

Black turns into a musky vanilla bomb then just fades into an attempt at 'leather' (?) - while Midnight stays bright with its incense, tea, benzoin/tonka mix. MUCH much better.

They both have their place, but I'll probably be letting Black go in favor of Midnight.

Originally Posted by rogalal & sogent

However, the comparisons to Bulgari Black are piquing my interest - does it have the rubbery tea note? Or is it reminding you of Black just because of the sweet masculine vanilla?

Personally, I think the association between the two is based on the use of tea in each. Midnight does not have the so called 'rubber' note many seem to like in Bvlgari. I wouldn't say the connection is vanilla either. While Bvlgari clearly uses a less sweet vanilla, Midnight's take on it is the benzoin/tonka mix to provide something even less sweet and lets the reported almond and lily standout.

**Nasenmann** · 16th October 2010, 04:21 PM

I don't know Midnight in Paris but to me Aigner Black is in the same genre but better than Bulgari Black.

**ziffy321** · 16th October 2010, 04:51 PM

I now own both and the reason I purchased MIP is because it's less smoky than BB. I'll still wear both but I think MIP is more versatile.

**perfaddict** · 16th October 2010, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by SoGent

Yes there has been a side x side. These were my observations from an ealier post :

Sogent's and rogalal's analyses and comparisons are quite accurate.

I replaced my Bulgari Black only 2 days before coming across MIP for the first time and buying on the spot. Both scents have their deserved place in my wardrobe.

**actiasluna** · 16th October 2010, 06:40 PM

Thanks SoGent, for the side by side! I'll have to put MiP on my lemming list!

(I own and love Bulgari Black, but usually layer it with something... like Bandit... as the Bandit livens up the BB and the BB smooths out the Bandit! ... a nice combo. At what I paid for BB, it's worth it.)

**petruccijc** · 16th October 2010, 09:35 PM

I liked Midnight in Paris. But I personally didn't feel I needed to spend $120 for a fragrance that was similar to one I got for $20 (Bulgari Black). I'd rather spend the money on a different fragrance.

**SoGent** · 16th October 2010, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by actiasluna

Thanks SoGent, for the side by side! I'll have to put MiP on my lemming list!

(I own and love Bulgari Black, but usually layer it with something... like Bandit... as the Bandit livens up the BB and the BB smooths out the Bandit! ... a nice combo. At what I paid for BB, it's worth it.)

That's what is great about this world .... everyone gets to do it their way.

Point Blank · 16th October 2010, 11:34 PM

How does it compare to Cuir Ottoman?

**d4N13L** · 19th April 2011, 09:04 PM

I tried Bulgari Black on skin yesterday and i do get so much similarities between both.

The rubber in MiP EDP is subtle, while in BB is loud.
I do not liked the BB rubber, so i prefer MiP, cause the ruber note is tuned down.

Wich one last long on you?

**hednic** · 19th April 2011, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by MikeNY

Are they different enough to own both? Thanks!

I would just stick with Midnight in Paris. IMO much, much better.

**silentrich** · 19th April 2011, 10:16 PM

I wouldn't spend hundreds of dollars on a fragrance unless it's unique. Isn't that the whole point of niche in the first place?

**NewHaarlem** · 19th April 2011, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by d4N13L

Wich one last long on you?

I only get around 6 hours with Bvlgari Black, while I get 10+ hours with MiP EDP. Also, on my skin MiP EDP projects better, and I get an incense vibe in which I keep getting whiffs of it during the first 5-6 hours.

**matildaben** · 3rd June 2011, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by actiasluna:1962008

(I own and love Bulgari Black, but usually layer it with something... like Bandit... as the Bandit livens up the BB and the BB smooths out the Bandit! ... a nice combo.

I've been curious to try BB, saw a tester in the mall today and got a spritz. I loved it, but I can see how some might think it's too sweet (didn't bother me). I found this thread when I got home, and decided to layer on a few drops from my sample of Bandit, which I've worn once but am not sure what I think of it yet. The BB was about 2 hours into its drydown by this point. Anyway, I'm finding this to be a totally amazing combination! Actias's description of how they balance each other agrees with what I'm perceiving. And this is the first time I've really liked a leather frag instead of just finding it interesting. (I'm also very new to layering in general.) So I just wanted to say thanks to actiasluna for the suggestion and recommend it to others.

**Pipsta** · 3rd June 2011, 06:28 AM

I just got to try some MIP on my skin today and it. is. in. sane. how good it is! I haven't tried BB on my skin in a quite a few months but I in no way felt the same way about it as I did MIP. I'm not a fan of any rubbery, plastic or latex notes in frags so BB held little appeal for me.

MIP I could smell in the store standing in the men's fragrance section in Nords with at least 100 other capless tester bottles all around me. I could smell it 5 feet away and followed my nose to the bottle. It was priced at $95 for the 125ml bottle there and I felt it was well worth that price.

Gorgeous bottle, too.

**NewHaarlem** · 3rd June 2011, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Pipsta

I just got to try some MIP on my skin today and it. is. in. sane. how good it is! I haven't tried BB on my skin in a quite a few months but I in no way felt the same way about it as I did MIP. I'm not a fan of any rubbery, plastic or latex notes in frags so BB held little appeal for me.

MIP I could smell in the store standing in the men's fragrance section in Nords with at least 100 other capless tester bottles all around me. I could smell it 5 feet away and followed my nose to the bottle. It was priced at $95 for the 125ml bottle there and I felt it was well worth that price.

Gorgeous bottle, too.

It was love at first sniff for me. And it only took me one full wearing to purchase a bottle.

P.S. I believe you tried the Eau de Toilette version. The Eau de Parfum, which costs $115 and is only in 4.2 oz bottle, is much better!

**zztopp** · 3rd June 2011, 05:00 PM

To me its a no contest: MIP wins.

Bulgari Black now comes off as an amateur hack of two loud notes (vanilla and rubber) with no smooth transition between the two. I don't know what the 'olfactive block' hype was when it was first launched but I have effectively blocked it from my wardrobe.

MIP, while far from a must-have/classic itself, is better constructed and more multifaceted. The citrus, leathery-floral-styrax top half and a huge tonka bean in the base smells better overall to me.

**LiveJazz** · 3rd June 2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by zztopp

Bulgari Black now comes off as an amateur hack of two loud notes (vanilla and rubber) with no smooth transition between the two. I don't know what the 'olfactive block' hype was when it was first launched but I have effectively blocked it from my wardrobe.

I agree, Bulgari Black was interesting for about a week, but it got old real quick. There's just not much there, once the novelty of the rubber dies down. MIP is a far superior fragrance.

**Pipsta** · 3rd June 2011, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by NewHaarlem

It was love at first sniff for me. And it only took me one full wearing to purchase a bottle.

P.S. I believe you tried the Eau de Toilette version. The Eau de Parfum, which costs $115 and is only in 4.2 oz bottle, is much better!

There was only one tester out for it and I'm not sure whether the tester was of the EDT or the EDP. I didn't even realize there was a parfum version of it too. I'll have to check it out. I just looked at the bottom of the box to see the price so it could very well be that it was a EDP tester but the box I picked up to price was the EDT. Will have to look closer at it. Although the version I put on was fairly dense and pretty powerful so it very well could have been the EDP.

I felt that MIP was both classical in feel yet with a modern edge to it. I could even say it felt unisex, a woman could wear it with no problem.