212 VIP Black by Carolina Herrera

Smells rich at first, but after 15 minutes it’s gone. I think it’s olfactory fatigue because the trail lasts for hours, but for the price, it’s not worth it. Better to go for something from Esika or Avon.

I love the scent, but it doesn’t last on my skin at all. I wouldn’t buy it again, honestly.

Many say it doesn’t last, but I love it and it lasts a long time, even on clothes. I’m generous with sprays and use it all year round. Smells rich, different from other Carolina Herrera fragrances, and you’re sure not to be told you smell bad. I’ll go for another bottle.

Incredible for me. The simplicity of the aroma makes it usable all year round. Smells of alcohol, denotes presence and authority, like a father’s perfume that any young person can wear. It’s elegant, sweet, and penetrating. I haven’t heard anything similar. It’s a magnificent creation that takes you back to 2010, timeless and super versatile.

Smells like Phantom but spicier and less earthy. When it dries down, it leaves a musk with lavender. It’s okay, but sweet scents make me feel lazy.

My impressions are mixed, but I lean towards the negative. I bought it for its previous scent, with that absinthe and anise note I liked. The bottle is beautiful with its magnetic cap and the price isn’t bad (42€ for 50ml), but it’s not worth paying even 20€ for this: IT DOESN’T LAST AT ALL. Practically zero. I checked the statistics and reviews from YouTubers before buying, and nothing suggested this poor performance, which makes me think it’s probably the 2025 batch. It’s not a fake; I got it on offer at Primor, and it’s not anosmia either, as no one in my circle smells it. Recently I bought Aether by French Avenue which doesn’t last long… and this lasts even less. It lasts 1-2 hours on my skin even when I’m generous with 10-12 sprays. The projection barely does anything for the first 30 minutes at a short distance. The scent is the only redeeming factor. Notes: Scent 8, Longevity 3, Projection 4, Price 7. Total: 5.5 (my lowest score in Fragrantica).

A perfume to please, ideal for someone young who shines at night, but I also see it as perfect for daily wear in winter. It brings me memories: at first it smells like Ultra Male by JPG and upon drying it leans towards that clean base of blue perfumes. At the start, you feel the absinthe with anise and lavender. As it dries, it sweetens and the lavender rises. There I notice a clean base à la BDC with vanilla and lavender on top. Throughout the dry-down I notice a sweet pear, hence the memory of Ultra Male. It’s very well known and has been around for years, but now it’s not used as much. If you want something that pleases without overwhelming, it’s a good option with a good price. Scent: 7, Longevity: 8 (2021 batch), Versatility: 7.

Vanilla aroma, informal yet elegant.

Batch 05/23. The first time I smelled it I must admit I didn’t like it; if that’s the absinthe scent, I simply don’t like it, I think that’s where the phrase ‘clean sweat’ comes from. Fortunately, it evolves and becomes sweeter, I’d say vanilla; this stands out quite a bit, it’s a scent I hadn’t smelled before. It’s completely masculine, nothing unisex, it smells like a man and finesse. It’s for cold days and nights; I don’t recommend it in heat, although the opening might be bearable, as it develops it becomes a heavy fragrance and in the heat everyone will hate you. For parties it’s good for the same reason it stands out. If you plan to use it in the office, make sure there’s air conditioning. As for longevity, I don’t know if I got a good batch or my skin is grateful, but it easily lasts 8-10 hours; it lasts and projects quite a bit and you will attract attention for sure. I don’t recommend buying it blind because of the opening and that scent lingers forever, although to a lesser extent. Out of 1 to 10, I would give it an 8.

An excellent perfume for night use, especially cool nights. I see it more for informal parties in places like clubs. The scent is wonderful. You can perfectly feel the sweet and spicy aldehyde notes, before moving to a vanilla and slightly musky dry-down, without losing that ‘spicy’ presence of the spices entirely. It’s my second bottle; I had a batch from 2021 and my current one is from 2024, and honestly it remains extremely long-lasting, easily giving me 12 hours on skin, if not more. Probably it’s not a bomb that irradiates everywhere, but it definitely has a satisfying trail. To conclude, the price in my country is around 70 dollars, so it’s a good option for the quality.

This is a wonderful perfume for men between 20 and 30 years old, very Playboy, fun and charming, with great performance at parties or informal social events.

Dangueb, your comment is the most misinformed I’ve ever read; your collection cannot be considered tiny at all. 80 perfumes are nothing. Please comment again once you have more experience and over 140 perfumes to your name, rookie.

I think it’s an acceptable representative of the Invictus trend. It’s very similar to Magnat by Esika, which came out two years earlier and follows the same current, with the difference being that the latter is much cheaper. It’s a simple and youthful scent, more casual than formal.

Look where you are, a proper original black one. Although it has the typical DNA of these fragrances with the usual vanilla base, the absinthe note and the anise touch make it different. That said, the opening seemed a bit aggressive, with a hint of wilted flowers. But once it dries down, it leaves a very rich scent that seduces and at the same time awakens curiosity and even tenderness. I see it as quite youthful and nocturnal. The bottle is elegant, with a black glass upper part and a magnetic cap, easy to hold. Very well. Performance? The reference application I usually consult gives it medium projection and above-average longevity. But although it lasts, in the final drying phase it weakens, right up against the skin. Still, I will rate its purchase. Created by Carlos Benaim, a perfumer with several classics in his portfolio. Fine cinnamon.

To be honest, it’s my least favourite from the 212 VIP line; it smells like it has no place in the line, absolutely nothing special. Sincerely, the designer perfume industry is getting worse by the day, just like the people; what a disaster, and it’s a pity since I hold this brand in such high regard. The original is a beast, and the classic 212s were good and are good, but this flanker I only see on young lads and perhaps for dates if the girl isn’t particular about scents. It doesn’t smell bad, but it’s nothing special. At least you can get it cheap online; I wouldn’t pay more than twenty dollars for this; honestly… As for the scent, hmm, somewhat similar to the mentioned notes, though that mentioned alcoholic note I don’t perceive much, only very faintly. It projects normally and has a normal trail, smelling like a mall fragrance. Regards…