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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.

Givenchy Gentleman Reserve Privee vs. Dior Homme Intense

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Two iris fragrances for men, are among the two most popular cologne options for guys: Dior Homme Intense and Gentleman Reserve Privee by Givenchy. Add to that, they each have a dark warmth about them, and plenty of shared notes. The question is, which smells better? Which one lasts longer? Which is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Dior Intense vs. Gentleman Reserve Privee

Dior Homme Intense

Notes include: pear, iris, vetiver, ambrette, lavender, cedar

Click here to try: Christian Dior Dior Men Intense Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Read my review: Dior Homme Intense

Gentleman Reserve Privee

Notes include: bergamot, iris, benzoin, whiskey absolute, chestnut, cedar, vetiver and patchouli

Click here to try: Reserve Privee at Macy’s

Read my review: Reserve Privee

Opening

Homme Intense starts with a mix of lavender, cedar, and vetiver. It’s a smooth woody scent that pairs with the ambrette to create a warmer woods feeling. The iris emerges on my skin, after a minute or so delivering the signature floral note of each scent.

The ambrette creates a cacao-like aroma, that was found in the original Dior Homme. Sweet, warm, and just fantastic.

The opening of Gentleman Reserve Privee shares a lot with the two Dior fragrances, along with, Uomo by Valentino.

Bergamot and chestnut come through early to give it a fresh and nutty aroma. It actually starts to settle into more of a cacao smell, but it is pure chestnut at the beginning. The iris of course, is there too.

It really does favor smelling like Dior Homme Intense, at this stage. But, the main highlight is the whiskey note. Warm, dark, and very appealing.

Which is better? For me, the opening hour is a pretty close call. They are very similar and are both excellent openers. I do think that I still prefer Dior Intense a bit more than this newer Givenchy release.

Dior Intense is one of my favorite openers of all-time, I don’t think Reserve does anything to completely surpass it.

Edge: Dior Intense

Projection

Dior Intense has a nice and strong first few hours, that will for sure leave a scent trail behind. Not a powerhouse, but it’s always been well above average on me. Even if I couldn’t smell it at a particular moment, others have commented on it.

Reserve Privee doesn’t reach that same peak in the beginning. Plus, it falls off into something that is on the lighter side of moderate. Not completely weak, just not up to the Dior level.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

With this one, Dior Intense usually gives me in the 9-11 hour range of wear. I think I get a bit better performance out of this one, than most people for whatever reason.

The Givenchy lasted 8-9 hours on skin. So, it’s upper end can match what Dior does sometimes, but it doesn’t have that extra gear.

Again, for some people, this might actually be equal. For me, it’s Dior.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

These two inhabit the same sphere and share so many overlaps, there’s no real distinction here.

Both are autumn and wintertime wears. Both tend towards being nightlife wears, with mass appeal and sexiness. But, also there’s not problem wearing it in the daytime usually. Classy, well put together, etc.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I enjoy more? It’s the Dior.

Reserve Privee was a scent that I was pretty excited to try out, but ultimately a bit underwhelmed by. Now, I do think that opening is awesome and trying it again and again, it still captures my attention.

But, after that, this one just doesn’t hold up in the same way. Nor does it ever hit the same peak as Dior Intense. The whiskey note doesn’t stick around long enough, the nuttiness of chestnut becomes more of a dry chocolate (which is nice), but even that isn’t an extended stay.

Mostly, it’s the iris, amber, and wood. Not a bad smell, but just kind of boring and doesn’t bring the same punch as the Dior. The Givenchy isn’t a bad cologne, it’s just never as good, and tries to tread over much of the same ground.

Winner: Dior Intense

Pure Poison EDP by Dior

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Pure Poison is a 2004 release from Dior’s now long-running Poison for Her perfume line. I grabbed a decant of this stuff, as I couldn’t recall if I had ever tried it out, and knew that I had yet to do a review of it for the site. Despite covering some of the more recent Poison Girl flankers. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is Pure Poison worth a try?

What does Pure Poison by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, bergamot, orange, amber, orange blossom, gardenia, sandalwood, cedar, and musk

Click here to try: Pure Poison EDP by Dior

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes it: Once upon a time there was an ingenuous and captivating, sincere and mysterious fragrance… Pure Poison is the fragrance that celebrates the purest form of seduction, while exploring its duality and irresistible alchemy.

Pure Poison opens up with its jasmine note in control. The citrus blend of orange and bergamot sits underneath, creating a brightness to the aroma, but it isn’t a juicy citrus dominant mix. The citrus actually has somewhat of a ‘greenish’ finish to it, stemming from the bergamot.

Also, that is somewhat tempered anyway, by the inclusion of the orange blossom note. To my nose, that opening is jasmine dominant with the orange blossom second. Later, that gets taken over by gardenia, but the blossom has its time to shine.

Wearing this, I was expecting more of an amber and musk presence in this Dior. Not really the case. In fact, the woods seem to play a larger role here. Still, this one does absolutely have a very clean profile, much less of a seductive ‘poison’ as the name suggest.

As the gardenia steps up to the plate, the sandalwood will join it giving Pure Poison a nice woody balance. As I said, the orange blossom fades into the background, but I still get the citrus impressions for a long while into the wear.

The final dry down is pretty much just a woody white floral. The citrus has disappeared, the musk really fully materializes, and it’s basically the jasmine note with a dose of gardenia and sandalwood.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Pure Poison certainly has a strong opening act. I can spray this on a shirt or myself and it feels like it fills the room and lightly saturates the air for a while. I’d say around 1 hour of strong sillage, before it settles into an intimate scent bubble.

It’s not overwhelming ever, but it certainly packs a punch early on.

The longevity is decent, just not spectacular. Testing this one out, netted me experiences of five hours of wear and some of over eight. Maybe I just went nose blind that one time, but the longevity seems to be at least above average…if not, quite good.

Seasonally, this kind of always works. It’s not too heavy or cloying for the summer months. In fact, it brings a nice coolness. But, it’s not always too fresh for the cold of winter either. Sure, sometimes that cleanliness can get on one’s nerves, just wasn’t straying too much in that direction.

This comes across as much more of a daytime wear. I don’t find it to be seductive, sexy, or a nightlife scent despite the marketing.

But, as a cold fresh and clean perfume it does have plenty of uses. It can be used casually, semi-formal, to work, or what have you. Pure Poison is a daily wear type for those who love white floral scents.

Overall Impressions of Pure Poison

Overall, do I like Pure Poison? I like it, but I was never completely enraptured by it. Gardenia can be hit or miss for me and I’m not always thrilled with an overdose of jasmine. However, this blend is quality and I enjoyed enough of my time with it.

Still, it’s not one of my favorite Dior releases. It’s fine. If you’re a jasmine or fan of these sorts of clean white floral perfumes, you’ll probably want to give it a go.

The performance is good. It’s not super complicated. Basically, jasmine/orange blossom/citrus start with a finish of jasmine/gardenia/sandalwood. Simple, but it does have a nice dynamic energy to it.

The main strength is its versatility. If you dig the smell of this, you should have no problem finding time to wear it around.

Pure Poison is one that is worth testing to see if you happen to fall in the camp of those who love it.

Higher by Christian Dior

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I recently got a hold of a travel size sprayer of Higher by Christian Dior. It’s been one that I’ve wanted to try out for a long while, so, I jumped at the chance to get a bit for pretty cheap.

This fragrance was released 20 years ago. As such, it isn’t all that abundant anymore. The question is, is Higher actually worth getting a full bottle of? How does it smell? Does it last?

What does Higher Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, peach, pear, basil, cypress, cedar, rosemary, pepper, and more

Try on Amazon:  Higher By Christian Dior For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

From the first spray, I immediately get a big dose of the herbal and spiced notes. Basil mostly, along with, pepper and rosemary. 

The fruit notes here are present, just really quite weak. The most noticeable aspect is the wateriness of the pear. A light lemon and some peach, for good measure. Everything comes together to exude a cold aromatic freshness.

It’s almost a melon-like feeling. Not necessarily a smell, but that cold, watery, crispness of a cut piece of melon.

Since this fragrance came out in 2001, Higher is a nice change of pace versus what else is popular these days. No giant ambroxan note, ‘blue-ish’ aroma, or anything along those lines. 

10-15 minutes into the wear, the pepper and rosemary, start to get replaced by cypress and cardamom. The basil sticks around for the duration and is one of the main notes in Higher.

What’s interesting is that during this stage, I get much more peach than I had before. It’s layered underneath, but I can distinctly pick out that fruit. It’s less of that original ‘melon’ and just a much more defined peach. 

The final dry down gives me: cypress, basil, cedar, and all of the other notes seem to blend together. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a light sort of fragrance. The first few minutes made me think that this would be more of a middle of the road scent. However, it quickly loses much of that initial projecting ability. It’s not a complete skin scent, at least for a few hourse.

The longevity is where this one loses me. It only sticks around for 3-4 hours on my skin. It’s really note good at all. I’m pretty sure that I had the same problem with Higher Energy, when I tried it 7-8 years ago. 

 

There was a Higher Black version as well, which I think had more intensity. But, good luck finding bottles of that. It’s really a disappointment with this line and maybe a reason why nobody really talks about Higher, as a classic Dior fragrance.

This is a great spring and summertime wear. Gives you a different option from the usual aquatics or heavy citrus scents. This is cool, fresh, and herbal/woody. Green with watery highlights from the pear note (and some light fruity sweetness).

That being said, early autumn also works. I’d probably go with something more substantial for the winter months.

You could wear this casually, to the office, or out on a date. Higher is a very attractive scent, that is perfectly capable of drawing complements.

Overall Impressions of Higher

Do I like this Dior scent? Based on smell alone, I think that Higher is great. It gives me a fairly unique vibe, with some depth, and it’s just pleasant to wear across the board.

I do like the basil note. The use of cypress and when the peach has it’s coming out party. It all comes together well and is super versatile.

That being said, the performance is pretty bad. It just won’t last for more than 4 hours at best. I’d probably be willing to buy a vintage bottle of this scent online, but, not for $130-ish.

I think they might sell this still in certain regions, but it’s discontinued in the US. So, you might not have to pay a high price, unless you have to import it. 

The basil and cypress notes are great. Along with the spices, it makes me think of L’Homme Libre. Not the same smell, but the spices and woods, have a similar style. 

This is an underrated scent that seems to have flown under the radar. Really, an awesome smelling scent.

I can absolutely recommend this one on the aroma. Performance? Not so much. Whether that works for you or not, is your decision. 

Dior Homme Sport (2021) by Dior

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Dior has once again updated the fragrance using the name of Dior Homme Sport in 2021. This comes four years after the last change. This time, it goes in a whole different direction from the previous incarnation. How does this Sport do? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Dior Homme Sport Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, aldehydes, lemon, elemi, pink pepper, wood, amber, olibanum

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes it: Opens with a burst before suddenly becoming as soft as a second skin a deliciously luminous and fresh woody accord bitten by the vivacity of bergamot and the intensity of peppercorns.

The opening is a blast of the lemon and bergamot notes, that are given an extra spicy kick by the pink pepper. It is nice and a very familiar scent that you’ve seemingly encountered many times before.

This does have some similarities to Dior Homme Cologne. However, I’d say more like Chanel Allure Homme Sport Cologne, with the inclusion of the resinous elemi note. Which actually comes across a sort of waxy in this Dior. Maybe, that’s more of an effect with the olibanum note coming in as well.

But, what separates this version of Dior Sport from the rest of them is the aldehydes. It gives this one a clean freshness, like sun-dried laundry. Fresh wood and woodsy smelling resins, with that initial citrus burst is very attractive. Olibanum gives it a light smokiness, at times.

Once this citrus wears off, Dior Homme Sport starts to lose my interest. It’s basically just a clean wood with lemon wax on top of it. Sure, some freshness makes it okay, but the initial dynamic is lost and it feels like I’m just wearing laundered clothing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate. A bit of a scent trail for an hour or so. But, overall it is moderate. It’s not a skin scent until later in the wear. However, you might not always notice that you’re wearing it. Then, you’ll catch another whiff of Sport.

In terms of longevity, Sport actually matches the new Dior Homme EDT in its performance. On my skin, this one goes for 6.5-8 hours, depending on the day.

It’s not an elite performance, but it’s actually quite good for a ‘Sport’ scent. Even if, there really isn’t too much that is ‘sporty’ about this fragrance. Nonetheless, it is a cologne that doesn’t just fall apart.

Seasonally, this is probably best in warm weather. However, it can really work year round and not feel out of place at all.

Sport is highly versatile. It’s clean, inoffensive aroma can go casual, daily wear, or even more formal events. Not really a sexy nightlife beast, but outside of that, it can fit in wherever its needed.

Overall Impressions of Dior Homme Sport 2021

Do I like this fragrance? It doesn’t smell bad to me. However, outside of the opening 20-30 minutes or so, I’m just not into this. It’s my least favorite of the Dior Homme or Sport line, even the 2017 version, which was just okay.

It does have overlap with Dior Homme EDT. But, they aren’t exactly the same, and I like that one much more than this.

Performance is fine and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to wear this fragrance, if you enjoy how it smells. To me, it’s pretty boring, a bit too waxy/resinous, and almost a detergent-like quality.

I’ll pass on getting a bottle for myself. But, it’s worth a try, at least. Test it out and see if you actually enjoy it. If the performance and versatility was bad, I’d say to just stay away from this. As it is, try it if it still sounds interesting. If not, pass on it entirely.