It’s probably the worst-kept secret that Rihanna smells incredible. I’ve not been lucky enough to catch a whiff or her IRL (trust me, I’m hoping), but many articles have been written about how her celebrity peers say she always smells amazing. It’s well-known that there are fragrances that celebrities wear and love—and are not paid to wear them, FYI. Rihanna has her own fragrance now, Fenty, but a while back, an Instagram post confirmed that Rihanna wears Kilian Love, Don’t Be Shy, and we’ve all been a bit obsessed with the sweet vanilla scent since, which is all marshmallow, neroli and orange blossom—an intoxicatingly sweet perfume but alluring in equal parts. While it is a strong fragrance and not one for the shy, retiring types (or a fragrance for migraine sufferers), I can envision that Rihanna would wear this fragrance and command a room, and not the other way around.
Rihanna is a fan of Kilian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy fragrance.
So when I heard that Kilian was launching a brand-new fragrance, I knew I had to try it. Kilian’s latest perfume, Can’t Stop Loving You, falls into the brand’s Narcotics collection—the same in which Rihanna’s favourite scent belongs, which has a range of sweet, gourmand scents. Sickly sweet scents aren’t my usual choice (I’m more of a woody and musk kind of gal), but if Rihanna gives it her approval, I’m keen to try it. So when the post sample arrived on my doorstep, I practically tore open the box to try it. Below is my honest review of Kilian’s Can’t Stop Loving You perfume.
Let’s get into the fragrance notes. The all-singing, all-dancing star of the show in this scent is orange blossom. It’s a sweet and floral smell yet powdery and clean. If you’ve smelt Rihanna’s favourite, Love, Don’t Be Shy, you’ll recognise the scent, as it’s all the main note in that perfume. In comparison, this one isn’t near as sweet. If Love, Don’t Be Shy is the sugar rush of an entire bag of marshmallows, Can’t Stop Loving You is an orange blossom macaron. The addition of paradisone, a synthetic perfume compound that smells like jasmine, makes this a creamy, white floral scent with long-lasting staying power. I sprayed it on in the morning, and hours later, it’s still prominent on my wrists and even in the room I sprayed it in. It’s a pretty floral, but the addition of vanilla and honey makes this a real gourmand scent that’s good enough to eat. All of these notes might lead you to believe it’s all flowers and sugar, but earthy oak moss brings it down a notch, and a touch of incense makes it mysterious. Labdanum cistus, a sticky resin, brings an amber-like warmth that tempers everything down. “It is an ingredient that, worn on skin, has nothing comparable; it is sensuality in its purest state,” explains founder Kilian Hennessy. As this is such a potent scent, you really won’t need to use much at all, so a bottle will last you a long time. It’s one of those perfumes that you can smell on yourself even after the initial spray. After around seven hours of wear, the lingering scent is powdery and clean, but I could still smell it prominently on my clothing. The floral scent makes it an ideal perfume for springtime, but it definitely has a seductive edge with the vanilla and honey notes, so I’d definitely choose this as my scent of choice for evenings out when I want to make a statement.
If you want to try Kilian’s most-adored scents, this discovery set is the way to go. It includes Love, Don’t Be Shy; Moonlight in Heaven; Good Girl Gone Bad; Straight to Heaven and Black Phantom.
Key notes: Marshmallow, orange blossom, neroli, sambac jasmine, rose, iris, vanilla, musk. If you want to smell like RiRi, then Love, Don’t Be Shy is the fragrance to buy. Kilian’s fragrances are refillable.
If you can’t decide between the range, this discovery set has eight of Kilian’s iconic scents in a 7.5ml vials, plus a chic atomiser case to alternate them in your handbag.
Key notes: Musk, almond milk, iris, ambrette. This was love at first smell and might be my favourite Kilian scent. It’s milky, musky and alluring.
Key notes: bergamot, bigarade, neroli, white tea leaves, mimosa, fig leaves, green moss. Part of the Fresh collection, this perfume is like a cool breeze on a summer’s day—this one is a real crowd-pleasing fresh perfume.
Key notes: Turkish coffee, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg. Intoxicated falls into the Cellars range, which is inspired by woody scents and tipples like whisky. This coffee-inspired scent is one for those who love a heady and spicy fragrance.
Key notes: Orange blossom, osmanthus, tuberose, rose absolute, jasmine, narcissus . Kilian’s website details this as “a luscious floral whirlwind in the garden of good and evil,” and I couldn’t say it better myself. It’s a luminous floral that also has a seductive alter ego. It’s so addictive I’ve not been able to stop smelling it.
Key notes: Rum, coffee, vetiver, cyanide, sugar cane, sandalwood. The only word I can use to describe this scent is hypnotic. It’s dark, mysterious and warm and bound to get you noticed.
Key notes: Mango, sambac jasmine, grapefruit, roasted tonka bean, coconut milk, vetiver. This is a holiday bottled. It’s fruity yet creamy and reminds me of sipping cocktails beachside.
Key notes: Patchouli, nutmeg, cedarwood, rum, vanilla, dried fruit. Patchouli fans, this is *the* one is for you. Both woody and earthy, it’s given a boozy shot of rum with the sweetness of vanilla.
Key notes: Cognac, hazelnut, oak wood, tonka bean, cinnamon, vanilla, praline, sandalwood. With a nod to the founder’s eighth-generation inheritance of Hennessy, this perfume is all about the cognac and encased in a beautiful art-deco bottle that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end bar.
