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Dune Pour Homme is one that I experienced for the first time many years ago. Sometime in the past year or so, I picked it up again in the form of a travel sprayer decant. I thought that I’d already published my review of it, but I guess not. So, this is another blast from the past, a discontinued fragrance first released in 1997. How does it smell? Is it worth a try?
What does Dune Pour Homme Smell Like?
Notes include: fig, sandalwood, cassis, vanilla, tonka bean, basil, sage, rose, mignonette, cedar
My Full Review
I’m not sure when this scent got discontinued. Nor do I know when my decant of it is from. So, who knows if any reformulation took place that effected its performance?
The scent itself, I don’t think so, as that smells exactly how it is sounds based on the notes list.
The opening act is really fresh with basil and sage, coming out of the gate hard. There is a light fruity cassis note that joins, but never feels too pronounced on my skin. It just sort of hangs around for most of the wear.
Under that fresh spice? Fig. Lots of it. Also, mignonette, which based on what I’ve read is giving it that greenish-watery-violet smelling aroma. I like it, more so than the usual violet leaf note that gets stuck into a ton of fragrances.
The basil and sage’s dominance hangs around for a little bit. But, this one will go from more herbal/green/fruity to a warm and dry fresh woods.
That fig, cedar, and sandalwood really take shape. The sweetness here is very light and faint. Sure, vanilla and tonka are there, but not all that noticeable to me. After the first hour, not even on the radar.
I like Dune a lot at this stage. The remaining sage note gives it an enjoyable freshness when paired to that of the woody notes.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
Sillage wise, this stuff is light and airy. Again, maybe that didn’t used to be the case. This batch doesn’t really leave a scent trail and isn’t going to project too far from the skin.
It is a nice scent bubble. 1-4 feet for a majority of the wear. Dune isn’t a cologne that is going to overpower or bomb out a room.
That being said, I can still pick it up on my skin around six hours later. It’s passable, just know what you’re getting into with this Dior.
Seasonally, spring through early autumn. I like this in moderate temperatures and the warmer air. I really want to be outside when I have this on. I don’t live in a desert area, but I could enjoy wearing this around a place like Las Vegas on certain days.
This is a daytime fresh woody fragrance. Not a nightlife or romantic wear. But, within that daytime arena, this one is pretty versatile.
Dune isn’t totally stuffy nor childish. It can work casually or in a more formal setting. Not like tuxedo level, but it’d be fine in an office.
Overall Impressions of Dune
Overall, do I like Dune? Yes, I do. It has a style that is unique and yet feels timeless. I don’t know of another men’s fragrance that smells exactly like this. This Dior is such a departure from the other colognes out on the market today.
It evokes the sandy dry air of the desert, but where it just begins, and not too far off from the sea. I dig these sorts of scents, that give you visions of a specific place you’d want to wear it.
Fig is one of my favorite underutilized notes. The stages of freshness, green herbal, and then warm air and dry woods are great.
The performance? Not so much. Maybe the initial bottles had more power than this. But, this batch is pretty darn airy. When you pick it up, it’s beautiful. But, a lot of the time you won’t even notice.
As a skin scent or a 1-2 foot radius aroma, Dune Pour Homme will stick around for about six hours. Again, not great, but not horrific. If I had a full bottle, I’d be spraying a ton to really try and get the full effect.
As it stands, this Dior is discontinued. It’s a great and unique 1990s fragrance, but not a must have for most people. Sure, if you find a bottle for cheap, give it a try. However, unless you’re a collector, you probably don’t need to chase any super expensive bottles on the internet.
Though, as of now, they seem to still be under $100. So, it’s not too big of a gamble.
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Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.