Christian Dior

Poison Girl EDP by Christian Dior

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Moving right along with my review of the recent sample fragrances that I’ve received, I wanted to do another women’s perfume that was included in the lot, Poison Girl by Christian Dior. This scent was released in 2016. Now, I received about 4-5 Dior samples for women, so there will be more of them upcoming. However, today I am going to focus solely on this Poison flanker fragrance. How does it smell? What are the ingredients? Is it worth a buy?

What does Poison Girl by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: Damascus rose, tonka bean, bitter orange, vanilla, almond, sandalwood

Click here to try: Christian Dior Poison Girl Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Full Wear Review

The opening bit of time after spraying on Poison Girl feels quite familiar. To me, it is reminiscent of La Petite Robe Noire Couture, and even Black Opium to an extent. Now, this Christian Dior perfume is not a clone of either one of those scents, but there is a similar feeling and some overlap in the notes.

From the start, I get a rush of the Damascus rose, a blend of tonka bean/vanilla, and the citrus of the bitter orange hanging around.  It is a sweet gourmand aroma that has a definite creaminess to it (particularly in the latter stages).

It is a citrusy vanilla, rose, and tonka bean perfume; with some other floral undertones, but is quite sweet and creamy at the beginning. With that sweetness, you do get a slight powdery aroma from the rose, but it is nothing too intense. Poison Girl doesn’t go full-on baby powder mode.

After a few minutes, I begin to really notice the distinctive almond note, which I feel gives the perfume an enveloping nutty warmth. This is the note, which begins to set it apart from the aforementioned fragrances, and one which I always seem to be drawn to.

As it moves along, Poison Girl retains its sweet vibe with a much softer touch. It is a very smooth and enjoyable fragrance during the dry down period. There is also just a hint of floral notes within the composition of this Dior, which adds a nice layer of depth.

There is much less of the zesty citrus fruit scent and things feel much drier, with some sandalwood, and overall warmth to the composition.

The whole thing feels enveloping, but not heavy, just a smooth and comforting aroma. I ultimately get creamy vanilla/tonka bean combo and almond, with what’s left of the bitter orange, and a fairly light rose hanging around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is good. Poison Girl starts out with some strength but morphs into something softer, yet still quite noticeable while wearing. Fairly strong sillage at the front end, light to moderate, back end.

In terms of its longevity, this perfume really shines. It’s an all day wear, so you won’t have to worry about it quitting on you. It will go for 8-11 hours, depending on the day and climate. For the designer price, it actually does deliver a quality wear.

Poison Girl is also versatile. It is suitable for office or casual wear but does have a very pleasant and indeed sexy kind of scent to it. I continually found myself wanting another sniff and would love smelling this on a woman, that I was dating.

It has that appeal, but is also light enough to be used as a daily wear, during the autumn and winter months. This is a cold weather scent all the way to me, but it wouldn’t be bad in moderate temperatures.

In the heat? Poison Girl EDP is a pass. It will melt and start to take on a less than appealing aroma. So, if you live in a warmer climate, you won’t want to wear this…at least outside.

Overall Impressions of Poison Girl

Overall, do I think Poison Girl is worth a try? Yes. If you like sweet gourmand fragrances, this is another excellent choice. While there is a lot of similarities with the scent and some others out on the market, it does have just enough of its own style to set it apart.

If you’re not that into sweeter fragrances, this is one that could potentially get annoying. I never found it to be irritating, but it has that potential for some.

The highlights for me are the tonka bean and almond notes. I like the citrus and how that blends with those two, sort of a creamsicle-like experience. This is a very lovely fragrance, that is easy to wear and attractive, without being overwhelming.

Furthermore, it smells great and performs really well. Plenty of power and staying time on skin. Really no weaknesses with this Dior perfume. Mainstream and not completely unique? Sure. Poison Girl just works, however.

This is one that could be a signature scent for the right woman. Since writing this, I have also tried Poison Girl Unexpected, and like that one a bit more. Nonetheless, this is still a great option.

Dune by Christian Dior

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Dune is a fragrance which dates back to the Dior lineup of the 1990s. I have already covered the men’s version of this name, but I wanted to do a deeper dive into the ladies’ original, which is the better known of the two. How does Dune smell? When should it be worn? Is it still worth a try?

What does Dune by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, rosewood, sandalwood, bergamot, aldehydes, and more

Click here to try: Dune from Dior

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes this scent: A tribute to Christian Dior’s childhood home in Granville, Dior created the fragrance Dune. An oceanic fragrance, created in harmony with nature, this radiant, fresh and subtle accord captures the landscape where the sky meets the sea in a warm, oceanic floral bouquet. Enveloping, serene and sensual.

The opening of Dune is really great. The mandarin orange with some assistance from the bergamot note gives this Dior its citrus sweetness.

But, that is matched by dry woods and a spiced kick. Rosewood and sandalwood are two ingredients which really shine with this one.

The aldehydes here do create an atmosphere of a coastal landscape. Not necessarily marine, but a fresh and warm sort of breezy aroma. Tough to describe, but that’s what I get.

The citrus moves away pretty quickly. Before it does, Dune has a vanilla/orange impression for a short time. Then, it is vanilla, mossy, and floral. The floral notes kind of do just blend together as a white floral smell. The moss adds a layer to that dry freshness.

From there, this one becomes quite woody with balsamic notes, a more generic amber and a benzoin which gives it that medicinal fizziness. It’s warm, more fresh than its early spiciness, super dry but has a sweetness underneath that helps hold it all together.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t overly bold or something that’s going too leave a massive trail in your wake. The first few hours are above average, with a nice reaching projection. Especially while that citrus sticks around.

After that, it’s going to become a more intimate perfume. Not a total skin scent, in my experience, just one that is going to create a close yet not heavy envelopment.

On my skin, I get somewhere in the 7-7.5 hour range as far as its longevity. It’s about what I’d expect from this sort of EDT. It’s interesting that this is the concentration that’s stuck around for all of these years and the EDP and Extrait went by the wayside. I never got to try either of them.

Seasonally, Dune is kind of a year round wonder. I like it more when it’s at least a little warm out. But, trying it out in the cold, it felt like it was working well. Especially seems to bring out more of an amber influence.

This one can work in almost any situation, save maybe, nightlife and romantic wear. It’s fine casually and has enough style to get other uses out of it. Plus, it casts a wide net with its age range. Very wearable, for all, so long as you like the smell.

Overall Impressions of Dune

Overall, do I like Dune? Absolutely. That opening is simply awesome. A great blend of citrus, spice, and woods. Gives you a rather unique experience versus much of what you get on the market today.

The rest of the wear is dry, but changes from a more coastal breezy feel to a warmer and balsamic aroma. Nice use of aldehydes and I’ve always felt that this was like an inversion of Chanel No. 5. So many overlapping notes, heavy aldehydes, but the weightings are all different.

The performance is pretty moderate, but towards the upper end of that. It’s never been a powerhouse fragrance and the longevity is at least above average. You might even get a few more hours from Dune, than I do.

The real appeal is just how versatile this one can be. Not screaming out for attention, but the formula gives you different variations depending on the climate, and it doesn’t get blasted by heat or cold like many others can.

I’m a fan of Dune. I wish the men’s version had better performance, because it is also a nice change of pace cologne. This is worth trying out and can even become a favorite perfume for some.

J’adore L’absolu EDP by Christian Dior

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So, I have yet another ladies fragrance review from Christian Dior today. This is one that I forgot that I had a sample of and never got around to doing a write up about it, it’s name: J’adore L’absolu. Yes, the folks over at Dior really like to use the same names for their scents over and over again…gotta confuse the customers, right babe? Anyway, as usual, I have worn and gone over different aspects of this fragrance below so please continue on for my full take.

What does J’adore L’Absolu Smell Like?

Notes include: Damascus rose, rose de Mai, jasmine, tuberose

Click here to try: Christian Dior J’adore L’absolu By Christian Dior – Edp Spray 2.5 OZ

j'adore l'absolu review

My Full Wear Review

Dior fragrances can be a pain to keep track of, as the brand always seems to come out with different flankers, and variations of fragrances either under the same or very similar names.

J’adore L’absolu is one such perfume and there appears to be at least 2 variations of this scent, I believe I have the latest one and this will be the subject of this review. Here’s how the sample insert describes it:

An intense Eau de Parfum which blends absolutes of Damascus rose, rose de Mai, Jasmine Sambac, and Indian Tuberose to reveal the heart of each flower.

From that alone, you should be able to tell that J’adore L’absolu is a floral lovers dream. Now, I’ve already reviewed the original J’adore EDP, and when compared to this one they are quite different. The original is more complex and has the additional fruit notes, which set it apart.

L’absolu doesn’t have that aspect to it. It instead opens up with a beautiful and rich jasmine note with an undercurrent of the rose notes which will fully emerge later in the wear.

It smells elegant and classy, like a bright spring day at some French chateau. The jasmine lends a creaminess to the perfume and while clean, it doesn’t smell like soap to my nose.

I do like that it’s not just a complete shampoo or body wash smell, but it’s hard not to think of that comparison sometimes with these types of perfumes. Since the notes are so often used in those sorts of products.

As it dries down, the tuberose note and the rose begin to become more prominent. The rose notes never get too strong or feel as if they are going to overpower the composition.

Each note has its turn in the spotlight, before they all sort of meld together to create a bouquet effect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d say that the sillage of L’absolu is pretty average. It’s not a bomb but not weak either.

I’d say you get about an hour or two of a robust scent trail. Then, it’s going to stick within a few feet of the wearer. Not a super projector, while being solidly above average.

It’s got decent longevity but not amazing, somewhere in the 6-8 range is what it lasted on my skin. Very usable, close to a full workday. After a few tests, that’s what it seems capable of.

The performance on the whole, is better than the median average of perfumes. Just towards the upper end of the middle of the pack.

This is another spring/summer scent. It doesn’t strike me as sexy, but more refined and beautiful to be around. It can be worn casually or dressed up, as it has an air of sophistication about it.

With a scent like this, it’s going to be a versatile wear. Not one that is going to annoy or be an intimidating type of fragrance.

So, work or just as a daily wear. A nice springtime aroma, that can fit a lot of different moods or scenarios.

Overall Impressions of L’absolu

Overall, do I like J’adore l’absolu. Yes, at least somewhat. I don’t really enjoy smelling pure floral perfumes, which is what I liked about Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet, and it’s additional citrus notes.

However, the floral notes in here are extremely good, and don’t have any sense of being synthetic. It is a pretty straightforward scent, look at the notes, and if you like the way those flowers smell…then you’ll like this perfume.

This does bare some resemblance to Gabrielle Essence by Chanel, but the blend is for sure different. The notes don’t have the same weighting.

If you’re not someone who likes to wear flowery perfumes, then stay away from this one. The jasmine is probably the highlight for me.

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet vs. Absolutely Blooming

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For this edition of the head to head fragrance match ups, I am going to turn my attention once again to some women’s perfumes. The two entries today are both from Christian Dior’s Miss Dior line of scents: Absolutely Blooming vs. Blooming Bouquet. Which one of these flanker fragrances, smells the best? Has the better performance? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape

Blooming Bouquet

Notes include: Calabrian bergamot, peony, Damsacus rose, musk, and more

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Blooming Bouquet Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

Read my review: Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet

Absolutely Blooming

Notes include: rose, peony, musk, pink pepper, black currant, and red berries

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming

Opening

Absolutely Blooming starts out with a blend of pomegranate, raspberry, and white musk. It has a juicy delectable sweetness, a cheerful disposition, with a hint of musk. It is pretty powerful from the start.

The peony will be the strongest floral to first emerge from the mix. Then, the rose note will come on stronger, later in the wear.

Meanwhile, Blooming Bouquet, starts with citrus bergamot and a floral accord headed by peony. This Dior is actually quite beautiful and the bergamot is such an interesting note when contrasted with peony and some rose.

The peony is also stronger at first in Blooming. Rose never fully takes over, but it has some balance later.

Which is better? I really do think Blooming is great. However, Absolutely Blooming, is a step ahead with the strong fruity notes that smell fantastic from the start. It’s not way better, but enough to get the nod.

Edge: Absolutely 

Projection

Absolutely Blooming is a strong fragrance, as I wrote above. It starts off with a bang, tones down as it moves along, but is strong throughout the wear. Great sillage.

Blooming Bouquet is a much softer scent. It isn’t weak but is just a soft and airy style. Never has the same power as Absolutely.

Absolutely just radiates off of the skin more, can leave a scent trail, and let’s its presence be known much more than Blooming.

Edge: Absolutely

Longevity

Blooming Bouquet, while a light perfume, does last for a fairly long time. I got 7 hours of wear out of it, on my skin.

While that’s nice, Absolutely Blooming is one that can go for over 10 hours with that strong sillage.

For me during testing, it wasn’t even a close contest between how long each of these lasts on skin.

Edge: Absolutely

Versatility

Both of these scents share a lot of commonalities, in when they are appropriate to wear. They both have a spring/summer vibe. Both are good for work or casual situations. Both are very attractive.

However, Absolutely Blooming is sexier, and has better ability to double as a nightlife fragrance. Blooming Bouquet is very pretty and delicious, but it isn’t really a sexy kind of perfume.

Edge: Absolutely

Overall Scent

Yes, it’s a clean sweep for Absolutely Blooming, but I don’t want people to get the idea that Bouquet is a bad scent. It’s actually very good, just not when compared, to its counterpart.

It is very fresh with that bergamot/floral opening before transitioning with the help of a light musk note.

Then, it becomes more floral, when the bergamot fades. What you’re left with is peony and rose and a lovely fragrance overall. It’s the third best Miss Dior.

Absolutely Blooming is just a great fragrance and my favorite from this line of perfumes. It is simple and similar to Bouquet, with the rose and peony. However, it also has a surprisingly well done black currant, that isn’t too sharp or sour.

Plus, it keeps the fruit juiciness throughout, even when the floral notes grow in strength. It’s just better across the board.

Winner: Absolutely Blooming

Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming by Dior

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So, today, we have another entry from Christian Dior and the Miss Dior lineup: Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming. This flanker was released in 2016 and instantly became a popular name in the fragrance game. Does it actually live up to its popularity? How does it smell? What are the ingredients? Does Absolutely Blooming perform well? Please continue below for my full wear take and review.

What does Absolutely Blooming Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, peony, musk, pink pepper, black currant, and red berries

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get started on the review, let’s see what Dior says about Absolutely Blooming: Delectable red berry notes embroidered on a fresh peony accord and exalted by a profusion of rose petals from Grasse. The intensity of a delicious floral.

The opening of Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming starts off with raspberry and pomegranate notes, to go along with the white musk. It’s sweet and bright with a slightly musky undertone. The berry notes smell quite juicy and delicious and the sillage from the start is strong.

After 5-10 minutes, the floral notes really start to emerge, with the peony being the most noticeable early and then the rose coming up more later on in the wear.

Beyond that, there is also a black currant note that is quite sharp/sour, and adds to the fruitiness but takes it in a different direction.

Black currant can be kind of hit or miss for me, but I don’t mind it within this particular composition. There is some overlap between this Dior perfume and Si by Armani. Here, the sharpness of the fruit is tempered somewhat by the rose and peony, and isn’t allowed to run wild.

Finally, what I ultimately get from this perfume, is a feminine and fresh blend of rose, some peony, light musk, and a jockeying between the fruit notes. It’s got a juicy aroma throughout much of it but feels much more floral the closer my nose gets to the skin.

The fruitiness towards the end is more of an impression of sweetness, rather than the distinct juiciness or tartness of any of the individual notes in the mix. Absolutely Blooming goes from more of a fruity/floral to a floral with some fruit.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Absolutely Blooming actually has pretty darn strong sillage. Now, it tones down somewhat as time goes on, but at first it’s a strong fragrance. No performance problems with this one.

This can leave a nice scent trail, as you exit a room. Plus, the projection can be in the 5-7 foot range, off of the skin. Not a complete monster that will overwhelm, but I found the performance to be great on me.

Also, it lasts all day, and can hit double digit in the number of hours it will stay on one’s skin. For what you can often get with these sorts of fragrances, that is a fantastic level of performance. Not the elite of the elite, but one notch below.

I’m not sure of the exact total number of hours, but I’d say it’s probably 11-12, in my experience. It just works extremely well.

Seasonally, this is for the warmer months, of the year. Probably more spring than summer. However, I don’t think it’s bad here in winter time, it just feels a bit out of place. Anywhere from a mild climate to hot days, would be appropriate.

If this does happen to come across as sharper on your skin, the cold and crisp air of winter might make it more of a problem. But, the whole vibe of the fragrance feels better suited to the sun-drenched days of spring into summer.

This is fine for casual wear, work (just go easy), a night out, or romantic wear. It is very attractive and probably a bit sexier than the other Miss Dior offerings, at least in my mind.

Less of the pure floral mix or soapiness that those can tend to have. Maybe not the most overtly sexual or beastly perfume, but there’s just something attractive about it.

Absolutely Blooming does have a very versatile use case and can easily become a daily wear fragrance, for those that enjoy it.

Overall Impressions of Absolutely Blooming 

Overall, do I like Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming? Yes, I do. It is a great fruity floral mix with juicy berries and is grounded by a nice mix of rose and peony. It is playful, upbeat, and beautiful.

This perfume gives great performance and has a unique aroma while being familiar to the Miss Dior line of scents. I really have no complaints about this one and it conjures up positive feelings when I smell it.

Some, may not like the fruit notes here, but for most it seems to be a perfect blend. It simply does everything well, without any real glaring flaws about it.

If you want a stronger balance of floral notes, you should probably consider another scent. Otherwise, this is a great one and one of the top Dior releases.