Christian Dior

Joy by Christian Dior

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Another sample that I found stashed away in a box recently, is this fragrance by Dior and the subject of today’s review, Joy. Joy has become a very popular scent since its release a few years back now. The ad campaign featured Jennifer Lawrence and was seemingly all over the place for a while. How does it smell, perform, when should it be worn, and is it worth a buy? Please continue below for my full take and review on this perfume.  

What does Joy by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, jasmine, peach, musk, orange, sandalwood, patchouli

Click here to try: Joy by Dior

Full Wear Review

Before we get into my thoughts about this scent, let’s see how Dior describes it: A fragrance like a whisper wrapped in the milky softness of sandalwood and the comforting brightness of white musks, blended with a sensual floral heart shining with rose and jasmine. Joy, finally captured in a scent faceted with a thousand enveloping nuances.

Joy opens with a blend of citrus fruits and peach, that seem as if they are dipped in powdered sugar and vanilla. Yes, there is a definite powdery quality to this Dior, but the early fruit notes keep it sweet and away from a baby powder sort of scent.

I enjoy that initial spray, as the perfume feels like it lives up to its name, being quite bright, upbeat, and joyous. However, the opening act is short-lived and this one begins to quickly move into its more floral stage. 

Once it transitions, my nose picks up a lot more jasmine than I do rose. I mean, the rose is there, but I get jasmine, musk, and powder more so…with a hint of patchouli. It’s very clean and pretty linear thereafter.

The only real notable change the rest of the way, is the light creaminess stemming from the sandalwood, blending with the jasmine and rose. This goes from that sweet powdered citrus opening to being mostly a floral scent.

Outside of that brief opening act, Joy seems to very much be a fragrance where you’re essentially going to get most of what to expect, and be able to tell if you like it or not.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Joy has a pretty moderate sillage, during that opening act, and then it is very light. Not undetectable, but not at all a fragrance that projects itself. That’s not a terrible thing, especially for a daily wear, but don’t expect something super bold.

This Dior will give you a small personal scent bubble, but isn’t going to ever blow out a room, unless you spill it all over.

The longevity also isn’t great. It will hang around for somewhere between 5-6.5 hours, before it’s gone from the skin. The performance is definitely one of the weak points for Joy. I do wish that it could at least hit the 8 hour mark, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

 

 

One of its strengths is its versatility. Joy can work well year round and isn’t super niche. This could absolutely be a daily wear for someone either at work, school, or casually. It is put together well enough for semi-formal to formal occasions, as well.

Not really sexy or a nightlife perfume, though. It’s just one that isn’t going to be bothersome to most people and won’t feel like it really stands out like a sore thumb, for the wrong occasion.

Overall Impressions of Dior Joy

Do I like Joy? I like it well enough. It’s not amazing, but not a bad fragrance by any means. I was kind of disappointed that the opening, didn’t stick around for a long time, as that is my favorite part.

The jasmine led dry down is attractive, balanced, but not incredible. I like the happy kind of emotions that this Dior provides and I never felt that it ever smelled bad or was subpar in any way. 

It’s not super original or anything that’s going be all that distinct, but it is a fairly solid perfume overall. The main drawback really is the performance.

Not much sillage, but doesn’t have an elite longevity, either. You might get a few more hours than I did, but it’s just not a powerful scent.

You’ve probably smelled a fragrance similar to Joy before. However, it is a safe bet that provides an above average aroma with daily wear versatility. Whether that is enough to bet on, depends solely on what kind of perfume you’re after. 

Joy is one that can be a daily wear or certainly find a way in one’s rotation. But, not an absolute must have.

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet by Dior

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I have a boatload of new samples to get through and write up reviews on. However, I’m still working my way through a box of older samples to post on the site, including today’s entry: Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet EDT. This is one of the many flanker perfumes that has branched off from the original Miss Dior lineup, but how does this scent fair? Continue below for my full wear take.

What does Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet Smell Like?

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

My Full Review

The opening of this fragrance struck me as absolutely lovely. I’m not a huge fan of florals, but I do like peony more than most, and especially how it blends with the Calabrian bergamot from the beginning. The citrus note just sits on top of the floral array creating a slightly juicy aroma. Here’s how the sample insert from Dior describes Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet:

A bouquet of delicate Peony and Rose notes honed by the freshness of Calabrian Bergamot and adorned with a lacework of White Musks. The caress of a fresh floral.

The freshness of the bergamot is quite accurate, I think that this note is wonderfully done within the composition. It’s a very feminine type of scent, utterly soft, and a floral without the ‘greeness’ of a lot of other perfumes within this category.

The musk note, which can often come across as spicy and heavy, is actually light and appropriately accompanies the peony and rose notes. It provides a solid base but doesn’t ever get loud or try to take over the aroma.

As it dries down, Blooming Bouquet becomes more floral than fruity, since the bergamot begins to fade somewhat. What is left is a bright and pretty scent, that is stylish without become overly girly or like an old lady floral.

The peony feels stronger towards middle to end of the wear. It ends up as a pretty and light fragrance with the brightness and citrus ingredients sitting underneath.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this Miss Dior is a light affair. I don’t think that it is weak, just softer and airy. It sticks around, in a more intimate scent bubble, and isn’t going to venture across the room outside of using a monster amount.

On my skin, the longevity wasn’t a problem, I could catch whiffs of it for up to 7 hours throughout the day. Good but not amazing, though, it would work just fine for most people’s purposes. I do wish that it had more, but it’s not a complete ripoff or anything.

This is a pretty versatile perfume. Blooming Bouquet is light enough to be worn at work or school. It an be worn casually or formally. It’s very attractive, more delicious, than sexy.

However, I found myself really attracted to this perfume and would love to smell it on a woman I was dating. It’s probably just not one for the night club scene, where louder fragrances seems to be all the rage.

Seasonally, Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet is for the warmer months of the year. It’s bright and has a springtime vibe to it. The emergence of flowers and the bit of juiciness of the citrus, just exudes an upbeat and elegant charm.

On the whole, I’d say it works in spring through early autumn. Winter, you may want to go with a scent with a heavier profile.

Overall Impression of Blooming Bouquet

Overall, do I recommend this fragrance? Yes. It is a very good all around perfume. It obviously smells great but has a subtlety, which allows it to be a solid everyday wear choice. Is it super unique?

Not really, but not every fragrance has to be some stand out, in that regard. This is a soft and beautiful floral that doesn’t get too green or overly musky. It’s simple and low key great within that simplicity. Well done, Dior.

The opening bergamot note is a highlight for me and the interplay with the rose and peony notes is great. The sillage is light, but it has pretty good longevity, as it can last for most of a work day. Blooming Bouquet would be a great pick up as a mostly everyday wear.

This is definitely one of the best Miss Dior releases and one that you can’t really go wrong with as an easy to reach for daily wear. Unless you really don’t like rose and peony, there’s not any real reason to avoid giving it a try.

J’adore EDP by Christian Dior

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I still have a handful of samples that I need to review and they’re all ladies’ perfumes. Two of them are Dior scents from the J’adore line and today, I am starting with the original eau de parfum. J’adore eau de parfum was released in 1999 and has enjoyed wild success ever since then. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think it is worth a buy.

What does J’adore EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, orchid, plum, rose, mandarin, musk, ylang-ylang, blackberry

Click here to try: Christian Dior J’Adore Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of J’adore is a very clean and refined blend of floral notes. Mostly, I pick up on jasmine, ylang-ylang, freesia, and orchid.  Rose is also apparently in there, but it isn’t a strong rose scent, to me at least.

The florals have a juicy/watery aroma to them, this isn’t a ‘dry’ smelling perfume. Nice green undertones. Lily and melon, give it that juicy almost aquatic sensibility.

J’adore has a light fruitiness to it. It is mostly a floral dominated composition, but the melon/plum/mandarin trio do come through. and add to the juiciness of the fragrance.

It is very bright and uplifting but with a sophisticated air to the aroma. Sharp and pretty. During the latter stages, pear and melon are the main fruit notes that remain, and really don’t have intense aromas associated with either.

Finally, I’m left with lots of jasmine, some light musk, fruits, and a bouquet effect of various floral notes coming together. To my nose, it becomes rather difficult to distinguish between each.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on J’adore is pretty good. It isn’t a loud fragrance, it’s actually quite soft. However, that doesn’t mean that it is weak, you’ll know that J’adore is still there.

I also got a full day of wear out of this one. 8+ hours of solid performance, so there won’t be any problems on that end. Coming back to J’adore and trying it out a few more times, has produced very similar results. Not a perfume that will disappoint with its longevity.

Seasonally, I guess I would say that it is more of a springtime smell. Though, it really wouldn’t feel out of place in any season. It’s pretty solid year round, but performs best in warmer weather. During the summer months, J’adore can handle the humidity without completely falling apart.

It’s a good choice for office or casual daytime wear. Fits an age range of 20s+, as it retains a mature sensibility without being too ‘grandma’. J’adore doesn’t particularly strike me as sexy, I’d say that it’s attractive and pleasant.

This is a daily wear scent, if you’re looking for something more specific, J’adore isn’t going to fit a mold. Clean, floral, with greenish hints throughout.

Overall Impression of J’adore

Overall, would I recommend J’adore? It pretty much is a classic perfume from Christian Dior at this point. I like it and find it to be a well put together floral. If floral fragrances aren’t your thing, you would probably do well by looking elsewhere.

J’adore isn’t flashy and might not be a go-to perfume for all occasions but it does just about everything, extremely well.

Poison Girl Unexpected by Christian Dior

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For today’s review, we have a 2018 release from Christian Dior, Poison Girl Unexpected. This is of course, a new flanker fragrance of the original Poison Girl. In this post, I am going to talk about what’s in it, what Unexpected smells like, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is even worth trying out.

What does Poison Girl Unexpected Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, salt, tonka bean, Damascus rose, lemon, blood orange, hazelnut, almond, vanilla, and cashmeran

Click here to try: Christian Dior POISON GIRL UNEXPECTED EDT Spray Sample Vial .03 oz / 1 ml Womens NEW

My Full Review

Before we get into my review let’s see how Dior describes it in the sample’s card: The sparkling freshness of ginger surprises in a game of hide-and-seek with a sensual Damascus Rose.

Unexpected opens up with the two citrus notes being prominent, blood orange and lemon. These create a bright and sunny disposition and are flanked by the ginger, vanilla, and tonka bean.

Now, I read on Dior’s website, that the perfume who created this wanted to go for a candied smell and it really shows. It’s very creamy, with a light lotion like quality from the jump, and the vanilla and citrus creating that candy vibe.

Also, adding to the effect is the ginger note that has been salted, and smells really damn good. I honestly found the opening extremely attractive and unique. I know that it shares some of the same structure as the original Poison Girl, but this one just has its own aroma that isn’t really like anything else I’ve come across. I like it a lot. Sweet and creamy, but not overly sugary.

As it moves along, Unexpected’s Damascus Rose note emerges more to be paired with the ginger. It’s a pinkish rose and not heavy at all, it’s done just right within the composition. The ginger adds an ever so light spice to Poison Girl Unexpected and really helps to set it apart from the other scents in this line.

Drying down, it becomes nuttier, with almond and hazelnut, which reminds me a bit of men’s fragrance 1 Million Lucky.  I get lots of ginger, the nuts, and rose note dipped in a orange creaminess of vanilla and tonka bean.

The two strongest ingredients in the dry down is the ginger and Damascus Rose, but everything is so well-blended that neither are overbearing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage isn’t too intense. I don’t think that it is as powerful as the original, but it isn’t weak. It will give you a decent perimeter of scent around you, though, not a total envelopment. Unexpected is just a lighter kind of perfume.

However, it actually has very good performance with its longevity. It was lasting 9-10 hours on my skin, with about the same consistent sillage. So, it’s going to last a full work day without issue. Definitely get your money’s worth here.

Seasonally, it could honestly work in all seasons, I’d think. The citrus notes prevent it from being too much of an overwhelmingly heavy gourmand. Also,  the ginger freshness could be fine in warmer weather. This isn’t a Poison Girl flanker that is relegated to just the wintertime.

Maybe stay away from wearing it in the most extreme heat conditions. I think Unexpected would be best in the cooler months, through the springtime.

Add to that, it has great wear versatility, as well. This could be a daily wear at office or at school. Yes, it can be worn by either teens or adults. Yet, it has plenty of attractive appeal to pull double duty and be a nightlife or date night perfume, too. It’s just not one that is going to dominate a room.

Overall Impressions of Poison Girl Unexpected

Overall, do I like this new Dior offering? Yes, I think it’s really great. It touches so many different aspects from sweet and spicy to warm and cool. It’s got a great citrus opening, fresh ginger, pinkish rose, and nutty undertones.

Seriously, I love the almond and hazelnut, with citrus, and ginger (another favorite of mind). Really delicious stuff and a rather unique gourmand perfume.

Unexpected should enjoy a pretty large appeal among the masses. It gives a solid performance and a delicious aroma throughout. It has it’s own unique qualities while remaining true to the Poison Girl lineage.

I don’t think that this got the respect that it deserves, upon release. Perhaps, too many folks wanted something much more like the original. Unexpected has elements of that, but does its own thing, and is still completely appealing.

Miss Dior (Cherie) EDP by Christian Dior

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I’ve already done a few review of the various Miss Dior flankers on this site and will have another one upcoming in the next few weeks. However, until now I haven’t done one on the main eau de parfum version of Miss Dior. The naming is all a big mess, but this review will be on the 2017 version, which is the latest one as of writing. In this post, I will cover: how it smells, what’s in it, how it performs, and if Miss Dior EDP is even worth a look.

What does Miss Dior (Cherie) Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, blood orange, patchouli, mandarin orange, rose, rosewood, pink pepper

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior, 50ml/1.7 oz.

My Full Review

As if there weren’t already 80 million different Miss Dior fragrance to lead one to a state of confusion, the Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is a renamed and reformulated version of the previously released, Miss Dior Cherie.

That was 2012, then, Dior reformulated that version for the 2017 version of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum.

Anyway, let’s see how Dior describes this fragrance: The beauty of a Grasse Rose wrapped in a ribbon of fresh notes and woven with a lively Rosewood. The modern and confident femininity of a sensual floral. 

The opening of the 2017 Miss Dior presents my nose with an offering of citrus fruits, patchouli, and rose. The citrus and patchouli are actually more dominant than the rose, at this stage, and I think that they play off of one another extremely well.

I’m not a huge patchouli fan, but it is well done in this perfume. The citrus smells like a blend of orange and lemon, with the lemon aspect being just a dash of that juice.

After 10-15 minutes of wear, the citrus aroma recedes, and rose begins to take the lead. From here on out, it is rose and patchouli, but even with that being the case there is a level of sweetness that is present in Miss Dior.

It’s that mix of the floral notes, sparkling citrus still lingering, warm spice of pink pepper, and the smooth rosewood keeping it all together.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this projects decently, but it’s not very loud at all. I’d call it a softer moderate perfume. However, the longevity is good, and it hung around on my skin for around 8 hours. Not a super beast, but really good enough for most any occasion.

Seasonally, this incarnation of Miss Dior seems to be a cold to moderate weather scent. So, pretty much any time besides the height of summer. In the extreme heat, it would probably fall apart quite a bit, despite any citrus notes.

It is very pretty but not really sexy, more of something that could be worn daily for a mature woman or for a more formal event. Not that it’s overly ‘serious’ or anything, just has that touch of elegance.

Overall Impressions of Miss Dior EDP 2017

Overall, do I like the 2017 version of Miss Dior EDP? I do. I’m not blown away by it, but I actually enjoy the scent quite a lot. It is fresh, citrus/floral, with a bit of sweet and spice to round it out. The rosewood note is the anchor and was a nice touch to the composition.

This Christian Dior fragrance should have plenty of fans, as long as they don’t reformulate it once again,  while keeping the same name…which is stupid.