White Diamonds, an eau de toilette for women launched in 1991 by Elizabeth Taylor with Elizabeth Arden, is the work of Carlos Benaïm. Aldehydes, lily, neroli and citrus open onto a bouquet of tuberose, jasmine, rose, narcissus and ylang-ylang, set on sandalwood, oakmoss, patchouli, amber and musk. Its slender bottle wears a band of rhinestones beneath a golden cap.
Angela, writing for Now Smell This in 2011, expected a dated floral and found a soft, clean white floral chypre, which she finds easy to love without claiming to upend perfumery.
What critics say
Angela, Now Smell This, April 2011
Angela admits she expected harsh aldehydes and cheap white flowers. Instead she discovers a soft, clean white floral chypre, with a spring-like, soapy freshness, which she calls classic.
On her skin, round aldehydes lift a mix of sweet white flowers, with a clean musk that reminds her of a fancy guest soap; a hint of stale vase water keeps it from smelling like laundry. She barely notices the oakmoss and sandalwood listed.
She acknowledges that White Diamonds does not upend perfumery and has nothing daring about it, but finds it easy to love, clean and innocent while remaining a little old-fashioned, and links it to the resilient hope Elizabeth Taylor embodied.
Also composed by Carlos Benaïm
- My Way NectarArmani
- My Way IntenseArmani
- Pure PoisonChristian Dior
- My Way YlangArmani
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