Once You Go Black (Perfume Review: Elizabeth & James Black)

I have seen Elizabeth & James Black (and White) at Sephora but I wasn't really interested in trying them because, well, they are by the Olsen sisters, Mary Kate and Ashley.  You know, the Full House twins. I mean, I know that their clothing line is respected (Barney's carries them!) but I filed this in my mind under vanity celebrity fragrances. But I kept on reading good reviews about the scents, so when I was at Sephora, I immediately went to test both. It was an OMG moment, really. Black was stunning. Sephora lists three notes: violet, sandalwood, and vanilla. And yes, they are all there, mixed stunningly. You get whiffs of all three but none of the notes stand out. And then it becomes complex - I get mixed woods (cedar?) and some cinnamon, and frankincense. It's so rich and dark that you can close your eyes and swear it was a Serge Lutens. (It's from a nose who usually does scents for Amouage) Actually, I think this comes closer to a heavier version of Costes. The drydown in magnificent, reminiscent of the heart of Tom Ford's Oud Wood, but much less oud-y. I am suddenly obsessed with this scent, and want a full bottle so bad. I tried so hard to restrain myself and not get it, but I cannot tell you how long I will be able to resist. This is the best designer middle/low fragrance I have smelled in a long, long, time. Trust.