By Kilian Love Don't be Shy

By Kilian Love Don't be Shy is a part of the original Collection L'oeuvre Noire (Black Masterpiece). It is an oriental launched in 2007, created by Calice Becker.  This is rumored to be Rihanna's secret perfume.  This fragrance is pretty polarizing - it is a sweet, sticky mess on some and pure heaven on others.  Where you will fall?  Eh, who knows?  I weirdly kind of love it, even when I started off hating it.  It takes no middle ground.

Notes are neroli, bergamot, pink pepper, coriander, iris, jasmine, rose, honeysuckle, orange blossom, musk, vanilla, civet, caramel, sugar and labdanum

Kilian Hennessy launched By Kilian in 2007.  Yup, the Cognac Hennessy, grandson to the founder of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Group, he followed his interest in scent, writing his thesis on the semantics of odors.  After spending time with leading perfumers, he launched By Kilian with the Collection L'oeuvre Noire (Black Masterpiece) series.  There are now 10 fragrances in that series.  The over-the-top marketing copy drew a lot of criticism in the early part of his launch, but the gorgeous packaging - black lacquer boxes and black bottles - started to win us over, as did the artistry of the fragrances.  Collection Arabian Nights was launched in 2009, Asian Tales in 2012, and In the Garden of Good & Evil will launch fall 2012.

Reviews of By Kilian Love Don't be Shy

The Cut - "As for the scent: It is very strong, sweet, and fruity/beachy, sort of like Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil mixed with a piña colada. Only … warmer and smokier? Hot piña colada soup cooked over an open fire? Or what I would smell like if I spilled a piña colada all over myself and then lay in the sun with a cigarette? Which, when you think about it, sounds kind of Rihanna-esque."

From Perfume Posse - "Love as I remember it is loud and soft, unapologetic, and an absolute sillage monster – you announce your presence simply by walking into a room wearing it."

Olfactoria's Travels - "Love is interesting, because it smells at once so girly, pink and innocent, but on the other hand there is more to it than meets the nose, at first impression. It reveals its depth only after some time, this third dimension makes Love irresistible to me. It is hard to describe, but I get the feeling that Love, despite being overtly happy, easy going and piiiiiiink, has also a more complicated side, a darker side, some tears behind the smiling sweet facade."

More information and By Kilian reviews can be found at:

 Perfume Posse     Perfume Smellin' Things