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Where there seems to be no bad or good, right or wrong...everything is a matter of taste...
Well...what can be said about a fragrance like Dior Sauvage (EDT) that hasn't been said before? Probably nothing! Can the scent notes be recomposed on a keyboard, as they have never been composed by anyone before? Probably not! Everything worth a closer look
has most certainly already been described in one form or another in this forum and elsewhere. Praised, criticized, hated, envied, loved, and adored...Dior Sauvage.
And yet I would like to try to express my opinion on this - after all - polarizing fragrance, as Dior Sauvage can undoubtedly be compared in its success to the original Acqua di Giò from 1996. Perhaps its success has come a bit slower than before, but Sauvage is at least as well-known and popular today as the former king of aquatic fragrances - only with a stronger media presence! Especially online.
But first, I would like to approach three claims that I believe accurately encompass the plight of this fragrance:
Claim 1:
Dior Sauvage is - at least from a sales perspective - probably the best example of successful marketing!
Claim 2:
Unlike in the early days when it was criticized by YouTubers and reviewers, Sauvage is by no means a bad fragrance!
Claim 3:
Apart from the general public, the fragrance likely rightly fails among connoisseurs due to the fragrance history of the house of Dior!
Even though it may seem nonsensical for a fragrance, I would like to begin the actual description with the marketing and promotion of the scent, where I believe one of the greatest strengths of this fragrance lies. Television commercials, online banners, presence in relevant forums and blogs, as well as the unmistakable campaign in specialized boutiques have brought this fragrance to where it stands now - at the top of the most popular fragrances.
I myself would like to consider myself an unwilling victim of this well-oiled advertising machinery, as I bought the fragrance in 2015 shortly after its release and emptied the bottle faster than probably any other before it. And that despite its truly respectable longevity - but more on that later.
Yes, I was one of its early victims, but I never had the aura that is so commonly present in clubs nowadays in mind!
For while Dior Sauvage captured newcomers and occasional buyers "merely" with the then-novel scent - among all the Ambrox powerhouses available in 2019, it is unmistakably a free rider - it lured connoisseurs - or even just the informed - with its rather subtler attractants: The name "Sauvage" deliberately evoked associations with the magnificent former "Eau Sauvage" by the great master Edmond Roudnitska from 1966. But even those who only knew the 2012 perfume version had at least a good reason for joyful expectations.
And then there’s that bottle! Although a bit smaller, it is certainly comparable to the counterparts of the Privée collection for those in the know. Fragrances that, solely due to their price tag and their absence as eternally empty testers on the shelves of boutiques, stand for pure luxury - no matter how irrational the thought may seem to some of spending several hundred euros on a single fragrance. And the fact that in 2015 something so inconspicuous and almost banal as a magnetic closure (in the designer category) was still not a given should not go unmentioned.
But what makes this fragrance, this - as I have already labeled it - Ambrox powerhouse so popular? In a few words: its universal applicability! Just like the previously mentioned Acqua di Giò and some of its modern successors or companions, Dior Sauvage is as versatile as very few other fragrances.
It can - and I ask for forgiveness for my current choice of words - be "loud" enough for evening festivities, sufficiently "sober" for most office environments, "spicy" enough for the older generations, and "fresh" enough for the younger ones.
An almost complete lack of development actually contributes more to this fragrance's success than to its shame, as it often provides testing buyers with a much clearer picture than many a branching and offshoot-seeking fragrance from top, heart, and base notes. What one smells - if one is even able to do so on-site - before the actual purchase is usually also what one gets.
Although...a brief caveat is still permitted: testing on the skin is highly recommended, especially with Dior Sauvage (and all subsequent Ambrox powerhouses)! A simple sniff of a test strip can lead to an unwanted wrinkling of the nose and an annoying lightening of one’s wallet at home. Because this so metallic and piercing smelling Ambrox has the ability - or should we say curse - to smell different on the skin of each owner. Thanks to one’s own pH level...among other things.
So let’s conclude that Dior Sauvage is by no means a bad fragrance! Because let’s be honest: even the best marketing cannot permanently ensure the success of a fragrance that stinks to high heaven. And that it - like so many other successful fragrances - falls victim to its success and the inevitably following copies is nowadays more the norm than the exception. In 2015, its scent was something special! In 2019, it is just one among many!
The fact that Dior Sauvage faced so much mockery on YouTube and in relevant forums during its early days is likely primarily due to its initially undefinable purpose, as most fragrances from the house of Dior were more for enthusiasts. Homme, Fahrenheit, Dune, and Higher could all not be described as generic; they often required trained noses or at least several attempts and time to be appreciated and grow on one’s heart.
Dior Sauvage, on the other hand, seemed from the beginning to be made for the masses and not for enthusiasts. Anyone who studied their worn fragrance, selected it deliberately, or categorized it by purpose and/or season could only be disappointed - for everyone else, it was simply irrelevant!
Was it good that this fragrance saw the light of day in 2015? A clear: Yes! Many fragrances in boutiques seem to be of far worse quality, yet do not receive nearly as much criticism due to a lack of popularity. While the era of Ambrox may eventually pass and make way for other preferences or trends, one can be sure that at least Dior Sauvage - as the quasi-beginner of this genre - will continue to hold its place on the fragrance shelves. Perhaps no longer a scent for everyone, but still for a long time for many and for almost every occasion.
Or to conclude with the modified words of a Swiss doctor and naturalist: "Only the dose makes the poison."
has most certainly already been described in one form or another in this forum and elsewhere. Praised, criticized, hated, envied, loved, and adored...Dior Sauvage.
And yet I would like to try to express my opinion on this - after all - polarizing fragrance, as Dior Sauvage can undoubtedly be compared in its success to the original Acqua di Giò from 1996. Perhaps its success has come a bit slower than before, but Sauvage is at least as well-known and popular today as the former king of aquatic fragrances - only with a stronger media presence! Especially online.
But first, I would like to approach three claims that I believe accurately encompass the plight of this fragrance:
Claim 1:
Dior Sauvage is - at least from a sales perspective - probably the best example of successful marketing!
Claim 2:
Unlike in the early days when it was criticized by YouTubers and reviewers, Sauvage is by no means a bad fragrance!
Claim 3:
Apart from the general public, the fragrance likely rightly fails among connoisseurs due to the fragrance history of the house of Dior!
Even though it may seem nonsensical for a fragrance, I would like to begin the actual description with the marketing and promotion of the scent, where I believe one of the greatest strengths of this fragrance lies. Television commercials, online banners, presence in relevant forums and blogs, as well as the unmistakable campaign in specialized boutiques have brought this fragrance to where it stands now - at the top of the most popular fragrances.
I myself would like to consider myself an unwilling victim of this well-oiled advertising machinery, as I bought the fragrance in 2015 shortly after its release and emptied the bottle faster than probably any other before it. And that despite its truly respectable longevity - but more on that later.
Yes, I was one of its early victims, but I never had the aura that is so commonly present in clubs nowadays in mind!
For while Dior Sauvage captured newcomers and occasional buyers "merely" with the then-novel scent - among all the Ambrox powerhouses available in 2019, it is unmistakably a free rider - it lured connoisseurs - or even just the informed - with its rather subtler attractants: The name "Sauvage" deliberately evoked associations with the magnificent former "Eau Sauvage" by the great master Edmond Roudnitska from 1966. But even those who only knew the 2012 perfume version had at least a good reason for joyful expectations.
And then there’s that bottle! Although a bit smaller, it is certainly comparable to the counterparts of the Privée collection for those in the know. Fragrances that, solely due to their price tag and their absence as eternally empty testers on the shelves of boutiques, stand for pure luxury - no matter how irrational the thought may seem to some of spending several hundred euros on a single fragrance. And the fact that in 2015 something so inconspicuous and almost banal as a magnetic closure (in the designer category) was still not a given should not go unmentioned.
But what makes this fragrance, this - as I have already labeled it - Ambrox powerhouse so popular? In a few words: its universal applicability! Just like the previously mentioned Acqua di Giò and some of its modern successors or companions, Dior Sauvage is as versatile as very few other fragrances.
It can - and I ask for forgiveness for my current choice of words - be "loud" enough for evening festivities, sufficiently "sober" for most office environments, "spicy" enough for the older generations, and "fresh" enough for the younger ones.
An almost complete lack of development actually contributes more to this fragrance's success than to its shame, as it often provides testing buyers with a much clearer picture than many a branching and offshoot-seeking fragrance from top, heart, and base notes. What one smells - if one is even able to do so on-site - before the actual purchase is usually also what one gets.
Although...a brief caveat is still permitted: testing on the skin is highly recommended, especially with Dior Sauvage (and all subsequent Ambrox powerhouses)! A simple sniff of a test strip can lead to an unwanted wrinkling of the nose and an annoying lightening of one’s wallet at home. Because this so metallic and piercing smelling Ambrox has the ability - or should we say curse - to smell different on the skin of each owner. Thanks to one’s own pH level...among other things.
So let’s conclude that Dior Sauvage is by no means a bad fragrance! Because let’s be honest: even the best marketing cannot permanently ensure the success of a fragrance that stinks to high heaven. And that it - like so many other successful fragrances - falls victim to its success and the inevitably following copies is nowadays more the norm than the exception. In 2015, its scent was something special! In 2019, it is just one among many!
The fact that Dior Sauvage faced so much mockery on YouTube and in relevant forums during its early days is likely primarily due to its initially undefinable purpose, as most fragrances from the house of Dior were more for enthusiasts. Homme, Fahrenheit, Dune, and Higher could all not be described as generic; they often required trained noses or at least several attempts and time to be appreciated and grow on one’s heart.
Dior Sauvage, on the other hand, seemed from the beginning to be made for the masses and not for enthusiasts. Anyone who studied their worn fragrance, selected it deliberately, or categorized it by purpose and/or season could only be disappointed - for everyone else, it was simply irrelevant!
Was it good that this fragrance saw the light of day in 2015? A clear: Yes! Many fragrances in boutiques seem to be of far worse quality, yet do not receive nearly as much criticism due to a lack of popularity. While the era of Ambrox may eventually pass and make way for other preferences or trends, one can be sure that at least Dior Sauvage - as the quasi-beginner of this genre - will continue to hold its place on the fragrance shelves. Perhaps no longer a scent for everyone, but still for a long time for many and for almost every occasion.
Or to conclude with the modified words of a Swiss doctor and naturalist: "Only the dose makes the poison."
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Translated · Show original
The End of the Millennium Reissued...
Most people are likely familiar with the original! Crisp and fresh, it heralded the end of the millennium in the fragrance world. The Profumo variant thus steps into at least large footsteps, considering the popularity of this scent ...
... and fills them excellently! The underlying DNA remains intact, the aquatic notes are neither ignored nor overly altered. Instead, the depth of the spicy notes has been enormously refined and harmonizes wonderfully with the newly added incense in this variant.
The longevity is probably the biggest plus point of the Profumo variant, as the original has suffered more than gained in this regard due to multiple reformulations - not exclusively. Five to six hours can be easily achieved, which is far more than the original seems capable of at this time. For those who find this duration too short to be called "problem-free," a bit of relativity should be added: Most fragrances seem to enter a somewhat different symbiosis with my skin than described by many reviewers. Scents that are supposed to last like glue vanish like a weak breath on a warm summer day - others with supposedly weak performance seem to hang around my neck like an open sample bottle and linger there all day long. Acqua di Giò Profumo lands - in my estimation - somewhere in between. Nothing special! However, finally back to where the original once was!
The sillage is, in my opinion (or rather, in my nose), a double-edged sword! In the top notes, the aquatic notes come through wonderfully and distinctly after the first hint of alcohol has faded. The same applies to the heart notes, although here the darker spices and shrubs are definitely dominant. However, I find the base notes disappointing! Not because the combination of patchouli and incense smells out of place or otherwise inappropriate. No, rather it emphasizes the darkness of the Profumo variant, the newly added depth, the maturity - if one wishes to label it that way. What bothers me about the base notes is the way this scent becomes so intimate in its final phase. Hardly discernible, it seems to beg for a refreshment from here on.
There are hardly any words to say about the bottle - the original in dark. Following the theme of the fragrance, neither the bottle nor the scent has been changed too much. Rather, it has been slightly improved and attention has been paid to the old virtues.
Is this fragrance as good as its original from the end of the millennium? Quite clearly: Yes! What needed to be changed was consistently addressed by Mr. Morillas, and what has always worked has been left just as consistently! But does that make it an equally impressive fragrance as the original Acqua di Giò, which once expanded the fragrance system?
Well... for all those who have been looking for a worthy (or in my opinion, better and more masculine) replacement for their once-treasured scent: In any case! For all of them, a blind purchase is certainly not something to be clearly advised against. Those who liked the original will very likely appreciate the Profumo variant at least equally.
For everyone else, however: Probably not! Due to the time - and the number of new fragrances being released - the field of aquatic scents has grown larger and larger (since this is my first comment and I have only skimmed the forum guidelines, I will refrain from mentioning alternatives for safety's sake) and has produced more interesting and, in my opinion, at least equally worthy fragrances over the years. Unlike the original, Acqua di Giò Profumo does not herald a system change anymore, but rather blends in almost inconspicuously among many. A pleasantly smelling and soothing fragrance that one can hardly go wrong with and can be worn in almost any conceivable situation (contrary to what some well-known YouTuber reviewers claim, this is not a scent that is only to be worn in appropriate clothing).
Definitely a crowd-pleaser!
... and fills them excellently! The underlying DNA remains intact, the aquatic notes are neither ignored nor overly altered. Instead, the depth of the spicy notes has been enormously refined and harmonizes wonderfully with the newly added incense in this variant.
The longevity is probably the biggest plus point of the Profumo variant, as the original has suffered more than gained in this regard due to multiple reformulations - not exclusively. Five to six hours can be easily achieved, which is far more than the original seems capable of at this time. For those who find this duration too short to be called "problem-free," a bit of relativity should be added: Most fragrances seem to enter a somewhat different symbiosis with my skin than described by many reviewers. Scents that are supposed to last like glue vanish like a weak breath on a warm summer day - others with supposedly weak performance seem to hang around my neck like an open sample bottle and linger there all day long. Acqua di Giò Profumo lands - in my estimation - somewhere in between. Nothing special! However, finally back to where the original once was!
The sillage is, in my opinion (or rather, in my nose), a double-edged sword! In the top notes, the aquatic notes come through wonderfully and distinctly after the first hint of alcohol has faded. The same applies to the heart notes, although here the darker spices and shrubs are definitely dominant. However, I find the base notes disappointing! Not because the combination of patchouli and incense smells out of place or otherwise inappropriate. No, rather it emphasizes the darkness of the Profumo variant, the newly added depth, the maturity - if one wishes to label it that way. What bothers me about the base notes is the way this scent becomes so intimate in its final phase. Hardly discernible, it seems to beg for a refreshment from here on.
There are hardly any words to say about the bottle - the original in dark. Following the theme of the fragrance, neither the bottle nor the scent has been changed too much. Rather, it has been slightly improved and attention has been paid to the old virtues.
Is this fragrance as good as its original from the end of the millennium? Quite clearly: Yes! What needed to be changed was consistently addressed by Mr. Morillas, and what has always worked has been left just as consistently! But does that make it an equally impressive fragrance as the original Acqua di Giò, which once expanded the fragrance system?
Well... for all those who have been looking for a worthy (or in my opinion, better and more masculine) replacement for their once-treasured scent: In any case! For all of them, a blind purchase is certainly not something to be clearly advised against. Those who liked the original will very likely appreciate the Profumo variant at least equally.
For everyone else, however: Probably not! Due to the time - and the number of new fragrances being released - the field of aquatic scents has grown larger and larger (since this is my first comment and I have only skimmed the forum guidelines, I will refrain from mentioning alternatives for safety's sake) and has produced more interesting and, in my opinion, at least equally worthy fragrances over the years. Unlike the original, Acqua di Giò Profumo does not herald a system change anymore, but rather blends in almost inconspicuously among many. A pleasantly smelling and soothing fragrance that one can hardly go wrong with and can be worn in almost any conceivable situation (contrary to what some well-known YouTuber reviewers claim, this is not a scent that is only to be worn in appropriate clothing).
Definitely a crowd-pleaser!
3 Comments
