Ah yes, how I had been looking forward to this flanker, which, unlike the original, completely does without oak moss. Because I only like that in moderation. But what is instead in it - urgh … but read for yourself:
In the hope of a crystal-clear super-fresh Eau Sauvage with an X-factor, the cologne opens just like that: A very attractive spritz of citrus fruits, which is interwoven with something that almost magically calls "take me (with:)" And yes, if you only had 5 minutes, you would immediately fall for the beautiful cologne. This visage, this sparkle, this radiance … oops, excuse me - I only mean the top note :) Simply dreamy, fantastic, swoon-worthy … to kneel for.
Bought? ... wait and see ;-)
Because shortly after this amazing opening, an unpleasant note increasingly pushes through, which from then on dominates the scent - at least for my nose. And since this beast dominates the essence of the entire progression, I first try to theoretically identify it (those who want can continue reading at * * * : )
Determining this peculiar tone is not so easy, because among the notes of the fragrance pyramid, I cannot find the troublemaker (or is this supposed to be the Petitgrain?) Therefore, I first checked the Dior website, where this cologne is no longer listed. But it gets even better, because neither Douglas nor Easycosmetic nor Flaconi lists mandarin, grapefruit, hedione, petitgrain, and galbanum in their fragrance pyramid. Thus, they are missing 5 out of 8 notes listed on Parfumo. Who are you supposed to believe when there are no manufacturer details anymore?
But yes, I hear you calling "only trust your own nose" hehe, and I do (see below). So, to hell with the fragrance pyramids, which could not be more different from house to house (including Parfumo). Just for the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the following notes can be found in the three shops (in total), but not at Parfumo: rosemary, jasmine, iris, basil, fruits, cumin, lemon, coriander, clove, patchouli, rose, sandalwood, amber, oak moss, musk … so 15! more ingredients than on Parfumo.
Haha, … any questions?
So, I have learned how DIFFERENT the fragrance pyramids can be. One is used to small deviations, but the Eau Sauvage Cologne seems to be put together by everyone according to their own taste, which of course did not help me at all in identifying the supposed X-factor of the scent (which ruins this flanker for me and should serve as a warning for future fragrances).
* * * And? How does it smell now? What makes up 70-80% of the scent impression of this cologne?
One thing upfront: this is not about some disgusting fragrance note, about being extremely bitter, sour, green-flash, or anything else. And I can even imagine that some might like it. It seems to depend very much on the wearer of the fragrance. Nevertheless, it is not for me - here are the details:
3 sprays on neck/front:
The first five minutes are a dream because the lively citrus is still in play and creates a wonderful freshness kick in the mix - super attractive. But that doesn’t last long, and in the first hour, a synthetic light "grainy" grass/hay note dominates, overshadowing everything and somehow feels unpleasant to me. Then the tone pulls back a bit for another hour, and a nice fresh impression spreads, which has little to do with the original version, but is still pleasing - a mild mélange of citrus fruits, with a little addition of the other notes, and for my part, also the "grassy" factor X. After about two hours, however, this intensifies again, but no longer so scratchy and grainy, rather sweeter, tamed, and softer in expression. This cannot possibly be bergamot, and if it is, it is of the most artificial kind. What is this? A kind of plastic grass with a fruity-floral touch? ... After three hours, the cologne is once again more harmonious, but the sillage is hardly noticeable on the neck - and after four hours, not at all. Overall, therefore, a total flop for me.
2 sprays on shirt:
The scent starts similarly spritzy as on the skin, and the special "fruit-grass" note soon becomes similarly prominent. Here, however, it seems a bit more pleasant because it is less differentiated (not scratchy/grainy). But it smells too monotonous and sweet, which diminishes the value of the scent. Even on a shirt, this bright tone remains as the main note, which smells like a mix of overcooked floral fruitiness, and is constantly perceived as a very present overtone - fully synthesized and brushed for attractiveness. Not really bad, but one wonders what the point is. What’s with the monotony? Is that all? Meanwhile, this plastic note dances like a cheeky tip on an otherwise good fragrance. It is supposed to make it bright and fresh, which it does. But the dominance and artificiality of this note somehow ruin it for my taste. And completely contrary to the skin: the scent is still noticeable on a shirt after two days, at half arm's length! ... however, predominantly just this bright note.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, Eau Sauvage Cologne is determined by a poor decision. After a super attractive opening, this flanker consists of 70-80% of a light, sweet fruity-floral-green note, which feels to me as if the petitgrain has inhaled too much helium … uh, hedione :) Meanwhile, this "X-factor" comes across a bit grainy and grass/hay-like in the first hour. Although the tuning of the scent becomes more pleasant in between, it’s already over after 3-4 hours at half arm's length. In contrast, the scent (albeit thinned out) lingers on clothing for up to 2 days. There is hardly any mention of vetiver and pink pepper, at best the petitgrain (?) contributes to a certain fluffiness in the drydown. And let's not even talk about the many notes of the perfume shop fragrance pyramids. As I said: The scent feels somehow strange to me due to the dominant note, but some may actually like this addition. So I would like to conclude with a rhyme:
Whatever the case, don’t blind buy :)
But I have long since decided,
because for me this cologne is nothing, hardly more than
a juice with X
Updated on 08/29/2020
Calabrian bergamot
Petitgrain
Grapefruit
Hedione
Mandarin orange
Pink pepper
Vetiver
Galbanum
Saradonin
Chiaretta
LouBe
BertolucciK
PrestonCG
Nostrildamus
LxH39
Axiomatic
Salva
Yatagan
