Read ALL about my review process including how I take swatches, photos, and more here.
You know—as someone who can easily become obsessed with fashion and beauty things, I really ought to keep my eyes wide shut. But I can’t…lol. Once I really love something from a brand, I want to try out the whole line and then some. Right now I’m having this really heavy thing/thang for Kilian Hennessy. Wait no—not like that (lest his wife come track me down in Queens)—I mean his fragrances. And seriously, I don’t even think fragrance is a descriptive enough word for the olfactory heaven I get sent to every time I find a new favorite.
First it was Straight to Heaven and Good Girl Gone Bad which I acquired thanks to a Net-A-Porter Beauty press event earlier this year. Now it’s Kilian Playing with the Devil which a lovely gentleman at the Kilian counter at Saks introduced me to one Saturday afternoon when my search for size 41 shoes on super sale failed (I was SO CLOSE to a pair of under $200 Saint Laurent go-with-anything ankle strap black sandals but see, the way they were set up as a size 40…)
Anyway, when he mentioned the scent had citrus notes in it, I was about to turn on my heels (I’m not a huge fruity fan) but he looked like the type of guy who REALLY knows his scents, so I let him spray some on my pulse points. By the time I let it dry down (gotta love a good dry down) I was in LOVE and thankfully had a scent card to come home with me that I could sniff over a week before I decided I needed a full sized bottle.
Notes
In the opening, an overdose of fruity notes: Blood Orange, Blackcurrant buds, White Peach and Lychee, combined with hot spices, Black Pepper from Madagascar and Pimento Berries, bring an olfactory “forbidden fruit” signature.The heart is a woodsy accord: Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, dressed by the femininity of the Rose of May and the more sensual femininity of the Jasmine Sambac from India. In the dry down, Cistus and Ambrarome were overdosed in a classic oriental accord: Tonka Bean, Benzoin, Vanilla, to bring out the animalic sensuality.
I’M OBSESSED.
Not to mention it comes in a fab metal clutch adorned with a golden serpent. And maybe it’s just me but whenever I wear it, everything I have on feels upgraded—my H&M all of a sudden becomes Chanel…lol.
I currently have my nose on Kilian’s Bamboo Harmony scent but I also need to spend some time trying out more from the various collections as I know there will be others for me to add to my stash.
Price and where to buy: $245 for 1.7 oz at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. $155 for 1 oz travel set at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. $145 for 1 oz refill at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks.
OK I realize this might be a bit pricy (although not the priciest of fragrances), but here’s where you can save a little: get 4.5% cash back at Saks Fifth Avenue and 4% cash back at Bergdorf Goodman plus HUNDREDS of other online retailers easily with eBates. You should NOT be shopping online without it.
