Valentino Donna Noir Absolu Valentino for women

Powerful, enigmatic, and seductive. She's the femme fatale.

So when I first got this, (eBay) I got this gross stale cigarette smell. I thought the seller was a smoker, so all I smelled was that mixed with leather...yuck.

Then I let it sit in my smoke free house in the box for a couple of weeks. Gave it a shake and tried again. YES. Its so complex and weird. It's a total beast, and like everyone has said, unisex AF. Badass femme, or mature masc with a cozy twist. You decide! This...man wtf is Valentino doing? That VV bs but they were radio silent on THIS? Perfect duo with Moschino's Toy Boy, my fav "male" unisex atm.

Avoid if you're a smoker, it will make you smell like a moldy ashtray

This is a stern but sexy scent. It has a very dense leather/plum/sandalwood combo. I also get something smoky after the black pepper dissipates, something like incense and myrrh (although not mentioned in the pyramid notes) the boozy note is not too strong on my skin, and the rose is barely there if any at all.
It's not something I would wear often, I am more inclined to wear sweet floral scents. By the way this is 100% unisex.

This is my absolute favorite right now. I wanted to try this when I saw a review LAST summer but it was impossible to find. Well praise google for spying on my search history enough for this to pop up in my results because I was finally able to get a bottle of this and it’s amazing! I’ve tried Donna Born in Roma and this is nothing like it (thank god). This is smooth, dark, a little sweet and blended to perfection. There are still a couple bottles floating around out there so I was lucky enough to get a backup bottle. I may even snag a third. I never want to run out of this. It’s chef’s kiss

I saw this online several years ago and I never picked it up because some people said it smelled too masculine, so four years later I saw it on eBay for a great price, 3.4 ounce bottle new, so I bought it. All I have to say is this fragrance is magical, sweet, sexy, mysterious, the notes are blended together so well, wow it’s amazing, excellent longevity and silage as well. the scent is a 10 out of 10. I’m looking for a back up bottle now. If you can get your hands on this don’t snooze on it, the scent is incredible.

My sweet baby I am glad I found this when I did so I could scoop up a backup bottle, it is perfection for my current scent taste.
All the notes are combined perfectly, with this being a sweet liquor plum, the pepper and leather close behind. I don't get much rose from this. And it, in my opinion, is not animalic at all thank god haha. It is just perfect and I am going to be sad if the discontinued rumor is true.
I would *almost* say this is similar to DUA's Plum Cigarillo, however that one is way more sweet. Smells literally nothing like any flanker of Black Orchid whatsoever to my nose.
Just beware of overspraying!

I discovered this perfume on vacation. We were stopped in Italy on one of those Mediterranean cruises. After doing the usual sightseeing, we were browsing stores, one of which was a two-level Valentino store. Ignoring the spiky heels, which matched the motif of this bottle, I tried on both Noir Absolu and either the original Donna or Born in Roma; One on each arm. As we left the store, I forgot which arm had which on it, the black or the pink bottle. I was completely overtaken by one of the scents. It was deep, complex, warm and sweet. I couldn't identify what I was smelling, but I wanted to know which bottle it was, so that in the future, I might recover it. After trying samples of both the Uomo and Donna lines, I finally found the scent that I fell in love with that day. In hindsight, it was the leather, plum and booze that had me intoxicated.

Donna Noir Absolu is a perfect fragrance for the late afternoon; when the day cools down, and the evening is still ahead of you. She is casual, playful, sweet, and a bit of trouble (wink).

My bottle has stickers on the bottom, not etched glass, and the rectangle on the box, so it’s the L’Oréal version I think. For those who care about such things.

100% unisex. I love it.
It’s deep, rich, has a fresh spicy edge to it.
The dry down is sexy, soft yet sweet and rich and deep all at the same time.
Amazing projection, 3 sprays fills the room. And I never say that. And lasts all day.
Stunning.
Love.

In the same ball park as a lot of fragrances I own, but definitely unique. From the ‘reminds me of’ section I have the following:
Initio Side Effect - I’d say this is one of the most similar smelling from what I own, but it’s not the same, Donna Noir is less fruity, and doesn’t have that touch of rubber smell. The dry down of DN is smoother and sweeter.
TF Black Orchid - Donna Noir is not as floral and nowhere near as sweet or tangy. Not even in the same ball park.
TF Velvet Orchid - Donna Noir is nowhere near as sweet or floral, like to even compare them is crazy.
(DN is closer to TF Vanille Fatale than to both of those listed above, there’s something vaguely similar in the drydown, although DN has less vanilla and has a sweeter dry down so it’s still not the same).
Penhaligons bewitching jasmine - weirdly, at first they do give the same vibe on my skin, which I wasn’t expecting at all. I don’t know how when the only note they share is leather, but yes, I’d say this is actually the closest before the mid dry down. DN is smoother and a bit less spicy as it’s missing that lovely cardamom note, and it is lacking the incense too. And DN is less floral in the drydown (the jasmine comes out in the dry down of bewitching jasmine, which totally sets it apart).

I think it has been discontinued as I couldn’t find it for sale anywhere in the UK online. So if you find it I’d grab one as it’s great, and a bargain when the closest comparisons are from niche houses.

I'm a men and I've purchased this one today from Debenhams 74£/100ml, for all the guys out there this is wearable on men as f..!! Is so unisex that ladies will never recognise a men can wear it :)
This juice is good people, I love it !! I just cannot wait to go work and make all my female co-workers jealous ha ha ha !!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️J'adore ce parfum, certainement le plus luxueux de la gamme.

This scent makes you feel sexy, mysterious, and seductive. The blend of liquor, sandalwood & leather smell intoxicating in winter weather where the notes are amplified with superior projection... Sadden to see this gem is discontinued and becoming extremely hard to find without a ridiculous price tag.

Definitely unisex. I found bottle of 100ml for £74 so today will go for a second try.
The first impression was that this fragrance is a bad boy/girl fragrance. It has some depth and it last long.

This is just beautifully dark and sexy. It’s the perfect mistress with cherry lips and perfect cheekbones, just irresistible 🖤 Does have similarities to TF Black Orchid but it’s better in a more sensual way. Many say it’s been discontinued but it’s still available on Valentino’s UK website in 100 ml at the moment, I just purchased a bottle and I’m as excited as a child on Xmas morning to open the parcel when arrives.

I have this and Uomo Absolut. Curiously, this one is more masculine on my skin than Uomo. It reminds me more of the original Uomo with less "lipstick". It did not detect the rose and the leather note is very very soft. -15 minutes I would swear an oud note is there. Overall it is a very pretty fragrance, totally unisex for me.

Such a beautiful perfume 😍 . Reminds me of a lighter version of side effect but with an added leather note. The leather here doesn't smell damp or harsh. More like a gently worn jacket. This for some reason reminds me of international airport lounges.

This is a gorgeous dark perfume which is perfect for Australian winters. I blind bought it for a song, and was worried about all the comments about pepper. However to me, I didn’t feel the pepper as harsh. I am very used to deep ouds and woods, so perhaps that’s why. Instead what I got was a fantastic coffee liqueur and rose combo. I know coffee isn’t listed but I think I must interpret the plum as coffee. The leather is not a strong leather sofa smell, although it is there. It is more like a Smokey warmth that pervades the whole construction. Overall it is quite sweet, but not overbearing, and the noir notes (coffee/plum, deep rose and leather) offset the sweetness to make a mellow and rich aroma that embraces. This is a harmonious blend with no dominating notes to ruffle the smooth and sultry polish.

YUM! Like a dummy I almost sold this one before testing it on skin. On testing strips and clothes it's ultra unisex and smelled so peppery it reminded me of incense, but once I tested on skin the peppery notes died down pretty fast and I'm left with this slightly sweet, leathery plum liquor. Divine!! It's narcotic indeed. Like one of the other reviewers said, this smells witchy, like a room with a witch making a potion in a cauldron. This will be a knockout come wintertime.

In a way, this reminds me of Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Black Perfecto because they fall in that 'black clothes/leather jacket' perfume category. Guerlain LPRN BP has that intense cherry smell with almost choking incense/smoke, whereas this is far more refined. I still love both.

Also, I think it is rumor only that this is discontinued. It is still on the website, albeit with some different notes - jasmine and vanilla. I emailed and asked if it was reformulated and they said no. I don't think they are getting rid of it!

I love it.
Dontthink its for blind buying unless youre familiar with less mainstream notes, i would not have likes this 10 years ago.

I didnt pick leather, i thought suede, the leather is not dry and masculine. The plum is kinda dusky but not powdery, not mega fruity, the booze... is not quite straight spirits, maybe more like a port yet not wine-like.. perhaps bourbon territory?
The woods are not woody-dry or fresh, they are warm and perhaps a little ambery??
I totally dig this. I wanted to say maybe oud was in it when i first sprayed, oud and i are not easy company but with certain formulations we get on.
I likebmost of the donna line, and most valentinos, not so much donna aqua...

Thumbs up. Nice sillage, decent longev.

Gorgeous! Amazing! Why did Valentino discontinue this?! It may even be better than the original Donna, which is one of my favorite perfumes of all time. It definitely leans feminine, but it really could be worn by anyone. And I think it would be fabulous in the colder months and at night, but I’m currently wearing it in extremely warm weather and it’s still beautiful.

This is what elegance must be smelling like. I love it alot.
Starts sexy and it gets sexier. Kinda breathtaking
Definetly unisex.
Not for any woman at all, it is for a special woman that doesn't smell like any one or any other perfume.
More of a night perfume
10/10

If I want to summon the witch inside me, I spray this scent on the points of the pulse. Then the magic sparkles in the air and it's so saturated that it becomes visible and I can paint with it.There are no limits for what I can or I can't do... I feel the rhythm of energy and the unpredictability of a dance that begins with a fiery passion and ends with a crushing tenderness.

the valentino noir line is discontinued now I emailed them and they confirmed this,but I have this and the mens version and really like both sents,when I wear this it pulls compliments from men and women, if you can grab a bottle would defo recommend having this in your collection before it dissappear of shelfs completely like valentino uomo noir absolu

Since I got it I think I wore it enough times to come up with a “verdict”. It is officially my “Bad Ass” perfume. I only feel comfortable wearing it when I wear darker (grey and black) clothes, leather, my Harley Davidson boots, some accessories with the same “vibe”. It stays forever on my clothes and hair. I love love love this fragrance and I wish I could wear it more often, but in my opinion it’s just a bit too much for every day wear.

This one is right up my alley! This is beautiful sweet jammy fruity rose, peppery with loads of wood and incense in the dry down! Maybe the leather is what makes the opening so smooth. Boozy, spicy and fruity! Love it! My next buy!

DAMN this is good! Another one I would find intoxicating on a man. It's Arabian Nights in my imagination. I don't get the alcohol note, and the cherry is just there, like an after-trail, not heavy or oddly sweet. And although oud is not listed, you can smell it. I think it's gorgeous! I wish I could wear it, but like I've experienced with others of these types of fragrances, I feel like I smell like a man with it on - a bad thing when there's no man to reach for at the time! 😊 ❤️ Powerful sillage, decent longevity with just two sprays, about 3 hrs? Imagine it's much better with more applied. Good job, Valentino!

I ordered the for men version.....but I received this instead !!! Decided I would keep it.

My first thought was...."meh"....a typical run of the mill scent...like many others out there...???

Put it on the "back shelf".

Today I was organizing my collection,and I decided to test it out again.

As of this moment...I am being "Wowed" by this one !!!
I do get a TF Black Orchid EDT vibe....(NOT a clone)
This is more calm than BO.And has more fruity/smokey floral/light woods.
Sillage and projection are pretty good so far.
Reviews say the "homme" version and this are "similar"
????
Just goes to show ya, check out some of those "back shelf" bottles in your collection!! You may find a GEM.

Not peppery on me per se, but, I couldbe swayed I'm smelling pepper in the first blast, I thought more tobacco but again could be something else.

Leathery for sure, plus vanilla or tonka - rich rounded sweetness, the fruit element has what's in the orig donna, kinda deep cooked fruit patchouli ... but I'm not sure about detecting patch here..

The rose lends a velvetyness, this is not a fruity led scent, its warm, velvety, leather backdrop, a light liquir without a strong sweetness.

Unexpectedly, this is a warmer-weather choice. It took me a month to realize that. Melted on a warm skin becomes gorgeously lickerish, delicious, and pleasantly sweet, but otherwise, you may get the slightly medicinal undertone that will certainly ruin the whole experience. That unstable note is kinda a mixture of ambrette and oud/leather accord gone wrong (or it is just a subjective feeling). Luckily, it gets completely transformed when the temperature is right. So do not despair, as I did, nothing is lost, just keep experimenting...

It is an opulent perfume, with personality, strong and with extremely good longevity. IMHO is completely unisex, slightly masculine with hints of leather, liquor and a little sweetness. It lasts from morning till evening, and on clothes until you wash them. I knew that I must have it from the moment I tested it and finally it is part of my collection. Certainly for the cold season, in the hot season it can be quite suffocating. 2 sprays are more than enough.

I think this fragrance smells like the bottle looks, at least in the opening; it has a prickly, almost agressive femininity to it that I personally don't feel at home in. I don't dislike it: it's still a rose fragrance at heart, which I almost always appreciate, and I love the plum liquor/leather combination in the drydown, when it's mellow and rich and powdery, just really luxurious and nice. But the opening is something else: the pepper note is dominant there, and it's borderline chemical-smelling to my nose. On top of that, the leather note is also rather sharp in this phase, and the liquor note is a little overwhelming. I feel disqualified from saying whether it's a good or bad scent at this point, because it's so far from my own thing, however much I like the later development.
All in all it was interesting to test this, and I'm glad I got a sample, but I'll move on from it without regrets.

A sweet fruity/floral fragrance with a rich depth due to leather.

Very likable.

I can't really identify the notes here other than the plum, rose, & little leather. I smell red fruit sweetness here as well. Red apple? Cranberry? Strawberry? Red currant? I can't really tell.

This for the gourmand & sweet fragrances lovers.

Big "Like"

think any leather lover would like this. Now, I totally get the Black Orchid references as that was my first thought too. Nonetheless, I believe Black Orchid is harsher and smells more synthetic than Noir Absolue. This does not mean that Noir Absolu does not establish it's presence. It is loud in an assertive and not in an agressive way (at least in my book :) ).

Well balanced and composed, niche quality. Lasts for 5+ hours. Think it's unisex, not because its not feminine enough but because it's definitely not a pink girly sugarbomb associated as feminine these days.

Who would wear this? Anybody who is a human and does not define themselves by gender roles. This frag is confident and kind at the same time.

pepper pepper leather pepper pepper booze pepper pepper plum pepper pepper incense pepper pepper dark rose

Then repeat.

For several hours.

Amazing performance but you gotta love pepper. This is perfectly unisex. I liked the drydown better than the opening but this is not a scent I would wear.

The first time I wore this, I stopped by the DMV & while in line, so many strangers that were around me kept saying “ooh someone smells good” including men & women. So, safe to say it’s a crowd pleaser & attention grabber. So if you don’t like being noticed, steer away from this because you will get noticed.

Leathery. Boozy. Luxurious.

These are the three words that would best describe this fragrance, in my opinion. It opens with black pepper, which, on my skin seems to smell like burnt coal. Not pleasant at all, but then five minutes later I get a whiff something sweet, deep and rich. Must be the plum liquor. I like this phase the most. It's mysterious and alluring. Then as it dries down, the sweetness subsides and this fragrance is reduced to a leather and wood scent.

I think it's rather unisex, especially in the dry down. My husband came home shortly after I sprayed this on and asked "Did you put a man's perfume on or something?" and wrinkled his nose. He was not into it, needless to say. I also think it is too masculine for my liking. But though it's not my kind of scent I can still appreciate it for what it is. It's very well made and classy but not a scent that I'd wear. Luckily I didn't spend money on this as I was given a tester along with my other purchases from my usual site.

just got my bottle today and woow it's Amazing beautiful scent and I don't think it's masculine at all it's very feminine
حلوة اوى اوى وفعلا مميزة جدا ومحستش ابدا انها رجالى بالعكس تماما

I actually prefer this over the mens version. But like E from simply put scents said the two layered make a super scent. The plum of Donna plays well with the incense and sandalwood of the mens version. Longevity is amazing. 10 hours in at the moment and it is a strong skin scent. Valentino continues to kill it.

Oh man, this is good. Totally worth a blind buy for my tastes. And that great price. ($60 tester bottle from Fragrancenet)

This is sweet. I was afraid it may go into dark-masculine-spicy-peppery territory which can be love/hate for me. (I bought the mens regular Uomo for myself, but couldn't wear it- gave it to my man) Instead of pepper I get sugar! At first, it's very potent and smells like Black Opium EXCEPT with leather instead of coffee. I see no vanilla in this- but I get sweet smooth vanilla. Must be the sandalwood.
The plums are sugar coated to me. But otherwise, plum doesn't really stand out. But I know it's in the background.
Then it dries down (30-60 min) less sweet- a leather, patchouli (not a note), spicy, boozy smooth scent- that is still about 50% sweet- so this is a love for me. I also get chocolate-like vibes.
Absolutely addictive. Excellent sillage and potency! And longevity!

This is not as heavy at Black Orchid, thankfully. If Black Orchid is a 10 on the HEAVY-thick-syrup scale, Donna Noir is a 7-8. It's not as syrupy as BOrchid. I do think if you like one- you will like the other. Donna Noir has a powdery aspect that makes it lighter than BOrchid, and makes this very feminine.

I love animalic perfumes, and I find none of that here.

Update: I love this. I've been a bit obsessed. I DO get plum now, and because I'm so smitten with this-- I put 1 spray on each side of my pillow (I'm a side sleeper) and it has lasted for a week. This is so good.

I find this in the same category as L'Agent by Agent Prov. So if you like dark incense/spicy/boozy stuffs- you should be into Donna Noir.

There were 2 new versions:

Noir absolu musc essence and Noir absolu oud essence, both can be used stand-alone but are also perfect for layering.

I sooooo want this! I tested it in Sephora and i am hooked. Noir it is! I'm saving money to buy it because it's expensive in my country.

There is a new edition; (noir absolu musc essence) I dont know why it is not listed on the website!!
Noir absolu musc essence is totally the opposite of its sister, it is oriental, powdery, and definitely has Tonka Bean, perfect for layering; I find noir absolu a little bit harsh for me and makes me sneeze, I can’t stand it at all, whereas musc essence much better and they are quite different, I can’t point out to any similarities!

@perfume_infatuated
I totally agree with you
Today I tested this elegant perfume on a paper strip.I didn't know it's notes but I guessed there's slightly spicy,plummet rose in it and a deep,warm,almost dark,softly powdered base.now that I've checked up the notes,I can also recognize liquor and leather in the amazing scent that wafts from paper strip
This is so sophisticated and classy.smells so expensive and has definitely a significant character.it doesn't seem loud or much heavy on paper.seems to be one of those perfumes that leaves a tail behind you not a killer bomb.
I can see what other fragranticans mean by calling it unisex.I agree but I don't find it manly.I mean that it will probably do well on a man but at the same time,on a woman it won't seem like a perfume without feminine charm.I can't usually wear masculine or even most unisex perfumes but I'd love to wear valentino donna noir absolue.
I have valentino donna and love it.I can see a hint of similar gene between these two but all in all they're totally different and the only thing they share is powder and rose.donna is the younger,much more sweet,girly and pink sister while VDNA is an independent,elegant,self-confident seductive queen.
Right now I can't afford this amazing perfume,it's about 120$,but I add it to my wishlist

pepper, pepper, & leather!
bold & mysterious, can easily be unisex! A good option for somebody with a strong personality, independent, elegant, and doesn't want any sweetness at all!
"the pepper here makes me sneeze by the way. "
It has good longevity and sillage as well.

Reading the reviews, how it's borderline masculine.. could this possibly be modernized "Black Orchid" meaning is it a scent even though it's labeled for women just as TFBO is.. men would easily enjoy wearing it too?

This perfume can easily be unisex, the peper note is so strong, not sweet at all, not romantic, i think it's More masculine than feminine scent! it can be a right choise for a strong, powerful, independent, and sophisticated lady who doesnt want anything seewt or sugery, but leathery and spicy scent!
Longevity is really good btw.

This perfume smells (luxurious) for its leathery, woodsy, powdery, and spicy rose vibes, as well as (addictive) for its rich, warm, and gourmandish vanillia and plum liquor vibes.

This makes a great mysterious oriental, and at the same time, a sweet modern/ trendy/ contemporary perfume.

I consider it to be moderately dark, because it's not of the smoky type. Plus, there's nothing annoying in the animalic aspect of this perfume. I'm not sure if this blend contains saffron or not, may be a little bit, but I could be mistaken.

It smells typical for winter and special occasions, for elegant and confident women. This is not a girly perfume, yet it's absolutely feminine.

This has the same vibe as Valentino Uomo Intense, although they only share one note according to the database (leather). Donna Noir Absolu has the same beautiful luxurious feel to it. Sadly I'm not very good as defining and describing individual smells, but I can say that if there are any ladies out there, like me, who love VUI and want something just slightly less masculine, but not as sweet as the pink Donna, then DNA could be your bag.

(Love the fun acronym of DNA too haha).

*Found and tested at Brisbane City David Jones for any interested Aussies.

I bought it today i love its a bit masculine that i like and peppery.

already in love <3

wow...plum, liquor, leather and black pepper?? sounds amazing!

Look at those notes! I see a new trend of liquor notes coming which I think it's pretty cool and interesting to experience.

I think this is a must-try for me!

Gosh, this looks so beautiful! I love the original and Acqua, have to try it!

Puig has decided to ruin this brand completly..